Android 16 wants to make your next phone trade-in process a lot faster
Joe Maring / Android Authority
TL;DR
- Android 16 introduces a new “Trade-in Mode” to make trading in your old phone a faster process.
- This feature allows technicians to quickly access device details and run diagnostics by bypassing the usual setup wizard.
- Activating Trade-in Mode ensures security by forcing a factory reset on the next reboot, preventing misuse.
The Android 16 update is rolling out to Pixel devices today. While Google’s official changelog is brief, the release is packed with new features. The update adds the groundwork for major features like Live Updates and App Functions, introduces much-needed options like Advanced Protection, changes how many apps look and behave, and makes several quality-of-life tweaks. One such tweak won’t affect your day-to-day use, but it could noticeably speed up your next phone trade-in.
Android 16 adds support for Trade-in Mode, a new feature that, according to Google, “provides quicker access to key device details at the point of sale” and “makes it faster to trade in a device, get a refund and upgrade.”
Mishaal Rahman / Android Authority
The company didn’t share further details on how Trade-in Mode works, but we documented it extensively late last year. Essentially, Google is introducing a new command in Android 16 that technicians can enter on the first screen of the setup wizard. This command bypasses the usual setup process, allowing technicians to install or run their automated device diagnostics more quickly. To prevent this command from being used to bypass factory reset protection, activating Trade-in Mode sets a flag that forces a factory reset on the next boot.
While Trade-in Mode won’t save technicians a lot of time on each individual phone they inspect, those time savings can add up. The faster they can complete tests on one device, the quicker they can move on to the next. This should lead to faster trade-in evaluations, meaning you get your money or store credit sooner.
