How to know if an iPhone is refurbished

Refurbished iPhones are available in the market at low rates and are sometimes even certified by Apple Inc. itself. These are specifically the phones that have been returned by their previous owners due to some kind of software glitch or device problems (ranging from breaks and scratches to bigger hardware problems). Apple takes away these devices from the market, repairs them, replaces faulty parts and resells them. Most of the refurbished products are fully functional and operational but available at a low price. This makes refurbished phones a popular choice among buyers.

Now, there could be cases when the retailer would be selling you a refurbished iPhone, stating it to be a completely new package. Some cases have also been reported where a refurbished iPhone still has the inherent problems of software and hardware. Whatever it is, as a buyer, you need to know what you are paying for. Even if you are actually looking for a refurbished phone, you need to know that it is fully functional and operational.

From the outside, the packaging of a refurbished iPhone would look just like an original (read unused) one. However, there are certain tricks to identify refurbishments.

Look for the Apple certified seal 

The Apple certification seal will rightly indicate if your iPhone has been tested and worked upon by Apple technicians. 

Check the package carefully 

Refurbished phones come only in all white boxes or no box at all. For this, you can go to an original Apple store, check out their packaging and match it with the refurbished packaging you have eyes on. 

Checking the serial number 

The serial number contains a lot of information than you can imagine. Follow the steps below: 

After turning on the phone, go to Settings > General > About > Serial number (fourth last in the list). You can also get the serial number by turning off the phone, taking out the SIM and the serial number should be printed on the SIM tray.

Now, if your phone has been worked upon by Apple technicians, the first digit of the refurbished device would be 5. Further, the thirds digit in the serial number represents the year of manufacturing. If the number is 7, it means that the phone was manufactured in 2007. The different between the year of manufacture and the year you are buying it should help address queries. Lastly, the fourth and the fifth digits will indicate the week (pertaining to the year of manufacturing) of production.

Check for the space where the Apple seal features itself 

For devices like iPhone 4S, 5, 5S, 6 and 6S, the Apple certification seal should be at the bottom of the box. Anything otherwise would mean that the seller is trying to do something strange. 

If you have the budget, it is always advisable to go for new devices than refurbished ones. However, if you have brought home a refurbished device by mistake, you are stuck with it. This should also work fine, but do ensure:

1. That the battery is new and working. Old batteries come with reduced battery life.
2. Don’t try running unnecessary apps.
3. Add extra screen protection solutions (screen guards, covers, etc)
4. Never go for third party software, even if it is for things like virus protection
 

A well refurbished iPhone is as good as a new one. However, as a customer, you should ensure that your investment doesn’t go in the wrong way.