How to Back Up a Phone Completely Before Wiping It (September 2026) Buying Guide

Factory reset permanently erases everything on your phone. If you do not have a complete backup, your contacts, photos, messages, app data, and saved passwords are gone for good. I learned this the hard way years ago when I lost three years of family photos because I assumed “the cloud had it all.”

Learning how to back up a phone completely before wiping it means understanding what data lives where, which backup methods cover what, and how to verify nothing was missed. Whether you are selling your phone, trading it in, switching to a new device, or doing a performance reset, the process is the same.

This guide covers both Android and iPhone backup methods. I will walk you through cloud backup, local backup to a computer, individual app backups (including WhatsApp and Signal), and a verification checklist so you can wipe with confidence. I have tested every method here on my own devices across 2026, and these steps reflect current software versions.

You will also find sections on handling a phone with a broken screen, SIM and memory card removal, and security steps to prevent the next owner from accessing your accounts. Skip ahead to any section, or follow the guide start to finish.

How to Back Up a Phone Completely Before Wiping It: Quick Overview

Here is the short version if you need to act fast. These seven steps cover the complete process for both Android and iPhone.

1. Sync contacts and calendar to your Google or Apple account.

2. Back up photos and videos to Google Photos or iCloud Photos.

3. Run a full cloud backup through Google Drive (Android) or iCloud (iPhone).

4. Back up messaging apps individually, especially WhatsApp and Signal.

5. Create a local backup on your PC or Mac using a USB cable.

6. Remove your SIM card and microSD card from the phone.

7. Verify the backup by checking timestamps and browsing files before wiping.

Following these steps in order ensures you have at least two copies of your data: one in the cloud and one locally. That redundancy is your safety net if either method fails.

What Gets Backed Up and What Gets Lost?

The biggest source of anxiety I see in forums is simple: people do not know what a factory reset actually destroys. Let me clear that up.

A factory reset erases everything stored in your phone’s internal memory. This includes photos saved on the device, downloaded files, contacts not synced to an account, text messages, app data, saved Wi-Fi passwords, call history, and all system settings. The phone returns to the state it was in when you first unboxed it.

Here is what a Google Drive cloud backup typically covers on Android:

• App data (for apps that support backup)

• Call history

• Contacts (synced to your Google account)

• Device settings (Wi-Fi passwords, display preferences)

• SMS messages (not MMS media attachments in all cases)

• Photos and videos (if Google Photos backup is enabled)

For iPhone, an iCloud backup covers:

• App data

• Photos and videos (if iCloud Photos is on)

• Device settings and Home Screen layout

• iMessage, SMS, and MMS messages

• Purchase history from Apple services

• Ringtones and visual voicemail

What usually does NOT transfer automatically:

• WhatsApp media (requires separate backup step)

• Signal messages (requires manual encrypted backup)

• Two-factor authentication codes from apps like Google Authenticator

• Saved music files that were not purchased from a store

• Passwords stored in third-party password managers (these stay in the manager’s cloud, but verify before wiping)

• Files in random folders on your internal storage

If any of these matter to you, handle them individually before wiping. I cover each one in the sections below.

Cloud Backup for Android (Google Drive)

Google Drive is the default cloud backup for Android, and it handles most of your data automatically once you turn it on. Our team prefers Google’s built-in backup because it requires almost no manual effort after initial setup.

To enable and run Google One backup on Android:

1. Open Settings on your phone.

2. Scroll to Google and tap it.

3. Select All services (on some phones, tap Backup directly).

4. Tap Backup by Google One or Back up now.

5. Review the list of data types and tap Back up now to start immediately.

6. Keep your phone connected to Wi-Fi and plugged into a charger until the process finishes.

The backup runs in the background and saves your app data, call history, contacts, device settings, and SMS messages to your Google account. You get 15 GB of free storage shared across Google Drive, Gmail, and Google Photos. If your phone has a large photo library, you may need a Google One subscription for additional space.

Samsung Cloud is an alternative if you use a Galaxy device. Navigate to Settings > [your name and Samsung account] > Samsung Cloud > Back up data. Samsung Cloud covers call logs, messages, home screen layout, and app data for Samsung apps. You can use both Google and Samsung backups simultaneously for extra coverage.

I recommend running the backup overnight. Large backups can take one to three hours depending on your data size and internet speed. Make sure Wi-Fi stays connected the entire time.

Cloud Backup for iPhone (iCloud)

iCloud backup is built into every iPhone and runs automatically when certain conditions are met. Apple designed this to be effortless, but you should still trigger a manual backup before wiping to capture your most recent data.

Automatic iCloud backup conditions:

• The screen is locked.

• The phone is connected to a power source.

• The phone is connected to Wi-Fi.

• There is enough available iCloud storage.

To manually run an iCloud backup:

1. Open Settings.

2. Tap [your name] at the top.

3. Tap iCloud.

4. Select iCloud Backup.

5. Tap Back Up Now and stay connected to Wi-Fi until it completes.

iCloud provides 5 GB of free storage, which fills up quickly if you have photos and videos. Most users need to upgrade to iCloud+ for 50 GB or more. Check your storage at Settings > [your name] > iCloud > Manage Account Storage before starting the backup.

For a complete iPhone backup, I also recommend using a computer alongside iCloud. iCloud backups are great for convenience, but a local backup via Finder or iTunes captures everything including Health data and Keychain passwords that may not be fully covered by iCloud alone.

Stay on Wi-Fi and keep the phone awake on the backup screen until you see a recent timestamp next to “Last successful backup.”

Local Backup to Computer (PC and Mac)

A local backup gives you a physical copy of your data that does not depend on cloud storage or internet speed. I always create one alongside a cloud backup before wiping any phone.

Local backup for iPhone (Mac):

1. Connect your iPhone to your Mac using a USB cable.

2. Open Finder (on macOS Catalina or later).

3. Select your iPhone in the left sidebar under “Locations.”

4. Under the General tab, check Encrypt local backup if you want to save Health and Activity data.

5. Click Back Up Now and wait for the process to complete.

Local backup for iPhone (Windows PC):

1. Download and install the Apple Devices app from the Microsoft Store (the successor to iTunes for Windows).

2. Connect your iPhone via USB.

3. Open the app and select your device.

4. Choose Back Up Now and select whether to encrypt the backup.

Local backup for Android (PC or Mac):

1. Connect your phone to your computer using a USB cable.

2. On your phone, swipe down the notification shade and tap the USB notification.

3. Select File Transfer or MTP mode.

4. On your computer, open File Explorer (Windows) or Android File Transfer (Mac).

5. Copy the following folders to your computer: DCIM (photos and videos), Documents, Downloads, Music, and any other folders containing files you want to keep.

For Android, this manual file copy does not capture app data or system settings, which is why you still need the Google Drive backup described earlier. Think of the USB copy as your file-level safety net for photos, documents, and downloads that live outside of cloud sync.

I recommend copying these files to an external hard drive as well. An extra copy on separate physical media takes five minutes and eliminates any worry about a single point of failure.

Backing Up Contacts and Calendar

Contacts and calendar events are often the most painful data to lose, but they are also the easiest to back up if you are already using a Google or Apple account.

For Android: Contacts and calendar sync automatically to your Google account. To verify sync is working, go to Settings > Google > All services and confirm both Contacts and Calendar sync toggles are on. You can also check by logging into contacts.google.com on a computer to see your contacts reflected there.

For iPhone: If you use iCloud, go to Settings > [your name] > iCloud and make sure the toggles for Contacts and Calendars are green. You can also sync contacts to your Google account by going to Settings > Contacts > Accounts and ensuring your Google account has Contacts sync enabled.

Manual contact export (both platforms): Open your Contacts app, find the export or share option in settings, and save contacts as a .vcf file. Email that file to yourself as a backup. This takes two minutes and gives you a file you can import to any phone or email service.

Photo and Video Backup

Photos and videos are usually the largest data category on your phone. They also take the longest to back up, so start this process early.

Google Photos (Android and iPhone): Install the Google Photos app, open it, and go to Profile picture > Google Photos settings > Backup. Turn on backup and select your preferred storage quality. Google Photos backs up over Wi-Fi by default. For large libraries, plug in your phone and leave it overnight.

On 2026 storage policies, Google Photos offers “Storage saver” quality which compresses images and does not count against your 15 GB free quota as aggressively as original quality. Check what works for your needs before starting a large upload.

iCloud Photos (iPhone): Go to Settings > [your name] > iCloud > Photos and turn on Sync this iPhone. The upload runs in the background over Wi-Fi. You can check progress by scrolling to the bottom of the Photos app library.

Local transfer: Connect via USB and copy the DCIM folder to your computer. This captures every photo and video in original quality with no compression and no storage quota concerns.

For video-heavy libraries, expect backups to take significantly longer. A 50 GB video library on average Wi-Fi can take two to four hours to upload. Plan accordingly.

WhatsApp and Messaging App Backup

Messaging apps store data separately from your phone’s main backup system. If you skip this section, you will lose years of conversations.

WhatsApp backup (Android):

1. Open WhatsApp and tap the three dots in the top right.

2. Go to Settings > Chats > Chat backup.

3. Tap Back up to Google Drive and choose a frequency (or tap Back Up for a one-time backup).

4. Make sure Include Videos is checked if you want media attachments saved.

5. Tap Back Up and stay connected to Wi-Fi until complete.

WhatsApp backup (iPhone):

1. Open WhatsApp and tap Settings in the bottom right.

2. Go to Chats > Chat Backup.

3. Tap Back Up Now to upload to iCloud.

4. Enable Include Videos if you want media saved.

WhatsApp media files can be several gigabytes. If you have years of photos and videos in group chats, the backup may take 30 minutes or more. I learned to run WhatsApp backup separately, after my main cloud backup finishes, to avoid conflicts.

Signal backup (Android only): Signal requires manual encrypted backup. Go to Settings > Chats > Chat backups and tap Turn on. Signal generates a passphrase. Write this down somewhere safe. Without it, you cannot restore your messages.

Signal does not currently support cloud backup on iPhone. If you use Signal on iPhone, there is no built-in way to transfer message history to a new device via backup at the time of writing.

SMS text messages: Google Drive backup includes SMS on Android. For iPhone, iCloud backup includes SMS and iMessage. If you want extra control on Android, apps like SMS Backup+ can export texts to your Gmail account.

App Data and Settings Backup

Most apps support automatic cloud backup through Google or iCloud, but some do not. You need to identify the apps that store data locally and handle them individually.

Google Authenticator and 2FA apps: This is the most commonly overlooked item. If you use Google Authenticator, Microsoft Authenticator, or Authy, transfer your accounts BEFORE wiping. For Google Authenticator, go to the app settings and use the Transfer accounts option to move codes to your new phone. For Authy, enable multi-device on a second device first.

If you wipe your phone without transferring 2FA codes, you could get locked out of accounts. Recovering access involves contacting each service individually, which can take days.

Notes apps: If you use Google Keep, Apple Notes, or Samsung Notes, make sure they are synced to your account. Apple Notes syncs through iCloud. Samsung Notes syncs through Samsung Cloud. For third-party note apps like Evernote or Notion, verify sync status within the app.

Password managers: Apps like Bitwarden, 1Password, and LastPass sync to their own cloud. Verify you can log in on a computer before wiping. If your password manager stores data locally without cloud sync, export your vault to a secure file first.

Games: Check whether each game signs into Google Play Games or Game Center. If it does, your progress is saved. If a game only stores progress locally, your saves will be lost.

SIM Card and Memory Card Handling

Your SIM card and microSD card contain data that a phone backup does not capture. Remove them before wiping.

SIM card: Power off your phone and use the SIM ejector tool to remove the SIM tray. The SIM card stores your phone number and a limited number of contacts (typically up to 250). If you saved contacts directly to the SIM, export them to your Google or Apple account before removing it.

Keep your SIM card in a safe place. You will need it for your new phone unless you are activating an eSIM instead.

microSD card: If your phone has a microSD card, power off and remove it. The card may contain photos, videos, and documents. Before wiping the phone, connect the microSD card to a computer using a card reader and copy its contents to your backup drive.

Even though a factory reset primarily wipes internal storage, some phones can format the SD card during reset. Remove the card first to eliminate any risk.

How to Back Up a Phone With a Broken Screen?

A cracked or unresponsive screen does not always mean your data is gone. Several methods can recover data even when you cannot interact with the touchscreen.

If the screen is cracked but still partially responsive: Use a USB OTG (On-The-Go) adapter to connect a USB mouse to your phone. The mouse acts as a pointer, letting you navigate settings and trigger a backup. This works on most Android phones and some iPhones with Lightning-to-USB adapters.

If you previously enabled USB debugging (Android): Connect the phone to a computer and use Android Debug Bridge (ADB) commands to pull files. Tools like scrcpy can mirror your phone screen on a computer, letting you control it with a mouse and keyboard.

For Samsung phones: Samsung Smart Switch can back up your phone to a computer even if the screen is damaged, as long as the phone powers on and you have previously connected it to that computer with USB debugging authorized.

For iPhone: If you previously trusted the computer, connect via USB and use Finder or iTunes to create a local backup. If you never connected the phone to that computer before, you will need to enter your passcode on the phone screen to trust the computer, which may not be possible with a broken display.

Third-party recovery tools: Software like Dr.Fone, iMazing, and Tenorshare can sometimes recover data from damaged phones. These tools are a last resort and are not guaranteed to work. Our team has used iMazing successfully for iPhone data extraction in cases where the screen was completely black.

Security Checklist Before Wiping

Before you wipe the phone, take care of these security steps. Skipping them can lock you out of accounts or give the next owner access to your data.

Sign out of accounts:

• Android: Go to Settings > Passwords & accounts and remove each account. This prevents Factory Reset Protection (FRP) from locking the phone to your Google account after reset.

• iPhone: Go to Settings > [your name] > Sign Out and enter your Apple ID password. This removes Activation Lock, which otherwise prevents the next owner from activating the phone.

Disable Find My: On iPhone, go to Settings > [your name] > Find My and turn it off. On Android, go to Settings > Security & privacy > Device finders > Find My Device and disable it.

Disconnect Bluetooth devices: Forget paired smartwatches, earbuds, and fitness trackers in your Bluetooth settings. Some devices limit the number of phones they can pair with.

Remove banking and payment apps: Log out of mobile banking apps, Google Pay, Apple Pay, and digital wallet apps before wiping. Some banks require you to deregister the device from within the app.

Encrypt before reset (Android): Most modern Android phones encrypt data by default. If yours does not, go to Settings > Security > Encryption and encrypt the phone. This ensures that even if someone recovers data after a wipe, it is unreadable.

How to Verify Your Backup Is Complete?

Never wipe your phone until you have confirmed the backup actually worked. Verification takes five minutes and saves you from permanent data loss.

Check cloud backup timestamps:

• Android: Go to Settings > Google > All services > Backup and look for the “Last backup” timestamp. It should show today’s date and time.

• iPhone: Go to Settings > [your name] > iCloud > iCloud Backup and check the “Last successful backup” time.

Browse your backup on another device: Log into Google Drive or iCloud on a computer. Look for your photos in Google Photos or iCloud Photos. Check that recent photos appear. If your latest photos from yesterday are visible, the backup is current.

Check WhatsApp backup size: In WhatsApp, go to Settings > Chats > Chat Backup and compare the backup size to your expectations. If it shows 200 MB but you know you have several gigabytes of media, something went wrong.

Test restore on a spare device: If you have access to another phone, sign in with your account and check if contacts, calendar, and photos appear. This is the most thorough verification but requires extra time.

Verify local backup files: Open the folder on your computer where you copied files. Check that the DCIM folder has the expected number of photos and that file sizes look correct. Open a few files to confirm they are not corrupted.

Common Backup Mistakes to Avoid

I have seen the same mistakes repeated across forums, and I have made a few of them myself. Here are the ones that cause the most data loss.

Assuming auto-sync equals a full backup. Auto-sync covers contacts, email, and calendar. It does not always cover photos, app data, or messages. Check what each sync toggle actually covers before relying on it.

Forgetting two-factor authentication codes. Google Authenticator, Authy, and similar apps store codes locally. Transfer them to a new device before wiping or you could lose access to dozens of accounts.

Not checking cloud storage quota. If your iCloud or Google Drive storage is full, the backup silently fails or stops partway through. Check available storage before starting and upgrade if needed.

Skipping WhatsApp and Signal backups. These apps handle their own data separately. Your phone’s cloud backup does not include their message history or media in full.

Wiping before verifying. Always check the backup timestamp and browse your files on another device before starting a factory reset. A “Back Up Now” button does not guarantee success if storage is full or the connection dropped.

Leaving accounts signed in. Factory Reset Protection on Android and Activation Lock on iPhone can make the phone unusable for the next owner if you wipe without signing out first. Always remove your accounts before resetting.

Backing up only to the cloud. If your cloud account gets compromised or you forget the password, you lose everything. Always keep a local copy on a computer or external drive as well.

FAQs

Conclusion

Backing up a phone completely before wiping it comes down to three things: cloud backup, local backup, and verification. Run Google Drive or iCloud backup for your system data and settings, copy your files to a computer via USB, handle WhatsApp and Signal individually, and verify timestamps before you factory reset.

The most important step is verification. I have seen too many people tap “Back Up Now” and immediately wipe, only to discover the backup failed because storage was full or Wi-Fi dropped. Take five minutes to check your backup on another device.

Once you know how to back up a phone completely before wiping it, the process becomes routine. Follow this guide each time you sell, trade in, or reset a device, and you will never lose data to a factory reset again.