How to sell or trade in your old iPhone

And find out how to get a good price for it!

If you own an iPhone, it is very possible that you are considering switching for the latest model, which (when this article was last updated) will likely be the iPhone 14. How to sell or trade in your old iPhone. However, if your current iPhone is still in good shape, you may be wondering what to do with it: Should you sell it? To replace? To give up?

Well – any of the above. This guide will walk you through the process of preparing your old phone and what the best alternatives are to disposing of it.

How to transfer data to a new iPhone?

If you're transferring to a new iPhone – or even if you're not – you probably want to back up your phone before doing anything else (see below). Backing up to iCloud is probably easier – and it also gives you the option to transfer your data directly from your old phone to your new one or transfer your data from iCloud.

Once you've done that, go ahead and copy all your data to the new phone. If you wish, you can also access “Settings > General > Transfer or Reset iPhone”. Depending on the version of iOS installed, you may have access to an assistant called “Prepare for a new iPhone”, which will walk you through all the steps needed to transfer your data to your new phone. (It will also let you check your phone's trade-in status.)

Backing up your iPhone

As mentioned above, It's a good idea to have an up-to-date backup of all your data saved in iCloud, your laptop or any other local/cloud storage. Backing up your phone to iCloud Backup is probably the easiest. If it's been a while and you want to make sure backup is turned on in your phone's iCloud settings:

• Tap Settings > Top button [your name] > iCloud > iCloud Backup.
• If “iCloud Backup” is off, activate it. If it's already on and you're getting ready to erase data from your old iPhone, tap “Back up now” to ensure everything goes perfectly and you don't miss any important information.

You can also back up your iPhone to a computer: for your Mac using the Finder (if your Mac is using a version of macOS earlier than 10.15, you'll use iTunes) or for a Windows PC (again, using iTunes).

Erasing iPhone data

Once you're sure all your data is stored – and you've transferred all your data to your new phone – it's time to erase your old phone.

First, you'll want to make sure you've eliminated a few identifiable features:

• Disable Find my iPhone accessing the icon Settings > Find My > Find My iPhone and disabling the options Find My iPhone and Find My Network.
• Unpair all devices from your phone, including your Apple Watch.
• Disable iMessages (just in case).

Next, you need to sign out of your Apple ID:

• Select “Settings” > top button [your name] > “Exit” (at the bottom of the page).
• Enter your Apple ID password.
• You will be asked if you want to keep a copy of your data on this iPhone. Assuming you have backed up everything and are about to erase the data on your phone, there is no need to activate.
• Tap "To go out" in the upper right corner and then again in "He is sure?" pop-up window.

Finally, get ready to delete it:

• Remove the SIM card from the phone.
• Go in “Settings” > “General” > “Transfer or Reset iPhone” and select “Delete All Content and Settings”.

Clean your iPhone's exterior

Before you even think about selling your phone, make sure it looks its best. Remove the box and/or any stickers and assess any damage you can see, including scratches or dents, which you will need to report when you sell the phone. Then clean your phone using a screen cleaner. (You may want to leave the screen protector installed if it is in good condition.)

It's also a good idea to take photos from your phone. You will need them to post it when selling the phone online; Additionally, they are useful in case the recipient reports additional damage.

Where to sell or trade in your old iPhone?

There are a variety of places you can try to sell your used phone. Some of them are listed here, along with estimates I received for a good-condition iPhone 11 with 256GB of storage.

The first thing you should think about is changing your phone to Apple. This can be especially useful if you haven't purchased your new iPhone yet and want to see if can save a little on the new device. If you have already purchased your new phone, you can access the Apple trade-in page and see how much your phone is worth. Please note that in return you will receive a Gift Card for future Apple purchases. The asking price for the iPhone 11 was US$$390 in trade-in value at the time of publication.

And, of course, there is the Free market. Selling here can be a little complicated, but basically you get up to 250 listings for free each month; After selling your item, there is a fee of 10.2% plus a transaction fee that depends on your seller profile on the platform.

Places where you can sell your phone for free (except, of course, for shipping fees) include Facebook Marketplace, Local Ad Groups, WhatsApp Groups among others.

Make the sale or exchange safely!

Most of these transactions occur by mail. However, if you decide to make the transaction in person, it is safer to meet in a public place – and these days, if you're worried about infection, do it outdoors in a park or other public space, or in a cafe or other indoor location that follows current safety recommendations.

And if you decide that you don't want to sell or exchange your old phone, there are other things you can do with it, including use it as a webcam or let it be your kids' first adult phone.

Whatever you decide to do with your old phone, first make sure you're happy with your new one. You don't want to have to return that new phone because of problems (or because you just don't like it) and suddenly find yourself desperately looking for a temporary replacement.

If you have any questions or want to know more information, comment below so we can help you. Success!