Buying a new Android phone is always exciting but, what about the old one? These days, people replace their phones with new ones often and their old phones end up in some bedroom drawer or trash bin unattended. It would be a good idea to properly get rid of the old phone if you have plans to buy a new one.
Remember that the phone you just kept away might have a cash value or you could just donate it to somebody deserving. If you don’t have plans to use it again, you may also consider recycling it. Take a look at what to do with the old phone you once cherished.
Clean the Memory
Your old phone most probably contains a lot of personal data such as photos, contacts, passwords and the like. No matter what you are going to do with the phone, wipe these clean to avoid any risk. First, encrypt your data. Go to the Security menu in the Settings to find the Encryption option. Encryption may take about an hour and it needs the phone to be fully charged.
You may then remove all the listed accounts in the phone so that nobody is able to login to it. Now, go to Backup & Reset in the Personal tab in Settings and press Factory Data Reset. This makes the software of the phone all-new.
Donate the Phone
Donating the phone to a charity is good enough if you have a big heart. You can search for local organisations in your community to which you can pass the phone. There are certain organizations that collect phones and other accessories from people and distribute them to deserving people such as survivors of abuses or even sell them to raise funds for good causes.
Trade it in
If you are interested to trade-in your old phone for a new one, search locally first. Many stores have the option of trade-in where you get a brand new phone in return. Some of them even have promotional offers which could benefit you in terms of money. On searching, you can find some best retail chains with such offers. But before you take the decision, compare the offers and then go for the one which seems the most profitable. These days, in some countries, there exist automated machines that give you cash on the spot for your phone.
Resell
If you are not in for giving away your phone for free, you can consider reselling it. This is not a bad idea either. Reselling has become popular recently and you can make some money out of your unused possessions. Do thorough research about who offers this service. You can either contact your nearest store or search online for buyers. There are a number of websites that help sell used items. You can get a fair price this way.
Recycle
Recycling is one of the best ways to get rid of used things as it is environment-friendly. There are many service providers, non-profit groups and even cell phone manufacturers who take interest in recycling mobile devices and their components. This includes even the peripheral devices like the chargers. Recycling is the right method to keep away the toxins and heavy metals out of the landfills.
You can also think of disposing your phone which has to be done properly. You may first check with the sanitation agencies and your local government to understand how electronics devices are disposed safely. Whatever you do with the old phone, do not let it remain in your house. Within no time, you can find a number of such phones lying around adding to the clutter. So, better get rid of it right away.
