Before you go: agree the basics
Most wasted trips happen because buyer and dealer meant different things. Before you travel, confirm the exact model and storage, the colour, the condition, and what's included (box, charger, cable). Ask what battery health the phone has, and say the lowest you'll accept.
"UK used" isn't a single grade. Some dealers sort their stock into grades by how it looks; ask what their grades mean, and ask for photos of the actual phone, not a stock picture. Finally, tell the dealer you'll need a few minutes to test it at the store. A good dealer expects this.
Bring your own SIM card, a charging cable you trust and, if you can, a second phone with a torch. That's all you need for the checks below.
1. Check the IMEI and serial number
The IMEI is the phone's unique identity. Open the dialler and type *#06#. Then open Settings › General › About and compare the IMEI and serial number there. If the phone has its box, the numbers on the box label should match too.
A mismatch doesn't always mean the phone is stolen (boxes get swapped in the trade), but it does mean you should ask questions. You can also enter the serial number on Apple's Check Coverage website to confirm the model and see whether it's still under warranty.
2. Make sure iCloud and Find My are off
This is the single most important check. An iPhone with Activation Lock can't be set up by anyone except the original owner, and there's no legitimate way around it. It isn't a problem you can fix later.
- Open Settings. At the top, there should be no one signed in, just the option to sign in to your iPhone.
- If someone is signed in, the dealer must sign out and turn off Find My in front of you.
- Best of all, ask the dealer to erase the phone: Settings › General › Transfer or Reset iPhone › Erase All Content and Settings. When it restarts, go through setup far enough to confirm there's no Activation Lock screen asking for someone else's Apple ID.
Also look out for a "Remote Management" screen during setup. That means the phone is enrolled in a company's device management and may be locked to them.
3. Read the battery health
Go to Settings › Battery › Battery Health (called Battery Health & Charging on newer iOS versions). Maximum Capacity shows how much charge the battery holds compared with when it was new. If it says "Service", the battery needs replacing.
On the iPhone 15 and later, Settings › General › About also shows the battery's cycle count. A lower number means less wear. If the battery shows as "Unknown part", it has been replaced with a non-Apple battery. That may be fine, but it should be reflected in the price.
4. Look for replaced parts
On recent iPhones and iOS versions, Settings › General › About includes a Parts and Service History section. It lists parts that have been replaced, such as the screen, battery or camera, and whether they are genuine Apple parts. If the section isn't there, the phone may not support it, or no parts have been flagged.
A replaced screen isn't automatically bad news. What matters is that you know about it and the price reflects it. A missing True Tone option in Control Center or Settings › Display & Brightness can also be a sign that the screen has been changed.
5. Test the screen, cameras and everything you touch
- Screen: open a plain white image and a plain dark one. Look for dead spots, lines, yellow patches or pressure marks. Drag an app icon slowly across the whole screen to check touch everywhere.
- Face ID or Touch ID: set it up and use it to unlock a few times.
- Cameras: take photos and a short video with each rear lens and the front camera. Check focus, and that the flash works.
- Sound: make a call on speaker, record a voice note and play it back. Test the earpiece too.
- Buttons and switch: volume, side button and the mute switch or Action button.
- Charging: plug in and check it charges steadily. Wiggle the cable gently. A loose port is common.
- Body: look at the frame and back glass in good light for cracks, dents and signs it has been opened, such as marked screws near the charging port.
6. Check the network and SIM
Put in your own SIM, make a call and browse on mobile data. Then open Settings › General › About and look for Carrier Lock (Network Provider Lock on some versions). It should say "No SIM restrictions". Otherwise the phone is locked to a foreign network.
Know your models: iPhones sold in the US from the iPhone 14 onwards have no physical SIM tray and use eSIM only. They work in Nigeria only if your network supports eSIM on that model. UK models still have a SIM tray. If you're buying for customers who use physical SIMs, say so in your request.
Paying and what to agree
When the phone passes, pay the dealer directly, at their store if you can. Ask for a receipt that shows the model, storage, condition and IMEI. Agree what happens if a fault appears in the first days, and get it in writing, even if it's just a WhatsApp message.
Dealrs doesn't take payment between buyers and dealers, so be wary of anyone who asks you to pay a third party "on behalf of Dealrs". Our verification page has more safe-trading tips.
Buying several iPhones at once
If you're buying a batch for resale, the account-lock and IMEI checks apply to every single unit, not a sample. Battery health, screen and camera checks can be sampled if you trust the dealer, but agree in advance what happens with units that fail.
Record each IMEI against what you paid. It makes returns and your own resale much easier. In the Dealer Hub you can keep that stock in a ledger and invoice your own customers from it. For more on buying in quantity, read how to buy electronics in bulk from Lagos markets safely.
Finding UK-used iPhones through Dealrs
On Dealrs you can post a buy request with the model, storage, condition, minimum battery health and quantity. The Dealrs team finds verified dealers who have the phones, many of them in Computer Village and Saka Tinubu, and gets back to you. See more on buying phones and tablets in bulk.