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Buying a used phone: the checklist

Twelve checks that take fifteen minutes and protect you from the most common used-phone problems. Run the IMEI check first, then go through the rest in person.

Before you meet

  1. Ask the seller for the IMEI and run it on IMEI.si. Confirm the model matches the listing.
  2. Check Find My / Activation Lock. If it is on, agree that the seller signs out during the meeting.
  3. Look at warranty and purchase date. A phone advertised as one year old should not have been bought three years ago.

During the meeting

  1. Dial *#06# and compare the IMEI with your report and the box.
  2. Insert your own SIM, make a call and open a web page to rule out a carrier lock.
  3. Check battery health: Settings › Battery › Battery Health on iPhone. Below 85% on a phone under two years old suggests heavy use.
  4. Inspect the screen for dead pixels, burn-in and touch problems; drag an app icon across the whole display.
  5. Test all cameras, the flash, speakers, microphone (record a voice memo) and both charging and wireless charging.
  6. Test Face ID or the fingerprint reader, and every physical button.
  7. On iPhone, Settings › General › About › Parts and Service History shows replaced parts on recent models.

Before you pay

  1. Make sure the seller has signed out of iCloud or their Google account and erased the phone. Re-run the IMEI check.
  2. Get a receipt with the IMEI, date, price and the seller's name. It protects you if the phone is later reported stolen.

Frequently asked questions

Is it safer to buy from a shop than from a private seller?

A shop in the EU owes you a legal guarantee on used goods, usually at least one year. Private sales rarely include that, so the checks above matter more.

What is the single most important check?

Activation Lock on iPhone, or the Google account on Android. A locked phone is unusable, whatever its condition.

Last updated 12 October 2026