Where to take your old laptop
Your old laptop contains materials that can be recovered and reused, and also materials that should not go into a landfill. You have several routes: manufacturer take-back programs, retail drop-off points, nonprofit refurbishment centers, and municipal e-waste collection events. Which one works best depends on whether the laptop still powers on, whether you want it wiped first, and what is convenient in your area.
Most laptop manufacturers—Dell, HP, Lenovo, Apple, Asus, and others—run their own take-back programs. You can usually mail the laptop to them for free or a small fee, and they handle data destruction and recycling. Check the manufacturer's website for your specific model; the program name and process vary by brand. Some manufacturers offer prepaid shipping labels you print at home.
Retailers that sell electronics often accept old laptops. Best Buy runs a trade-in and recycling program at all U.S. locations; you can drop off a laptop with no purchase required, though some items carry a small fee. Staples and Office Depot also accept electronics for recycling. Call ahead to confirm they accept laptops and whether there is a fee.
Nonprofit organizations like Goodwill, the Salvation Army, and local computer refurbishment nonprofits accept working laptops and resell them or donate them to schools and low-income households. These groups usually do not accept broken machines. Search online for "computer refurbishment nonprofit" plus your city name to find local options.
Key Takeaways
- Manufacturer take-back programs are free or low-cost and handle data destruction; check your laptop's brand website for the specific program.
- Best Buy, Staples, and Office Depot accept laptops at retail locations; some charge a small fee depending on the device condition.
- Nonprofit refurbishment centers accept working laptops and resell them, but do not take broken machines.
- Before dropping off your laptop anywhere, back up your files and perform a factory reset or use the manufacturer's data-destruction tool.
- Municipal e-waste collection events, held once or twice yearly in most cities, accept laptops free of charge.
How to prepare your laptop before disposal
Before you hand over your laptop, remove your personal data. A factory reset is not always enough—data recovery software can sometimes retrieve files from a reset drive. The safest approach is to use your operating system's built-in encryption and wiping tools, or the manufacturer's data-destruction utility if they provide one.
On Windows, use the Reset this PC tool (Settings > System > Recovery > Reset this PC) and choose "Remove everything." This overwrites the drive with random data. On Mac, use Erase Mac (System Settings > General > Transfer or Reset > Erase All Content and Settings), which encrypts and wipes the drive. Both processes take 30 minutes to several hours depending on drive size.
Back up any files you want to keep before you wipe the drive. Use an external hard drive, cloud storage, or a USB flash drive. Once the wipe is complete, the laptop is safe to hand over. If the laptop will not power on, most recyclers and manufacturers have find data-destruction processes; ask about their method before you drop it off.
What happens to your laptop after drop-off
Recyclers disassemble laptops and separate materials by type: aluminum, copper, steel, glass, and plastics. Precious metals like gold and silver are extracted from circuit boards. Materials are then sold to manufacturers who use them in new products. The process recovers roughly 50 to 60 percent of a laptop's weight in reusable material.
Hazardous materials—mercury in backlights, lead in solder, cadmium in batteries—are handled separately under environmental regulations. Batteries are removed and sent to battery recyclers. Screens are handled carefully because they contain glass and sometimes mercury. This separation is why dropping a laptop in the trash is harmful: those materials end up in soil and groundwater.
Some recyclers and nonprofits test working laptops and refurbish them instead of breaking them down. A refurbished laptop is cleaned, tested, and resold at a lower price, or donated to schools and nonprofits. This extends the device's life by several years before recycling becomes necessary.
Free municipal e-waste collection events
Most U.S. cities and counties hold e-waste collection events one or two times per year, usually in spring and fall. These events are free and accept laptops, monitors, keyboards, cables, and other electronics. No registration is required; you straightforward drive up and hand over your items.
To find an event near you, search your city or county website for "e-waste collection" or "electronics recycling event." Many municipalities list upcoming dates on their solid waste or environmental services page. You can also call your local waste management department and ask when the next collection is scheduled.
Events are usually held on a Saturday morning at a public location like a park, parking lot, or transfer station. Bring your laptop as-is; you do not need to disassemble it or remove the battery. If you have not wiped your data yet, do that before the event. Staff will direct you where to place the laptop.
Mail-in recycling services and trade-in programs
If you do not want to drive somewhere, mail-in services let you ship your laptop to a recycler. Some charge a flat fee ($10 to $30 depending on size and condition); others are free. You pack the laptop yourself, print a prepaid shipping label, and drop it at a UPS, FedEx, or post office location.
Manufacturer programs often include prepaid shipping. Dell, HP, and Lenovo provide return labels on their recycling pages. Apple offers mail-in recycling through its website; you can also trade in a working Mac for store credit. Check the manufacturer's site for your model to see what is offered.
Third-party mail-in services like GreenCitizen, Gazelle, and ERI (Electronic Recyclers International) also accept laptops. Read reviews and confirm they certify data destruction before you send anything. Some services offer payment if your laptop is in working condition and has resale value, though the amount is usually small ($5 to $50).
Donating a working laptop instead of recycling
If your laptop still powers on and runs, donation may be a better choice than recycling. Organizations like Computers for Schools, World Computer Exchange, and local nonprofits refurbish working machines and send them to students, teachers, and low-income families. Your laptop gets a second life instead of being broken down.
Before you donate, wipe the drive using the factory reset method described above. Then contact the nonprofit to confirm they accept your model and condition. Some organizations have minimum specifications (for example, at least 4 GB of RAM or a certain processor generation). Ask whether they provide pickup or whether you need to drop it off.
Donation also may be tax-deductible if the organization is a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit. Keep a receipt with the organization's name, date, and a description of the laptop. Consult a tax professional about whether you can deduct the fair market value of the device.
What not to do with an old laptop
Do not throw a laptop in the trash or curbside recycling bin. Landfills are not equipped to handle the hazardous materials inside, and those materials leach into soil and groundwater. Curbside recycling programs do not accept electronics because they can damage sorting equipment and contaminate other recyclables.
Do not leave a laptop on the curb for bulk trash pickup, even if your city accepts bulk items. Electronics require separate handling. Do not donate a laptop to a thrift store unless you have confirmed they accept electronics; most do not, and staff will have to dispose of it themselves.
Do not sell a laptop online without wiping the drive first, even if you think the data is unimportant. Buyers can recover files you thought were deleted. Use the factory reset method or a third-party tool like DBAN (Darik's Boot and Nuke) to may support the drive is overwritten before you list it for sale.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I recycle a laptop with a cracked screen?
Yes. Recyclers and manufacturers accept laptops with cracked screens, broken keyboards, and other damage. The screen will be handled separately during disassembly. Do not try to repair it yourself before recycling; just drop it off as-is.
What if my laptop will not turn on?
Most recyclers and manufacturers still accept non-working laptops. If you are concerned about data on a laptop that will not power on, ask the recycler about their data-destruction process before you drop it off. Many use physical destruction methods that may provide data cannot be recovered.
Is there a fee to recycle a laptop?
Municipal e-waste events and manufacturer take-back programs are usually free. Retail drop-off (Best Buy, Staples) may charge $10 to $25 depending on the device. Mail-in services range from free to $30. Nonprofits that accept working laptops for refurbishment do not charge.
How long does it take to recycle a laptop?
Drop-off at a retail location or event takes a few minutes. Mail-in recycling takes one to two weeks from the time you ship it until processing is complete. Manufacturer programs vary; check their website for estimated timelines.
Can I get paid for my old laptop?
If the laptop is in working condition, some mail-in services and trade-in programs offer payment. The amount depends on age, condition, and specs; expect $5 to $100 for most machines. Manufacturer trade-in programs (Apple, Dell) may offer store credit instead of cash.