With an original iPhone, your second-hand device can still be covered by Apple’s warranty for repairs or factory defect recalls. Here are some methods to find out if your pre-loved iPhone still has all its original parts.
Watch Out for Notifications
With iOS 13.1 and later, Apple started issuing warnings to users with iPhones that have non-genuine parts. While this usually appears as a notification on the Lock Screen, you can also go to Settings > General > About.
Should your device have non-genuine parts, it will show a warning that says, “Unable to verify this iPhone has a genuine Apple [part].” This is likely to happen for iPhones with aftermarket or fake displays.
With iOS 14.1 and later, iPhones with non-Apple authorized camera replacements will also show “Unable to verify this iPhone has a genuine Apple camera.”
Currently, this alert doesn’t cover all parts of an iPhone. However, the camera and display are two of the most common iPhone parts with repair issues.
Open the Battery Health Settings
Even for iPhones with genuine parts, battery health naturally degrades with time and use. However, poor battery life can also be a sign that your device has been tampered with.
Battery health declining at an unusual rate can sometimes be an indication that your device is working harder to compensate for non-genuine parts. Fake parts often work at a level that may be usable, but not sustainable in the long term for your iPhone.
In 2021, Apple released an update that allowed all iPhone models released from 2018 onwards to show an alert for non-genuine batteries. If you bought a pre-loved iPhone XS, XS Max, XR, or later, you will get this warning automatically.
The alert reads, “Unable to verify this iPhone has a genuine Apple battery. Health information not available for this battery.”
Once Apple has identified non-genuine parts, it will keep the warning on your Lock Screen for four days and in Settings for 15 days. You can also check Settings > Battery > Battery Health at any time.
Look at the Liquid Detection Indicators
Every generation of iPhone has built-in water sensors located inside the SIM card tray slot, as explained on the Apple Support website. For older iPhone models, the liquid sensor is also present inside the headphone jack or charging dock connector. Most fake iPhone makers will not go as far as to copy liquid detection indicators because few people bother to check them.
In general, Apple uses a white indicator, but it will turn red or pink once it has come in contact with water. Liquid detection indicators help identify if your pre-loved phone has experienced water damage before and is at risk of corrosion.
If you determine that your iPhone has experienced water damage, it likely also has a history of repairs from non-authorized service providers. Apple-certified repair centers are only allowed to replace the entire device if it has come into contact with liquid, not individual parts.
Take Your iPhone to Apple
When all else fails and you’re still not sure if your device is legit or not, Apple can tell you for sure.
Schedule an evaluation with your nearest Apple Store or Apple-authorized repair center to get a confirmation. To schedule a session with Apple, go to the Apple Support page and select Start a repair request, then select iPhone as the device you want to repair.
On the next page, it will ask you to enter the issue you have with your device. There is no direct way to ask if your device has fake parts, but you can opt to select The topic is not listed and type in your concern.
After, you can choose to either set up a chat with Apple Support or schedule a repair visit. You will be required to enter the IMEI number of your iPhone to confirm your appointment.
The Benefits of Using Apple Service Providers
Once you are a certified Apple iPhone owner, it’s important to avoid getting any future repairs with third-party providers. There is always a chance that they not only use fake parts for their repairs, but also steal the working parts and replace them without your consent.
While it may appear cheaper and your iPhone may work for a while, non-genuine parts run the risk of affecting the rest of your device. With so many iPhone models on the market, a non-Apple-trained technician may also install used, damaged, or incorrect parts for your model.
The damage that fake parts can cause includes issues with the screen and battery. Fake iPhone parts can even cause explosions.
By using only Apple-authorized service providers, the repair of your device is guaranteed to use only original parts. Should there be any issues with the quality of the repair, or recalls due to manufacturing errors, Apple is also likely going to foot the bill.
Alternatives to Buying iPhones Second-Hand
Apple has been known to make older models obsolete by refusing software updates for them, so a new iPhone model can be a better investment if you are looking to use your iPhone for a long time.
While an older iPhone model can appear cheap, you are likely to get fewer years with it. In fact, Apple has been expanding its product line to include iPhones with the newest technology at more affordable pricing.
However, it is also completely understandable why some people would prefer to buy pre-loved phones on principle. Electronic waste is a large contributor to climate issues. In addition, some people just really prefer certain features, like the headphone jack, that are no longer offered with new iPhones.
Buying second-hand devices will always have its problems, especially when you buy iPhones online. If it is not possible for you to do a full evaluation of the device, it’s best to hold off until you can. While there are still ways to get around it, there are plenty of issues with preloved devices that are not as apparent until the device is in front of you.
Make Sure Your iPhone Is Genuine
If you’re set on buying pre-loved, you can opt for an Apple-certified refurbished model instead. Not only can you be sure that it will have original parts, but it is likely still covered by an Apple warranty for any defects or manufacturing issues that are beyond your control.
