5 Things You Need to Know When Buying a Used iPhone

5 Things You Need to Know When Buying a Used iPhone

Buying a used iPhone is a great way to get a good deal on a great piece of tech. But what are the pros and cons? And what are the things you should be looking out for?

Buying an iPhone second hand is a great way to save a few bucks. There are however some things you should be looking out for. Whether looking to buy a second-hand iPhone because you don’t like being tied into contracts or because you simply want a new phone that will last and won’t cost you an arm and a leg, let’s take a look at some of the things you need to make sure you know when buying a used iPhone.

5 Things You Need to Know When Buying a Used iPhone – Is the iPhone You are Buying Reliable?

It can be tempting to snap up a good deal as soon as you see it in case somebody else gets there before you. But it’s worth checking if it is a good and reliable device from a reputable seller. If the device is from a store or another type of reputable seller, then you know it is likely to be okay, especially if you have somewhere to take it back to if something goes wrong. If buying from an independent person, you may come unstuck if buying from a person on a site like Facebook or eBay.

5 Things You Need to Know When Buying a Used iPhone – Is it Carrier Locked?

Another very important thing to check when buying a used iPhone is whether it is carrier locked. Carrier locked means that it will only work with one network, which at times will make the phone a little cheaper than it would have done if it were carrier unlocked. To check if the phone is unlocked, you will first need to find out the device’s IMEI number. You can do this by either asking the seller (if its a private seller there’s a good chance they may not know it), or by using a free online tool. Once you have your IMEI number, you can call your carrier to explain the situation. They will be able to tell you if the device you are looking to purchase is carrier locked or carrier unlocked.

5 Things You Need to Know When Buying a Used iPhone – Make Sure the iPhone Isn’t Stolen

This is something you may need to look into if buying your iPhone from a person rather than a company. Unfortunately, iPhones still make good targets for thieves, despite the ability to have them locked. If you were to purchase one of these devices, you could find that it locks itself down out of the blue and the seller you purchased it from is nowhere to be found.

To check if your iPhone has been stolen, follow these steps.

Open Settings

Go to ‘General’, then, ‘About’.

Make note of the 15 digit number next to IMEI number.

Go to the CITA Stolen Phone Checker website and enter the number and hit ‘Submit.’

The website will now show you a green notice if it has not been stolen, or a red notice if it has been reported stolen.

Note ‘reported stolen’. This means this is still not a foolproof way of finding out if it is stolen, as the victim may not have reported it yet. This is why you should always take extra caution when buying from people you don’t know.

5 Things You Need to Know When Buying a Used iPhone – Check the Battery Status and Hardware

One thing you MUST make sure you do when buying a used iPhone is to check the iPhones battery status. This is because over time, iPhones can begin to lose their charging capacity. There is a greater chance of this happening if the iPhone is an older model.

To check the battery, follow these steps.

Open ‘Settings’ and click on ‘Battery’.

Tap ‘Battery Health.’

You will not be able to see the iPhones battery health over time, as well at the maximum battery capacity. It may or may not be a deal breaker if the battery is not as good as you were hoping, but it’s good to know that Apple will replace an iPhone battery for a reasonable price.

After checking the iPhone’s battery status, make sure to do a visual check of the rest of the device for damage. Lots of scratches may cause FaceID to stop working, for instance.

5 Things You Need to Know When Buying a Used iPhone – Get the Right Storage and Warranty

When buying a used iPhone, you may or may not be able to get a warranty, depending on where you choose to purchase it from. One thing that is within your control though is the storage capacity. Newer devices can come equipped with up to 512GB of storage, whereas older devices could come with as little as 16GB. By the time you’ve taken a few pictures and videos, and downloaded some apps, that could be all used up. Make sure you know how much storage you are looking for in an iPhone before committing to the sale.

Where Can I Purchase a Used iPhone?

There are many places you will find used iPhones for purchase, but here are some of the best.

Apple – You won’t be safer buying a used iPhone than if you buy it from Apple themselves. Not only will you know it has not been stolen, but you will get a warranty too.

Phone Companies – Either on the high street or online, make sure to check reviews of the websites first.

Used Resellers – There are many used iPhone resellers out there. Some of the best and most reputable are NextWorth and Gazelle.

eBay and Craigslist – You will find some bargains on these websites, and some that seem too good to be true. Check reviews and trust your instinct if considering buying through these.

So there you have it, all you need to know when looking to buy a used iPhone! Put the steps in this article into practice and you will not go wrong.