How to Stop Your Old iPhone or iPad from Becoming a Very
Expensive Paperweight
So, you’ve finally decided to have that big tech clear-out.
You dig out that old iPad from the back of a drawer, dust off your work iPhone from 2019,
and think, “I’ll drop this off at Recycle-IT! — it might help someone else.”
Top marks. We love that.
But before you do, let’s talk about something a lot of people don’t realise until it’s too late:
bricking.
Now, if you’re thinking “What in the name of Steve Jobs is bricking?” — don’t worry, you’re
not alone.
What does ‘bricking’ actually mean?
Imagine you’ve wiped your phone, handed it over with a proud smile… and then the poor
person who receives it can’t even turn it on properly because it’s still locked to your account.
That’s bricking. You haven’t smashed it with a hammer (we hope) — but the device has
become about as useful as a house brick.
It can’t be reused, resold, or repurposed — even if it looks good as new. And sadly, this
happens a lot, especially with Apple products like iPhones and iPads.
Why do Apple devices ‘brick’ so easily?
Because Apple are (understandably) obsessed with security. And they’ve made it incredibly
hard for someone to get into a device without the original owner’s permission.
Fair play — we all want our data kept safe. But here’s the kicker: once Find My iPhone or
Activation Lock is switched on, no one else can use that device unless you switch it off.
Even we can’t fix that. Not even Apple can unlock it without proof of purchase and photo ID.
So if you forget to sign out of iCloud or turn off ‘Find My’, you’ve basically handed us a very
shiny brick. We can’t reuse it. And that’s a crying shame when there’s someone out there
who really could have used it.
So how do you not brick your tech?
It’s easier than you think — and it only takes five minutes.
Here’s the foolproof checklist:
- Back up anything you want to keep – Photos, notes, the lot. (Or risk losing that
dodgy picture from the Christmas do forever.) - Sign out of your Apple ID – Go to Settings > Your Name > Sign Out. This breaks
the link to your account. - Turn off ‘Find My iPhone‘ or ‘Find My iPad’ – Otherwise, it stays locked.
- Do a full factory reset – Settings > General > Transfer or Reset > Erase All Content
and Settings. - Unpair anything connected – AirPods, Apple Watches, that weird Bluetooth
speaker that only works when you hold it at a 45-degree angle.
Do all that, and your device will be ready for a second life.
What if I’ve already donated it?
No judgement — honestly. Happens all the time. If you’ve still got access to your Apple ID,
give us a shout and we’ll help walk you through removing the lock remotely. We’re friendly
like that.
And if the device’s long gone and you can’t remember your Apple login for love nor money?
Might be time to visit iforgot.apple.com and have a go at recovering it.
The big picture: Why it matters
At Recycle-IT!, we don’t just recycle tech — we reuse it, repurpose it, and get it back into the
hands of people who genuinely need it. Schools. Charities. Start-ups. Families.
But we can’t do that with bricked devices. They’re too locked down to help anyone — and
often end up getting scrapped, when they could’ve had years of life left in them.
It’s like throwing away your kettle just because you forgot to empty the limescale. Wasteful
and entirely preventable.
So please — next time you donate tech, give it a proper send-off. Unlock it, wipe it, and let it
go on to do some good.
We promise to do the rest.