How to wipe phone for trade in

Trade in your old phone, available only in Canada, Germany, Japan, United Kingdom, and United States on the Google Store.

You can trade in your old phone for credit toward a new phone from the Google Store.

Here's some important info to know about trade-ins through Google Store, or learn more about the Google Fi trade-in program.

Note: Your trade-in estimate is valid for 30 days from the day your new phone is delivered.

Even though you can send your trade-in device at any time, if it arrives more than 30 days after your new device was delivered it'll be assessed at current market value instead of your quoted estimate. Current market value is determined by the trade-in terms.

Before you trade in

Tips to maximize your trade-in value

• Factory reset the device and remove activation locks.
• Do not send devices with damaged or swollen batteries. These devices won't receive any credit and can't be returned.
• Ship the device within 30 days of receiving your new phone to ensure the initial trade-in quote doesn't expire.
• Your trade-in transaction expires at the end of 6 months from the date of purchase of your new Google device. You should not send your device after the expiration of your trade-in transaction. 
• Answer the initial trade-in questions accurately. The initial quote will be based on the information provided, but the final value will be based on what is observed during inspection. Any differences may negatively or positively impact device value.
• Customers may still be able to trade-in devices that fail the below inspections, but they will be offered a lower refund that more accurately reflects the Trade-in Value.

Learn what’s checked during trade in inspection.

Factory reset your old phone

Plan for warranty coverage

• All manufacturer warranties are void for the phone you’re trading in.
• If the phone you’re trading in has device protection from the Google Store, you’ll get a prorated refund.
• We recommend that you cancel all warranties from other providers before you trade in your phone.

Step 1: Review your trade-in options

Choose a new phone

If you trade in your old phone, you can get a refund when you buy a new phone.

1. Choose a Pixel phone. Then follow the on-screen instructions.
2. On the "Have a phone to trade in?" page, select Start trade-in, then follow the on-screen instructions. Select details about the phone to trade in. If you don't find your phone on the list, it's not eligible for trade-in.
   Important: Make sure you can factory reset the phone before you send it to us.
3. You can find the estimated value for your trade-in phone. It's valid for 30 days from when you receive your new phone.
4. To add the new phone to your cart, select Add to cart.
5. To begin your trade-in and complete your order, check out.

Tip: After you start your trade-in, you’ll get a confirmation email. Then, we’ll send you a kit with a pre-paid envelope so that you can send your old phone to us.

Check the status of your trade-in

You can find the status of your trade-in by selecting "Trade-in details" from your order history.

• Confirmed: You started the trade-in process and got an email confirmation.
• Device assessed: We’ve sent you an email with the value of your old device.
• Canceled: You canceled your trade-in before you got your kit.

Step 2: Send us your old phone

You might want to transfer data from your old phone to your new one before you send it to us.

Using the prepaid envelope we sent you, follow these steps:

1. Important: Factory reset your old phone through Settings using your manufacturer’s instructions. Do not reset through the Recovery menu. If you don’t factory reset, we can’t give you full credit for your trade-in.
2. Remove the SIM card from your old phone.
3. Put the phone in the pre-paid envelope from the trade-in kit and attach the shipping label.
4. Ship the phone to us through USPS.

Step 3: Get credit for your trade-in

After we get the phone, we’ll review it within 3 business days (US/CA) and within 5 business days (UK/DE/JP)

• If the trade-in device's value matches the estimate: If you purchase a Pixel, we’ll credit the Post-Inspection Value (PIV) to your credit card.
• If the trade-in device's value is lower: If you selected to accept a change in value, we’ll credit you the Post-Inspection Value (PIV).

The estimate you get is based on the device specifications and condition you select. We'll do a full valuation when we get your device.

Learn what's checked during inspection

• Does the device power on?
• Does the Power Button function correctly?
• Are all Activation Locks disabled? (Find My iPhone, Google Lock, and Samsung Lock)
• Is the screen without cracks, breaks and missing pieces?
• Does the touchscreen work on the entire surface of the phone?
• Is the screen without any bruising and missing pixels?
• Is the LCD LED Backlight working correctly (the screen is not dark)?
• Is the device otherwise without breaks or cracks in the housing, keypad, hinge, or battery door?
• Does the device have a swollen battery? A device with a swollen battery won't receive any credit and can't be returned.

Devices will fail LCD inspection if they have any of the following

• Cracked Screen
• Damaged Screen
• Burn-in
• Bruising (may appear as dead pixels or spots of discoloration)
• Pixelation
• Delamination
• Unresponsive Screen

Devices will fail housing inspection if they have any of the following

• Major Case Crack
• Minor Case Crack
• Major Scratch
• Camera Broken
• Button/Key Broken
• Power Button Broken
• Swollen Battery
• Battery Missing
• Battery Door Broken
• Case Bent

Understand trade-in value assessment

You might see reason why your trade-in value was affected. For more information about these reasons, see below:

• Phone doesn’t turn on or off: The phone doesn’t turn on, turn off, or there’s a problem with the charger.
• Damaged screen: The screen is cracked, damaged, bruised, missing pixels, or the LCD is dark or burnt out.
• Touch screen doesn’t work: The touch screen isn’t responsive.
• Swollen battery: Do not send devices with damaged or swollen batteries. These devices won't receive any credit and can't be returned.
• Phone isn’t factory reset: The phone’s activation lock is still on.
• Incorrectly reported phone model: The phone model we received is different from the one you picked.
• Phone shipped more than 30 days after new phone was delivered.
• Phone reported lost or stolen.
• Received package was empty or had miscellaneous item.

Trade-ins with Pixel Pass

When you subscribe to Pixel Pass, you can trade in your old phone for a credit toward your subscription. When you sign up for Pixel Pass, you’ll get a trade-in value estimate for your phone. Learn more about Pixel Pass.

• If your device is traded in before your first billing cycle: the estimated trade-in value will be spread over the next 24 months of your Pixel Pass subscription, reducing your monthly bill. 
• If your device is traded in after your first billing cycle: the estimated trade-in value will reduce your total number of monthly Pixel Pass payments.

After 24 monthly Pixel Pass payments, you fully own your phone. 

• At that time, you decide if you want to stay subscribed and receive a new Pixel phone as an upgrade. 
• You can choose to keep your prior phone or trade in your phone when you upgrade to reduce your monthly Pixel Pass bill going forward.

(Optional) Cancel trade-in

• If you don't want to process your trade-in, dispose of the Shipping Kit.
• If you sent your device already, you can't cancel the trade-in.
• If you return the phone you bought with your trade-in, you'll receive the trade-in value as a Google Store credit in your account.

Trade-in status

• Pending: Trade-in ID is pending to be generated or trade-in is pending to be canceled.
• Kit requested: Trade-in ID was generated and the kit was requested or is pending to be requested. The kit will ship after the Pixel order ships.
• Kit shipped: Trade-in kit was shipped and you should get it within the following period:
  • US: Within 5 business days (shipped through USPS)
  • Canada: Within 5 business days (shipped through Canada post)
  • Japan: Within 3 business days (shipped through JP post)
  • UK: Within 3 business days (shipped through Royal Mail)
• Kit returned: You have shipped your trade-in device successfully. The return carrier stays the same (except for trade-ins in the UK).
  • US and Canada: Up to 5 business days
  • Japan: Up to 2 business days (shipped through JP post)
  • UK and Germany: Up to 2 business days (shipped through FedEx)
• Device received: Trade-in partner received the phone and will assess it within 4 business days.
• Device inspected: The device was assessed and you should have received an email with the PIV (Post Inspection Value).
• Credit/Refund applied: User was credited the amount that was quoted on their “Phone received and credited” email or Store credit was issued. You will receive the trade-in credits in the payment method associated with the Pixel order or as Google Store credits.
  • US and Canada: Up to 10 business days
  • Japan, UK, and Germany: 3–12 business days
• Device returned: The device was sent back to the user. This happens if there's a difference between the PIV and the TIV, and the user chose not to accept a different value.
• Canceled: The trade-in was canceled.

Trade-in refund status

Make sure that you've received the Store email confirmation for the refund. If you didn't receive an email, reach out to support.

For credit card refund:

If you've received the confirmation email within the last 10-12 business days and a refund hasn't shown up in your account, reach out to support.

Address change

If your trade-in kit is going to the wrong address, you can request a new trade-in kit.

1. Change the address on file to your current address.
2. Reach out to support to request your additional trade-in kit.

Important: Limited to one additional request per order.

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