What To Do When Donating Your Tech

The time has come.

Your device has served you well over the years, but you need an upgrade. Once you get your replacement, what do you do with its predecessor?

Donating, recycling, or selling technology can be a great way to clean out things you don't want while contributing to a cause and even reducing e-waste. However, with our reliance on our devices, they may still be personalized, worn, or contain our sensitive data. Preparing your items for processing with the following steps can protect your privacy and aid those on the receiving end.

The Essentials

Removing Storage Media

Taking out any storage media from the slots of your device will ensure you don't accidentally leak data. Storage media includes but is not limited to SIM cards, hard drives, solid-state drives, SD cards, micro SD cards, flash drives, DVDs, and CDs.

Overwriting, Formating, or Factory Resetting Device

If you are unable to remove the storage on your device, performing a factory reset or wipe will overwrite existing information. Additionally, for those donating or selling their devices, doing a factory reset allows those receiving your product to repurpose the device, as anti-theft features may prevent the recipients from refreshing the device themselves.

Grouping Parts Together

If you buy a computer from the store, wouldn't you want the charger to come with it? Bundling essential components with your device will ensure that problems do not occur down the road.

Bonus Points

Cleaning The Device

A simple yet underrated suggestion!

Protecting The Device

Because technology is so fragile, it can easily be broken after being handed off during transit or while being clumped together with other devices. If you have a cover of some kind like the original box your computer, monitor, or mobile device came in, using it to protect your device's screen would be a major service.

Providing Information About The Device

If you know about a defect with what you are passing on, it may be worth noting. Leaving an attachment will give the recipient a heads-up on what to expect and what to do about it.

Conclusion

Some of these points may be more or less applicable depending on who you are planning to hand your things off to. Nevertheless, they will allow you to be rest assured that you've taken the necessary precautions to protect your information while becoming a quality (and maybe even memorable) provider.