Apple Shares Checklist With Important Tips for Buying a Used iPhone

Apple this week published a new support document with some valuable tips for buying a preowned iPhone online or in person.

iphoneseblack
Apple starts off by touting that the iPhone "lasts longer than other smartphones," making a preowned iPhone a "great way to own an iPhone." Apple says it provides "industry-leading device support for software updates," although Google recently announced that its latest Pixel 8 phones will receive full Android updates for seven years, whereas iOS 17 only supports iPhone models released up to five years ago.

When buying a preowned iPhone online, it is very important to choose a trusted seller, as the device cannot be physically inspected at the time of purchase. If possible, make sure the iPhone is not Activation Locked, as this would prevent you from using the device unless you know the previous owner's Apple ID and password.

For in-person purchases, Apple shared a helpful checklist for inspecting a preowned iPhone. Apple explains how to check for damage, how to find out if parts have been replaced, how to view the battery's health, how to find out if the iPhone is locked to a carrier, how to ensure hardware like the camera and microphone are functional, and more.

While some of the tips are obvious, Apple's support document might be worth bookmarking if you plan to buy a used iPhone in the future.

Top Rated Comments

7thson Avatar
7 weeks ago
I love how all the coverage of googles “7 years of updates” is taken at a face value when google has a history of reneging and abandoning things
Score: 24 Votes (Like | Disagree)
foobarbaz Avatar
7 weeks ago
Funny how they point out that checking battery health is important, yet still don't provide a UI with that info on most of their devices.
Score: 12 Votes (Like | Disagree)
CapitalIdea Avatar
7 weeks ago

Sure, Apple supports the iPhone for a long time. But if they built a sturdy device, it would actually last longer. That is how you be green.
Yeah Apple is well known for having devices that do not last, have poor resale value, short support cycles and are made of weak materials like metal and glass. ?. Good grief you people are absurd.
Score: 10 Votes (Like | Disagree)
jz0309 Avatar
7 weeks ago
Good move Apple!
Score: 9 Votes (Like | Disagree)
vertsix Avatar
7 weeks ago
Seems like the pressure is getting to them after Google announced 7 years of support for Pixel 8.

Good, competition is great for all of us. Maybe this will mean better support.

The iPhone 7 only got 6 years of support.
Score: 9 Votes (Like | Disagree)
dannyyankou Avatar
7 weeks ago

Google specifically mentions '7 years of OS upgrades'. This means 7 different Android versions.
Look at the full context-

Today we announced our commitment to providing seven years of software support for Pixel 8 ('https://store.google.com/product/pixel_8?utm_source=keyword&utm_medium=google_oo&utm_campaign=GS107703&utm_content=blog') and Pixel 8 Pro ('https://store.google.com/product/pixel_8_pro?utm_source=keyword&utm_medium=google_oo&utm_campaign=GS107703&utm_content=blog'), including Android OS upgrades, security updates and regular Feature Drops.1 ('https://blog.google/products/pixel/software-support-pixel-8-pixel-8-pro/amp/#footnote-1') That means your Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro will be supported all the way into 2030

Notice they say “seven years of software support including os upgrades, security updates” instead of “seven years of os upgrades”
Score: 9 Votes (Like | Disagree)

Popular Stories

apple card 1

Apple Ending Apple Card Partnership With Goldman Sachs

Tuesday November 28, 2023 3:09 pm PST by
Apple is ending its credit card partnership with Goldman Sachs, according to The Wall Street Journal. Apple plans to stop working with Goldman Sachs in the next 12 to 15 months, and it is not yet clear if Apple has established a new partnership for the Apple Card. Apple and Goldman Sachs will dissolve their entire consumer partnership, including the Apple Card and the Apple Savings account....
iOS 17

Everything New in iOS 17.2 Beta 4

Tuesday November 28, 2023 12:18 pm PST by
Apple is wrapping up development on iOS 17.2, with the update expected to come out in December. While we're getting to the end of the beta testing period, Apple is still tweaking features and adding new functionality. We've rounded up everything new in the fourth beta of iOS 17.2. Default Notification Sound Under Sounds & Haptics, there's a new "Default Alerts" section that allows you to ...
iOS 17

Apple Releases iOS 17.1.2 With Security Fixes

Thursday November 30, 2023 10:12 am PST by
Apple today released iOS 17.1.2 and iPadOS 17.1.2, small updates to the iOS 17 and iPadOS 17 operating systems that Apple introduced in September. iOS 17.1.2 and iPadOS 17.1.2 come a few weeks after the release of iOS 17.1.1, another bug fix update. iOS 17.1.2 and iPadOS 17.1.2 can be downloaded on eligible iPhones and iPads over-the-air by going to Settings > General > Software Update....
Apple 5G Modem Feature Triad

Apple to Discontinue Custom 5G Modem Development, Claim Reports

Wednesday November 29, 2023 4:19 am PST by
Apple is discontinuing in-house modem development after several unsuccessful attempts to perfect its own custom 5G modem chip, according to unconfirmed reports coming out of Asia. According to the operator of news aggregator account "yeux1122" on the Naver blog, supply chain sources related to Apple's 5G modem departments claim that the company's attempts to develop its own modem have...
All New CarPlay Five New Features Article 2

What to Expect From All-New CarPlay, Still Listed as Coming 'Late 2023'

Tuesday November 28, 2023 7:44 am PST by
At WWDC in June 2022, Apple previewed the next generation of CarPlay, promising deeper integration with vehicle functions like A/C and FM radio, support for multiple displays across the dashboard, increased personalization, and more. Apple's website still says the first vehicles with support for the next-generation CarPlay experience will be announced in "late 2023," but it has not shared...
Apple Logo

Apple Discontinued These 5 Products This Year

Monday November 27, 2023 7:03 am PST by
As the end of 2023 nears, now is a good opportunity to look back at some of the devices and accessories that Apple discontinued throughout the year. Apple products discontinued in 2023 include the iPhone 13 mini, 13-inch MacBook Pro, MagSafe Battery Pack, MagSafe Duo Charger, and leather accessories. Also check out our lists of Apple products discontinued in 2022 and 2021. iPhone Mini ...
iOS 17

iOS 17.1.2 Update for iPhone Likely to Be Released This Week

Monday November 27, 2023 8:24 am PST by
Apple will likely release iOS 17.1.2 this week, based on mounting evidence of the software in our website's analytics logs in recent days. As a minor update, iOS 17.1.2 should be focused on bug fixes, but it's unclear exactly which issues might be addressed. Some users have continued to experience Wi-Fi issues on iOS 17.1.1, so perhaps iOS 17.1.2 will include the same fix for Wi-Fi...
iOS 17

28 New Things Your iPhone Can Do in December's iOS 17.2 Update

Friday December 1, 2023 2:57 am PST by
Apple made the first beta of iOS 17.2 available to developers in October. Since then we've seen three more betas, and with each iteration Apple continues to add more new features and changes, many of which users have been anticipating for quite a while. Below, we've listed 28 new things that are coming to your iPhone when the finalized version is publicly released this December. 1. Help...