Day 2
Delete Old Accounts & Factory Wipe Old Devices
Day 2: Delete Old Accounts & Factory Wipe Old Devices
A while back, I had an ancient Skype account that I hadn’t used in over a decade. One day, out of nowhere, friends started texting me saying they got weird links from my old account.
A friend messaged me like, “Hey Shannon, why did you send me a link to some sketchy crypto site?”
Turns out, someone found that old password from a data breach and logged in pretending to be me. That’s when I realized that inactive doesn’t mean invisible.
Luckily, I was able to get back in, change the password, and add 2FA – but it was a huge reminder that old accounts can come back to haunt you. They’re like digital zombies: still alive… and dangerous.
So today, we’re gonna bury those zombies for good.
What’s up S’mores! I’m Shannon Morse, and welcome back to Day 2 of the 30-Day Security Challenge - the challenge that helps you take control of your online security and privacy, one tiny step at a time.
If you missed Day 1, go check that out first - we set our intentions, wrote down all our devices and accounts, and basically started organizing our digital lives. Today, we’re cleaning house. Yep - we’re deleting those old accounts you forgot existed and wiping those dusty gadgets sitting in your drawer.
Part 1: Decluttering your physical devices.
Step 1: BACK UP ANYTHING IMPORTANT
Before we nuke your old gear, double-check that you’ve backed up any files or photos you still want while the stuff is still plugged in. External drives, NAS backups, or secure cloud storage are great for this.
Step 2: GATHER UNUSED / OUTDATED TECH
Start with the old gadgets you pulled out yesterday. If you’re planning to sell, donate, or recycle them, you need to factory reset them first. That means erasing all your personal data so the next person can’t see your photos, messages, or logins. So grab anything you don’t need or want anymore, put everything in a bin, and move on to step three.
Step 3: NUKE
Here’s the quick breakdown:
Pro Tip: Disconnect them from your home WiFi network in their settings before resetting.
Smartphones & Tablets - Go to Settings → System → Reset or Factory Restore.
On most phones and tablets:
Go to Settings → System → Reset options → Erase all data (Android)
Or Settings → General → Transfer or Reset iPhone → Erase All Content and Settings (iPhone)
Laptops & PCs - Look for “Reset this PC” (Windows) or “Erase All Content and Settings” (Mac).
Windows: Settings → System → Recovery → Reset this PC
macOS: System Settings → General → Transfer or Reset → Erase All Content and Settings
Keep in mind that older operating systems or smartphones may have this setting listed somewhere else, so do a quick google search to find the directions if you’re having trouble.
Smart Home or IoT gadgets - For things like your Echo, smart bulbs, or thermostats, you’ll usually find the “remove” option in the app, or there’s a little reset button you can hold for a few seconds. For IoT devices like smart speakers, lights, or thermostats - check the app or manufacturer’s website for reset instructions. Usually it’s a long press on a pinhole button or a “Remove device” option in the companion app.
If you’re ever unsure, just Google “how to factory reset [device name]” - easy. Once you’ve wiped everything, you can recycle or resell it confidently. Security pros recommend e-cycling whenever possible - it’s safer than reselling - but do what makes sense for your budget.
Once your old gadgets are wiped, you can safely:
Recycle them through certified e-waste programs (my local county has recycle days every year, so I can hold onto everything til that day comes around, then recycle everything for free).
Sell them if they still work (after wiping!).
Donate them to schools or nonprofits - again, only after confirming your data is gone.
I also like to gift old tech to family and friends after I’ve purchased an item for review on my channel. I hate leaving products sitting around in my studio, so I declutter as much as I can.
And here’s a 2025 upgrade: before you drop anything off, use your phone to scan for any active Bluetooth or WiFi signals nearby. Some devices (especially smart TVs and IoT hubs) stay connected even after “factory resets.”
If you still see them on your network, go into your router settings and manually block or forget those devices. And if any devices are still connected to your phone, you can go into your phones connection settings, choose that device, and click “unpair” or “forget”.
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Part 2: Delete Old Online Accounts
Next up: your digital clutter.
Think of all the random websites you’ve signed up for - shopping sites, newsletters, old social media, random forums from the 2000s… yeah, those.
Before you spend all afternoon rage-clicking through settings menus, check out JustDelete.me.
It’s a free directory that shows you exactly how to delete accounts from hundreds of websites.
Green means easy to delete.
Yellow or red means it’s tricky but doable.
Black means… sorry, you can’t delete that one. (Boo.)
Unfortunately, this site hasn’t been maintained in years, but it’s still a good reference point to 1: remind you of websites you should check for accounts, and 2: as a good starting point to figure out how to delete accounts.
Start by searching your email inbox for keywords like “welcome,” “verify,” or “newsletter.” You’ll probably rediscover accounts you completely forgot about, assuming you archived emails.
Start by searching your inbox for terms like “Welcome,” “Verify your email,” or “Unsubscribe.”
Likewise, another pro tip is to scroll through your password manager and look for old accounts that you can declutter. I had well over 500 accounts in my own password manager at one point, and found about 50 that I could request for deletion. I’ll talk more on password managers soon!
If you can’t log in because you forgot your password, click “Forgot password” and reset it.
If that site emails you your actual password in plain text? Yikes. That means they’re storing it unencrypted, which is a massive security red flag. Delete that account immediately.
When you finish deleting, cross off those accounts in your notebook from yesterday. You should now have a smaller, cleaner list of only the accounts and devices you actually use.
Some countries and states have legislation that has been passed which requires websites to remove your data upon request, and that includes wiping your online account. If you live in a state or jurisdiction where this is a law, then take advantage of it.
For example, Colorado, where I live, has the Colorado Privacy Act, which was enacted in 2023. Since a lot of the state laws have been passed recently, I would highly recommend looking up your local Consumer Data Privacy Laws and seeing what’s available to you.
And that’s it for Day 2!
Today, you’ve officially decluttered your digital life. You’ve cleaned up your old devices, wiped your data, and shut down accounts that no longer serve you.
For tomorrow, we’ll discuss how to protect your home address, mail, and even your phone number from becoming your next security risk.
I’ll see you tomorrow for Day 3. Bye yall!
Useful resources