What to do With Old Cell Phones
Don't let your old cell phone collect dust. Learn how donating or recycling your device can protect your personal information, reduce electronic waste and support your local community.
Did you know that only about 25% of electronic waste is collected for recycling in the United States? When old cell phones end up in landfills, they don't just take up space—they can also contribute to environmental pollution and waste valuable materials like gold, silver, copper and rare earth metals that could otherwise be recovered and reused.
If you're wondering what to do with old cell phones, donating them to Goodwill is a simple, secure way to give your device a second life while supporting your community. Whether your phone still works or has reached the end of its life, Goodwill helps keep electronics out of landfills and ensures they are either resold or responsibly recycled.
What Does Goodwill Do With Donated Cell Phones?
Goodwill accepts both working and broken cell phones.
Working phones are evaluated, securely wiped of all personally identifiable information and prepared for resale through ShopGoodwill.com. Every purchase helps fund job training, employment placement and other mission services throughout Greater Milwaukee & Chicago.
Phones that can no longer be used don't go to waste. Instead, they're responsibly recycled so valuable materials can be recovered while reducing electronic waste.
In 2023 alone, donations to Goodwill kept more than 171 million pounds of clothing, electronics and household goods out of landfills throughout Greater Milwaukee & Chicago.
How to Protect Your Personal Information Before Donating
One of the biggest concerns people have before donating an old phone is protecting their personal information—and for good reason.
Before donating your device, it's a good idea to:
- Back up any photos, contacts or files you want to keep.
- Sign out of your Apple ID or Google account.
- Remove SIM and memory cards if applicable.
- Perform a factory reset according to your device manufacturer's instructions.
Even if you aren't sure you've removed everything, Goodwill takes additional steps to erase personally identifiable information from working devices before they're prepared for resale, helping give you added peace of mind.
Should You Destroy Your Old Cell Phone?
Many people search for how to destroy old cell phones or how to destroy a phone permanently because they're worried about protecting sensitive information.
While physically destroying a phone may seem like the safest option, it's often unnecessary if the device can be securely erased and responsibly reused or recycled.
If your phone is no longer functional, Goodwill works with recycling partners to ensure materials are responsibly processed instead of ending up in a landfill. Recycling electronics also helps recover valuable resources that can be used to manufacture new products.
Does Goodwill Accept Other Electronics?
Yes!
In addition to old cell phones, Goodwill accepts a wide variety of electronics, including:
- Laptops and desktop computers
- Smartwatches
- Tablets
- Kindles and other e-readers
- Gaming consoles
- Electronic accessories
Each item is evaluated to determine whether it can be resold. If it can't, materials such as plastic, metal and electronic components are responsibly recycled whenever possible.
Donate Electronics—With or Without the Charger
Can't find the charging cable?
No problem.
Goodwill accepts many electronics even if the original charging cord is missing. Likewise, charging cords can be donated separately. Working cords may be resold, while damaged or nonworking cords are responsibly recycled.
Give Your Old Cell Phone a Second Life
Knowing what to do with old cell phones doesn't have to be complicated.
Whether your device still works or has reached the end of its life, donating it to Goodwill helps reduce electronic waste, keeps reusable materials out of landfills and supports job training and employment programs throughout your community.
Instead of letting your old phone sit in a drawer—or wondering how to dispose of it responsibly—consider donating it to Goodwill. Your donation helps protect the environment while creating opportunities for others.
Learn more about donating electronics to Goodwill.
This post is an updated version of a blog originally published in December 2024.