Old Device Wipe and Handover Record

Who this is for

What happened to each old phone, tablet and laptop before it left the house. The devices table records whose each one was and where it went, with a date and receipt. The steps grid ticks off the backup, sign-outs, reset, cards and battery.

Households clearing a drawer of old phones, tablets, laptops and smartwatches before selling, trading in, donating or recycling them, and anyone passing a device on to a relative.

What this helps you track

• Each old device, whose it was and the last digits of its serial
• What was backed up, and where, before anything was wiped
• Accounts signed out, sign-in codes moved and tracking switched off
• The reset done and the SIM, memory card and battery taken out
• Where each device went, when, and the receipt or reference

How to use it

1. Number each device in the first table and write its make and model, whose it was and the last few characters of its serial number.
2. Work down the steps grid in that device's numbered column, ticking a step only once it is done; follow the maker's own instructions for your model.
3. Back up and move sign-in codes before the reset, writing where the backups are kept at the top, and sign out and turn off tracking before the device is wiped.
4. Take out the SIM and any memory card, and the battery if the device has one that comes out.
5. When it leaves, write where it went, the date and the receipt, trade-in or collection reference. The browser version saves in your own browser.

Formats

• Printable PDF (A4 and US Letter)
• Fillable PDF with form fields
• Fill in online, saved in your browser

The printable is laid out inside a box that fits both A4 and US Letter, so the two files are identical and neither one is scaled. The fillable PDF has real form fields. The online version keeps what you enter in your own browser and builds the completed PDF on your device.

How to print

Download the A4 or US Letter file to match the paper in your printer, open it in a PDF reader and print at 100% — not "fit to page", which shrinks the writing space. Both files leave a 14 mm margin, which clears the unprintable edge on home printers. To print the online version with your entries in it, use the Print this sheet button, which prints only the sheet and none of the page around it. More on printing.

Questions

Why turn off find-my-device before the reset?

On many phones, tablets and laptops a lock linked to your account stays on after a reset, so the next owner cannot set the device up. Signing out and turning tracking off first saves a trip back to unlock it.

Does a factory reset remove everything?

It is the usual way to clear a phone or tablet, but how thoroughly it clears the storage depends on the device. Follow the maker's instructions for your model, and ask a recycler or trade-in service how they handle data.

What should I do with the battery?

Where the battery comes out, remove it and take it to a battery collection point rather than the household bin; recyclers often ask for lithium batteries to be kept apart. Check the rules where you live for batteries and electronics.

Should I write the full serial number?

The last few characters are usually enough to tell devices apart and match them to a receipt. Keep the full number on the sale, trade-in or recycling paperwork in case you need it later.

How is this different from the new phone setup checklist?

The setup checklist moves you onto the new device. This record follows the old one out of the house: what was saved, what was cleared and where it went.