Here's what to check before buying a used phone, in the order that saves you the most trouble. First, confirm the phone can be activated: the IMEI is not reported lost or stolen, no unpaid balance is tied to it, and it is unlocked or locked to a carrier you actually use. Second, confirm the last owner is signed out, with Activation Lock off on an iPhone and the Google account removed on an Android. Third, test the hardware in your hand: screen, touch, battery health, cameras, speakers, microphones, charging port, buttons and signs of water damage. Last, make sure the model still gets software updates and that the seller will take it back if something fails. A phone that passes all four is worth pricing. One that fails the first two is not worth buying at any price.
What to Check Before Buying a Used Phone, in One Paragraph
A used phone check is a short inspection that answers four questions before money changes hands. Can this phone be activated? Is the last owner fully signed out? Does every part work? Will it stay supported? You answer the first with the IMEI and the carrier lock status. You answer the second in the settings menu. You answer the third with your own hands, and the fourth with the model name and the seller's return policy. The order matters, because no repair can fix a phone that is reported stolen or locked to someone else's account.
The IMEI is the phone's serial number on the cell network. Dial *#06# on the phone itself and it appears on screen. Compare it with the number in the settings and on the SIM tray or box, then look it up with your carrier before you pay. Most major carriers have an online tool that tells you whether a device can join their network.
On an iPhone, open Settings, then General, then About. The Carrier Lock line should read "No SIM restrictions" if the phone is unlocked. On any phone, the simplest test is to put your own SIM in and make a call. A locked phone can still be a fair buy if you use that carrier or price in the unlock, and Wireless Kinect has a page on phone unlocks if you need one.
Why These Checks Matter More Than the Asking Price
Most buyers assume the risk with a used phone is a scratch they missed. In practice, the expensive problems are the ones you can't see. A phone that was reported lost, or that still has a payment plan on it, can be blocked from carrier networks weeks after you buy it. A phone still tied to the last owner's Apple or Google account can't be set up at all.
Where you live changes how much protection you have. Across the US, a sale between two private people is generally as-is, and what you can do afterward depends on your state's consumer law. A store sets its own return policy, so ask for it in writing. Carriers differ too. Verizon, AT&T and T-Mobile each have their own unlock rules, and a phone made for another country may not support every US network band.
The checks also tell you what a fair price is. A used phone's price moves with the model and its age, the storage size, the cosmetic condition, the battery health, and whether it is unlocked. Past repairs matter as well. Every one of those is something you can verify yourself in a few minutes.
What a Clean Check Gets You
Done properly, the inspection gives you more than peace of mind. It gives you these outcomes.
- A phone that activates on your carrier the day you buy it.
- A device that is yours alone, with no earlier account able to lock or erase it.
- A battery whose remaining life you know, so you can plan for a replacement.
- A price that reflects the real condition, because each flaw you find is a reason to pay less or walk away.
- Security updates for as long as the maker still supports that model.
- A receipt that lists the IMEI and the seller's return terms.
If you'd rather run these checks with the phone in your hand, see which of the four Wireless Kinect stores is closest to you.
Five Mistakes That Cost Used Phone Buyers Money
Picture a phone listed well under the going rate, a seller who can only meet in a parking lot after dark, and a screen that is already on the home screen when you arrive. Each of those details hides one of the mistakes below. Do your checks before any money moves, in daylight, somewhere with Wi-Fi so you can look things up.
Paying before you check the IMEI. What it costs you: a phone that can be blocked from every network later, with no way to reach the seller.
Skipping the sign-out test. Ask the seller to erase the phone in front of you. If the setup screen then asks for someone else's Apple ID or Google account, hand it back. What it costs you: the whole purchase, because only the previous owner can remove that lock.
Trusting the photos on battery and screen. On an iPhone, Battery Health in the settings shows the maximum capacity. Recent iPhones also list replaced parts under Settings, General, About. What it costs you: a battery or screen repair soon after you buy.
Ignoring the carrier lock. What it costs you: a phone you can't use on your own plan until it is unlocked.
Buying a model near the end of its software support. What it costs you: security updates first, then the apps that need them. The phone's useful life ends sooner than the price suggested.
Here's the trade-off spelled out. A cheaper phone with a worn battery beats a pricier one with a healthy battery only when the price gap is bigger than the battery repair. Look up that repair before you decide, not after.
How to Use Wireless Kinect When You're Shopping Used
Wireless Kinect buys, sells and repairs phones, tablets and computers, with four walk-in stores in Lancaster and Allentown, PA, and Tampa and St. Petersburg, FL. Pre-owned phone sales sit next to buyback and repair there, so the same business that sells phones also fixes them. Readers nationwide can use the website tools, and the stores cover the in-person side. Here is how to put that to work, step by step.
- Decide how you want to shop. A store lets you hold the phone before you pay. If you aren't near one, you can browse the Wireless Kinect online shop.
- Run this guide's checks at the counter. Ask to power the phone on, dial *#06#, open the settings and try your own SIM.
- Ask plain questions. Is it unlocked? Has anything been replaced? What is the return policy? Get the answers on the receipt.
- Price any flaw before you agree on a number. The website gives an instant repair quote by brand and model.
- Deal with your old phone separately. Trade it in, or sell it on its own.
Step four works for a phone you found anywhere, not only in one of the stores. You can find the repair by brand and see what a cracked screen or weak battery would add to the total.
If your current phone is paying for the next one, read our guide on how to prepare a phone to sell before you hand it over. You can also get a buyback offer online for it.
When to Have a Repair Shop Look at It First
Do the basic checks yourself. Everything in the settings and on the surface is a job for the buyer, and it takes a few minutes. Bring in a professional when a check turns up something you can't judge by eye. These are the triggers.
- The liquid indicator inside the SIM tray slot is red or pink.
- The screen shows lines, has dead touch spots, or looks dim next to another phone of the same model.
- An iPhone lists a part as "Unknown Part" in its parts and service history.
- The battery drains fast, the phone gets hot on a short call, or the screen or back is lifting.
- The phone won't hold a signal with your SIM in it.
- The seller says it "just needs a cheap fix" and can't say what the fix is.
A lifting screen or back usually means a swollen battery. Don't charge that phone, and don't buy it until a shop has seen it. For the rest, a repair shop can tell you what the fix involves, which is the number you need before you negotiate.
Spotted one of these on a phone you still want? Look through the device repair options to see what fixing it would involve.
Used Phone Buying FAQ
How do I check if a used phone is stolen?
Dial *#06# to get the IMEI, then look that number up with your carrier before you pay. A seller who won't let you see the IMEI is your answer.
Can I check an IMEI number before I meet the seller?
Yes. Ask the seller to send the IMEI ahead of time, check it, then confirm the same number shows on the phone when you meet.
What battery health is good for a used iPhone?
Higher is better. Apple treats a battery below 80 percent of its original capacity as significantly degraded, so a phone near that mark will need a battery soon.
Is it safe to buy a used phone from a private seller?
It can be, if you run every check before paying and meet somewhere public in daylight. Private sales are generally as-is, so the inspection is your only protection.
What is the difference between used and refurbished phones?
A used phone is sold as the last owner left it. A refurbished phone has been tested and repaired where needed before resale, but the word has no single legal meaning, so ask exactly what was done.
Should I buy a locked or unlocked used phone?
Unlocked is the safer choice because it works on any carrier that supports the model. A locked phone only makes sense if it is locked to the carrier you already use.
How long will a used phone get software updates?
It depends on the maker and the model. Look up the model on the manufacturer's support site before you buy, and skip any phone that has already stopped getting security updates.
Price the Fix Before You Pay
If the used phone you want has a cracked screen, a tired battery or a bad charging port, get an instant repair quote by brand and model first. Then you know the real total before you hand over the money.