Use AI to get an old phone ready to pass on

Before an old phone goes to a grandchild, a friend, or a buyer, it needs to be backed up, signed out, and reset. AI can make you a checklist for your phone, and the maker's help pages have the exact steps.

New phones are everywhere this time of year, and old ones get handed down or sold. If you skip a step, your photos, messages, or accounts can go with the phone, or the next person can't use it because it's still locked to you. An AI chat can put the jobs in the right order for your kind of phone, so nothing gets missed.

Tell it what you have

Say what kind of phone it is (for example, an iPhone or an Android phone and its model, if you know it), who it's going to, and whether you're keeping your phone number on a new phone.

Example: "I'm giving my old iPhone to my granddaughter. Make me a short checklist, in order, to back up my photos and contacts, move to my new phone, sign out of my accounts, and erase the old one. Don't give me menu steps. Tell me which official Apple Support page to look up for each step."

Back up first, then move to the new phone

The first job is always a backup of photos, contacts, and messages, and checking that they show up on the new phone. Ask AI to help you list what you care about keeping, so you can check each one before you erase anything.

Sign out, then reset

The old phone needs to be signed out of your main account (like your Apple Account or Google account) before it's reset, or the next person may not be able to set it up. Then do a full reset. Look up the exact steps for your phone on the maker's official help site, and ask AI to explain any step that's confusing.

Things to know

• AI can get menu names wrong, and they change with updates. Use the phone maker's official help pages for the exact steps.
• Don't type your passwords or passcodes into an AI chat. It never needs them.
• Take out any SIM card, and if you're selling, check with your phone carrier that the phone is paid off.
• Setting up the new phone for someone? See our guide to helping a parent set up a new phone. Shopping for one? See our guide to shopping Black Friday safely.

Also read: Use AI to help someone set up a new phone

Also read: Use AI to shop Black Friday and Cyber Monday safely