Things to know before you buy a refurbished iPhone using our professional guide.
If you’re searching how to buy a refurbished iPhone, then don’t worry now!!! There are several things that you need to know before buying a refurbished iPhone. This article has compiled an exciting guide to help you buy an iPhone refurbished.
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Things that you need to watch out for before buying a refurbished iPhone ?
The iPhone is one of the most coveted devices, and everyone prefers to have one. However, iPhones don’t come cheap, and they are rarely available on sale. So, what are your options? If you want an iPhone, you can pay the full price for it or purchase a used or refurbished iPhone.
Purchasing a refurbished or used iPhone can save you a lot of money, but these devices might come with trade-offs. If you’re considering going down this route, there are a few things that you need to watch out for to get a good bargain. Follow these simple steps before buying a refurbished iPhone:
1. Check for carrier lock and ensure it isn’t locked
You may have found the ideal iPhone model that you wanted. However, it is always wise to call your phone company before you purchase the phone to confirm if your phone company can activate the iPhone. Most iPhones that are sold on the market are locked to a specific carrier, and if you want to use the phone with your preferred mobile company, you have to fulfill the regulations of the carrier company and then get out of the contract. You can check whether the iPhone is carrier locked by finding the MEID or IMEI number of the iPhone. Then, you need to call your carrier and give the iPhone IMEI or MEID number. The phone company will tell you if your phone is compatible.
If the iPhone is carrier-locked, you can learn what to do about it by going through the guide at https://setapp.com/
2. Ensure the refurbished or used iPhone is not stolen
When purchasing a refurbished iPhone or second-hand iPhone, you would not want to buy a phone that’s stolen. Apple doesn’t allow stolen iPhones to be activated by new users via its Activation Lock feature. The feature is activated when Find My iPhone is activated. However, you will know if the iPhone is Activation Locked only after you have purchased it, and you cannot unlock the iCloud-locked iPhone.
But it is possible to find out whether the iPhone is stolen before purchasing. First, you will need the MEID or IMEI number of the phone. So before purchasing, ask the seller for the number, or you can follow these steps and get the number:
- On the iPhone, tap the Settings
- Tap General > tap About
- Scroll down and don’t stop until you’ve found the number’s IMEI (or MEID). Typically, it is a fifteen-digit number.
- Once you have the number, you need to go to the CTIA Stolen Phone Checker website and put down the number in the field. Then, tick the box next to I’m not a robot to verify yourself and click Submit. The website will either return a red notice that the iPhone has been reported stolen or lost or a green notice that the phone isn’t reported stolen or lost. If the report doesn’t contain a green notice, it is better to look elsewhere to buy an iPhone.
3. Check the iPhone thoroughly for hardware damage
Normal wear and tear are common with every iPhone, such as scratches or dings on the back and sides of the phone. But major scratches on the screen or problems with the Face ID, Touch ID, or 3D Touch sensor is something to watch out for. It would help if you also looked out for scratches on the camera lens. Such hardware damage can be a major problem when using the phone. If possible, you must ask the seller to let you inspect the phone in person before you transfer the money.
You also must check the phone’s moisture sensor and see if the phone has ever gotten wet. Then, finally, test all the buttons and the camera.
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3. Don’t forget to check the battery of the iPhone
It is never practical to replace the battery of the iPhone, and hence, you must be sure that the refurbished iPhone or used iPhone has a strong battery. If the iPhone has been used lightly, the phone should have decent battery life. But if you are buying a iPhone that is more than a year old, you need to check the battery.
The health of the battery running iOS 12 and up can be checked by using the Battery Health feature. You need to go to Settings, tap Battery, and tap Battery Health. In the Maximum Capacity section, you’ll see a percentage displayed, which will tell you if the battery health is good. Of course, the closer to 100% capacity is always better.
However, if the battery is burned out, the alternative is to go to Apple.com and get a price on replacing the battery. If you get a good price, go for the used iPhone.
So, these are a few things that you must consider before purchasing a used or refurbished iPhone.
We hope you like our guide on how to purchase a refurbished iPhone. Do share it with your friends and family. For more Apple tips and tricks, do check out our other articles here.
