The Used iPhone Checklist: What to Check Before You Pay

Seven checks, most of them in Settings, that catch locked, mismatched, repaired or blacklisted iPhones while the seller is still in front of you.

By the OwnVouch team16 Sep 20267 min read

Before you meet

A few messages before the meeting save a wasted trip:

• Ask for the IMEI and serial number. A genuine seller can find both in Settings, then General, then About. You can run a first check before you travel.
• Ask whether they have the bill and box. An original invoice from Apple or an authorised retailer is useful later for warranty and for any Activation Lock support request, which Apple says needs proof of purchase.
• Agree to meet somewhere with internet access. Several checks below need Wi-Fi or mobile data, and you want the seller present while you do them.
• Be wary of pressure. A seller who insists on advance payment, courier delivery or "no time to test" is making these checks impossible.

Check 1: Activation Lock and Find My

This is the check that matters most, because an Activation-Locked iPhone can't be set up without the previous owner's Apple Account password.

Apple used to run a public web page where you could enter a serial number or IMEI and see whether a device was Activation Locked. It removed that checker in January 2017, and there is no official replacement. The only reliable test is on the phone itself, following Apple's own buyer steps:

1. Turn the phone on. If you see "iPhone Locked to Owner", don't buy it.
2. If you see the passcode Lock Screen or the Home Screen, the phone hasn't been erased. Ask the seller to erase it now: Settings, then General, then Transfer or Reset iPhone, then Erase All Content and Settings. If it asks for their passcode or Apple Account password, they should be able to enter it on the spot.
3. When the phone restarts, you should see the Hello screen. Apple says this means the device is ready for you to use.
4. Start setup and connect to the internet. If it asks for the previous owner's Apple Account, the phone is still linked to them. Hand it back and don't pay until it's resolved.

If you have already bought a phone that fails this check, read our guide to an iPhone locked to its previous owner.

Check 2: IMEI and serial number match

Box swaps and mismatched bills are a common way to make a phone look more legitimate than it is. Compare the numbers in several places:

• Settings: General, then About. Scroll for the IMEI. On the Hello screen, Apple says you can tap the Info button in the bottom-right corner to see them.
• The box: the barcode label on the original packaging.
• The bill: most retail invoices list the IMEI or serial.
• The phone body: according to Apple, the IMEI is printed on the SIM tray of models from the iPhone 6s up to the iPhone 13 range (including iPhone SE 2nd and 3rd generation). iPhone 14 models and later have no IMEI engraving.

If the numbers in Settings don't match the box or the bill, treat the box and bill as unrelated to this phone. That doesn't automatically mean the phone is stolen, but it removes most of the value of the paperwork and deserves a straight explanation.

Check 3: Sanchar Saathi (CEIR) IMEI check

India's Department of Telecommunications runs the Know Your Mobile (KYM) check on Sanchar Saathi. Send an SMS of KYM followed by the 15-digit IMEI to 14422, or use the CEIR web portal. The reply shows the brand, model and manufacturer linked to that IMEI.

The portal advises against buying a phone whose status is shown as blacklisted, duplicate or already in use. Also check that the model in the reply matches the phone in your hand. Remember that a clean result only means nothing has been reported against that IMEI there. Our guide to checking whether a second-hand phone is stolen in India goes into what each result means.

Check 4: Parts and Service History

On iOS 15.2 or later, go to Settings, then General, then About. If the phone has had certain parts replaced, a Parts and Service History section appears. What it can report depends on the model:

Apple labels parts as Genuine (repaired with genuine Apple parts and processes), Unknown (for example, a non-genuine part or one not working as expected), Used (the part was previously installed in another iPhone) and, for the logic board, Unverified, which Apple says can affect features such as Apple Pay. An Unknown display or battery isn't automatically a deal-breaker, but it should lower the price and you should ask who did the repair. There's more in our post on "Unknown Part" messages on refurbished iPhones.

Check 5: Battery Health

Go to Settings, then Battery, then Battery Health (the exact label varies a little between iOS versions). Maximum Capacity shows the battery's capacity compared with when it was new.

For context, Apple says batteries in iPhone 14 models and earlier are designed to retain 80 per cent of original capacity at 500 complete charge cycles under ideal conditions, and iPhone 15 models at 1,000 cycles. Real-world numbers depend on how the phone was used and charged. A low figure means you should budget for a battery replacement.

Check 6: Carrier Lock

An iPhone originally sold through a mobile carrier, especially one abroad, may be locked to that carrier's network. In Settings, then General, then About, look at Carrier Lock. Apple says "No SIM restrictions" there means the iPhone is unlocked. Apple also says only the carrier can unlock an iPhone, so if you see anything else, walk away unless the price reflects it. Put your own SIM in and make a call to be sure.

Check 7: The basics, in person

• Face ID or Touch ID can be set up and works.
• Front and rear cameras focus, and every lens works.
• Speakers, microphone (record a voice memo) and earpiece (make a call).
• Charging port and wireless charging, if the model has it.
• Display: no dead pixels, discolouration or touch dead zones.
• Buttons, the side switch or Action button, and vibration.
• Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and mobile data with your SIM.

Paying and afterwards

Pay only once every check passes, and use a method that leaves a record. Ask the seller for a simple signed note or message confirming the sale, the price, the date and the IMEI, along with the original bill and box if they have them. Keep screenshots of the listing and your chat. If you are the one selling, our checklist before selling a phone or Mac covers the other side.

Where OwnVouch fits

OwnVouch's free public lookup is a useful extra check before you pay. Enter the serial or IMEI to see whether the iPhone is registered, whether it's flagged lost or stolen, and what the device is. It never shows who holds it.

It doesn't replace the checks above. OwnVouch can't see Activation Lock status, and a clean lookup doesn't prove a phone isn't stolen, because not every theft is reported anywhere. In the app, currently in closed beta, a registered phone can be handed over with both of you confirming on your own phones, which leaves a timestamped record you both agreed to. You can request a beta place.

Sources

1. Apple Support: Activation Lock for iPhone and iPad
2. Apple Support: Erase iPhone
3. MacRumors: Apple Removes Tool to Check if an iPhone or iPad is Activation Locked
4. Apple Support: Find the serial number or IMEI on your iPhone, iPad or iPod touch
5. Department of Telecommunications, CEIR – Sanchar Saathi
6. Apple Support: iPhone Parts and Service History
7. Apple Support: iPhone battery and performance
8. Apple Support: How to unlock your iPhone for use with a different carrier