Are you going to give, sell or lend your Smartphone? Remember to delete all confidential data, including banking, it contains. Here’s how to be sure not to forget anything. To reset your Apple device, you need a computer connected to the Internet and equipped with iTunes. It is not necessarily the one on which you are used to synchronize. Your device must be equipped with a SIM card, even inactive. Finally, make sure the battery is fully charged since the process can be long and, in the event of untimely arrest during the operation, you may need to reinstall the OS. The precaution is important. Ready? So, open the Settings menu and click General and then click Reset.

To delete your personal settings, choose Reset all settings. To erase all content and settings choose Delete and confirm by clicking on the Delete button. On older models, this procedure may take several minutes or several hours. To complete the operation, you will have, in many cases, connected your iPhone to your computer via USB. In iTunes, then follow the instructions to reset. It is only after this process that the data will be permanently unrecoverable.

Delete data in BlackBerry is easier (and you do not need PC). The procedure takes a few minutes. Before the start, make sure your Smartphone is loaded (or connect it to the mains). Just then, using the Menu button to display Options. Select Security Options then Security Wipe. Check all three boxes: e-mails, contacts, etc., User Installed Applications and Media Card. The latter option is only available if a Flash memory card inserted in your BlackBerry. In the text box just below, enter in tiny blackberry. Finally, click the clean button.

Another feature is to make use of an app built particularly for the purpose of formatting your data firmly. There are a few available choices for that. Initial one is Secure Delete, which would be utilized to format any file from your Smartphone’s internal memory or SD card. It’s well-suited with Android 2.3+ so that wraps the popular of the user base.

Secure Wipe is another app that people would utilize after a factory reset. It cleans all the free space to create your data unrecoverable. Ensure to mark all the check-boxes though. If you go for more choice, Andro Shredder is one more great option that gives multiple algorithms for data deletion.

On an Android Smartphone, the data is stored on two independent supports a memory card (usually a MicroSD) and main memory of the Smartphone. To completely reset your Android, so you have to delete these two carriers separately. Start by reformatting the SD card: To do this, press the Menu button and then Settings SD & phone storage. Click Disable the SD card and Format SD card. Confirm the deletion of all data on the card by clicking the Format SD card button.

Note that after this formatting; some specialized software is still able to read the data. If this information is really confidential, it is best to connect the card to your PC and use secure data erasure software or simply to change the SD card (1GB MicroSD card costs less than ten Euros). This last solution we recommend.

To remove the main memory, reopen the Settings and then click Privacy Resetting factory defaults. Note that on some smart phones, this parameter is sometimes accessible via the Settings / SD and Memory menu. Confirm resetting the phone by clicking on the eponymous button. The procedure is quick and your Smartphone will automatically restart.