How to prepare IT equipment for disposal: a step-by-step checklist

Updated 6 November 2026 · By the IT Equipment Disposal team

Short answer: Before an IT disposal collection, back up and migrate any data you need, remove devices from management systems such as Windows Autopilot, Intune and Apple Business Manager, turn off Activation Lock and Find My, remove BIOS passwords, and list devices by serial number. Gather everything in one place, flag sensitive drives and hazardous items, and arrange access so the crew can load quickly and sign the paperwork.

Why preparation matters

A little preparation makes the collection quicker, the paperwork cleaner and the equipment worth more. Devices that are still locked to your organisation's management systems often cannot be erased by standard tools or resold, so they may end up shredded and recycled when they could have been reused. Missing serial numbers make the final report harder to reconcile with your asset register.

Preparation is usually shared between your IT team or managed service provider, who handle the technical release of devices, and whoever manages the premises, who arranges access and space. Agree who does what at the start. A small office with a few laptops can get through everything below in an afternoon, while a large refresh may need a proper project plan and a named owner for each step.

Two to four weeks before

Confirm which devices are being retired and which are being kept or reissued
Check that any data you need has been backed up or migrated, including local files on desktops
Export your asset register for the devices being disposed of, with serial numbers and asset tags
Identify any drives that your policy says must be shredded rather than wiped
Ask leavers and remote staff to return devices that are still out
Check whether any devices are leased, because the lease may require return to the lessor

Release devices from management and locks

This is the step most often missed, and the one that most affects resale value.

Platform	What to do before collection
Windows Autopilot and Intune	Retire or wipe the device in Intune and deregister it from Autopilot
Apple Business Manager or school manager	Release the device from your organisation and remove MDM enrolment
Apple Activation Lock and Find My	Sign out of Apple ID or disable Activation Lock from the management console
Android Enterprise and Google accounts	Remove the device from management and the Google account to clear factory reset protection
Chromebooks	Deprovision the device in the Google Admin console
BIOS and firmware passwords	Remove or share them so erasure software can boot

If you use another management platform, the principle is the same: release the device so it is no longer tied to your organisation.

Do not forget these

Multifunction printers and copiers, which often contain hard drives or flash storage
Network storage devices and external backup drives
Phones and tablets in desk drawers
Old USB sticks and memory cards
Smart TVs and meeting room systems signed into business accounts
Firewalls and routers holding VPN keys and configuration

For network equipment, consider resetting configurations and revoking certificates or VPN credentials linked to the devices, so a disposed firewall cannot be used to reach your systems.

On the day

Gather equipment in one or two areas close to the exit, unplugged and clear of personal items
Label anything that is staying so it is not taken by mistake
Book the lift or loading bay and confirm parking for the vehicle
Have someone available to count items and sign the collection manifest
Check the waste transfer note shows the carrier's registration number and the destination
Keep a copy of every document in one folder, together with your asset list

A typical collection from a small or medium office takes under an hour once equipment is gathered. If kit is spread across several floors, allow longer and tell the provider in advance.

Common mistakes to avoid

Handing over laptops still enrolled in Autopilot or Apple Business Manager, which blocks reuse
Leaving encrypted drives with no recovery key, so erasure cannot be verified and the drive has to be shredded
Forgetting printers and copiers, which may hold scanned documents on internal storage
Mixing equipment that is staying with equipment that is going
Not checking the waste transfer note before the vehicle leaves
Disposing of devices that are still under a lease agreement

Most of these come from rushing a clear-out at the end of an office move. If you can, run the collection a week or two before the move rather than on the final day, so there is time to sort, release and list the equipment properly.

It also helps to nominate one person as the owner of the disposal. They do not need to be technical, but they should hold the list, sign the paperwork and chase the final report, so nothing falls between IT, facilities and finance.

After the collection

When the asset report and certificates arrive, reconcile them against your list. Close items off on your asset register, chase any discrepancies, and store the documents for as long as your retention policy requires. Waste transfer notes must be kept for at least two years and hazardous waste consignment notes for at least three years in England and Wales, and many organisations keep data destruction certificates for considerably longer.