How to Prepare your iPhone for Sale
It’s never been simpler to get rid of an old iPhone than it is now. Even better, iPhones have the highest resale value of any smartphone. Fortunately for Apple enthusiasts, this means that your old iPhone has a sizable secondary market, and someone is eager to pay cash for it right now.
It doesn’t matter how or where you sell your iPhone, there are a few things you need to do before selling.
1. Make sure it’s ready for activation.
Carriers have tight policies in place when it comes to putting pre-owned iPhones into their networks, and each has its own set of restrictions.
AT&T: When it comes to selling your old iPhone, AT&T is the simplest provider to work with. AT&T will let anybody use your iPhone on their network as long as it hasn’t been reported lost or stolen.
T-Mobile: Your former iPhone must be totally paid off and free of any contractual commitments before it may be used by someone else. To determine whether your iPhone is ready to use, use T-Mobile IMEI Check Tool.
Sprint: Before a new user may activate your iPhone, it must be paid off, free of any contractual commitments, and deleted from your Sprint account. Check out their IMEI checking tool to see whether your iPhone meets all of those conditions. If there isn’t an error message after the first screen, your iPhone is ready to be activated.
Verizon, like Sprint, demands that your previous iPhone be paid off and free of any contract commitments before being registered on a new account.
It’s worth noting that Verizon recently discontinued support for a number of older smartphones. You cannot activate an iPhone 4, 4s, 5, 5C, or 5s on their network as of today. The good news is that any Verizon-purchased iPhone 4s, 5, 5C, or 5s comes unlocked out of the box, allowing you to market those devices as unlocked rather than being locked to the Verizon service.
You may utilize Verizon’s IMEI check to see whether your iPhone can be used with a new account.
2. Determine whether you are able to unlock it.
iPhones that are unlocked are more valuable than iPhones that are carrier-locked. It’s in your best interest to unlock your iPhone and earn some additional cash if it’s eligible. For further information on how to unlock any iPhone, we recommend reading our guide on unlocking iPhones.
3. Delete Your Information.
This is a crucial stage. If you don’t erase your iPhone before selling it, it will be as useless to a new owner as a brick. Furthermore, if someone figures out your password, they may be able to steal your identity and have access to all of your images, messages, emails, contacts, and anything else you want to keep private.
While there are various options for erasing your data, go to Settings > General > Erase > Erase All Content and Settings is the most effective.
This procedure will erase all traces of your data, including your iCloud account if you use it.
4. Take out your SIM card.
All SIM cards have an ICCID number that is unique to you and your wireless account. As a result, it’s a good idea to remove and discard your old SIM card prior to selling it.
A new user may get one from their carrier, either in-store or online.
5. Clean It Up.
While it’s not required, it’s better to clean your iPhone before transferring it to a new owner. Also, look at the bottom of your charging port to see if any filth has been collected. If your lightning cable wiggles slightly when charging, your charge port is likely clogged with lint and has to be cleaned. To do so, take a needle and scrape down the bottom of the port from one end to the other, beginning at one end and working your way around.
6. Charge It.
Again, this is optional, but charging the iPhone before selling it will certainly save you and your buyer time. If you’re selling locally, your customer will want to try out the iPhone before making a purchase.
Ready to Sell?
