The new laptop is out of the box. It’s fast, it’s quiet, and the old one is sitting on the kitchen counter waiting for a decision. Sell it? Donate it? Give it to your teenager?

Before it leaves your hands, stop and think about what’s still on it: years of saved passwords, tax returns, bank statements, family photos, and maybe client files from your home office. Dragging things to the trash doesn’t remove them. The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) warns that files you delete, even after you empty the trash, are still on the device and can be retrieved.

The good news is that you don’t need special tools or a technician. Windows and macOS already include what you need, and an afternoon is usually enough. Here’s the order to do it in.

1. Back up what matters (then check that it worked)

Start with the things you can’t replace: photos, videos, tax documents, and work files. The FTC’s checklist gives three simple options:

• Move files straight to the new computer. Both Windows and Mac have built-in transfer tools.
• Save them to a cloud service like OneDrive, iCloud, Google Drive, or Dropbox, preferably one with two-step sign-in turned on.
• Copy them to an external drive. It’s cheap, it’s yours, and it doesn’t need the internet.

Then open a few of the backed-up files from the new location and make sure they actually open. A backup you haven’t checked is just a guess.

Home office tip: If you do work for an employer or clients on this machine, ask them before you wipe it. Some have rules about where work data can go and how it must be destroyed.

2. Gather the “keys” you’ll need later

Before you erase anything, write down or confirm these:

• Your BitLocker recovery key (Windows). If your drive is encrypted, Microsoft notes you’ll need this key for some reset and recovery options. It’s often saved in your Microsoft account.
• Software licenses. Some paid programs, such as tax software, photo editors, or office suites, only allow a set number of installs. Deactivate or sign out of them on the old machine so you can use that install on the new one.
• Saved browser passwords. If you keep passwords in Chrome, Edge, Safari, or Firefox, make sure they’ve synced to your account or a password manager before the old computer is gone.

3. Sign out of your accounts

Signing out first means the next person can’t open your email, cloud storage, or shopping accounts, and it keeps the old computer from being tied to you.

On a Windows PC: After the reset (step 4), Microsoft recommends removing the device from your Microsoft account at account.microsoft.com/devices. Also sign out of your browser, any cloud-sync apps, and streaming or gaming apps.

On a Mac: Newer Macs (macOS Monterey or later with Apple silicon or a T2 chip) handle this for you in step 4. On older Macs, Apple’s guide says to sign out of iCloud and iMessage yourself before erasing. If you’re keeping a Bluetooth keyboard or mouse, unpair it so it doesn’t control a computer you no longer own.

4. Wipe it the right way

This is the step that actually protects you.

Windows 10 and 11: Go to Settings > System > Recovery > Reset PC (on Windows 10 it’s Update & Security > Recovery). Choose Remove everything, then turn on Clean data. Microsoft says this option makes it harder for others to recover the files you removed, and it’s the one to use if you plan to donate, recycle, or sell your PC. Plan for it to take a while. The screen may go black for a long stretch, so don’t interrupt it. Microsoft also notes this consumer wipe doesn’t meet government or industry data erasure standards. If the old machine held highly sensitive business records, ask your computer maker about its own secure-erase tool.

Mac: Go to System Settings > General > Transfer or Reset > Erase All Content and Settings and follow the prompts. Apple says this erases your data, settings, and apps and signs you out of Apple services. When the Mac restarts to the setup screen, don’t set it up. Just hold the power button to turn it off so the next owner starts fresh. If your Mac is too old for this feature, follow the step-by-step instructions in Apple’s guide.

5. If it’s staying in the family, treat it like a new computer

Handing a laptop down to a child or a grandparent is generous. It’s also the point where older machines often get forgotten. Wipe it anyway (step 4) and give the new user their own fresh account instead of yours. Then:

• Check for updates. Windows 10 support ended on October 14, 2025. If the PC can’t run Windows 11, Microsoft’s Extended Security Updates program for home users still provides critical security updates through October 12, 2027. You can enroll free if you sync your PC settings, with 1,000 Microsoft Rewards points, or with a one-time $30 purchase. If you don’t enroll, that computer gets no security fixes at all.
• Give kids a standard account, not an administrator account, so a sketchy download can’t change the whole system.
• Talk about the risky stuff. Free game cheats and “mods” are a common way malware gets onto family PCs. We covered that in Free Game Cheats, Real Malware.

6. Recycle responsibly

If the computer is too old to sell or pass on, don’t throw it in the trash. Computers contain materials that don’t belong in a landfill. The FTC points to the EPA’s electronics donation and recycling page, and many manufacturers and electronics stores take old devices back. Wipe the computer first (step 4) no matter where it goes.

Don’t forget the new computer

Moving everything to a new computer is the perfect time to set it up right from day one, before the downloads, browser extensions, and “just click yes” pop-ups start piling up. Turn on automatic updates, use a password manager, and turn on two-step sign-in for your email and bank.

If you’d also like protection that stops threats automatically, that’s what we do. EDR For Home puts the same AI-powered SentinelOne protection businesses use onto your home PCs and Macs. On Windows, both of our plans include 1-click rollback, which can return files to how they were before ransomware encrypted them. (Here’s what rollback actually means.) Install it on the new machine, and on the hand-me-down too, and you’ll have one less thing to worry about.

See EDR For Home plans

Enjoy the new computer. Just make sure the old one leaves your house with nothing of yours on it.