A reconditioned iPhone is a cell phone that has been repackaged by Apple and resold after the product has been returned or exchanged by the buyer. Refurbished iPhones are usually repaired by Apple technicians, and some components of these phones may have been replaced if they were damaged when returned or exchanged. While Apple guarantees that a refurbished iPhone is in perfect working order, some vendors or sellers may not be able to tell the difference between a new and a refurbished iPhone. In some cases, iPhone vendors sometimes think that the reconditioned devices they sell are new and have never been used. To identify a used iPhone, you can look at the iPhone packaging and check the serial number of the device to see when it was manufactured.
Step
Step 1. Look for the "Apple Certified" seal on the packaging
This seal indicates that the iPhone has been tested and repaired by an Apple-authorized technician.
Step 2. Check the iPhone box and packaging
Reconditioned iPhones are usually sold in plain white boxes or packaging.
If you purchased an iPhone without packaging, or in a non-Apple branded package, the iPhone could be a refurbished device
Step 3. Check the iPhone serial number
This serial number contains information that can determine if a device is remanufactured or not.
- When the iPhone is on, go to the main screen and tap "Settings -> General -> About". Then tap “Serial Number” from the “About” screen to find out the iPhone serial number.
- When iPhone is off, access the SIM (Subscriber Identity Module) card tray to look for the serial number printed on the SIM tray. If you are using an original iPhone model, the serial number is printed on the back of the phone.
Step 4. Check the iPhone serial number
The digits in the serial number indicate when the iPhone was made and manufactured.
- Make sure the first digit of the serial number is the number "5". The first digit in the serial number of an Apple authorized or "Apple Certified" device is "5".
- Check the third digit of the serial number. The third digit of the serial number indicates the year the iPhone was made. For example, if the third digit is "8", it means the iPhone was made in 2008. If the third digit is "0", it means the iPhone was made in 2010.
- Check the fourth and fifth digits of the serial number. These two digits indicate what week of the year (there are 52 weeks in a year) the phone was manufactured. For example, if the fourth and fifth digits are "51", it means that the iPhone was produced in late December of the year it was produced.
- Although the serial number indicates that the device has been in production for a long time, it could be that the iPhone has never been used and has remained in the box since its launch.
Tips
- If your iPhone was packaged in an iPhone-branded box, compare the serial number printed on the box to the serial number on the iPhone. If the serial number is different, it means that the box is not the original packaging of the iPhone.
- You can't check the iPhone first if you want to buy it online, ask the seller for the serial number or check the return or exchange rules on the site if the item they are selling is a reconditioned device.
- All authorized or "Apple Certified" iPhones are guaranteed for 1 year by Apple, and can be extended for up to 2 years. Contact Apple directly to make sure your device is under warranty, especially if you purchased the iPhone from a third party.
