What to do with old phones/laptops

[Doublevodka]

Hi all, looking for some advice. I have several old phones an iPad and a laptop. They were old ones given to me by various friends and family years ago for my children to use. My children are adults now and have their own gadgets. Just wondering what is the best way to dispose of these. They are pretty ancient. I’ve read that you should delete everything before passing on/getting rid but the problem is they are so old I can’t remember the passwords to get on them and delete stuff. So I’m a bit worried about taking them to the tip etc in case someone manages to unlock them and access personal details on them etc. Does anyone know how I can dispose of them safely if I can’t access them to return to factory settings? Thank you.

If the devices are very old and you can't remember the passwords, I wouldn't just put them in the bin. Most phones, tablets, and laptops can still be recycled safely, and reputable recyclers will have processes for handling devices that can't be accessed.
If you're worried about personal data, you could remove any accessible storage media first (if possible) and then use a specialist electronics recycling service rather than taking them to general waste.
There are also UK services that accept old phones, tablets, and laptops for recycling or refurbishment. I've found Recycle Pro useful for information on responsible device recycling
It's definitely worth recycling them properly rather than leaving them in a drawer or sending them to landfill.

Currys recycle any old tech & electronics for free. They would be able to advise about data cleaning if necessary. With the laptop, take out the hard drive & hit it with a hammer first.

I always take them to Oxfam who recycle them and get money for the recyclable bits (I think).

Take them to your local council recycling centre (the tip). They will have arrangements in place to recycle them securely- use this to check Recycle Now Locator