What to check before buying a used iPhone: a quick, real check you can do in 10 minutes

You meet a seller at a cafe counter. In Vancouver, offers usually move most on condition, completeness, and how easy it is to test. They hand you the box and the phone. It looks clean. The screen lights up, but looks too good to be true.

Check Activation Lock (Find My iPhone) is off. Verify the IMEI/serial matches the box and seller info. Inspect the screen and body under good light for cracks and gaps. Test touch, buttons, speakers, mic, camera, and charger port. Confirm battery health and that the phone charges normally. Try a SIM from your carrier to make sure it connects. Ask for the original receipt or proof of purchase if possible.

Fast checks

• Power it on and stay in the menus long enough to catch random shutdowns or throttling.

• Test every port you'll use (charging, USB, audio, video) with a known-good cable.

• Confirm account/lock status is cleared before money changes hands.

• Check battery health and verify it charges smoothly without disconnects.

• Watch for screen flicker, audio dropouts, or touch/trackpad lag during a short demo.

• Price missing accessories (charger, case, dongles) like real costs, not minor annoyances.

• Run a quick storage/ram check so specs match what you were told.

• Listen for fan spikes or coil whine when you open a few apps at once.

Quick scene: what to do first

The first thing is a short, visible check. Ask to power the phone on and unlock it. If the seller hesitates or the phone is locked to an iCloud account, stop. That one step saves a lot of time.

Match the paperwork and the hardware

Look at the box and the back of the phone. The IMEI or serial should match the number in Settings > General > About. If they don't match, the phone may have been swapped or repaired without paperwork.

Ask for the original receipt if the seller has it. A receipt shows model, purchase date, and store. A recent receipt helps with warranty or trade-in value.

Red flags: mismatched numbers, torn packaging, or a seller who refuses to show the Settings screen.

Turn it on and test the basics

Open Settings and check Activation Lock (Find My iPhone). If it says the phone is linked to someone else's Apple ID, you cannot use it fully. The seller must sign out of iCloud in front of you.

Test the screen across the whole display. Swipe, pinch, and type to find dead spots. Play a video to check colors and brightness.

Press the home or side buttons. Plug in a charger and make sure the phone charges without getting too hot.

Micro-moment: You plug your SIM into the phone at the table and the bars pop up. The seller smiles and says they switched carriers last month. You hear a faint crackle during a demo call, so you ask them to lower the background noise and try again.

Sound, cameras, sensors, and ports

Make a quick voice memo and play it back to test the mic and speaker. Test both cameras and switch between lenses if the model has them. Open the flashlight and try Face ID or Touch ID.

Check the charging port and any SIM tray for corrosion or bent pins. A loose port can mean future repair costs.

If the phone has a headphone adapter or original accessories, inspect those too. Missing or damaged accessories lower the fair price.

Battery health and software checks

Go to Settings > Battery > Battery Health. A number above 80% is good for many buyers. Below that, expect shorter battery life and consider the cost of replacement.

Look at Settings > General > About to confirm the exact model and installed iOS version. A very old software version can limit apps and features.

If you can, run a brief stress check: open several apps, take a photo, and record a short video. Watch for freezes, crashes, or odd reboots.

Negotiation levers and final moves

Use any small faults as leverage: scuffed edges, low battery health, or a fuzzy speaker lower the price. If the phone checks out, ask for a brief written bill of sale with the date, price, IMEI, and both names.

Pay with a traceable method you can document. Avoid cash-only deals if you want proof later.

A quick way to tighten the offer is to make verification fast. Keep sets together, bring the right charger or cable, and show model labels so testing doesn't start from zero.

Today's takeaway: Do a fast, focused check of lock status, IMEI, battery, screen, and sound before paying so you don't buy problems you can't fix.