Understand the decision

Make a list of accounts you need to operate your business, starting with email, profile administration and file sharing. For each one, identify the current recovery method and the person responsible for it. Do this before resetting or trading in the old phone. A recovery plan should not depend entirely on a device you are about to surrender. Follow each provider’s current instructions rather than assuming all authentication tools migrate in the same way.

A practical workflow

Set aside a quiet window for the change. Confirm the new device can access the required accounts and authentication methods before removing the old one. Store any recovery material through the organisation’s approved secure process, away from public documents and team chats. Record what was tested without writing secret codes into the checklist. If an essential account cannot be recovered, resolve that with the provider before completing the device handover or making other irreversible changes.

Imagine this

Hypothetical example

A founder plans to replace a phone used for business account verification. They first confirm email access, review recovery options and test the new device. The old phone is cleared only after essential services work, preventing a routine upgrade from interrupting customer responses.

Make it practical.

Use this checklist as you read. Checks are not stored.

References & further reading

Further reading: CISA: Secure Our World ↗

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