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Guide · Buying a used phone

Checking a used phone before you buy it

Take fifteen minutes, charge level above half, a SIM card and a pair of headphones if you can. Go through the list in order and note what you checked and what stays unknown.

Reviewed / updated:

For other used electronics and appliances, see buying a used device.

  1. Exterior

    Look at the frame, back and corners for cracks, dents and bending. Check that the phone lies flat and that no part of the screen or back is lifting, which can be a sign of a swollen battery.

  2. Screen

    On a white and then a dark background, look for dead pixels, lines, discolouration, burn-in and touch areas that do not respond. Drag an app icon slowly across the whole screen.

  3. Cameras

    Open every camera (front and rear lenses). Take a photo and a short video, check focus, and look for dust or cracks in the lenses and for a flash that works.

  4. Microphone and speakers

    Record a short voice note and play it back. Make a call, or use speakerphone, to check the earpiece, loudspeaker and microphone.

  5. Buttons

    Press every physical button: power, volume, any mute or action switch. Check that the fingerprint reader or face unlock can be set up, if the phone has one.

  6. Charging

    Plug in a charger and confirm it charges. Wiggle the cable gently: an unreliable port is a common fault. Check wireless charging if the phone supports it.

  7. Connectivity

    Insert a SIM card if you can, check signal, and make a call. Connect to Wi-Fi and Bluetooth. Check that mobile data works.

  8. Battery-condition information

    Many phones show battery information in their settings, where available. Look at it, but treat it as an indication, not a guarantee of how long the battery will last.

  9. Account and activation locks

    Ask the seller to sign out of their account and remove the phone from any “find my device” service in front of you, then reset it. A phone that still asks for someone else’s account after a reset may be unusable. If this cannot be done, do not buy.

  10. Model and storage

    Compare the model and storage size in the settings with the advert and the box. Check that the phone is not locked to one network, if that matters to you.

  11. Prior repair history

    Ask whether the screen, battery or other parts have been replaced, when and by whom. Some phones show information about replaced parts in their settings, where supported.

  12. Parts and replacement information

    If parts were replaced, ask whether they were original or compatible parts, where known. “Not known” is an honest answer — write it down as unknown.

  13. Receipts and evidence

    Ask for the original receipt and any repair invoices. They support what the seller tells you; personal details on them may reasonably be hidden.

Write down what remains unknown

At the end, list what you could not check: earlier repairs without paperwork, how old the battery is, which parts are original. A missing history is unknown history — not proof that the phone was never repaired.

Repair Passport does not detect theft, fraud or device locks, and cannot tell you whether a phone is locked, blocked or stolen. Do the account and activation checks above with the seller, and use the phone maker's and your network operator's own tools where they offer them.

Imagine the seller could share the phone's repair history

A Repair Passport buyer view would show the repairs the seller chose to share, each with its trust state. It is an idea we are testing and not yet available as a service.

See a Repair Passport buyer view

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