Account removal guide

Remove your account
from your device

Removing your account helps turn off Activation Lock or Factory Reset Protection, keeps your information private, and allows the device to be reused.

Before you begin: Back up anything you want to keep, connect the device to the internet, and have your device passcode and account password ready.

iPhone or iPad

Remove your Apple Account

  1. 1

    Open Settings

    Tap your name at the top of the Settings screen.

  2. 2

    Tap Sign Out

    Scroll to the bottom and tap Sign Out.

  3. 3

    Choose the erase option

    Select Erase this [Device] when shown. Follow the prompts and enter your device passcode or Apple Account password.

  4. 4

    Confirm the device is ready

    After the erase finishes, the device should display the multilingual “Hello” setup screen and should not ask for the previous owner’s Apple Account.

Already erased the device, but Activation Lock is still on?
Use Apple’s Find Devices website, select the device, erase it if necessary, and choose Remove This Device or Remove from Account.
View Apple’s official instructions

Android phone or tablet

Remove your Google Account

  1. 1

    Open Settings

    Open the device’s Settings app.

  2. 2

    Open the account menu

    Tap Passwords & accounts, Accounts, or Manage accounts. The wording varies by manufacturer.

  3. 3

    Remove every Google Account

    Select each Google Account and tap Remove account. Enter the device PIN, pattern, or password if requested.

  4. 4

    Factory-reset from Settings

    After all Google Accounts have been removed, use the factory-reset option inside Settings. Do not reset from the recovery menu.

  5. 5

    Confirm the device is ready

    The phone should start at the initial setup screen without asking for a previously synced Google Account.

Important: Removing the Google Account before resetting turns off device protection. A device reset while the account is still attached may remain locked by Factory Reset Protection.
View Google’s official instructions