Phone Selling Checklist: 12 Steps Before You Sell
Selling your old phone is easy money — but skipping the prep work can cost you. Forget to remove your accounts and the buyer may not be able to activate the phone at all. Price it wrong and you leave cash on the table. Follow this phone selling checklist in order and you’ll protect your data, get a fair price, and avoid the returns and disputes that trip up first-time sellers.
Prepare the Phone
1. Check what you owe and whether it’s paid off
If you bought your phone on a carrier installment plan, check your account balance before listing it. A phone that still has payments owed on it is usually flagged as financed, and many buyback sites and marketplaces will reject it or slash the offer once they run the IMEI. Paying it off first almost always nets you more than the balance you cleared.
2. Check the carrier lock status
A phone that’s still locked to AT&T, T-Mobile, or Verizon is worth less than an unlocked one, because the buyer can only use it on that network. Check the lock status in your phone’s settings (on iPhone: Settings > General > About > Carrier Lock) or by trying another carrier’s SIM. If you meet your carrier’s requirements — phone paid off, account in good standing — you can usually request a free unlock, and unlocked phones consistently sell for more. If your phone stays locked, you still have options: read our guide on how to sell a carrier-locked phone.
3. Gather the accessories and the box
Original box, charger, cable, and any unused accessories make your listing look complete and can nudge the price up. If you still have the receipt or proof of purchase, keep it handy — some buyers and buyback sites ask for it, and it reassures private buyers the phone isn’t stolen.
4. Photograph everything honestly
Take clear photos in daylight: front, back, all four corners, the charging port, and the screen turned on. Photograph scratches and dents instead of hiding them. Honest photos are the single best defense against “item not as described” claims and lowball renegotiations after the sale.
Protect Your Data
5. Back everything up
Back up photos, videos, contacts, and messages to iCloud, Google One, or your computer before you touch anything else. Once the phone is wiped, there’s no getting your data back. If you’re switching platforms, export anything that doesn’t transfer automatically, like WhatsApp chats or authenticator codes.
6. Sign out of every account
Sign out of iCloud/Apple ID or your Google account, plus Samsung, banking, and password-manager apps. On iPhone, turning off Find My and signing out of iCloud removes Activation Lock — leave it on and the buyer gets a paperweight and you get a chargeback. On Android, removing your Google account prevents Factory Reset Protection from blocking the new owner.
7. Unpair watches and accessories
Unpair your smartwatch, earbuds, and any Bluetooth accessories. Unpairing an Apple Watch also removes its Activation Lock. It’s a small step that’s easy to forget and annoying to fix after the phone has shipped.
8. Factory reset — then check the IMEI
Do a full factory reset from settings, remove the SIM card and any microSD card, and wipe the card separately if you plan to include it (better: keep it). Finally, write down the IMEI (dial *#06#) and run it through a free blacklist checker. A clean IMEI is proof your phone can be activated, and it’s the first thing serious buyers check.
Price It Right
9. Research what your model actually sells for
Look up completed — not asking — prices for your exact model, storage size, and condition on marketplaces, and get instant quotes from two or three buyback sites. Storage and condition move the price far more than color. As a rough guide, phones in mint condition with the box typically fetch the top of the range, while cracked screens can cut the value significantly.
10. Decide: trade in, buyback, or sell privately
Each route trades money for effort. Carrier and manufacturer trade-ins are the least work but pay in bill credits and usually value your phone lower. Buyback sites pay cash and cover shipping, with mid-range prices. Selling privately on a marketplace typically pays the most but costs you time and comes with more risk. Our sell your phone page walks through the main options for US sellers.
Sell Safely
11. Write an honest, complete listing
State the model, storage, carrier or unlocked status, battery health (iPhone shows this in Settings), IMEI status, and every flaw you photographed. Mention exactly what’s included. Clear listings attract serious buyers and give you solid ground if a dispute opens later.
12. Ship smart and keep your records
For shipped sales, use the platform’s own label or a tracked, insured service, and require a signature on higher-value phones. Never accept checks, gift cards, or overpayment offers, and don’t move the conversation off-platform. Keep your tracking number, the IMEI, and screenshots of the listing until the money is fully settled and the return window has closed.
Frequently Asked Questions
Should I unlock my phone before selling it?
If you can, yes. Unlocking is usually free once the phone is paid off and your account meets the carrier’s requirements, and an unlocked phone appeals to buyers on every network — which typically means a higher price and a faster sale. If unlocking isn’t possible, be upfront about the lock status and price accordingly.
Will a factory reset remove all my personal data?
A factory reset on a modern iPhone or Android phone encrypts and erases your data, and it’s considered safe as long as you sign out of your accounts first. Signing out is the critical step: it removes Activation Lock or Factory Reset Protection so the buyer can actually use the phone.
What lowers a phone’s resale value the most?
Cracked screens and backs, poor battery health, carrier locks, and missing accessories are the biggest deductions, in roughly that order. A financed phone with money still owed can be unsellable through most channels until it’s paid off.