How to check an iPhone when purchasing. Top tips

I often find myself on Avito looking for goodies at low prices. Yes, I haven’t leveled up my luck yet, so I wasn’t as lucky as our editor-in-chief was recently. But a couple of times we managed to profitably exchange smartphones.

It is important to understand that any platform with advertisements is a field of action for various scammers and, in general, unscrupulous people. It’s easy to run into an unpleasant surprise here.

Therefore, any equipment must be inspected in detail before purchasing. I bought an iPhone several times - I’ll tell you how to check them.

The easiest. Is he untied

A smartphone can pass any test with flying colors, but if the seller finds it difficult to disable “Find iPhone” - goodbye, nothing will work.

For those who are not in the know: this tightly ties the iPhone to the owner of the Apple ID, and, in fact, gives him the keys to control the device. For example, he can remotely lock your newly purchased iPhone and demand money to unlock it. He will know where you are. That's another pleasure.

The required item is hidden in the settings, in the “iCloud” section, but it is much easier to type “Find iPhone” there in the search.

Checking through the Apple Store

Almost all counterfeit iPhones, even if they have an identical appearance, similar to iOS, are well copied to the current version, however, they do not know how to connect to the Apple Store service. And in principle, this will be impossible, since the service identifies each smartphone in the database, and only after authorization allows you to download applications.

To check your phone, follow these steps:

On the iPhone you decided to check, go to the Apple Store and try using the search;
If it doesn’t show any results, go to any category to try to find any application and download it;
Also go to Safari, enter any request with an application from the Apple Store in the search and follow the link that will lead to this service.

If the phone is not original, then in all cases you will not be able to download the application from the service, and the system will not even allow you to connect to the Apple Store.

If the iPhone is original, then no matter what method you use to switch to the download service, it will be successful, resulting in specific information about the application from the search results or the main page of the Apple Store being displayed.

How to check iPhone by IMEI

IMEI is a unique international identifier for mobile equipment. This 15-digit number must match within the same set. We check:

IMEI on the back of the case
IMEI in “Settings - General - About this device”
IMEI on request *#06#
IMEI on the SIM card tray (not relevant for iPhone SE and “fives”)
IMEI on the box (if available)

The box is the last thing we care about. If everything matches except for it, it’s okay, the seller just brought the device in non-original packaging. Another question: why didn’t he warn you about this? This is another reason to double-check everything.

Is it possible to distinguish an original from a copy by its packaging?

One of the ways to distinguish an iPhone from a fake is to carefully check its equipment, because it can also be used to determine the underground origin of the gadget. First of all, you need to make sure that the package contains the standard kit for all iPhones - headphones, cable and USB adapter.

The original gadget is placed in an envelope made of good, thick cardboard, which also contains a special clip for removing and installing the SIM card, stickers and all the necessary documents.

Before purchasing, carefully check all accompanying documentation, as well as the quality of the adapter, cable and headphones. Try the headphones and cable to the touch - they should be soft and flexible, and the plastic material in their connector should be perfectly smooth, without burrs or sagging. Fake iPhone accessories are most often rough, hard and inflexible to the touch.

Important! All branded accessories and components are carefully rolled up and packed in individual plastic packaging.

How to check iPhone on Apple website

There, in “Settings - General - About this device” the serial number is written. It can be used too. Go to the Apple website and check the status of the device.

This is how you can understand that this is not Frankenstein with the body of a conventional 6s and the filling of a six. The page will show the device model, the expiration date of the limited warranty and information about the date of purchase.

What is Apple ID

Apple ID is the account you need for everything from logging into iCloud to making purchases, getting support, and tracking stolen devices. An Apple ID verifies identity and is required every time a user signs in to Apple to keep everything in sync. You can create an Apple ID completely free of charge.

When a user creates an account for an Apple service, such as the iTunes Store or App Store, an Apple ID is created. It allows you to access other services of the manufacturer. You don't need to create a new account for each service, just one Apple ID is enough. You can use it for Apple services such as iCloud, iTunes, Apple Online Store, Genius Bar, product registration, Apple support, iChat, MobileMe and others.

No locked iPhones

Nowadays such devices are becoming less and less common, but suddenly you are a retro lover in pursuit of an iPhone 3G. There is a possibility of running into a locked smartphone. These iPhones were purchased overseas on a contract basis. Such tubes can cause a lot of inconvenience, for which, moreover, you have to pay.

Here are a few signs by which you can understand whether a smartphone is locked or not.

There is a substrate chip in the SIM tray.
The device is not updated to the highest possible OS.
In Settings - General - There is an operator about this device that is different from the one in the status bar.
After a reboot, the device takes a long time to catch the network or requires a call to a specific number.

Such smartphones cannot be updated without the necessary manipulations; I see no reason to pay for them.

What you need to know about iPhone?

To avoid cooperation with scammers, it is best to purchase an iPhone only from an authorized dealer.
Such places may include a reliable online store or electronics supermarket that has been selling Apple products for a long time, has positive reviews on the Internet and can provide smartphone service to customers.

Remember that official dealers inflate the price by 20-30% of the cost, which is determined by Apple. For this reason, consumers often decide to order a gadget from the United States of America, with the help of many distributors. Another way to buy an iPhone cheaper is to find an advertisement for the sale of a used device that works fine. Each of the presented methods to spend less on a purchase has its own pitfalls.

Ordering an iPhone from the USA is cheaper, and there is a much wider choice of colors there. But if you just buy a smartphone there, it will not work in any other country, it will only function in the USA. This means you will need to disconnect from the mobile operator’s network (unlock).

There are also advertisements on the Internet for the sale of smartphones that do not require unlocking - these are refurbished gadgets that were purchased by someone and then returned to the store due to some technical problems. Such devices are sent to a service center where repairs are performed, and then sold outside the United States, where they are not treated very well.

To avoid buying a Chinese counterfeit iPhone, you need to understand the following things:

What is included in the complete package of the original smartphone?
Checking the device according to its external parameters;
Nuances of software operation.

Swimmer or not?

Buying recessed smartphones is extremely dangerous. You don't know how they dried it after falling into the water. Perhaps the iPhone was in the hands of adequate service providers, or maybe it was simply put in the rice. At the same time, the oxidation of the components is still ongoing, and the smartphone will “move its horses” at any minute.

It’s a pity that this only pops up after opening the device. However, one marker is visible from the outside.

For iPhone 5 and later: Open the SIM card tray and look inside.
For other iPhones: look at the 30-pin connector and the headphone port.

Here you can see what a triggered marker will look like in a specific iPhone model. If there are no red dots in the designated areas, then everything is in order, the iPhone did not flood on this side. More precisely, only a service center can clarify the situation.

Checking the appearance of the original iPhone

It is quite difficult for a person who has not previously used Apple devices to assess the external condition of a smartphone and compare it with the original, however, there are certain patterns that will help even beginners quickly identify a fake:

Let's get acquainted with the device. Before purchasing and meeting with the seller, we recommend looking at reviews on the Internet to understand what buttons the iPhone has, what size, what colors it comes in, when it will be announced and sold in Russia. Very often they sell iPhones that should be released only in a few days, but sellers guarantee 100% originality and their “contacts with suppliers.” It's all a scam. Using approximately the same principle, you can identify a fake simply by looking at its color. Apple produces devices in strictly defined color shades and does not provide any exclusive options for individual users.

Buttons. We have already talked about buttons, but here we should take a more careful approach to checking. The iPhone, as a rule, has only a few keys: volume rocker, Home button, Power On/Off and mute. At the same time, they do not crunch, do not make any noise and work correctly in any conditions.
Logos. On the back cover of the iPhone there is always a logo of a bitten apple, and at the bottom there is an inscription about where the device was made. Pay attention to color and shape. Original devices do not have any curves or patterns, or additional colors on the logos. Everything is done smoothly and neatly.
SIM slot. The main feature of iPhones is the inability to use additional drives to expand the memory, so the SIM card slot can only have a SIM card, and only one and no SD cards can be used here, as well as additional SIMs!

Materials. All Apple devices are made from certain materials. Initially, check on the official website what the case is made of, how much the device weighs, and what materials are used on the back cover. Very often, fakes use slightly different materials. For example, if the original iPhone 8 uses glass on the back, counterfeits may simply make a solid shape of a certain color.

Classic. Battery status

It is clear that when buying a smartphone second-hand, you will have to endure all the problems of a worn-out battery. But the wear and tear of a one- to two-year-old battery is insignificant.

Typically, an iPhone will last up to 500 charge cycles, at a minimum. In this case, the loss of battery capacity is not felt. Don’t think about it, the device continues to work after that, it’s just that the time “without a socket” is reduced.

The number of full charge cycles can be checked using the free coconutBattery utility. If you are too lazy to take your laptop with you, you should discuss with the seller in advance the possibility of installing the appropriate utility on your iPhone. Here, Battery Life, for example.

Plus, in the latest iOS, it became possible to see the percentage of battery wear in the settings. Saves time.

Studying the screen

The display is just a storehouse of weak points. What you need to pay attention to.

Press the screen in different places with little force. There should be nothing crunching, creaking or loosening here. Otherwise, the smartphone was dropped or opened.

The illumination should be uniform. Open an image with a white background and a black one and notice the glow around the edges. There should be no obvious spots or too bright areas. If there are no such images, open any application with a suitable background. Well, or take a photo, for example.

There should be no yellow spots on the screen. Those that appear after the smartphone overheats. The fact is that under the influence of temperature, the glue between the touchscreen and the display changes color. Similar jambs appear if the device is constantly squeezed, for example, kept in the back pocket of jeans and sat on hard surfaces.

We use the same set of pictures to check for stripes and dead pixels.

All sensors must work

Few people want to discover a couple of dead zones on the display after some time. So check everything at once.

The easiest way is to go to the menu, turn on the icon arrangement mode (hold one of them for a long time) and drag it across the screen. It should move evenly, smoothly, not stop, and not twitch.

Open the keyboard, click all the keys. Pull down the shades of notifications and Control Center in both portrait and landscape modes. Everything should work.

Don't forget to check Touch ID. Ideally, stick your finger in there and unlock the device a couple of times, but you can also watch the owner of the smartphone.

What to do if you lose your device?

If your device is lost or stolen, you must immediately put it in lost mode in Find My iPhone. This mode locks your screen with a 6 or 4 digit passcode and displays a message with your phone number to make returning your device easier.

If necessary, you can remotely erase data from the device; the message will remain on the screen even after the information is deleted. While Activation Lock works in the shadows to prevent unauthorized use or sale of the device, Lost Mode reminds the finder (or stealer) that the gadget has an owner and cannot be used without knowing the password.

To turn on Lost Mode, visit icloud.com/find from a Mac or PC, or use the Find My iPhone app for iOS.

Necessarily. Test call

Don't miss this moment: you need to insert your SIM card and make a test call to a friend's number. This kills two birds with one stone; We check the operation of the speaker and the cellular communication module.

As a last resort, if you don’t have a SIM card at hand, you can dial 112, listen to the answering robot, and then reset without waiting for the connection. Better than nothing.

Find out Apple ID on a Windows computer or Macbook

So, how to find out the Apple ID on a Macbook:

go to the Apple menu and select “System Preferences”, then “Apple ID”;
click "Password and Security";
if you need to enter your Apple ID password, click “Forgot your Apple ID or password” and follow the instructions on the screen;
Click Change Apple ID Password. Before the password is reset, the user will be prompted to enter the one they use to sign in to the Mac.

If you don't have an iPhone or Mac with you or need someone else's device, you can use the Safari web browser on any computer, tablet, or smartphone to find out your Apple ID.

You need to open a web browser and go to the site.
Click "Forgot your Apple ID or password?"
Select the password reset option, then click Continue.
Choose one of the convenient options to get your account back: answer several security questions; receive an email; enter your phone number.
All you have to do is follow the instructions in the email you receive.

Need to go online

At this stage, your own SIM card with the Internet will also come in handy. It is enough to go to any page to understand that the smartphone works in LTE networks.

It’s also worth finding a Wi-Fi point nearby, or distributing one yourself. Nobody needs problems with wireless Internet.

It would be a good idea to go to Maps and determine the current location of the smartphone to make sure that everything is in order with GPS.

Don't forget the buttons

Dumbly click each button. Nothing should crunch, dangle or sink. The silent mode rocker should vibrate, just like the Home button on the new iPhones. By the way, do not try to press this button on the iPhone 7 and 8 - it will not move a millimeter.

Don’t give in to persuasion; a broken Home button is almost impossible to fix. After replacing the part, you will be left without Touch ID.

What types of iPhones are there?

There are two types of refurbished devices (not counting those that are usually on the shelves in an electronics store or sold on official sites like Re: Store):

The first is an officially refurbished iPhone . As a rule, its price does not differ significantly from a new phone. And there is a reason for this - in such devices, as a rule, no more than one part is replaced with the same original one, only one that works. Official Apple employees replace failed Touch ID (fingerprint), boards and other internal components. These are, most often, defective devices given under warranty or devices in which, for one reason or another, problems were found. The “filling” of the box is the same, the accessories are genuine (charger, headphones, power supply, paper clip), but the box itself is different - there are no images of the smartphone on the box, there is only the inscription “refurbished”. There is no need to be afraid to buy them - they are the same phone off the shelf, only a little cheaper. It also comes with warranty service, just like a regular one.

But the second type of device is a pure Chinese fake . They were purchased in non-working condition for pennies. In such smartphones, little remains of the original iPhone - all spare parts are replaced with fake ones, the only thing that remains is the motherboard and one of the cameras. And they are not restored at all at the Apple factory, and not by the hands of Apple company employees.

Such devices are offered everywhere at an incredibly low price on dubious sites, second-hand, and even on Aliexpress. The cost of a genuine iPhone and a “fake” one differs several times. There is virtually nothing real in the devices, including even a headset for listening to music and a charger; almost everything is replaced with cheap and poor quality components.

Checking the camera and microphone

Make sure there is no debris or condensation in the camera eye. Check the flash, take a couple of photos and videos. There should be no artifacts in the frames. Don't forget to play back the video you shot with sound - this is how the rear microphone is checked.

It is also easy to check the microphone in the standard Voice Recorder application. Leave a couple of recordings and listen to them. There should be no extraneous noise.

To the heap: sensors and accelerometer

iPhone can determine its location in space thanks to its accelerometer. Open Notes and rotate your smartphone, check how changing landscape mode to portrait mode works.

You can also go to the new Measure app (or the old Compass) and turn on Level. Check how the accelerometer works in different planes.

Don't forget other sensors. How to check them?

Turn on auto brightness and place your palm near the front camera - the screen should become dim.
Call someone and put your palm in front of the same camera - the screen should go dark.

External inspection of the device

It doesn’t matter how you decide to buy an iPhone, the main thing you need to do is conduct a visual inspection of the device. Pay attention to the following details:

Frame. The bottom star-shaped bolts that hold the back cover in place should be tightly screwed in and not stick out from the panel to the touch. The back panel must match the original shade of the original devices - please view all available colors on your specific model before purchasing. Accordingly, the apple icon, model name at the bottom and IMEI number must be present. If this data is erased or difficult to see, this means that this is a non-original case;
Scratches . Small chips at the ends are more likely a drawback of a certain device (for example, 5S), rather than careless handling by the previous owner. Carefully inspect all sides of the device - there should be no dents on them, indicating that the phone’s internals have been disassembled;
Keys . All buttons should not only be pressed without problems, but also held firmly. The volume swing should respond quickly, including the side top volume switch key. If the ad did not indicate that Touch ID does not work, then it is worth checking this and temporarily putting your fingerprint in the settings;
Speakers and microphone . It's simple: try calling someone. You should be clearly heard, and the melodies should be played without noise or interference;
Accelerometer. Open a photo or video and turn the phone on its side - the picture should also turn both right and left;
Confinement . Insert your SIM card and check if there is a network on it (displayed in the upper left corner of the screen). It is possible that they want to sell you a locked phone from the USA that works only with American operators;
Communication modules . Go online, connect to Wi-Fi, turn on Bluetooth and try pairing your wireless devices (if any). All this should work flawlessly;
Charging connector . The charging socket is branded Lighting, no Mini or Micro-USB. This rule will become optional when Apple switches to Quick Charge, like the rest of modern Android gadgets. But this will not happen soon, and at least on the XR or 10XS models this has not happened yet and the connector remains unique;
Geolocation . In the settings, turn on GPS (“Settings” - “Privacy” - “Location Services” and check the On box. Open Google Maps and check that the specified location is correct;
Brightness. Check if the screen is burnt out. To do this, just open a white background or an empty Safari browser tab - the light should be uniform. If the edges are brighter or glare is observed, then most likely you will have to change the backlight soon;
Camera . The front and rear cameras on any iPhone model are of excellent quality, so if the camera looks like the one on a budget Android, then this is a fake;
Other options . Evaluate the smoothness of the menu, the time it takes to open applications, and battery wear (starting from model 6, this can be viewed in the settings). Everything should work smoothly and without delays, and the battery should not be too worn out (if less than 80%, refuse the purchase or return the gadget).