How to Remove Your Google Account from Android Before Selling

Before you post your Samsung Galaxy or Google Pixel for sale, there is one step that trips up more sellers than any other: removing your Google account before you factory reset. Do it in the wrong order and the phone becomes protected by Factory Reset Protection (FRP), which locks the next owner out completely. A locked phone is worth significantly less, and in some cases buyback services will reject it outright.

This guide covers the correct order of operations, the exact menus on Samsung One UI and stock Android (Pixel), and what to do if you have already reset and the phone is now FRP-locked.

What is Factory Reset Protection and why does the order matter?

Factory Reset Protection is a security feature built into Android (introduced in Android 5.1) that activates automatically when a Google account is linked to a device. After a factory reset, the phone requires the original Google credentials to be entered before setup can continue. The intention is to deter theft: a thief who wipes a stolen phone still cannot use it without the original account password.

The problem for sellers is that FRP does not care whether the reset was deliberate. If your account is still linked when you wipe the phone, FRP fires and the buyer is locked at the setup screen. They cannot bypass it without your help, and that usually means the sale falls apart or the quote is revised down.

The fix is simple: remove your Google account first, then reset. That disables FRP before the wipe happens.

Step 1: Back up your data

Before removing any accounts, make sure everything you want to keep is backed up. Android backs up contacts, app data, and settings to Google automatically, but photos and WhatsApp messages need separate attention.

• Photos: Open Google Photos, go to your profile picture, then Photos settings > Backup, and confirm backup is complete before proceeding.
• WhatsApp: In WhatsApp go to Settings > Chats > Chat backup and run a manual backup to Google Drive.
• Google data: Go to Settings > Google > Backup and tap Back up now. Wait for it to finish.

For a full pre-sale preparation walkthrough, see the phone preparation checklist.

Step 2: Remove your Google account

The exact menu path varies slightly between Samsung One UI and stock Android on Pixel devices. Both are covered below.

On Samsung Galaxy (One UI)

1. Open Settings.
2. Scroll down and tap Accounts and backup (on some versions it may be labelled simply Accounts).
3. Tap Manage accounts.
4. Tap your Google account.
5. Tap Remove account at the bottom of the screen.
6. Confirm when prompted.

Menu names can differ across One UI versions. On older Samsung devices running One UI 3 or earlier, look for Settings > Accounts directly. On One UI 6 (Android 14) the path is Settings > Accounts and backup > Manage accounts.

On Google Pixel (stock Android)

1. Open Settings.
2. Tap Passwords & accounts (Android 12 and later) or Accounts on older versions.
3. Tap your Google account.
4. Tap the three-dot menu in the top right corner.
5. Tap Remove account.
6. Confirm when prompted.

If you have multiple Google accounts on the device, remove all of them. FRP will trigger for any account that was signed in at the time of the reset.

Ready to get a quote for your Google Pixel or Samsung Galaxy? Cash My Tech locks your price for five days, so you have time to complete these steps before sending the phone in.

Step 3: Remove your Samsung account (Samsung devices only)

If you are selling a Samsung Galaxy, you also need to remove your Samsung account. This is separate from your Google account and has its own lock mechanism. Leaving it active can prevent the next owner from fully setting up the device.

1. Open Settings.
2. Tap your name or profile at the top of the screen (this opens Samsung account settings).
3. Scroll to the bottom and tap Sign out or Remove account.
4. Enter your Samsung account password when prompted and confirm.

On some older Samsung devices you may find this under Settings > Accounts and backup > Accounts > Samsung account.

Step 4: Remove the screen lock

Removing the PIN, pattern, or biometric lock before resetting ensures the next owner is not prompted for a passcode during or after setup.

• Samsung: Settings > Lock screen > Screen lock type, then choose None or Swipe.
• Pixel: Settings > Security > Screen lock, then choose None.

Step 5: Factory reset

With all accounts removed and the screen lock cleared, you can now wipe the device safely.

On Samsung Galaxy

1. Open Settings.
2. Tap General management.
3. Tap Reset.
4. Tap Factory data reset.
5. Scroll to the bottom and tap Reset.
6. Tap Delete all to confirm. The phone will reboot and wipe itself.

On Google Pixel (stock Android)

1. Open Settings.
2. Tap System.
3. Tap Reset options.
4. Tap Erase all data (factory reset).
5. Tap Erase all data and confirm.

The reset takes around ten to fifteen minutes. Once complete, the phone will boot to the initial setup screen with no accounts attached and no FRP lock active.

What to do if the phone is already FRP-locked

If you reset the phone before removing your Google account, you will see a screen asking for the Google credentials that were last used on the device. There are two ways to resolve this:

• Sign in with the original account. Connect the phone to Wi-Fi at the FRP prompt, enter the Google account email and password that were on the device, and complete the verification. Once you reach the home screen, go back through steps 2 to 5 above and reset again properly.
• Remove the device from your Google account remotely. On another device or computer, go to myaccount.google.com, open Security > Your devices, find the phone, and remove it. This can clear FRP on some devices, though results vary by Android version and manufacturer. You will still need to complete setup on the phone afterwards.

If neither option works (for example, you no longer have access to the original Google account), contact Samsung or Google support directly. Third-party FRP bypass services are not recommended as they may leave the device in an insecure state.

Sell with confidence

Once the phone is wiped and showing the setup screen with no accounts attached, it is ready to sell. Cash My Tech buys Samsung Galaxy and Google Pixel phones in any condition across the UK. Post your phone using the free prepaid label, and if it arrives before 2 pm you receive a same-day bank transfer. All devices undergo a certified data wipe on arrival, in line with UK GDPR and the WEEE Regulations 2013.

Get an instant quote (locked for five days) at Cash My Tech, rated 4.8/5 from over 1,250 verified reviews.