Apple on Monday unveiled the iPhone 17e, its newest lower-cost smartphone. If you’ve been hanging on to an older iPhone, but don’t have an extra $1,000 to spend on a new one, the $599 iPhone 17e could be your best bet. Plus, you can save even more by trading in an aging device.
However, that requires more than just handing over your iPhone 11 or 13 and waiting for cash to hit your bank account. Wiping your phone is a must, as is backing up your data just in case the transfer doesn’t go as planned. Below is our step-by-step guide to properly preparing your phone for sale and where to sell it.
1. Back Up Everything
First, make sure you don’t lose your data. Back everything up before you wipe it from your phone. To back up to iCloud from your device, go to Settings, select your name, and then choose iCloud > iCloud Backup > Back Up Now.
To back up to your Mac, connect your iPhone and your computer via a cable or Wi-Fi. If you have macOS Catalina or later, go to Finder, select your iPhone, and then choose General > Back Up All of the Data on Your iPhone to This Mac > Back Up Now. If you have an earlier version or a Windows PC, you’d use iTunes. Open the program, click on the image of your phone, then select Summary > Back Up Now.
(Credit: PCMag/Apple)
2. Unfind Your iPhone
Apple’s Find My app can sometimes block activation by a new owner, so you should deactivate the app before you ditch the device. Though Find My is automatically deactivated when you erase all content and settings, which you’ll do below, this is still a good step to take as a precaution. Go to Settings, select your name, then choose Find My and disable it for that device. Enter your Apple Account password and tap Turn Off.
(Credit: Apple)
3. Sign Out of Messages
More than a decade ago, people who switched from iOS to Android without logging out of Messages on their iPhone found that texts were going to the old phone. The problem has since been fixed, but those still scarred by “iMessage purgatory” may want to go to Settings > Apps > Messages and disable iMessage.
(Credit: PCMag/Apple)
4. Unpair Your AirPods
Similarly, you can still connect your AirPods to a new iPhone without unpairing them from the old one, but it can’t hurt to wipe the slate clean. Place your AirPods and iPhone near each other, then go to Settings > Bluetooth. Tap the information icon next to your AirPods, and select Forget this Device.
(Credit: Apple)
5. Unpair Your Apple Watch
If you have an Apple Watch, save yourself a potential headache and unpair it from the iPhone you’ll be selling. Place them near each other, then open the Apple Watch app on your phone. Go to My Watch > All Watches and select the info circle next to the watch you want to unpair. Tap Unpair Apple Watch and then confirm, which may require you to enter your Apple Account password.
With a GPS + Cellular model, you’re asked whether you want to keep or remove your cellular plan. Since you’re selling the iPhone, you’ll want to remove it. (If you don’t plan to pair your watch with a new iPhone, you might need to contact your carrier to cancel.) Tap to confirm; you might need to enter your Apple Account password to disable Activation Lock.
(Credit: Apple)
6. Sign Out of iCloud
You should sign out of iCloud, iTunes, and the App Store before selling your device. Tap Settings, select your name, and choose Sign Out. Enter your Apple Account password and tap Turn Off.
(Credit: Apple)
7. Wipe Your iPhone and Delete Data
When your new phone is set up and you’re ready to trade in or sell your old iPhone, head to Settings > General > Transfer or Reset iPhone > Erase All Content and Settings, then approve all subsequent prompts.
8. Remove the SIM Card (If You Have One)
Apple went the eSIM route starting with the iPhone 14 lineup, but older devices will have a physical SIM card. In most cases, you can just deactivate your cellphone service on the device and trade it in with the SIM card intact. But that SIM card is the repository of your phone number, various bits of security data, and all the info needed for billing. It identifies you, your phone, and a lot of your activity on your phone. So you should remove it before you sell the phone.
Fortunately, it’s simple. Locate the SIM ejector on your phone, then insert a paper clip until the tray pops out. Remove the SIM card, replace the tray, and say goodbye to your old iPhone.
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(Credit: Apple)
The Best Places to Sell Your Phone
I’ve also included some of the best sites for selling or trading in your phone. Some make it easy to send in your phone and get immediate cash, others let you control the price through bidding, and there are even options for receiving store credit from places you shop. To give you an idea of your trade-in power, I priced out what you can expect to get for an iPhone 15 Pro across all of them, and it varies wildly, as you’ll see below.
You can also trade your phone in with your existing carrier or switch to a new one. Many offer compelling trade-in promotions, so be sure to check out AT&T, T-Mobile, Verizon, and others.
Apple Trade In
(Credit: Apple)
The Apple Trade In program pays you with a credit or gift card. If you pay for an Apple device in full up-front, a credit will be applied to your payment card once Apple receives your trade-in device and verifies its condition. If you’re paying on an installment plan, the credit will be applied right away. Turning in an iPhone 15 Pro can get you up to $375 on a new iPhone.
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(Credit: Best Buy)
Best Buy
If you’re selling your iPhone and just want cash to buy electronics, you can cut out a step at Best Buy: Trade in your phone at a store or mail it in for a digital gift card. For a Black Titanium 512GB iPhone 15 Pro on Verizon in good condition, expect to get about $275.
eBay
(Credit: eBay)
To sell your device yourself, there’s always eBay. The site has a quick walkthrough where you can input your phone’s stats. After entering my example device, a Black Titanium 512GB iPhone 15 Pro in good condition on Verizon, the page recommended that I list the phone at $510.
GameStop
(Credit: GameStop)
Are most of your iPhone apps games? Then you’ll probably do well to turn in your iPhone in for some store credit at GameStop. You can also get cold, hard cash for it there. Bring your device to your nearest GameStop, get a price quote from a sales associate, and then receive store credit or cash on the spot. I recommend getting an estimate on the site before you make the trip. I found that a 512GB iPhone 15 Pro from Verizon in very good condition will get you $227.48 in cash or $252.75 in store credit.
Swappa
(Credit: Swappa)
Swappa is a marketplace where you can sell your iPhone directly. Select your phone model on the site, upload some photos, and set a price. Once someone buys it, you’re paid immediately via PayPal. You’re responsible for safely shipping your phone to the buyer. According to the site, an iPhone 15 Pro is selling for an average price of $544, while a trade-in to one of Swappa’s partners could get me $311.
uSell
(Credit: uSell)
Want to sell your iPhone fast? One option is uSell. Select your model, carrier, capacity, and condition to receive an offer. If you choose to accept it, you ship your iPhone to uSell for free. If your device is in the condition you said it was, you’re paid by check or PayPal. A 512GB iPhone 15 Pro on Verizon in good condition is currently worth about $268.
Editors’ Note: Trade-in values were accurate at the time of publication. Your mileage may vary.
Chandra Steele contributed to this story
About Our Expert
Jason Cohen
Senior Editor, Help & How To
Experience
As PCMag’s editor of how to content, I have to cover a wide variety of topics and also make our stories accessible to everyday users. Considering my history as a technical writer, copywriter, and all-around freelancer covering baseball, comics, and more at various outlets, I am used to making myself into an expert.
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My job as how-to guru means I use just about every gadget under the sun, so I can figure out how everything works. I work from a Lenovo ThinkPad running Windows 11, but also have a very large Dell Inspiron 17 3000 and Apple silicon MacBook. I also have a Google Pixel 6a for personal use and use a Galaxy Z Flip 4 for additional Samsung-related testing. For iOS coverage, an iPhone 13 mini works like a charm, though it’s already becoming a little long in the tooth.
My desktop situation includes a dual monitor setup with a modest Acer monitor. I also use a Logitech mouse (who can use these ThinkPad trackpads) and a Havit keyboard (my first mechanical keyboard; I love it but my wife hates it!). I’m a recent convert from wired headphones; I have Anker Soundcore Liberty Air wireless earbuds for personal use and have taken to the Sennheiser HD 450BT headphones for work.
Whenever I have a second to myself, I’m probably gaming on my Nintendo Switch, Steam Deck, or Xbox Series S. I also still have a bunch of classic consoles lying around as well.
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