Guide · 4 min read
Your refurbished iPhone arrived: what to check first
The return window is at its most useful in the first days. Twenty minutes of checks on arrival is what turns it from a theoretical protection into a usable one.
Published September 5, 2026 · updated September 5, 2026
Before you transfer anything
- Check that the phone is not locked to a previous Apple Account. A device still tied to someone else's account cannot be used, and this is the single most important check.
- Confirm the model and storage match what you ordered, in Settings rather than on the box.
- Read the battery health figure and compare it with what the listing promised.
- Check the carrier lock status if you plan to use a specific network.
Then the physical checks
- Screen: look for dead pixels and touch dead zones across the whole surface, including the edges.
- Cameras: take a photo with each lens, front and rear, and check for dust behind the glass.
- Sound and mics: a call, a voice memo and a speaker test cover most failures.
- Ports and buttons: charge the phone, and test every physical button including the silent switch.
- Face ID or Touch ID: enrol it fully rather than assuming it works.
If something is wrong
Report it immediately through the marketplace rather than the individual seller, and keep the message trail. A problem raised inside the return window is a return; the same problem raised after it is a warranty claim, which is slower and narrower.
Do the cosmetic check against the grade you paid for. A device sold as heavily marked is allowed to look used; a device sold as excellent is not, and that difference is what you paid for.
Indicative prices, not a guarantee
Back Market prices change often, depending on the seller, the stock and the cosmetic grade. The prices shown here are indicative and based on our latest observations. Always check the final price on Back Market before buying. How we record prices
