An old laptop has four good paths: sell it, donate it, recycle it, or repurpose it. Whatever you choose, back up your files and erase the hard drive first, so none of your personal data goes with it.
Even a slow laptop is worth more than a drawer full of dust. Here is how to wipe it safely and pick the best option.
First: Back Up and Wipe It
- Back up anything you want to keep to an external drive or the cloud.
- Sign out of your accounts, like iCloud, Microsoft, or Google.
- Erase the drive. Do a factory reset that wipes the disk. On Windows, use Reset This PC and choose Remove Everything. On a Mac, use Erase All Content and Settings.
If the laptop is dead and you cannot wipe it, pull the hard drive and destroy it. Our guide on old hard drives shows how.
Sell or Trade It In
- Sell it on Swappa, eBay, or Facebook Marketplace. List the brand, screen size, memory, and storage.
- Trade it in. Best Buy, Apple, and sites like Gazelle and Decluttr give quotes and prepaid labels, even for older models.
Donate It
A working laptop changes someone’s day. Once it is wiped, consider:
- Schools and after-school programs
- Nonprofits like PCs for People and World Computer Exchange
- Local shelters and job-training centers
Repurpose an Old Laptop
Too slow for daily use? Give it a new job.
- Install a lightweight system like ChromeOS Flex or Linux to make it fast again
- Use it as a kitchen or media laptop for recipes and streaming
- Turn it into a simple home server or a kids’ homework machine
Recycle a Dead Laptop
If it will not turn on and is not worth fixing, recycle it as e-waste. Best Buy, Staples, and city e-waste events take laptops. Never trash one, because of the battery. A broken laptop still has parts worth recovering.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I wipe a laptop before selling it?
Back up your files, sign out of your accounts, then do a factory reset that erases the drive. Use Reset This PC on Windows or Erase All Content and Settings on a Mac.
Are old laptops worth anything?
Often yes. Working laptops have trade-in or resale value, and selling on Swappa or eBay usually pays more than a trade-in.
Where can I donate an old laptop?
Schools, PCs for People, World Computer Exchange, shelters, and job-training centers welcome working, wiped laptops.
Can you recycle a laptop?
Yes. Best Buy, Staples, and local e-waste events accept them. Do not put one in the trash because of the battery.
What can I do with a slow old laptop?
Speed it up with ChromeOS Flex or Linux, or repurpose it as a kitchen laptop, media machine, home server, or kids’ computer.