How to Securely Wipe Devices

Below are instructions to securely wipe your device SSD in the event of selling the device, trading it in, passing it on to a new user, or throwing it away. This process will prevent unauthorized access to data that was on your phone once it is out of your possession.

Preparation

First thing is first: backup your files / device.

It’s important to back-up your files on a normal basis, so that in the event of data corruption, you’ll have a “checkpoint” to restore back to. This provides redundancy and ensures you don’t lose any important data.

Important data may include passwords/credentials, family photos, copies of birth certificates and the like. If you have data like this saved on your device, it would be best to back it up.

Click on the links below to be brought to the corresponding section of the guide.

Starting with encryption

• Windows 10
• Windows 11
• Mac

Remote Wipe

Wipe and Reset Your Device

• Windows 10
• Windows 11
• Mac
• Older Macs
• ChromeOS
• iOS
• Android

List of devices you may want to factory reset

• PlayStation 4 / PS4 Pro
• PlayStation 5
• Microsoft Xbox One
• Microsoft Series X|S
• Nintendo Switch
• Apple Watch
• Amazon Kindle
• Amazon Show
• Amazon Echo
• Google Nest / Home

**What is a secure wipe?
When would you want to securely wipe your device?**

Start with encryption

The first step to securing the data is to encrypt it. This will make it inaccessible to unauthorized users even if someone were to try to restore the data.

Windows 10

1. Locate your Settings and select Update & Security
2. Look for Device Encryption (either in the Search bar or list)
3. Turn Device Encryption on if you have it

Windows 11

• Open Settings select Privacy & Security then find Device Encryption
• Turn on Device Encryption (or enable BitLocker)

Mac

1. Open System Preferences
2. Find the Security & Privacy option
3. Select FileVault
4. Turn on FileVault
5. Submit your iCloud password or recover key

Wipe and reset your computer

Once you’ve encrypted your disk, make sure you’ve backed up and saved any files you don’t want to lose. After this, you will format the storage drive and reset the OS. You will have the option to keep your files (which you would do if you’re troubleshooting other issues), or you will choose to remove everything.

Windows 10

1. Open Settings then select Update & Security
2. Open the Recovery tab or Reset this PC then select Get Started
3. Remove Everything
4. Confirm that you want to erase all personal data from all drives
5. When asked how you would like to reinstall Windows you can choose to download from the cloud or a local installation using the data on your device
6. Read the prompt and press Restore

Windows 11

1. Locate your Settings and choose Windows Update
2. Select Advanced Options and then Recovery
3. Choose Reset PC and then Remove Everything

Mac

1. Log out of your iCloud account
2. Restart your computer and hold the Command + R keys on the keyboard until the Apple Logo appears , then release the keys
3. This will open a special Recovery menu. Select Disk utility option from the menu
4. Choose the storage drive you want to erase, and click the Erase option.
5. Click security Options, select at least the 2nd most secure tier “3-pass secure erase”

Older Macs

For pre-macOS Catalina devices

1. Open iTunes and go to Account > Authorizations > Deauthorize This Computer
2. Enter in your Apple ID and password then select Deauthorize
3. Once you have signed out of iTunes, you will need to sign out of iCloud
4. Go to the Apple menu and select System Preferences > iCloud > Sign Out
5. Sign out of iMessage by opening the app and select Messages > Preferences > iMessage > Sign Out
6. Unpair all Bluetooth devices from System Preferences > Bluetooth
7. Enter Recovery Mode ( this can be done by restarting your Mac and holding Command + R until the Apple logo appears and then releasing those buttons )
8. Select Disk Utility > Macintosh HD > Erase
9. Enter the following details:
   1. Name: Macintosh HD
   2. Format: APFS
10. Click Erase or Erase Volume Group (depending on what shows up)
11. Go back to the Disk Utility window and select Reinstall macOS and then wait until the Mac reaches the Setup Assistant at which point you have completed the process

ChromeOS

1. Settings
2. Type Powerwash in Search bar
3. Click Reset
4. Click Restart
5. Click Powerwash and Continue

iOS

1. Encryption is enabled by default
2. Backup
3. Open Settings
4. Tap General
5. Tap Transfer or Reset
6. Tap Erase All Content and Settings
7. Enter your passcode and tap Erase

Android

1. Confirm encryption
   1. Settings > Privacy > Security (may be different location depending on your personal configurations)
2. Open Settings
3. Tap System
4. Tap Reset options
5. Tap Erase all data and follow on-screen instructions

After that, consider recycling or donating the device.

Remote Wipe

If you use iOS and have an active iCloud account, you will be able to use the Erase a device option in Find My iPhone on iCloud.com. This comes in handy if your iPhone is stolen or lost while traveling and you want to ensure whoever finds it cannot access the contents of your phone (email, texts, contacts, bank apps, etc).

Note that if you have erased a device that was on iOS 15 or later, you will still be able to user the Find My function or play a sound to attempt to find the iPhone even after the remote wipe.

In the event you find your iPhone after your Remote Wipe, you may be able to restore the information on it from an existing backup.

A remote wipe will only take place once the device goes online. If the device is offline when you push the request, and you happen to find the device, you can cancel the remote wipe request.

List of Devices You Might Want to Factory Reset

Thanks to Davey Winder of Straight Talking Cyber for the write-up. These devices have Factory Reset processes that sufficiently wipe, erase and reset the memory to make your personal data inaccessible.

PlayStation 4 / PS4 Pro

1. Sign in to PlayStation account
2. Go to Settings > PlayStation Network > Account Management
3. Select Activate as Your Primary PS4 then click on Deactivate
4. Once the PS4 has finished deactivating, sign back in and go to Settings > Initialization
5. Select Initialize PS4 and choose the Full option when presented to you
6. Select Initialize > Yes
7. Wait for a bit, as it can take between 2 - 3 hours to complete and will restart multiple times
8. When you see the initial setup screen asking you to connect your controller using a USB cable, the process is complete

PlayStation 5

1. Sign into your PlayStation account.
2. Go to Settings > System Software.
3. Select Reset Options > Reset Your Console > Reset
4. Wait for the PS5 to restart and you will see the initial setup screen once the factory reset has been completed.

Microsoft Xbox One

1. Make sure you are signed in
2. Select Settings in the system menu
3. Select System > Console info > Reset console
4. Select Reset and remove everything
5. Wait until you see the controller setup screen, and then the process will be complete

Microsoft Series X|S

1. Sign in and go to Settings in the Profile & System menu
2. Select System > Console info > Reset console
3. Select RESET AND REMOVE EVERYTHING
4. Once you see the controller setup screen the process will have been completed

Nintendo Switch

1. Select HOME > System Settings > System
2. Go all the way down the menu until you see Formatting Options and then select Restore Factory Settings
3. Select Next
4. Select Restore Factory Settings and wait for about five minutes until the system restarts

Apple Watch

1. Place your Apple Watch and iPhone close together
2. Open the Apple Watch app on your iPhone and head for the My Watch tab
3. Select All Watches and then the info button for the relevant device
4. Click Unpair Apple Watch
5. Select Remove your mobile data plan if you have a GPS + Cellular Watch
6. Confirm. Enter your Apple ID password to disable the activation lock if set and wait a few minutes until the Start Pairing screen appears

Amazon Kindle

1. Ensure the Kindle is charge to at least 40% before performing factory reset operation
2. Open your device and swipe down from the top of the screen to display the quick actions menu
3. Select All Settings > Device Options
4. Select Reset Device
5. Read the warning and click to confirm the factory reset
6. If you have the parental control option enabled but can’t remember your password, then you will need to enter 111222777 in the passcode field to initiate the reset

Amazon Show

1. The easiest way to start the process is to ask “Alexa to go to settings.” You can also pull down from the top of the screen and select Settings from the options displayed
2. Scroll down to select Device Options > Reset to Factory Defaults

Amazon Echo

Amazon has full guides on how to reset different Amazon devices

Google Nest / Home

Google has full guides on how to reset different Google devices

What is a secure wipe?

A secure wipe can go by many names, but essentially it is the process of securely erasing the data from a device after use. Many people believe that simply placing a file in the trash deletes the data, but in reality that data can stay in the device memory for much longer than we’d like.

Typically, the best method to ensure your data is sent to oblivion is to overwrite it with zeroes or random data (at least twice according to NIST, but can be done 35 times if you’re super paranoid and an overachiever). This process is quite involved, as it requires you to delete files on the device, then load it up with larger files to take up the full amount of memory, delete those files, and then perform a factory reset.

Extensive, but efficient.

However, it is much more accessible to encrypt your data and then perform a factory reset. Encrypting the data prevents it from being accessed once a factory reset is complete, basically making the invisible files password protected. This is the much more common process and what we’ll be showing you how to do.

When would you want to securely wipe your device?

• Selling it
• Think you’ve lost it and need to wipe it remotely
• It may have a virus/malware and you want to disinfect it
• Returning it to the manufacturer (for repairs or replacement)
• Re-purposing it for another individual to use
• You bought a used device / you want to make sure a new device is in a cleared state