Used iPhone Checklist: What to Check Before You Pay

A used iPhone looks the same whether it's a good buy or a problem. The problems usually aren't visible: an account lock, a carrier lock, a worn battery, a part that was swapped without telling you. They show up in Settings, and you can check most of them in about ten minutes.

Work through the list in order. If a seller won't let you do a step, you've learned something. This follows Apple's own advice for buyers (Apple Support: if you want to buy a preowned iPhone) and adds a few checks Apple's page doesn't cover.

Before you pay anything

Get these answers from the seller first, ideally in writing:

• The exact model and storage size
• The battery health percentage
• Whether it's unlocked, and whether it's fully paid off
• The return policy: how long you have, what reasons count, and how to send it back

Apple's advice is to ask what the seller's inspection covered and to check the return terms before you buy, not after.

1. Make sure it's been erased (Activation Lock)

Ask the seller to sign out of their Apple ID and erase the phone, so you can see the "Hello" setup screen. The "Hello" screen only tells you the phone has been erased. It doesn't prove the phone is free of the previous owner's account. Keep going through setup, far enough to confirm that neither Activation Lock nor a Remote Management screen stops you (step 2). If you can set the phone up as your own, that's a good sign.

• A "Hello" screen means the phone has been erased. It does not yet mean the phone is ready for you to use.
• An "iPhone Locked to Owner" screen, or a request for the previous owner's Apple ID and password, means Activation Lock is on. Don't buy it. If you've already bought it, return it.
• If the phone is still protected by a passcode, Face ID or Touch ID, have the seller erase it first so you can test it properly.

Details: Apple Support on Activation Lock.

2. Watch for a Remote Management screen during setup

Some iPhones are enrolled in a company's or school's device management system. If setup shows a Remote Management or device management screen, the phone belongs to an organization's system, and you'll likely need that organization to release it. Don't pay until it's resolved.

Once the phone is set up, you can look in Settings, then General, then VPN & Device Management to see whether any profiles are installed.

3. Check Carrier Lock under Settings, General, About

Open Settings, then General, then About, and find Carrier Lock.

• "No SIM restrictions" means the phone is unlocked.
• A carrier's name means it's locked and will work only with that carrier.

While you're on this screen, confirm the model name and storage match the listing, and note the IMEI and serial number.

4. Read Parts and Service History

On iOS 15.2 or later, the About screen shows a Parts and Service History section below the serial number. It lists parts that have been replaced.

• "Genuine Apple Part" means a genuine Apple part was installed.
• "Unknown Part" can mean the repair wasn't finished, the part isn't genuine or was used before, or it isn't working as expected.

This section doesn't appear for every model or every repair, so not seeing it isn't proof that nothing was replaced. A listing that says "never repaired" is a claim worth testing against what this screen shows.

5. Check battery health, using the right menu

• iPhone 15 and newer: Settings, then Battery, then Battery Health. Cycle count is shown there too.
• iPhone 14 and earlier: Settings, then Battery, then Battery Health & Charging. These models don't show cycle count in Settings.

Menu names have shifted between iOS versions, so if yours doesn't match, look through the Battery section. Maximum Capacity is the number to note.

How to read it: Apple designs iPhone 14 and earlier batteries to hold about 80 percent of their original capacity after 500 full charge cycles, and iPhone 15 and newer after 1,000, under ideal conditions (Apple Support). A phone at 90 percent has more life left than one at 81 percent. If it's below 80 percent, budget for a replacement.

If the battery screen shows no health information or an unknown-part message, the battery may not be a genuine Apple part. Ask about it.

6. Run the IMEI check, and know what it doesn't prove

Your IMEI is in Settings, General, About. A free IMEI checker can tell you if a phone has been reported lost or stolen, or blacklisted.

It does not prove the phone is paid off. A clean result is a snapshot, and a phone with an unpaid balance can still be blocked later if the original owner stops paying (Swappa explains the limits of IMEI checks). It also says nothing about Activation Lock, which is a separate check (step 1).

So also ask the seller whether the phone is fully paid off, and get the answer in writing.

7. Test the hardware

Remove the case and look over the screen, sides and back for scratches and dents. Then test:

• Buttons: volume up and down, the Ring/Silent switch, and the side button
• Cameras: photos and video from every lens, in bright and dim light
• Speakers and microphone: play a sound, then record and play back a voice memo
• Display: check brightness and look for dead pixels or discoloration
• Face ID or Touch ID: set it up if the seller allows it
• Wi-Fi and cellular: join a network, then make a call or send a text. iPhones sold in the U.S. from the iPhone 14 on use eSIM only, so for those, ask how the eSIM will be activated on your carrier instead of swapping in a physical SIM.
• Charging: confirm it charges through the port (Lightning or USB-C, depending on the model)

If the phone won't turn on or won't charge, don't buy it.

8. Get the terms in writing

Whoever you buy from, write down the price, model, storage, condition, battery health, unlocked status, paid-off status and return window. Apple recommends checking the return policy's time limit, allowed reasons and return process. A written warranty is worth having, but never assume one exists. Ask.

9. Check the model still gets updates

iOS 27 runs on every iPhone that runs iOS 26, which means the iPhone 11 and newer (AppleInsider). That doesn't promise several more years of updates. Apple dropped the iPhone XS and XR with iOS 26, and the oldest supported models tend to be the first to go. We'd start your search at the iPhone 13 and treat the iPhone 12 as the budget option.

The short version

Setup completes past the Hello screen with no Activation Lock, no Remote Management, "No SIM restrictions," Parts and Service History, battery health, IMEI check, a paid-off confirmation, hardware tests, terms in writing.

Buying from Philly Phone Sales

Every phone we sell is unlocked. Message us the model you're considering and we'll tell you its condition plainly and confirm it works with your carrier before you pay. You can also ask us for the battery health figure on any phone. See what's available on our iPhones page, or send us a message, or text or call us at 610-337-4567.

Not sure what the terms mean? Our guides on what "unlocked" means and refurbished vs. used vs. new cover the basics.