Nowadays, it can be said that smartphones have become an important part of most people’s life. You cannot live without a smartphone. It has become like your extended self since you carry it everywhere you go and you often put your secrets on it as well. Due to the importance of smartphones in this day and age, and due to the use of smartphones for keeping your important and private files, it is becoming more and more important for you to protect your data on your smartphone. However, sometimes, you have to sell your smartphone so that you can replace it with a new one.
So, when you buy or sell smartphones, what should you do? Since people keep most of their private files on it, you can’t just sell or buy secondhand smartphones without keeping your data private to you. You don’t want the person who bought your smartphone to be able to access your social media accounts, or see any private photos and conversations that you have in your smartphone. Here are some tips to keep your data private when buying and selling secondhand smartphones:
1. Transfer All Your Important Files To The Cloud Using VPN
This is the first thing that you have to do when you decide to sell your mobile device. You have to ensure that you no longer have any private data stored on your mobile device. That’s why you have to transfer all your important files to the cloud using VPN. It is important to use VPN because you want to make sure that the transfer process is going smoothly, safely, and privately. Choose your preferred cloud storage service and then upload all of your important files there. Make sure that there is nothing left in your phone since you have to ensure that you can access your important files later. If you have lots of files with a big size, make sure that you are using a premium private network service that offers unlimited bandwidth for your file transfer.
2. Delete All Your Local Data And Reset Your Phone
Now that you have uploaded all your files to the cloud via the secure VPN connection, it is important for you to delete all local data on your mobile device. Make sure that there will be no data left on your phone after you sell the phone to another person. Take a look at the common folders, such as Documents, Pictures, Videos, Music, Downloads, and so on. Make sure that all the data there is completely deleted from your system. After that, you can reset your phone by going to the security settings of your phone. Choose to reset your phone to the factory settings and make sure that you also choose to wipe all data. Once done, the phone will restart and begin the process.
3. Remove Any MicroSD Card Or External Memory From Your Phone
Once you’ve wiped out your phone and reset it to factory settings, it’s time for you to remove any MicroSD card or external memory that is installed on your mobile device. Don’t forget to remove your SIM card as well. You want to sell your phone in the condition like the one when you received it. It means that you should only sell the phone without any MicroSD or SIM card included. However, some people might forget to remove the external memory or SIM card from their phone before selling it, which is very dangerous for their privacy. Your SIM card or MicroSD card might still have some important data about you or your contacts, such as conversations, important files, and so on. So, it is very recommended for you to remove them from your phone as soon as possible.
4. Make Sure That Your Smartphone Looks Like Brand New
Before selling your phone, make sure that the phone starts with the welcome screen and initialization process like the one that you find in a new phone. Also, be sure to take the necessary care for your phone so that it looks like a brand new phone. Of course, you might not be able to do that if you have the phone for a few years, but you should at least have it properly cleaned and make sure that it is presented in the best possible condition. The better the condition, the more value that the phone has. So, you’ll get way more money from the transaction.
5. Transfer The Files Back To Your New Phone Using VPN
Once you’ve bought a new phone, be sure to transfer your files back to your new phone using VPN. Install all the required apps that you need, as well as your VPN app, and activate the VPN connection before you initiate the syncing process with your cloud storage account. If you are buying a secondhand smartphone, make sure that you do the factory data reset for the phone before using it to sync with the cloud storage. Once everything is done, you are all set.
Those are the tips to keep your data private when buying and selling secondhand smartphones. The point is to always ensure that your private data cannot be accessed by the new owner of the phone when you sell your mobile device. Also, you have to ensure that your private data won’t be mixed with the data of the old phone owner if you are buying a secondhand smartphone.