How to prepare your Android-powered device to sale

If you sell or give to your phone or tablet, make sure that your personal information will not fall into the wrong hands.

For many, tablet or smartphone - is not just a means of communication, but also store personal files and data: notebook, diary, task manager, photo album and even a wallet. What are the only secrets people do not trust their devices: from intimate images and correspondences to the confidential papers and passwords of bank accounts.

It is no wonder that Android allows you to copy personal information in the cloud for easy transfer to new gadgets and completely erase it on the old. Layfhakera guide will help you cope with these tasks. It is based on a pure Android 6.0.1 Marshmallow, but if you are using a different version of the system, then these tips will also work. Although some menus and options may differ slightly.

1. Turn on automatic backup

Gadgets with Android 5.0 and newer versions of the operating system will automatically copy most of the user data and settings on Google's servers. This interface parameters and Wi-Fi networks, contacts, list of installed programs, and even the internal data of some of these programs. This feature greatly simplifies the transition to the new device. You just connect it to your account - and a copy of the old data uploaded to the Net.

To use the backup, you must include it in the settings. To do this, find the section in charge of the recovery and disposal. Open it, choose a Google Account to store your data and settings, and then turn on redundancy and auto-recovery.

Next, connect to the network and wait for 30 minutes to back up occurred. While Android will duplicate the settings and data of Google applications, synchronized with your chosen account. The system also copies the data cloud of third-party software developers who have implemented a backup support through Google. All this you can quickly restore on a new gadget.

2. Save your most important data manually

If your device is worth outdated Android system or you are not sure whether the reservation applies to important files, make copies of them by hand.

Connect your phone to the computer in a file storage mode and view the contents of the gadget in Windows Explorer. Save important images, music, books, videos and other information from your device to your computer. The information can be duplicated in your Dropbox or another Alternatively, cloud service.

In the future, you can manually copy stored on your computer or in the cloud information to a new device.

3. Remove SD- and SIM cards

Your telephone number is gradually assumes the role of a universal identifier for a variety of services, so it would be a shame to lose it. After the demonstration, the smartphone features to the buyer, do not forget to pull out your sim card. The same goes for memory cards, especially if your device is sold by default without it.

If you want to keep the memory card to the new owner as a bonus, or because it was part of the standard equipment, be sure to delete it before the sale. To do this, open the phone settings and in the section devices, find the appropriate item.

4. Reset to Factory Settings

After creating a backup of important data and card cleaning should remove all data from the device. The fastest and most reliable way to do this - to return to the factory settings. As a result, your phone or tablet will be the way it was at the time of the store receipt.

To reset, connect the device to a power source, and use the corresponding option in the device settings. For example, on a pure Android 6.0.1 Marshmallow desired item is located in the "Backup & reset" and is called "Reset".

After resetting your phone will restart and you will see that he was a virgin and pure.

But if you're messing with the firmware, it will not return a factory option. In this case, you may need to flash the firmware serial device, which is usually available on the manufacturer's website.

When all these steps are complete, you can transfer the device to a new user, do not fear for personal data.

See also:

• How to properly prepare the iPhone for sale →
• How to choose a smartphone →
• 10 steps to protect your smartphone from hacking →