What to do with your old phone: a practical UK guide

There are roughly 40 million unused phones sitting in drawers across the UK right now. If yours is one of them, you have real options: sell it for cash, trade it in, donate it, repurpose it, pass it on, or recycle it responsibly. The right choice depends mostly on whether the phone still has monetary value. This guide walks you through each option honestly, so you can make a decision that actually suits you.

Why you should not bin it

Putting a phone in the bin is the one thing you should not do, for two reasons. First, phones contain lithium batteries, hazardous materials, and rare metals that are toxic in landfill and illegal to dispose of in household waste under the WEEE Regulations 2013. Second, it is throwing away something that almost certainly has value, either as cash or as a useful device for someone else.

There is also a data point worth considering. A phone you leave in a drawer indefinitely is not safe just because it is sitting there. If it ever ends up in the wrong hands without a proper data wipe, your personal information is accessible. Wiping and moving the phone on is always the cleaner outcome.

A quick decision guide

Before looking at the options in detail, ask yourself two questions:

1. Does it turn on? Even a cracked or damaged phone that powers on is likely worth money.
2. Is it under roughly six or seven years old? Phones from around 2018 onwards (iPhone X era, Samsung Galaxy S8 era, early Pixel models) almost always have a buyback value, even in poor condition.

If you answered yes to both, start with the selling options below. If the phone is older or completely dead, skip ahead to recycling or repurposing.

Option 1: Sell it for cash (best for most people)

Selling through a postal buyback service is the fastest and least effortful way to get money for an old phone. You do not need to write a listing, meet a stranger, or negotiate. You get an instant quote, send the phone off, and receive payment directly to your bank account.

Cash My Tech buys iPhones, Samsung Galaxy phones, Google Pixels, and other devices in any condition, including broken ones. The process is straightforward: get a quote on the products page, post your phone using the free prepaid Royal Mail label, and receive a same-day bank transfer if your device is inspected before 2pm. Quotes are locked for five days, so you have time to decide without the price moving on you.

One thing people often get wrong: they assume a cracked screen or a phone that no longer charges is worthless. It usually is not. Broken phones have parts value, and buyback services factor that in. You will get less than you would for a pristine device, but you will get something rather than nothing.

See how it works for the full process.

Option 2: Trade it in

Network operators and manufacturers (Apple, Samsung, and others) offer trade-in credit towards a new device. This can be convenient if you are upgrading at the same time, but the credit offered is almost always lower than what a dedicated buyback service pays in cash. Trade-in is worth comparing, but rarely wins on value.

Option 3: Sell it privately

Listing on eBay or Facebook Marketplace can get you more money than a buyback service for a phone in excellent condition, because you are selling directly to an end buyer. The trade-offs are time (writing a listing, answering questions, waiting for a sale), the risk of non-paying buyers or returns, and the effort of packaging and posting. For most people with one old phone and limited time, a buyback service is the better deal overall. For someone with a pristine, high-value device and time to spare, private sale is worth trying.

Option 4: Repurpose it

If the phone has very little cash value but still works, repurposing it can be genuinely useful. Some of the most practical uses:

• Security camera. Apps like Alfred or Manything turn an old phone into a home security camera you can view remotely. Free or very cheap.
• Dedicated music player or smart speaker. Leave it plugged in and connected to a Bluetooth speaker. It does not need a SIM.
• Sat nav. Download an offline maps app (Google Maps works offline, as does Maps.me) and keep it in the car. No data plan needed.
• Kids' device. Wipe it, set up parental controls, and load it with educational apps or games. Children do not need your primary phone.
• Bedside alarm or media remote. A phone without a SIM still connects to Wi-Fi, runs apps, and controls smart home devices.

Repurposing makes sense when the phone genuinely is not worth selling (older than seven or eight years, very low buyback value) but still functions well enough to be useful. If it sits in a drawer again within a month of repurposing it, recycle it instead.

Option 5: Hand it down

Passing a phone to a family member or friend is one of the most straightforward outcomes. It extends the device's useful life, avoids the need to recycle or sell, and benefits someone who needs it. Before handing it over, do a full factory reset and remove your accounts (iCloud or Google account) so the device is clean for the next person.

Option 6: Donate to charity

Several UK charities accept old phones and either refurbish them for people in need or recycle them to raise funds. Organisations worth looking at include Oxfam (via their dedicated tech recycling scheme), Emmaus, and SmartPhones for Smarties. Donating is a good option when a phone is functional but low in cash value, and you want it to go somewhere useful.

Option 7: Recycle responsibly

If the phone is genuinely dead, very old, or has no realistic use, recycling is the right call. Under the WEEE Regulations 2013, electrical and electronic equipment must not go to landfill. Most large supermarkets and electronics retailers have collection points. Local councils also run household waste recycling centres that accept small electricals.

Cash My Tech also handles recycling for devices with no commercial value. Devices are either reused or recycled in line with WEEE regulations, so nothing ends up in landfill. You can read more about the environmental impact of phone recycling and what responsible disposal actually involves.

Data safety before you do anything

Whichever route you choose, wipe the phone first. A factory reset removes your personal data from the device. For iPhones, sign out of iCloud before resetting (Settings, then your name, then Sign Out) to remove Activation Lock. For Android phones, remove your Google account first (Settings, Accounts) then perform the reset.

Cash My Tech carries out a certified data wipe on every device received, in line with UK GDPR and the WEEE Regulations 2013, so even if you forget to wipe it yourself, your data is handled properly. That said, wiping it before sending is still the sensible habit.

Which option is right for you?

The honest answer for most people with a phone from the last six or seven years: sell it. You will get cash in your account within a day, the phone goes to someone who will use it, and the process takes about five minutes of your time. The environmental outcome is also better than recycling, because a device that gets reused avoids the energy cost of manufacturing a new one.

If the phone is too old to sell, repurpose it if you have a genuine use for it, pass it to someone who does, or recycle it through a proper channel. The one thing not to do is leave it in a drawer indefinitely. It will not be worth more next year.

Check what your old phone is worth today on the Cash My Tech quote page. Rated 4.8/5 from over 1,250 reviews, with free Royal Mail postage and same-day payment.