Sell or give away a smart-home device without leaving your account

A smart camera, speaker, thermostat or light can retain Wi-Fi details, recordings or an account link after you unplug it. A new owner may be unable to set it up while your account still claims it, and you may retain access you should no longer have. Treat disposal as a small account migration.

Before handing it over​

1. Identify the exact device and the account that manages it. Export any recordings or settings you legitimately need, and check for a memory card or local storage.
2. In the manufacturer's official app, remove shared users, household members and linked integrations. Unlink the device from your account using the vendor's transfer or remove process. Check connected voice assistants or home hubs as well.
3. Factory-reset the physical device by following its model-specific manual. Remove any removable storage and inspect it separately. A generic button-hold duration found in a forum may reset the wrong mode.
4. Confirm in the app that the device is no longer listed and, if possible, that the new owner sees a clean setup screen. Change reused passwords and remove stale Wi-Fi or cloud access if the device had broader privileges.

If the device is part of a home sale​

Make a list of hidden smart devices, leave model information for the buyer and clarify which subscriptions or monitoring services transfer. The FTC recommends removing administrative access and personal data before factory reset. Its connected-device guidance also advises updates and disconnecting unused equipment. A reset cannot erase copies of cloud recordings held under an account; review the provider's retention and deletion controls separately.