Buying an iPhone Air? How to Prep Your Old Device for Sale and Get the Most Cash

Apple’s lineup of iPhone 17 models has been announced, with the new iPhone Air taking center stage as the company’s slimmest phone yet. The full lineup will be available to preorder on Sept. 12 before officially launching on Sept. 19. While many are likely to jump to upgrade in record time, a new phone is expensive! Chances are, you may need to trade in or sell your old device just to afford the new one.

The new iPhone Air starts at $999, which is $100 more expensive than the Plus model it replaces. Meanwhile, the standard iPhone 17 is $799 for 256GB and $999 for 512GB. If you want one of the Pro models, you’ll need to pay a minimum of $1,099 for 256GB. The Pro Max could set you back as much as $1,999 for the 2TB model.

If you’re planning to upgrade, you could sell or trade in your old iPhone to make a dent in the price of a new one. But that entails more than just handing it over 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.

Step #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)

Step #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)

Step #3: Sign Out of Messages

For a while, people who ditched their iPhones without logging out of Messages were not receiving texts from other iOS users. Any messages sent from one iPhone to another were being received by the old phone, rather than the new device. The problem is now fixable and affects only those switching from iOS to Android. Still, it’s a good idea to take preventive measures by going to Settings > Apps > Messages and disabling iMessage.

(Credit: PCMag/Apple)

Step #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)

Step #5: Unpair Your Apple Watch

If you have an Apple Watch, save yourself a potential headache later on 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)

Step #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)

Step #7: How to Wipe Your iPhone and Delete Data

Don’t let anyone snoop on your data. Wipe your phone by heading to Settings > General > Transfer or Reset iPhone > Erase All Content and Settings and approve all the subsequent prompts.

Step #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.

Get Our Best Stories!

A Smart, Bold Take on the Wireless World

Sign up for the Fully Mobilized newsletter to get our top mobile stories delivered right to your inbox.

Sign up for the Fully Mobilized newsletter to get our top mobile stories delivered right to your inbox.

By clicking Sign Me Up, you confirm you are 16+ and agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.

Thanks for signing up!

Your subscription has been confirmed. Keep an eye on your inbox!

(Credit: Apple)

The Best Places to Sell Your Phone

We’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, we 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 $420 on a new iPhone.

(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. The median price for a Black Titanium 512GB iPhone 15 Pro on Verizon in good condition is $600.

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 (estimates are available on the site before you make the trip), get a price quote from a sales associate, and then receive store credit or cash on the spot. A 512GB iPhone 15 Pro from Verizon in very good condition will get you $379.80 or a store credit of $422.00.

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. iPhone 15 Pros are going for around $693 on the site. You can also trade it in immediately with one of Swappa’s partners where you can get $375 on average for an iPhone 15 Pro.

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 14 Pro on Verizon in good condition is currently worth about $297.

Walmart CExchange

(Credit: Walmart)

In exchange for your older phone, the Walmart CExchange program gives you a Walmart gift card that you can use in a store or online. Select your model and capacity, then answer questions about its condition, whether you’re sending its charger, and what carrier it’s on. Then you get a quote: If you accept it, you receive a prepaid shipping label from FedEx Ground or UPS Ground. A 512GB iPhone 15 Pro on Verizon is currently worth $257.18.

Editors’ Note: Trade-in values were accurate at the time of publication. Your mileage may vary.

About Chandra Steele

Senior Features Writer

My title is Senior Features Writer, which is a license to write about absolutely anything if I can connect it to technology (I can). I’ve been at PCMag since 2011 and have covered the surveillance state, vaccination cards, ghost guns, voting, ISIS, art, fashion, film, design, gender bias, and more. You might have seen me on TV talking about these topics or heard me on your commute home on the radio or a podcast. Or maybe you’ve just seen my Bernie meme. 

I strive to explain topics that you might come across in the news but not fully understand, such as NFTs and meme stocks. I’ve had the pleasure of talking tech with Jeff Goldblum, Ang Lee, and other celebrities who have brought a different perspective to it. I put great care into writing gift guides and am always touched by the notes I get from people who’ve used them to choose presents that have been well-received. Though I love that I get to write about the tech industry every day, it’s touched by gender, racial, and socioeconomic inequality and I try to bring these topics to light. 

Outside of PCMag, I write fiction, poetry, humor, and essays on culture.

Read Chandra’s full bio

Read the latest from Chandra Steele

About Jason Cohen

Senior Editor, Help & How To

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.

Read Jason’s full bio

Read the latest from Jason Cohen