Where to take your old tablet
Your tablet contains materials that cannot go in the trash — lithium batteries can catch fire in landfills, and the screen and circuit boards hold metals that are toxic to soil and water. The safest route is a retailer take-back program or a certified e-waste recycler in your area.
Best Buy accepts tablets at any store location, no purchase necessary. Apple Stores take back iPads and will recycle them for free. Amazon has a trade-in program that pays you for working tablets and recycles the rest. If your tablet still works, selling it through Facebook Marketplace, eBay, or Swappa puts it back in use and keeps it out of the waste stream longer.
If none of those options fit your situation, search for "e-waste recycling near me" or visit Earth911.com and enter your zip code. The search will show certified recyclers in your area, many of which accept tablets for free or a small fee. Some will even pick up from your home if you have multiple devices.
Key Takeaways
- Tablets contain lithium batteries and toxic metals that make them unsafe for regular trash or curbside recycling.
- Best Buy, Apple Stores, and Amazon all accept tablets for recycling at no cost if the device no longer works.
- If your tablet still powers on and holds a charge, selling it through a marketplace extends its life and recovers some of your cost.
- Earth911.com and local e-waste recyclers can handle tablets that retailers do not accept, often for free.
- Wipe all personal data from your tablet before handing it over, whether you are selling, donating, or recycling it.
What happens to your tablet after drop-off
When you hand a tablet to a certified recycler, the first step is data destruction. The facility wipes the storage drive or physically shreds it to make sure your photos, emails, and passwords cannot be recovered. This is why wiping the device yourself before drop-off is not required but is a smart extra layer.
After data is gone, the tablet is sorted by material type. The battery is removed and sent to a battery recycler that extracts lithium, cobalt, and nickel — metals that are expensive to mine new but cheap to recover from old devices. The screen glass, aluminum frame, and circuit boards go to separate processors. Copper wiring is pulled out, plastic is ground and melted, and rare earth metals from the display are recovered for reuse in new electronics.
The recycler is paid by the weight and type of material they recover, so they have a financial reason to do this work thoroughly. Nothing from your tablet ends up in a landfill if the recycler is certified by the Responsible Recycling (R2) Standard or e-Stewards — both programs audit facilities to make sure they follow these steps.
Preparing your tablet before you hand it over
Before you take your tablet anywhere, back up any files you want to keep. Use cloud storage like Google Drive, iCloud, or OneDrive to save photos and documents. If you have a working device, this takes five minutes and protects you if you change your mind later.
Next, sign out of all accounts. On an iPad, go to Settings > [Your Name] > Sign Out. On an Android tablet, go to Settings > Accounts, select each account, and tap Remove Account. This step prevents someone from accessing your email, photos, or payment methods if the device is resold instead of recycled.
Then wipe the device. On iPad, go to Settings > General > Transfer or Reset > Erase All Content and Settings. On Android, go to Settings > System > Reset Options > Erase All Data. The device will restart and return to factory settings. This takes 10 to 30 minutes depending on storage size. Once it is done, the tablet is safe to hand over.
Selling a working tablet instead of recycling
If your tablet powers on, holds a charge for at least a few hours, and the screen is not cracked, you can sell it. Working tablets have resale value — a three-year-old iPad might fetch $150 to $300, and a Samsung Galaxy Tab in good condition could bring $100 to $200. That money offsets the cost of a replacement.
Facebook Marketplace and Craigslist are fastest if you want cash in hand within days. eBay and Swappa take a commission (usually 10 to 15 percent) but handle payment and buyer protection, so you do not have to meet strangers. Gazelle and Decluttr buy tablets outright and mail you a prepaid shipping label — you get less money than selling privately, but the process takes one day.
List the tablet with its real condition: note any scratches, dents, or software issues. Buyers expect used devices to show wear, and honesty prevents disputes. Take photos of the screen, back, and sides in good light. Mention the storage capacity, color, and whether the charger is included. A tablet that is honestly described sells faster than one with hidden problems.
Donating a tablet that still works
Schools, libraries, and nonprofits often need tablets for students who do not have devices at home. Goodwill and The Salvation Army accept tablets and resell them cheaply, so the device reaches someone who needs it. Local senior centers sometimes distribute tablets to older adults learning to use technology.
Before you donate, call the organization and ask if they accept tablets. Some have specific requirements — they may need the charger included, or they may only take devices running a certain version of the operating system. Ask whether they will wipe the device themselves or if you should do it first. Most nonprofits have the tools to erase data, but confirming saves confusion.
Tax law allows you to deduct the fair market value of a donated device from your taxes if you itemize deductions. Keep the receipt from the organization and take a photo of the tablet before you hand it over. The IRS does not require you to get the device appraised unless the value is over $5,000, which is rare for a used tablet.
Why you cannot put a tablet in curbside recycling
Curbside recycling bins are designed for paper, cardboard, glass, and metal — materials that are sorted by machines at a Materials Recovery Facility. A tablet jams the sorting equipment and can damage the machinery. More importantly, the lithium battery inside can overheat when crushed or compressed, which has caused fires at recycling plants.
Many cities have added warnings to their recycling guidelines specifically because of devices like tablets and phones. If a tablet makes it past the sorting machine, it ends up in a landfill anyway, where the battery eventually leaks and contaminates groundwater. The only safe path is a dedicated e-waste program.
What to do if your tablet is broken beyond repair
A tablet with a shattered screen, a battery that will not hold a charge, or a motherboard that will not power on is still recyclable. Certified e-waste recyclers accept broken devices because the materials inside — copper, gold, aluminum, and rare earth metals — are still valuable and recoverable.
Do not try to repair a broken tablet yourself unless you have experience. Opening the case can expose you to sharp glass and toxic adhesives. If the battery is damaged, it may be unstable. Take it to a recycler or a retailer instead. Best Buy's Geek Squad can assess whether repair is worth the cost, and if it is not, they will recycle it.
If the tablet is so old that nobody will take it, ask your local waste management department whether they hold e-waste collection days. Many cities run free drop-off events once or twice a year where you can bring old electronics with no questions asked.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I throw a tablet in the trash if the battery is dead?
No. Even a dead battery is a fire hazard in a landfill because it can be punctured or exposed to moisture, which can cause it to ignite. The tablet also contains lead, cadmium, and mercury in the circuit board and screen. Take it to an e-waste recycler or retailer instead.
Will Best Buy or Apple pay me for an old tablet?
Best Buy does not pay for tablets but accepts them for free recycling. Apple offers trade-in credit if the device powers on and has no water damage, but the amount is usually $20 to $100 depending on age and condition. Amazon's trade-in program pays more if the tablet is in good working order. Check each site for current prices.
What if I forgot to wipe my data before I recycled the tablet?
Certified recyclers destroy the storage drive as part of the recycling process, so your data is physically destroyed and cannot be recovered. If you used a non-certified recycler or donated the tablet, contact the organization and ask whether they wiped it. If they did not, you can remotely sign out of your accounts through your email provider's security settings.
How much is my old tablet worth if I sell it?
Price depends on the brand, age, storage capacity, and condition. An iPad from the last two years in good condition might sell for $200 to $400. A five-year-old tablet in fair condition might bring $30 to $80. Check completed listings on eBay or Swappa for your exact model to see what similar devices sold for recently.
Can I recycle a tablet with a cracked screen?
Yes. Certified e-waste recyclers accept tablets with cracked screens because the materials inside are still recoverable. Do not try to use a tablet with a badly damaged screen because broken glass can cut your hands, and the damage may have exposed the battery or other hazardous components.