How to securely erase Android phone that I can't encrypt?

[Tory3rMurre]

So I'm selling my old Meizu M2 Note which is running Flyme OS that doesn't allow me to encrypt the whole phone. How can I ensure the data is actually gone before selling? Normal wiping doesn't erase everything.

 

[webworkings]

Some resets do leave personal data, but a good "Hard Reset" should clear all your personal stuff. Once done, and you want to make sure everything is gone and gets overwritten, you can fill up the phone with random apps and files. Leaving no free space and then do the "Hard Reset" again. Then even if someone somehow could access the prior files, it would only be the junk/take up space ones you added to overwrite the space where the other files have been.

NOTE: Doing this will clear 'all' the data on your phone, so it is suggested you not choose this option unless you have to, or aren't worried about losing anything on the phone.

Be sure you back up any data you want to keep, to a computer or cloud account, before doing the reset.


To "Hard Reset" the phone...

1. Make sure that the phone is actually powered off.

2. Remove your SD card, if there is one in the device.

3. Press the "Power" and the "Volume Up" buttons, together, until you see the start-up logo on the screen.

4. Once you can see the logo, release the buttons and allow the device to enter the "System Recovery Mode".

5. Next use "Volume Down" button to get to the "wipe data/factory reset" option When in recovery mode the "Volume Up" and "Volume Down" buttons are how to can navigate and highlight what option you need.

6. Once you have selected the "wipe data/factory reset", press the "Power" button to select that option.

7. On the following screen, repeatedly press the "Volume Down" button until the "Yes - delete all user data" option is what is selected.

8. Then press the "Power" button to hard reset the phone.

9. If you took your SD card out in step 2, when the device is up and running again, reinsert the SD card.

 

[Tory3rMurre]

I finally found the solution: as Avast! support told me, you can still use Avast! Mobile Security to securely erase your phone (by overwriting data), it's just a hidden feature. You just have to deactivate the Device Administrators permission for the app: https/support.avast.com/en-us/article/65

Then you just use the "erase device" feature and you are fine.

 

[webworkings]

That works too. There are quite a few apps that will erase for you.