Recycle or Donate Your Old Tech
Don't bin it. Whether it works or not, there's a responsible route for every piece of old tech — and it costs nothing to do the right thing.
Local Recycling Centres
All free to useBy law, UK councils must provide free electrical recycling. Most Household Waste Recycling Centres (HWRCs) accept all electronics. Retailers with a floor area over 400m² must also take back old items in the same category as what you buy.
Every UK council operates at least one HWRC (also called a tip or civic amenity site) that accepts small and large electrical items for free. Your device is sorted and responsibly recycled under WEEE regulations.
- Accepts phones, laptops, tablets, consoles, chargers, cables
- No appointment needed at most sites
- All electrical waste handled under WEEE regulations
- Always wipe your data before dropping off — see the Data Wipe section below
Retailers are legally required to accept old electricals when you buy a similar new item. Currys goes further and takes any old tech without a purchase. Argos and John Lewis have conditions — see notes below.
- Currys — accepts any old electricals in-store, no purchase needed (and often gives a discount voucher)
- Argos — WEEE recycling when you've bought a replacement item from them within the last 28 days
- John Lewis — large appliance recycling as a paid delivery add-on; not a free walk-in drop-off for small tech
- Many larger supermarkets have collection points for small electricals
If you can't get to a centre or store, several services let you post small electricals for free using a Freepost address or pre-paid bag.
- Recycle More (recycle-more.co.uk) — recycling guidance and freepost options for small electricals
- DPD Pickup shops often act as collection points for electronics recycling
- Some councils offer collection of small electricals — check your council website
Charity Donation Schemes
Give your tech a purposeful second lifeWorking devices — even older ones — can make a huge difference to families, students, and communities who lack access to technology. Always wipe your data before donating.
A registered UK charity (SC046150 / 1156687) that refurbishes donated computers for schools in Africa and the UK. All data is wiped to UK Government standards using Blancco certified software.
- Accepts laptops (with charger), desktops, monitors, and peripherals
- Must be capable of running Windows 10 or macOS Monterey — ideally under 10 years old
- Certified data destruction with documentation provided
- No freepost — arrange your own courier, or drop off at their Edinburgh workshop by prior appointment
Vodafone collects donated smartphones and tablets, wipes and reboxes them, and gives them to people in need — along with six months of free data, calls and texts. You don't need to be a Vodafone customer to donate.
- Accepts smartphones and tablets (any network)
- Free post or drop off at any Vodafone store
- Recipients receive 6 months of free data, calls and texts
- Over 90,000 devices collected; works with Good Things Foundation and other charities
Some Oxfam shops accept working tech — devices in good condition are refurbished and sold to fund their humanitarian work. Not every shop takes electricals, so call ahead before making a trip.
- Drop off at a participating Oxfam shop — call ahead to check they accept electricals
- Accepts phones, tablets, e-readers, cameras at participating locations
- Revenue supports Oxfam's humanitarian work
- Electricals cannot be donated via Oxfam's postal service — shop drop-off only
AbilityNet matches donated technology with disabled people and older adults who need it to live more independently.
- Accepts laptops, tablets, smartphones
- Devices set up with accessibility software where needed
- All data wiped before redistribution
Trade-In & Take-Back Schemes
Turn old tech into cash or creditIf your device is in reasonable working condition, a trade-in can get you real money or credit towards a new purchase. Prices vary significantly — always compare before committing.
One of the UK's biggest trade-in platforms. Get an instant quote online, post your device free, and get paid quickly. Accepts phones, tablets, laptops, games, DVDs, and more.
- Instant online quote — no haggling
- Free-post tracked returns bag provided
- Payment by bank transfer or cheque within a few days
- Quote may be revised if condition doesn't match — check grading criteria carefully
Apple's own trade-in programme gives you credit toward a new Apple device. Best value if you're buying something new from Apple anyway — otherwise compare with cash buyers.
- Accepts iPhones, iPads, Macs, and Apple Watch
- Free-post return or drop off at Apple Store
- Credit only — not cash
- Cash value from MusicMagpie or Envirofone often higher unless buying Apple
Specialist phone and tablet trade-in service. Competitive prices, free-post returns, and a strong reputation for paying promptly.
- Instant quote on website
- Free-post tracked bag sent to you
- Payment via bank transfer, PayPal, or cheque
- Also recycles non-working or broken devices for free
Samsung's official trade-in programme offers credit toward a new Samsung device. Like Apple Trade In, credit value can be competitive if you're buying new from Samsung.
- Accepts Samsung phones, tablets, and TVs
- Online quote and free returns
- Credit only — compare with cash buyers
Back Market's trade-in service lets you sell your old device and, if you want, put the proceeds toward a refurbished replacement on the same platform.
- Instant online valuation
- Free-post returns
- Option to receive credit on Back Market for a refurbished replacement
How to Wipe Your Data Safely
Do this before recycling, donating or sellingAlways wipe your device thoroughly before handing it to anyone — a charity, a recycler, or a buyer. A factory reset is the minimum; the steps below walk you through it for each device type.
iPhone / iPad
- Back up to iCloud or your computer if you want to keep your data.
- Go to Settings → [Your Name] → Sign Out and sign out of your Apple ID. This removes Activation Lock.
- Go to Settings → General → Transfer or Reset → Erase All Content and Settings.
- Confirm and wait for the erase to complete — this may take several minutes.
- The device will restart to the setup screen — it is now safe to hand over.
Android Phone / Tablet
- Back up your data via Google account sync or Android Backup.
- Go to Settings → Accounts and remove your Google account.
- Go to Settings → General Management → Reset → Factory Data Reset (exact path varies by brand).
- Confirm the reset. The device will erase and restart.
- On some older Android devices, re-encrypt the device after the reset for extra security (Settings → Security → Encrypt device), then reset again.
Windows Laptop
- Sign out of all accounts (Microsoft, email, cloud storage).
- Go to Settings → System → Recovery → Reset this PC.
- Choose "Remove everything" — not "Keep my files".
- If prompted, choose "Remove files and clean the drive" for maximum security.
- The process takes 30–120 minutes. Do not interrupt it.
- For extra security on older HDDs, use a free tool like DBAN before disposal.
Mac / MacBook
- On Apple Silicon Macs (M1/M2+): power off, hold power button, choose Erase Mac in Recovery.
- On Intel Macs: restart and hold ⌘+R to enter Recovery Mode.
- In Recovery, open Disk Utility, select your main drive, click Erase.
- Close Disk Utility, then choose Reinstall macOS to leave it in a clean state.
- Sign out of iCloud (System Preferences → Apple ID → Sign Out) before erasing if you can.
PlayStation / Xbox
- PS4/PS5: Settings → Account Management → Sign Out. Then Settings → System → Reset Options → Reset Console → Full.
- Xbox: Settings → System → Console Info → Reset Console → Reset and Remove Everything.
- Nintendo Switch: System Settings → System → Formatting Options → Initialise Console.
- All options remove your account, games, and save data from the device.
Don't Forget These
- Remove any memory cards or SD cards before handing over the device.
- Check that your account is fully removed — try to set the device up as new to confirm.
- For payment devices or smart home hubs, check the manufacturer's specific reset instructions.
- If selling, take a photo of the device before sending — useful if there's a dispute over condition.