How to check a used iPhone before you buy it

Before you buy a phone from a customer, or before you sell one, you want to know whether it is locked to someone else, managed by a company, and in what state the battery and the parts are. The verification report reads all of this from the phone in one go, adds the tests you do by hand and saves the result as a PDF. It is part of Pro.

Make the report

1. Connect the iPhone, unlock it and tap Trust.
2. Click Verification in the sidebar. BenchDock reads the phone; that takes a few seconds.
3. Check the score and the items that need attention.
4. Do the function tests on the tab Function tests if you want them in the report.
5. Click Save report to keep it, and Save as PDF for the customer or your records.

The score

The card on the left shows a score out of 100 with a headline such as No issues found or 2 items need attention. The score drops for every item that needs attention. Below it, BenchDock says how many items could be checked, for example 20 of 29 items could be checked. Items the phone does not return stay Unknown.

Read again reads the phone again, for example after the seller turned off Find My.

What the report checks

Ownership and management

With Find My on, the phone has Activation Lock: after a reset it asks for the owner's Apple Account. Have the owner turn off Find My before you pay, and check it on the phone under Settings → (name) → Find My.

Battery

Components

BenchDock compares the serial number the battery reports now with the factory record, where the phone returns both: Matches factory record or Differs from factory record. From iOS 17.4, the factory records of the other parts are no longer available over USB. They show as Not comparable; check them on the phone under Settings → General → About → Parts and Service History.

Identity and storage

Model, capacity, model number, sales region, regulatory model, serial number, IMEI, logic board serial, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth address. Under Storage, a phone with less than 2 GB free needs attention: updates and backups need space.

Function tests

The tab Function tests lists sixteen checks you do by hand, each with a short instruction:

• Display quality, touchscreen and Face ID or Touch ID.
• Front camera, rear cameras and flash, microphones, receiver and loudspeaker.
• Buttons and vibration, USB port and wired charging, wireless charging.
• Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, mobile network, proximity and orientation.
• Housing and connectors, liquid damage indicators.

Mark each one Passed, Issue found or Skip. The answers are saved with the report. For Face ID and charging, the Face ID check and the charging test in the Toolbox give you measured values.

Saved reports

The tab Saved reports lists every saved report with the model, serial number, date and result: No blocking issues, Attention needed, Blocked: resolve before purchase or Not checked. Export saves a report as text.

Before you pay

A few things only the phone itself can show. The report reminds you of the first three:

1. Activation Lock: Find My must be off. Have the owner show you that it is off before you pay.
2. Carrier lock: check Network Provider Lock under Settings → General → About, and make a call with the SIM the buyer will use.
3. Parts and Service History: check which parts were replaced and whether they are genuine.
4. Panic logs: a phone that restarts by itself leaves panic logs. Read them before you buy.

Questions

Does the report show whether a phone is blacklisted or reported stolen?

No. BenchDock reads the phone itself and checks nothing online. Check the IMEI with the carrier or an IMEI service.

Can I hide the serial number on the PDF?

Yes. Click Hide serials at the top of the page before you save the PDF. Serial numbers, IMEI numbers and addresses are then masked.