In the course of getting yourself an iPhone device, it’s necessary that you know the state of the iPhone so that it can serve the purpose for which you’re buying it.
This article will show you a simple DIY guide to determine whether your iPhone is new, refurbished, replaced, or Personalised.
This knowledge is essential, especially when you’re buying a used iPhone or from a local store near you, to know whether the phone left Apple as a brand-new device or was previously refurbished.
How to Know if Your iPhone is New, Refurbished, Replaced or Personalized
Below is the easiest way to tell the buying state of an iPhone (and probably an iPad, too).
- Open the Settings app on the iPhone
- Go to General > About
- Check for the model, and you’ll see an identifier that looks like this: “MN092LB/A“. Here, the first character indicates whether the phone is New, Refurbished, Replaced, or Personalised.
- M – A newly purchased device from Apple
- F – the device has been refurbished by either Apple or its carrier
- P – The iPhone was sold with personalised engravings
- N– the device is a replacement device for a malfunctioning iPhone
That’s all.
In addition, if you find out your iPhone is refurbished, there’s no cause for alarm, since Apple-certified refurbished products look like new and you can enjoy all the benefits of new products. i.e part replacement
Nevertheless, you should note that some model identifiers differ from the rest (iPhone), which might seem a bit confusing since they all have similar labels. But entirely different.
Finally, if your phone was refurbished by a company that isn’t authorised by Google, it won’t necessarily reflect that, because few third-party vendors meet the stringent refurbishment standards Apple does. It’s best to avoid third-party refurbished devices if possible.
You can also see 9 Things You Should Stop Doing With Your iPhone
