Selling or donating devices without wiping them risks exposing your private data, so prepare a thorough data wiping plan before moving house.

Start by identifying every device that stores personal information and make a checklist that includes computers, tablets, phones, external drives, smart home devices, and any storage cards. Back up important data to an encrypted external drive or to a secure cloud service and verify the backup by opening several representative files. For full data safety perform a factory reset and then overwrite free space with a secure wipe tool that uses multiple passes when possible because simple resets can leave recoverable remnants. Remove all accounts and disable remote access by signing out of account services, removing device registrations, and deactivating find or locate features to prevent future logins. Keep receipts and a short inventory of devices you sell or donate including serial numbers and the recipient so you have a record if a breach appears later. Shred printed documents containing personal details and remove any storage media like micro secure digital cards before handing devices off, and when in doubt assume the device still contains private information and treat it accordingly.

Three common mistakes are relying on recycle bin emptying or quick format as a full wipe which often leaves recoverable data, neglecting to remove linked accounts which can give outsiders access to cloud storage, and forgetting peripheral devices and printed records which continue to expose data even after main devices are wiped. To fix the first check that overwriting tools report completion and use full disk encryption before wiping if supported so any leftover data is unreadable. For linked accounts sign out, change passwords on the accounts from another device, and remove the device from account settings so it cannot reconnect. For peripherals and printouts gather all memory cards, external drives, and sensitive paper into one session and either securely erase electronic media or physically destroy paper by shredding.

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