Move your eSIM to your new phone first, then erase the old one. That one rule prevents the most common problem when you sell a second hand phone in Belgium. Before any sale, check four things: the eSIM is transferred or erased, every account is signed out, the phone is fully reset, and the IMEI number is clean. A seller who skips these steps can leave personal data and even an active phone line behind, while a buyer who skips them can end up with a phone that is locked to a stranger's account. This checklist covers both sides of the sale for iPhone and Android.
Seller: before you sell | Buyer: before you pay |
|---|---|
Transfer your eSIM to your new phone | Check the IMEI number with *#06# |
Sign out of your Apple, Google and Samsung accounts | Make sure the phone asks for no previous account |
Erase the phone and the eSIM | Test your own SIM or eSIM in the phone |
Remove the phone from your trusted devices | Check battery, camera and charging, and ask for the invoice |
Why eSIM changes the second hand phone checklist
Treat the eSIM as part of the phone, because it is. With a physical SIM card, you simply take the card out before you hand over the phone, but an eSIM is a digital SIM stored inside the phone, so it does not leave with you. Reset the phone too early and you may lose the eSIM and need a new one from your provider. Forget to erase it and the eSIM can stay active on a phone that now belongs to someone else, so in the worst case the new owner can use your line until your provider blocks it.
Seller checklist: before you sell your phone
1. Back up and transfer your eSIM
Make a backup, then move your eSIM to your new phone while the old one still works. To transfer an eSIM to a new iPhone, go to Settings, Mobile Data, Add eSIM and choose to transfer from another iPhone. Both iPhones need iOS 18.4 or later, and your provider has to support the transfer. Moving from Android to iPhone is possible from iOS 26 with some providers and phone brands. Some Samsung and Google Pixel models can also transfer an eSIM between Android phones, again depending on your provider. If direct transfer is not available, ask your provider for a new eSIM QR code before you reset anything.
2. Sign out of every account
Sign out of your Apple Account on an iPhone. This turns off Find My and Activation Lock, the security feature that blocks anyone else from setting up the phone. On Android, remove your Google account and, on a Samsung, your Samsung account as well. If you skip this, Factory Reset Protection will ask the buyer for your login after the reset, and the phone becomes unusable for them.
3. Erase the phone and the eSIM
Erase the eSIM together with the phone, so nothing stays linked to your number. To factory reset a Samsung or an iPhone, follow these menus:
Step | iPhone | Samsung |
|---|---|---|
Remove the eSIM | Offered during the erase: choose to erase the eSIM | Settings, Connections, SIM manager |
Reset the phone | Settings, General, Transfer or Reset iPhone, Erase All Content and Settings | Settings, General management, Reset, Factory data reset |
Account lock that turns off | Activation Lock | Factory Reset Protection |
4. Clean up what stays linked to you
Remove the phone from your list of trusted devices, unpair your smartwatch and delete any bank cards saved in your digital wallet. Keep a note of the IMEI number and the date of sale, in case questions come up later.
Buyer checklist: before you buy a second hand phone
1. Check the IMEI number
Dial *#06# to see the phone's unique 15 digit IMEI number, then compare it with the number in the settings and on the original box. You can check the IMEI with a free online IMEI check service to see whether the phone has been reported lost or stolen. Belgian police ask for the IMEI number when someone reports a stolen phone, so a seller who has the box and the invoice is a good sign.
2. Make sure there is no account lock
Walk away from any phone that asks for someone else's account. A properly reset phone shows the welcome screen and lets you set it up with your own account. If a second hand iPhone asks for the previous owner's Apple Account, or an Android phone asks for an earlier Google account, do not buy it until the seller removes the lock in front of you.
3. Test your SIM and eSIM before you pay
Insert your SIM card or add your eSIM on the spot and make a quick call. Phones bought abroad or through a subscription can be locked to one network. Also check the model supports eSIM:
Phone | eSIM support |
|---|---|
iPhone XS, XR and newer (2018 onwards) | Yes |
iPhone 14 and newer bought in the United States | eSIM only, no SIM card slot |
Recent Samsung Galaxy S, Z and Google Pixel models | Yes on most models |
Budget and older Android phones | Often no, check the settings |
4. Check the basics
Check battery health, charge the phone, and test the camera, speakers, microphone and Face ID or fingerprint sensor. Ask for an invoice or proof of purchase, and when you buy through an online marketplace, meet in a public place.
If something goes wrong
Problem | What to do |
|---|---|
You sold the phone without erasing it | Erase it remotely through Find My on iCloud.com or Google Find My Device, and ask your provider to block the old eSIM |
You bought a phone that turns out to be stolen | Stop using it and report it to the local police |
Your eSIM disappeared during the reset | Ask your provider for a new eSIM, which usually arrives as a QR code |
A phone that just works, whoever owned it first
Buying a second hand phone is one of the smartest ways to save money, and the eSIM should make that easier, not harder. Firsty is built around eSIM, so your phone connects to local networks automatically wherever you travel: no physical SIM to swap, no roaming toggle to remember before you land, and no zone chart to check. Every connection Firsty sells also connects someone in Belgium who needs one**, not as charity, but as how the business works. Things are moving, so keep an eye on what Firsty is building and discover more at Firsty.app.
FAQ
What should I check before buying a second hand phone?
Before buying a second hand phone, check the IMEI number with *#06# and an online IMEI check, confirm the phone is not locked to the previous owner's Apple or Google account, test your own SIM or eSIM in it, and check battery health, camera and charging. Ask for the original box or invoice as proof that the seller owns the phone.
How do I transfer my eSIM to a new iPhone?
On the new iPhone, go to Settings, Mobile Data, Add eSIM and choose to transfer from another iPhone, keeping both phones close together and unlocked. Both iPhones need iOS 18.4 or later, and your provider has to support eSIM transfer. If it does not, ask your provider for a new eSIM QR code and scan it on the new iPhone.
Does a factory reset delete my eSIM?
It can. An iPhone asks whether to keep or erase the eSIM when you erase the phone, and Android phones often offer the same choice. When you are selling a phone, transfer the eSIM to your new phone first, then erase both the phone and the eSIM so nothing stays linked to your number.
How do I check the IMEI of a phone?
Dial *#06# to show the IMEI number, a unique 15 digit code for every phone. You can also find it in the phone's settings and on the original box. Enter it in a free online IMEI check service to see whether the phone has been reported lost or stolen.
What is Activation Lock on an iPhone?
Activation Lock is an Apple security feature that links an iPhone to its owner's Apple Account through Find My. As long as it is on, nobody else can set up the phone. Sellers turn it off by signing out of their Apple Account and erasing the phone, and buyers should never pay for an iPhone that still asks for someone else's account.
How do I factory reset a Samsung before selling it?
First remove your Google and Samsung accounts, and remove the eSIM in Settings, Connections, SIM manager. Then go to Settings, General management, Reset, Factory data reset. Removing the accounts first matters, because otherwise Factory Reset Protection asks the new owner for your login.
