How to tell if an iPhone is refurbished?

If you purchase a refurbished device from Apple, it will come packaged as new - see the "refurbishment process FAQ" at Certified Refurbished - Apple. Apple OEM factory refurbished items also come with a full one year warranty and are eligible for AppleCare extended warranty products.

So assuming that device came from Apple itself and their refurbished and clearance store, then there is nothing to explain.

Michael,

it was bought in one of Polish electronics supermarkets called Saturn.

Everything was OK - I got an invoice and even added the +1 years extended warranty.

I didn't even use it cause it was clicking when the home button was pressed so I took it to official retailer Cortland and they gave me a "new" device plus the confirmation on paper that it was replaced.

On the confirmation there are serial numbers of "new" device and the replaced one - both start with an "F" and this worries me...

Is there any chance that the regular supermarket sells refurbished iPhones?

Thanks, Marcin

So...

Can you tell me how is that possible that I got an iPhone 7 Plus, original box, all foils on its place and the serial number starts with "F"?

Thanks in advance, Marcin

There is no real way to tell if a device is refurbished, although refurbished devices do not come in the regular retail boxes. If Apple does not sell in your country, the only way to be sure if you are getting a "new" device is to purchase from Apple or an Authorized Apple Reseller, If you but from somewhere else, you are at risk. Apple does sell some refurbished devices in some countries, but those are usually older devices.

Then you are in a predicament. That would mean that anything sold in your country is what is considered a gray market device. It is sold in another location, intended for use in another location, and only warrantied in another location. Whatever you by, refurbished is the least of your worries.

iPhones refurbished by Apple have no identifying marks as to their status.

Apple's stringent refurbishment process is so exhaustive, in most cases the refurbished iPhone will be better than a new one. They check the iPhones over several times to make sure everything works. A Refurbished iPhone will have the same warranty a new one carries. There is no real reason to identify them, because there's no reason to think refurbished iPhones by Apple would be in any way inferior to brand new ones. They are exactly the same.

If its new in a sealed box, its unlikely to be refurbished. As the only way to get a refurbished iPhone would be as a replacement for one with a factory issue, and most people would need to open it up immediately to be used.

Buying in a country with no real Apple resellers, means you will not have any warranty support at all.

THe iPhone being refurbished or not should be the least of your worries.

Actually it is very simple to tell if the device is refurbished by Apple.

Lok at the first Letter of the model number

• "

  F

  ": refurbished unit
• "

  M

  ": retail unit
• "

  N

  ": replacement unit
• "

  P

  ": personalized (engraved) unit

DOC1994 wrote:

Hi, I'm buying an iPhone 6S next week and I wouldn't like to end up with my hands on a refurbished phone. I'd like to buy right from an Apple Store, but Apple doesn't sell iPhones in my country. There must be some way to tell if an iPhone (just the iPhone) is refurbished or brand new. It's a bad move from Apple to don't make it clear. Change the "about" info is a hard task, but making a replica of the box seems to be plausible, not to mention the regular plastic seal that covers it.

So buy a refurbished iPhone, make a replica of the original box (or found a way to change the stickers) and papers, and sell it as brad new because nobody will tell the difference.

Is that easy?

Note: this IS actually happening.

If there are no Apple retail stores NOR Apple authorized resellers in your country, then anything at all you buy is inherently going to be at best a used device purchased in another country, and at worst a stolen device from another country. In your case, you have little, if any, way of telling if what you are buying is a genuine Apple used device, a stolen device, a salvaged device from parts, or an outright counterfeit device.

And yes, counterfeit devices can be very cleverly designed and packaged.

hey I just bought a iPhone 6s 64 gb and my model no starts with M so it's a retail until as per your instructions how did you got this details

How did get this info

Hi mate,

If it is N for the model, will the iphone still a refurbished set ? Thanks. - ZA88

If they are not an Apple Authorized reseller, yes. They can buy refurbished from Apple or private sellers and resell them.