How To Check Used iPhone Before Buying

1. Verify the IMEI Number from Both the Body and Software

It’s possible that the iPhone you’re buying has a replaced body. That means you don’t know what it’s been through. It might have been submerged in water or it could have survived a bad fall.

Even though the exterior might look new and shiny, the internals could have a whole different story to tell.

On the back of the iPhone you’ll see the IMEI number. Compare it with the one in the OS. Go to Settings -> General -> About, swipe down to IMEI, and compare them yourself.

If the body is indeed changed, you might manage to get it at a cheaper rate.

2. Activation Lock (Make Sure it’s Not Stolen)

Ever since iOS 7 came along, Apple has taken strong measures on security – mostly to reduce the selling of stolen iPhones.

If the iPhone you’re buying has Find my iPhone turned on and still has the previous owner’s Apple ID linked, you won’t be able to do anything with it. It won’t allow you to set up your own ID or restore it without the old password.

Goto This Link To Check Activation Lock Enabled or Not - Link

3. Check if the IMEI is Blocked

Imeipro has a free online tool to check your device’s IMEI number against the global blacklist. Go to the site, type in the IMEI number and wait a while for the results to show up.

4. Erase Data

Before buying the phone, it’s best to first unlink the current owner’s Apple ID from Settings -> iCloud.

Also, go to General -> Reset -> Erase All Content and Settings to remove everything from the iPhone.

5. Check Warranty

Go to this page and type in your device’s serial number. If you made it to the next page, it means the iPhone you’re buying is legit. It hasn’t been reported stolen and isn’t a replacement model. You can learn how to find the device’s serial number from here. You can get it from Settings -> General -> About on your iPhone or from the back of the device.

This page will tell you if the phone is still covered within the warranty period and will verify the purchase date.