- Back up your iPhone. (Go down for more details)
- Remove photos from Camera Roll. Connect the device to your computer and open Image Capture or iPhoto. Select all photos and then click Import All. In iPhoto, choose to "delete photos from your iPhone" after importing. In Image Capture, if the "Delete Items After Downloading" option no longer appears, try this: turn off "Photos" in iCloud on your Mac and iPhone, then restart both devices, and you should see the delete button.
- Turn iMessage off. Open the Settings app > Messages > iMessage > switch to off.
- Turn FaceTime off. Open the Settings app > FaceTime > switch to off.
- Disable your iCloud account. Open the Settings app > iCloud > tap "Sign Out."
- Log out of Apple ID. Open the Settings app >App and iTunes Stores > tap Apple ID and sign out.
- Restore to factory settings. Open the Settings app > General > Reset > Erase All Content and Settings.
- Unregister your device at supportprofile.apple.com.
- Call your carrier and ask them to disassociate the device from your account.
An important tip! Whatever you do, don't manually delete contacts, photo streams, calendars, or reminders while logged in to your iCloud account. This will also delete the content from the iCloud servers and your iCloud-connected devices (like your iPad or laptop).
Another important tip! If your phone accidentally runs out of battery during the "restore to factory settings" step, use iTunes to erase data. Connect the device to your computer, then restore the backup. Connect your phone to power, go to Settings app > General > Reset > Erase All Content and Settings again.
This is the last important tip! You can erase your device remotely. If you set up Find My iPhone, sign into icloud.com/#find, then click on All Devices and select the phone you want to erase. In the info window, click "Erase iPhone." You'll need to enter your Apple ID password.
How to Back Up on iTunes
If iTunes is your preferred method of backup, then connect your iPhone or iPad to a Mac or PC. You can only back up a device on one computer. Once the device is connected, click on File > Devices > Back Up to begin.
Alternatively, you can access the "Back Up Now" button under Summary in iTunes. Double-check your work by clicking the iTunes top menu > Preferences > Devices tab. You should see the name of the device and the time of backup.
How to Back Up on iCloud
On your device, open the Settings app, select iCloud, and tap Backup. Turn on iCloud Backup. After this option is selected, the device will automatically update when it is connected to the Internet via WiFi, the screen is locked, and it's hooked up to a power source. To do it manually, go to Settings, then iCloud, select Backup, and tap Back Up Now.
What's the Difference Between iTunes and iCloud?
If you have a lot of photos or videos in your Camera Roll (1GB or more), then iTunes Backup will be the best option. If you don't connect the device to a Mac or PC frequently (or ever), then iCloud will be your best bet. You can restore data to a device from anywhere with a WiFi connection via iCloud Backup. However, iCloud will not back up media not purchased through iTunes.
Backup Tips
- If you don't have enough storage space to back up, then a window reading "Not Enough Storage" will pop up. Reference this tip sheet on what to delete on your iPhone to make some more room.
- Selecting "Encrypt iPhone Backup" will encrypt the information stored on your Mac and require a password to restore a new or existing device from backup. Don't forget your password, because you will not be able to recover the data without it.
- Camera Roll photos will not be restored to an iPad from a backup if they were taken with an iPhone or iPod. The reverse is also true: Camera Roll photos taken on an iPad will not be restored from backup to an iPhone or iPod Touch.