How-to
Getting rid of an old computer without your files on it
Back up what you want to keep, erase the computer with its own reset tool, and take it to a donation or recycling site instead of the trash.
Satisfy+ Editorial · Published September 14, 2026 · 2 min read · 1.5 hr to do
At a glance
- First
- Back up the files you want to keep
- Then
- Erase it with the operating system's reset tool
- Not in the trash
- Computers contain hazardous materials
- Lithium-ion batteries
- Never in the household garbage or recycling bin
An old computer still holds your photos, documents and account details until you erase it. Before it leaves the house, move what you want to keep, wipe the rest with the reset tool built into its operating system, and take it somewhere that can reuse or recycle it.
What you need
- The old computer and its charger
- A new computer, a cloud storage account or an external drive for the files
- About an hour and a half, much of it spent waiting on the copy and the reset
Steps
- 1
Decide what to keep
Go through the photos, videos and documents, and work out roughly how much storage they'll need.
15 min
- 2
Copy the files somewhere else
Move them to a new computer using the operating system maker's instructions, or to a cloud storage service or an external drive.
30 min
- 3
Check the cloud account's security
If you use cloud storage, look at the service's privacy and security settings, and turn on multi-factor authentication if it's offered.
5 min
- 4
Erase the computer
Use the erase or reset tool built into the operating system to delete your files and return the computer to its factory settings. Windows, Chromebook and Mac each have their own reset instructions from their maker.
30 min
- 5
Find a place to take it
Manufacturers and retailers run donation and recycling programs for electronics, and your state or community may have recycling sites. Ask the computer's maker or a local electronics store. A recycler certified to the R2 or e-Stewards standard has passed an independent audit, and both standards require destroying all the data on used electronics.
10 min
Get the old computer ready to leave the house
- Back up the files you want from the old computer
- Reset the old computer to factory settings
- Take the old computer to a donation or recycling site
Why not the trash
Computers contain hazardous materials that shouldn't go to a landfill. Electronics are also made from metals, plastics and glass that took energy to mine and manufacture, so donating or recycling them conserves those resources and avoids air and water pollution. Recycling a million laptops saves as much energy as more than 3,500 U.S. homes use in electricity in a year.
The battery
Batteries may need to be recycled separately from the computer. Lithium-ion batteries, and devices that contain them, never go in the household garbage or the recycling bin.
FAQ
Is deleting my files enough before I give away a computer?
Use the operating system's erase or reset tool instead, which deletes your files and returns the computer to factory settings.
Can I throw an old laptop in the trash?
No. Computers contain hazardous materials, and lithium-ion batteries never go in household garbage. Take it to a donation or recycling site.
Sources
Checked October 19, 2026
- Federal Trade Commission. How to remove your personal information before you get rid of your computer (2022)
- U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Electronics donation and recycling (2025)
- U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Certified electronics recyclers (2026)
- Free
