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Other Wiping a phone before reselling - safe?
- Thread starter I-Lover
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Safe for the average person but there could still be data that could be recovered by a professional.
Highly unlikely to happen so you are safe.
Highly unlikely to happen so you are safe.
For all intents and purposes, yes, it will be fine.
Is there data left behind that can pulled? Yes.
However, that is true of almost any quick erase system.
Edit: I’m dumb.
Is there data left behind that can pulled? Yes.
However, that is true of almost any quick erase system.
Edit: I’m dumb.
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Does the iPhone show up in Disk Utility? I used to be able to do the multiple zeroed rewrite delete on iPods, maybe the secure delete would work for iPhones too.
You were able to do that on your iPods because they had HDDs but since iPhones have SSDs there's no option for "multiple zeroed rewrites". Same applies for Macs with SDDs.
Good point, I never really thought about it, but it makes sense.
Fixed that for you, sorry.
Otherwise quite correct as are the other posts on this thread, the OP can go ahead and wipe their phone.
It's true it's not 100% safe. But for you to be able to retrieve the data I heard you must have tools that the US intelligence would have. Extremely rare and you are likely safe if you are selling it to somone.
slightly off topic..
I used to work with an organization that processed personal effects of wound and deceased military and government personnel. One department search media for classified information and some other things.
It was broken down into two tiers, the higher tier did more complex tasks, I work in the lower tier for a few months.
The higher tier hated dealing with Apple products.
Most of the encrypted digital media was sent out to the FBI, as the higher tier's resources were limited, and most of the internal encryption breaking was down with either brut force or guessing of passwords.
The most infamous encrypted media was Apple devices with FileVault. The FBI was unable to crack it, well, at least according to them.
This was a while ago, so things may have changed, but At the time, Apple's FileVault was a beast.
What ever Apple's method of doing a clean wipe of the iPhone is, it is probably fine for most people.
If it wasn't, then government agencies around the world wouldn't be paying top dollar for passcode unlockers.
- Sorry, with "clean wipe", you mean "Initialize content and Device" (accessed by settings — > restore...)?
- Is this action enough to erase all stored data and "disconnect" the Apple ID account from the IPhone?
I seem to have read months ago of people who had bought/sold an iPhone, but they could not access with their Apple ID.
- Is this action enough to erase all stored data and "disconnect" the Apple ID account from the IPhone?
I seem to have read months ago of people who had bought/sold an iPhone, but they could not access with their Apple ID.
Settings > General > Reset > Erase All Content and Settings
The same is accomplished with an iTunes restore through recovery mode or DFU mode.
Thanks for the confirmation.
As for my question about "disconnecting" the Apple ID, you know something about it?
Yes, it will delete your iCloud information as well.
Depending on how you do the restore, you may have to enter the old iCloud information to deactivate the activation lock, but that will not add your iCloud information back to the phone.
That security feature is intended to prevent criminals from wiping your phone and being able to use it.
Depending on how you do the restore, you may have to enter the old iCloud information to deactivate the activation lock, but that will not add your iCloud information back to the phone.
That security feature is intended to prevent criminals from wiping your phone and being able to use it.
Ok, got it.
My question relates to preparing my current 8 Plus to be sold (or rather to return it, because I'm in the upgrade program).
Once erased all content and settings, before returning it to the store, do I have to do more??
I'm afraid my Apple ID remains "hooked" on the old iPhone preventing me from using the new one and leaving a "track" on the old one as well.
Sign out of your Apple ID on your phone before you erase and restore it too if that makes you feel better.
Thanks man
How do I do it??
Thanks for helping me
Edit: Settings -> Apple ID -> and scrolling all the way down and clicking "Exit"?
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Dude.
Erase All Contents and Settings.
That’s all you have to do. Signing out of your Apple ID before nuking the device makes ZERO difference.
Erase All Contents and Settings.
That’s all you have to do. Signing out of your Apple ID before nuking the device makes ZERO difference.
Thanks man
How do I do it??
Thanks for helping me
Edit: Settings -> Apple ID -> and scrolling all the way down and clicking "Exit"?
It won't do much but you just click on your apple id up top in settings and scroll down to sign out at the bottom. It'll only be for peace of mind.
The native encryption will make it safe. Plus consider most of the data you don’t want falling into the wrong hands is web based, banking apps, etc.
If you are paranoid about it though turn off syncing and delete everything (entire apps 1st and 3rd party). Then fill the phone up with other data like movies and music. Then “erase all the content”. That should overwrite most of the data that is just marked for deletion on the nand.
If you are paranoid about it though turn off syncing and delete everything (entire apps 1st and 3rd party). Then fill the phone up with other data like movies and music. Then “erase all the content”. That should overwrite most of the data that is just marked for deletion on the nand.