I've got an old phone that's about 5-6 years old, but it's got a faulty battery and charging port. Recently, I tried to factory reset it while it was at 5% battery, but it turned off and now it just shows a low battery icon whenever I try to turn it back on. I'm not planning to fix it, and I'm concerned about my data. Was the factory reset process really completed given how quickly it happened? Would it be a good idea to destroy the phone to protect my data, or is it okay to just discard it?
5 Answers
Why get rid of a 6-year-old phone? If you carefully open the back, you can sell parts like the screen or case, which don’t hold any sensitive info. Just make sure to dispose of the battery safely. You could also keep the motherboard for parts or recycle it. But I get it, some of these older phones really struggle!
If you're done with the phone, it's better to destroy it rather than just toss it. Breaking the motherboard and chips can help prevent anyone from recovering data. Just make sure to recycle it properly in e-waste rather than throwing it in the trash!
It sounds like your factory reset might not have completed properly since it turned off so soon. If your phone supports wireless charging, that could be an option to help you charge it up. Also, if you have an iPhone or Android, you could try to wipe it remotely using the Find My Device feature. Just a thought!
No wireless charging on my phone, unfortunately.
If you're not planning to sell or repair it, destroying it might be the safest option since factory resets don’t completely wipe data. If you're worried about your info getting into the wrong hands, it'd be best to destroy it so that data recovery isn't a risk.
I was thinking of just tossing it in a bucket full of water and then giving it to my garbage man.