Buying a Used iPhone: Check Activation Lock Before You Pay

A clean screen and a healthy-looking battery tell you little about whether a used iPhone can become yours. A phone still tied to someone else’s Apple Account may be unusable after you take it home. Make activation part of the purchase check.

Ask the seller to prepare the phone

Apple’s preowned iPhone buying guide says to avoid a phone showing an “iPhone Locked to Owner” screen. Ask the seller to follow Apple’s transfer instructions and remove their account themselves. You don’t need the seller’s password and you shouldn’t share your own password with them.

Verify the phone reaches setup

For an in-person sale, look for the setup screen after the seller erases the device and check whether activation asks for the previous owner’s account. If it does, give the seller the chance to resolve it through their own account. Walk away if they can’t demonstrate that the lock has been removed. For an online order, check the return window and test activation as soon as the phone arrives.

Check the rest of the purchase separately

Once activation is clear, verify the exact model, storage, carrier compatibility, condition and battery information. Ask whether any parts have been replaced. Confirm that the receipt identifies the device being sold. Activation Lock is one check among several, but it comes before paying or allowing a return window to close.