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Safe / Before you sell or give away your iPhone: protect your videos

Guide

Before you sell or give away your iPhone: protect your videos

By Con, founder of Music Wide Selfie · Updated 22 October 2026

Short answerBack up your photos and videos (iCloud or a computer), check the backup opens, sign out of your Apple Account so Find My and Activation Lock turn off, then erase the phone in Settings › General › Transfer or Reset iPhone.

Steps

  1. Back up photos and videos.
  2. Check the backup by opening a few files.
  3. Unpair your Apple Watch if you have one.
  4. Sign out of your Apple Account.
  5. Settings › General › Transfer or Reset iPhone › Erase All Content and Settings.

Buying second-hand

Make sure the seller has signed out and erased it. Activation Lock means the phone is still tied to their account.

Questions

Does erasing delete iCloud photos?

No. Erasing the phone doesn’t delete what’s stored in iCloud, as long as you sign out first.

About Music Wide Selfie

An iPhone camera app for people who film themselves, coming soon to the App Store. One email when it launches.

One email when the app is ready. Nothing else.

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