What to Check Before Selling Your Used Phone

A used phone sells faster — and for a better price — when the buyer doesn't have to take your word for its condition. Here's a simple checklist before you list it.

1. Back up and factory reset

Make sure your data, photos, and accounts are safely backed up, then perform a full factory reset. Buyers expect a clean device, and it protects your personal information too.

2. Check the screen and body

Note any scratches, cracks, or dents honestly in your listing. Buyers appreciate transparency, and it avoids disputes after the sale.

3. Test the basics

1. Cameras, speakers, and microphone
2. Face ID / fingerprint sensor
3. Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and cellular signal
4. Charging port and cable connection

4. Battery health — the detail buyers ask about most

Battery condition is one of the first things a serious buyer will ask about, and one of the easiest things to disagree over without proof. A vague "battery's fine" doesn't carry much weight — an independent certificate does.

5. Include proof, not promises

Listings with a verifiable battery health certificate tend to close faster and with less back-and-forth, because the buyer isn't relying purely on trust. It also protects you: if a dispute comes up after the sale, you have a dated, independent record of the phone's condition at the time you sold it.