Guide

Selling a broken phone

Name: Manchester PC
Address: Jactin House, 24 Hood Street, Ancoats, Manchester, Manchester, M4 6WX, GB
Telephone: 0161 820 1992
Price range: ££
Rating: 4.9

Cracked, slow to charge or not turning on at all, a broken phone can still be worth an offer if it is complete. This guide covers what to tell us about the screen, battery and faults, and the account locks that must come off before a sale.

Get an offer for your device Call Us: 0161 820 1992 Talk to Us

Screen damage: glass or display?

It helps to know whether the damage is to the glass only or to the display underneath:

Glass only: cracks you can see and feel, but the picture underneath is clear and touch works everywhere.
Display damage: lines, black or coloured patches, bleeding colour, flicker, or areas that do not respond to touch.
Burn-in: a faint image, such as the keyboard or status bar, that stays visible on a plain background.

Photograph the screen switched on (a plain white or grey background shows faults best) and switched off at an angle, so both kinds of damage are visible. Mention cracked back glass or camera lenses too.

Battery condition

On an iPhone, Settings, then Battery shows the battery health as a percentage, or a service message. Some Android phones show battery health under Battery or Device care; others do not show it at all, in which case just tell us how long a charge lasts.

If the screen is lifting away from the frame, or the back is bulging, the battery may be swollen. Stop charging the phone, keep it somewhere cool and tell us in the form before anything else is arranged.

Other faults to mention

Will not turn on, or stuck on the logo.
Will not charge, or only charges at a certain angle.
Face ID, Touch ID or fingerprint not working.
Cameras that do not focus, show spots or will not open.
No sound from the speaker or earpiece, or a microphone that others cannot hear.
Buttons that do not click, or no mobile signal.
Liquid damage: what it was, and when.

Has it been repaired before?

Tell us about any repairs or replaced parts: we assess these individually. An official repair, such as an Apple battery replacement, need not rule a phone out; poor-quality or undisclosed repairs, such as a badly fitted replacement screen, usually will. If you bought it second-hand, you may not know its history. On recent iPhones, Settings, then General, then About shows a “Parts and Service History” section when parts have been replaced. If you see it, or you know of a repair, mention it in the form.

Account locks and blocked phones

iPhone: Activation Lock

While Find My is on, the iPhone is tied to your Apple Account and nobody else can set it up. Sign out of your Apple Account before a sale. If the phone will not turn on, sign in at iCloud.com, open Find Devices and remove the iPhone from your account.

Android: Google account protection

If an Android phone is reset while a Google account is still on it, it asks for that account’s details before it can be used again. Remove your Google account (and Samsung account, on Samsung phones) before resetting. The preparation guide has the steps.

Network locks and blocked phones

Tell us whether the phone is unlocked or tied to a network. A phone that has been blocked by a network, for example after being reported lost or stolen, or because of an unpaid contract, is not something we can buy. If you are unsure, check with your network first.

We will never ask for your passcode, Apple Account password or Google password.

Photos for a broken phone

The front with the screen on and off.
The back, and all four edges of the frame.
The camera lenses, close up.
A screenshot of the battery health screen, if the phone works.

Turn on Do Not Disturb first so no messages appear on screen. You do not need to show the IMEI or serial number.

More about selling to us

Sell a Mobile Phone Prepare Your Device What We Buy How It Works

Get an offer for your phone

Send us the details and a few photos. If it is something we can use, we will email you an offer. There is no obligation to accept.

Get an offer for your device Call Us: 0161 820 1992 Talk to Us

Any offer we make is based on the details and photos you send, and is valid for seven days. It is subject to us checking the device when we receive it and confirming it matches your description.