MNN - Mother Nature Network

If you’re in the market for a new smartphone, don’t let your old device gather dust in a drawer. You can sell your old phone to earn some extra cash or even donate it out of the goodness of your heart. Just make sure you follow our instructions on wiping your old smartphone before it’s delivered to its next owner, so your personal info will stay safe.

 

Wiping and restoring most smartphones is simple, but be sure to back up any information you want to save before doing anything.

 

To wipe your Android smartphone’s personal data and restore the device to factory settings:

 

Restoring your iPhone to factory settings is even easier:

 

 If you purchased a Windows Phone and already decided its Live Tile interface isn’t for you, here’s how to wipe the device:

 

Once you’ve wiped your smartphone of all your personal data, decide whether you want to sell or donate it. iPhones typically retain more value than Android smartphones (it’s still too soon to tell with Windows Phones), and some buy-back sites will give you as much or nearly as much as the price of the latest version iPhone for your old Apple smartphone. It’s worth noting that trade-in programs with such sites as Amazon, Best Buy and RadioShack only offer store credit, while eBay offers payment through PayPal. Online trade-in programs through such sites as BuyBackWorld, BuyMyTronics, Gazelle and NextWorth will give you cash.

 

For example, on Gazelle, a 16GB AT&T iPhone 4S in good condition went for $225 as of press time, and the same model fetched $242 and $205 at NextWorth and BuyMyTronics, respectively. Through Apple’s Recycling Program, you can get $200 for your iPhone 4S.

 

An Android smartphone, such as Motorola’s Droid RAZR Maxx, warranted $183 from Gazelle, but only $169, $169 and $146 from BuyBackWorld, BuyMyTronics and NextWorth, respectively. Keep in mind that your phone can’t have any water damage or a cracked casing or display, and must be in generally good condition.

 

An AT&T Nokia Lumia 900 with Windows Phone on BuyBackWorld (with included battery, in good condition) went for $87, while it was worth only $78 on BuyMyTronics, $77 on NextWorth and $66 on Gazelle.

 

If your old cell isn’t going to get you a lot of money or you just would rather give your phone to someone in need, consider donating. Cell Phones for Soldiers gets money for every phone recycled, which provides a free hour of talk time so soldiers can contact their loved ones. Secure the Call collects old phones for abused women and senior citizens living alone, and Phones 4 Charity works with such programs as the American Red Cross.

 

Plus, individual carriers offer trade-in, donation or buy-back programs that allow you to cash in your old smartphone or tablet or just recycle them. Sprint’s Buyback Program gives up to $300 in account credit, while AT&T’s, T-Mobile’s and Verizon Wireless’s trade-in programs let you appraise your device and receive a gift card.

 

Verizon Wireless, through its HopeLine service, donates cellphones no longer in use to domestic violence victims and survivors, or, if it’s beyond use, will dispose of the phone in an environmentally sound way.