How to spot non-genuine iPhone screens and batteries before you buy

You meet the seller at a café. They hand you the iPhone and say it works fine. The screen looks bright and the phone boots fast. But looks can lie.

• Check model and serial in Settings > General > About and compare to the case.

• Inspect screen edge fit and color shift while tilting the phone slowly.

• Test Face ID or Touch ID functions for smooth registration or errors.

• Run a short battery health check in Settings to see maximum capacity and peak performance.

• Listen for odd rattles and feel for uneven weight in the frame.

• Ask when and where parts were replaced and for a receipt or repair note.

• Offer to open the case only with seller consent and a small tool to inspect connectors.

A quick scene: first 60 seconds

Hold the phone with the screen on. Swipe the home area and corners. Watch for dead zones, odd color, or lag. Look closely at the glass edge where it meets the frame. If the gap is uneven, a screen swap likely happened.

Screen checks that give the truth away

Turn brightness down then up. A genuine screen keeps color and contrast stable. Non-genuine panels often shift color or go dimmer at certain angles. Open the camera app and point at a white wall. Look for a cool (blue) or warm (yellow) tint that seems wrong.

Tap across the whole screen. If parts don’t register or feel weird, that is a red flag. Check for glue or uneven flashing around the bezel. Genuine screens sit very flush and uniform.

Battery and performance signs to test

Ask to see Settings > Battery > Battery Health. Genuine Apple batteries show a Maximum Capacity percent and a message about peak performance. If values are missing, blank, or show odd messages, the battery may be non-genuine or the phone has been tampered with.

Run a simple stress check: play a video for five minutes with brightness up, then feel the back. Heat alone is not proof of a fake, but extremely high heat, sudden drops in frame rate, or quick battery percentage drops are suspect. A swapped battery can drain fast or behave unpredictably.

Micro-moment

You ask to make a call and the seller says sure. While calling, notice how long the call takes to connect and if the signal icon drops oddly. If the phone loses signal or reboots, bail and ask why it did that.

Internal parts and what you can safely inspect

You should not force the phone open, but you can ask the seller to show original repair receipts or the repair shop note. Genuine parts often come with a short service paper. If you do open the phone together, look for matching screws, neat adhesive, and factory stickers on the battery and screen connectors. Jagged tape, mismatched screws, or missing OEM stickers are signs of a non-genuine swap.

What to say and what price moves to make

Ask directly: when was the screen or battery replaced and by whom? If the seller hesitates, that tells you something. Expect to drop the offer by 15–35 percent if non-genuine parts are present, depending on condition and model. For recent models, non-genuine screens can ruin True Tone, Face ID, or display quality, so price cuts should be larger.

Red flags that should stop the deal

If the phone shows a repair warning on boot, has inconsistent serial info, or refuses to register biometric data properly, walk away. If the seller refuses to let you make simple tests, or wants cash-only and a quick handoff, trust your gut and pass.

Bring the right cable and do a three-minute menu test — most deal-breakers show up fast.

Today’s takeaway: Don’t buy on looks alone—do a few quick tests, ask for receipts, and be ready to walk if components don’t check out.