In case you haven\u2019t heard, there\u2019s a new iPhone coming at Apple\u2019s September event and that means two things: You want a new iPhone and you need to sell your old one. If you buy your iPhone outright every year or so, you can usually recoup a good amount of the new cost by selling your old model every time you upgrade to a new one. With prices for components so high these days, the trade-in prices have actually risen!<\/p>\n
Even if you\u2019re in the Apple\u2019s Upgrade Program, you might have an older iPhone languishing in a drawer somewhere unused. Here\u2019s what you need to know about selling or trading in your old iPhone for top dollar.<\/p>\n
Apple has a list of what to do before you sell, give away, or trade in your old iPhone which is worth a look, and we also cover How to wipe and reset an iPhone. We recommend that you should check those guides out, but here\u2019s our own advice for making sure you get the most value for a used iPhone:<\/p>\n
This probably goes without saying, but your iPhone\u2019s condition plays a huge part in its value. So keep it in a case, use a screen protector, and generally try to keep it in great shape. If your phone shows some wear and tear, you\u2019ll still be able to sell it, you\u2019ll just get a little less money back. Also, holding onto the original box and including the charger (if it came with one) and cable also helps squeeze a little more value out of your sale.<\/p>\n
Before you get rid of your old iPhone, make sure all the data is backed up and ready to transfer to your new one. A backup to iCloud or the Finder (or the Music app if you are on a PC) is the most convenient way to sync all the data to your new iPhone, and another option is to sync directly from the old to the new iPhone. But because an iPhone backup is pretty self-contained, you may also want to separately make sure your photos are synced to Google Photos, iCloud Photos, or another cloud storage solution.<\/p>\n
If you have an Apple Watch, you should make sure it\u2019s backed up, unpair it from your old iPhone, and sync it with your new one. You can do this in the Watch app on the phone.<\/p>\n
Sign out of your iCloud and Music accounts, too. This is a\u00a0crucial step: If you erase your phone without signing out first, it will still have Activation Lock enabled and the buyer won\u2019t be able to set it up!<\/p>\n
You should be prompted when you erase it (see below) but in case you\u2019re not, here\u2019s how to sign out:<\/p>\n
Once you\u2019re sure your iPhone is all backed up and ready to be fully erased, head to the Settings app and tap General > Transfer or Reset iPhone (in earlier iOS versions the option says Reset). The nuclear option here is Erase All Content and Settings; if you\u2019re selling or giving away your phone, this is what you want to do.<\/p>\n
You may be prompted to turn off Find My iPhone and sign out of iCloud if you haven\u2019t already\u2014otherwise iOS\u2019s Activation Lock will prevent the phone\u2019s next owner from activating it. Confirm that you want to erase all the data, and your phone will be securely wiped and restored to factory settings. It\u2019ll go through an update and you\u2019ll be met with a \u201cHello\u201d screen just like you were when you first set it up. Turn it off and say goodbye.<\/p>\n
We cover this in more detail here: How to reset an iPhone. If you have any trouble you may find How to put an iPhone into recovery mode and return to factory settings useful. Note that you need to be connected to Wi-Fi or Cellular before you can wipe the iPhone.<\/p>\n
The next step is deciding where you are going to sell your iPhone. You should start your research at third-party buyback sites. You\u2019ll\u00a0get an idea of what your phone in its current condition is worth, and then can either take that offer or try to directly sell your phone to another person yourself on Craigslist or eBay. You might want to mention you\u2019re selling your phone on social media like Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram first, to see if a friend or associate wants it\u2014you\u2019ll feel better dealing with someone you know.<\/p>\n
Buyback sites almost never give you as much money as a direct sale to another person would, but they\u2019re much safer and easier. Sometimes the hassle of a direct sale to another person isn\u2019t worth a little extra money, and you just want to quickly, easily, and safely get a reasonable price for your old phone. That\u2019s where these sites come in. There are lots of buyback sites, but these are some of the biggest and most highly recommended:<\/p>\n
BackMarket buys and sells used iPhones and other products. You can get up to $600 for an iPhone 16 Pro Max 512GB unlocked in Good (not even Flawless) condition, for example. A prepaid shipping label is provided so you can ship your iPhone off to them within 21 days of your quote. The quote is dependent on the iPhone matching the description you have given.<\/p>\n
If you are in the U.K. BackMarket will also offer you money for your used iPhone. In this case, an iPhone 16 Pro Max 512GB unlocked in good condition but a few scratches could get you \u00a3340.<\/p>\n