Proper Android Factory Reset: Avoid Ghost Devices and Account Remnants
For more than a decade, Android users have relied on the standard factory reset to wipe their devices before upgrading, selling, or donating them. Traditionally, this involved navigating to device settings, selecting “Erase All Data,” and allowing the process to return the phone to its original state. While this approach clears the device’s local storage and system data, recent insights reveal that it does not fully dissociate the phone from your Google account. This creates “ghost devices” that linger across Google services, including Google Play, Find Hub, Google Fi, and Device Activity pages, leading to potential privacy concerns and cluttered … Read more