How to reset an iPhone 4 for recycling?

lesleyfromcolville Said:

"How to reset an iPhone 4 for recycling?: This phone will not connect to WiFi so I cannot wipe it clean. What do I do to assure my info is not stolen after I send it to Apple recycle?"

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Resetting iPhone 4 for Recycling:

Have a Computer Handy? If so, perform this using a computer (Mac or PC, even). Perform as instructed here, including the iCloud logout: What to do Before you Sell, Give Away, or Trade in your iPhone or iPad - Apple Support

lesleyfromcolville Said:

"i do not believe it is locked-I can get into settings- it was my phone about 3-4 phones ago and I transferred everything to a new phone. I suspect when I had this IPhone 4 I had AT&T do the transfer to the next model. I also read that this phone was 3G and since everything is 5G now that may be the reason I cannot get it to connect. What do you think?"

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Erase the iPhone:

Erase this, signing out of iCloud in Settings first: Erase iPhone - Apple Support

Report back if anything here helps...

Troubleshooting iPhone WiFi:

A few thoughts to try:

I. Start Here: If your iPhone, iPad, or iPod Touch won't Connect to a Wi-Fi Network - Apple Support

II. Clear the Temporary Internet Files:

• Cookies perform remembrance of certain site-entered data.
• Cache keeps a snapshot of the last time you visited a site.
• Go Here: Clear the History and Cookies from Safari on your iPhone, iPad, or iPod Touch - Apple Support

III. Restart your Router:

1. Power: off the router
2. Wait: 30 seconds
3. Power: It back on

IV. Reconnect to your Network:

1. Go to: Settings
2. Tap: Wi-Fi
3. Disable: Wi-Fi
4. Wait: 30 seconds
5. Enable: Wi-Fi

V. Add Back the Network:

1. Go to: Settings
2. Tap: Wi-Fi
3. Remove: the network
4. Wait: 30 seconds
5. Add: the network back

lesleyfromcolville Said:

“Ok, I am trying your first suggestion of signing out of iCloud . In settings I get to the iCloud page where it shows my email under iCloud account information.I can advance this to a sign in page with a PW but no way to sign out. At the bottom of the first page it says ‘ Delete Account’- not sure I want to do that??? Will that affect my whole iCloud account for other devices?”

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Deleting the Account:

It doesn’t cancel the eMail account. All will be fine. It just removes it from your iPhone. There is nothing to worry about.

1. Go Here: Add and Remove eMail Accounts on iPhone - Apple Support
2. Scroll to: Delete an email account
3. As it Reads: “This action doesn’t cancel the email account; it just removes it from your iPhone. To close the account completely, visit your email account provider.”

lesleyfromcolville Said:

"How to reset an iPhone 4 for recycling?: This info is not helpful. I have already read these articles before I posted. The iPhone 4 does not connect to WiFi so I cannot use settings to reset. Other ideas?"

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Resetting iPhone 4 for Recycling:

Is this locked? If so, then you need to unlock it. To do that' you have to take this to Apple Support with a proof of purchase. The lock is an anti-theft measure. So, if it is locked, then no one can get it --not even a federal agency. So, in that case, you are just fine.