Bought a Used Phone? Make Sure It Works on Your Network

Before you pay for a used phone, check three things: that it isn’t carrier-locked, that it isn’t still tied to the seller’s Apple ID or Google account, and that it hasn’t been reported lost or stolen. Any one of these can stop a perfectly good-looking phone from working on your network. Most of the checks take a few minutes and can be done right there with the seller.

Why a used phone might not work on your network

A used phone can fail to connect for a few very different reasons, and each one has a different fix:

• Carrier lock. The phone only accepts SIMs from the carrier that sold it. The original carrier can remove the lock.
• Account lock. Activation Lock on an iPhone, or Factory Reset Protection on Android, keeps the phone linked to the previous owner’s account. Only that owner can release it.
• Blocked IMEI. A phone reported lost or stolen can be blocked from Canadian networks, even if it’s unlocked and erased.
• Network compatibility. A phone made for another country may not support all the bands Canadian carriers use, so coverage or features can be patchy.

The first three are deal-breakers you can usually spot before buying. The fourth is worth a quick look if the phone came from overseas.

Check the carrier lock

On an iPhone, open Settings, tap General, then About, and scroll to Carrier Lock. “No SIM restrictions” means it’s unlocked. Anything else means it’s still tied to a carrier.

Android phones don’t all have a status screen. The most reliable test on any phone is simple: turn it off, put your own SIM card in, turn it back on, and make a short call. If you see a prompt for a “SIM network unlock PIN” or a message like “SIM not supported”, it’s locked. Our guide on how to check if your phone is unlocked walks through every method in more detail.

In Canada, the CRTC’s Wireless Code has required the providers it covers to sell new phones unlocked, and to unlock existing phones free of charge on request, since December 1, 2017. That helps, but it doesn’t cover every phone. A used phone might be older, or might have come from a carrier outside Canada, where different rules apply. If a phone turns out to be locked, the person who holds the account with the original carrier is usually the one who has to request the unlock, so sort it out before you hand over money, not after.

Make sure the seller’s account is removed

This is the check people skip most, and it’s the one that can’t be fixed later without the seller’s help.

iPhone: Activation Lock

Ask the seller to open Settings and tap their name at the top. They should sign out of their Apple ID (which turns off Find My), then go to Settings > General > Transfer or Reset iPhone > Erase All Content and Settings. When the phone restarts to the “Hello” setup screen and lets you continue without asking for someone else’s Apple ID password, you’re clear. Apple’s guide to what to do before selling or giving away an iPhone describes the same steps.

Android: Factory Reset Protection

The seller should remove their Google account in Settings (search Settings for “accounts”) before resetting the phone. If a phone is reset without removing the account first, it will ask for that Google account during setup. Samsung phones may also be linked to a Samsung account, so ask the seller to remove that too.

If a seller says they “forgot” their password, or the phone shows a previous owner’s account on setup, walk away. Nobody can legitimately bypass Activation Lock or Factory Reset Protection for you, and we don’t offer that either.

Check the IMEI isn’t blocked

Every phone has an IMEI number. Dial *#06# and it appears on screen. On an iPhone it’s also in Settings > General > About. Make sure the IMEI on screen matches the one on the box or SIM tray if the seller has them.

Phones reported lost or stolen to a Canadian carrier can be blocked from Canadian networks by their IMEI. Your carrier can tell you whether a phone will work on its network, so give them a call or visit with the IMEI before you commit. A seller who won’t let you note the IMEI is a red flag.

Test the rest of the phone while you’re there

Once you know it will connect, spend five more minutes on the hardware:

• Calls and data. With your SIM in, make a call, send a text and load a web page with Wi-Fi turned off.
• Screen. Open a plain white page and look for lines, dead spots or discolouration. Test touch across the whole screen.
• Battery. On an iPhone, check Settings > Battery > Battery Health (the exact wording varies a little between iOS versions). Android menus vary, so search Settings for “battery”. Our post on signs it’s time to replace your phone battery covers what to look out for.
• Charging port. Plug in a cable and make sure it charges without wiggling.
• Cameras, speakers and mic. Take a photo with every lens, play a video, and record a short voice memo.
• Face ID or fingerprint. Set it up and test it.
• Repair history. Many recent iPhones show a Parts and Service History section under Settings > General > About when parts have been replaced. It’s useful context, not necessarily a problem.

Buying safely in Vancouver

If you’re meeting someone from an online listing, choose a busy public place in daylight, bring a friend if you can, and bring your own SIM card and a charging cable. Pay in a way that leaves a record when possible, and ask for a simple written receipt with the IMEI, the price and the seller’s name. Keep any messages from the listing.

If the price seems far too low for the model, or the seller is rushing you through the checks above, it’s fine to say no. There will be another listing.

Already bought it and it won’t connect?

1. Locked to a carrier: contact the seller and ask them to request the unlock from their carrier. If the phone is covered by the Wireless Code, that carrier must unlock it free of charge.
2. Asking for the previous owner’s account: the seller needs to remove the phone from their account. With an iPhone they can do it remotely in Find My, without being there.
3. Blocked IMEI: contact your carrier and the seller. If you think the phone may be stolen, contact the police non-emergency line rather than trying to use it.

Get a second opinion at our Downtown Vancouver kiosk

Bought a used phone, or about to? Bring it to MyChoice Mobile Repair, our kiosk in Downtown Vancouver on Granville Street, open every day from 9 AM to midnight. We can help check whether it’s carrier-locked, talk you through legitimate phone unlocking, set you up with a SIM card, and look at anything that isn’t working right, from the screen to the battery, with our phone repair services.

Call (236) 785-8300 to check your model, or ask for a quote online.