How to Prepare Your Phone Before Selling to Get More Money

29 Jul 2026 · 3 min read

A little effort before you list can add real money to your sale. Buyers judge a phone in the first few seconds. A clean, well-presented phone looks like it was cared for, and buyers pay more for that.

Clean it properly

Screen and back. Use a soft microfibre cloth, slightly damp. Avoid harsh chemicals.
Charging port and speaker grilles. Dust and lint build up here. Use a soft dry brush or a wooden toothpick very gently. Never use metal pins.
Camera lenses. A clean lens takes better photos for your ad and impresses the buyer.
The case. Old cases get dirty and yellow. Remove it, or replace it with a cheap new one.

Small, cheap fixes worth doing

New screen protector. A cheap tempered glass hides tiny scratches and makes the screen look fresh.
Charging port cleaning at a shop. If charging is loose, a shop can often clean it for very little.
Tighten or replace a loose back cover.

Fixes usually not worth doing

Expensive screen or battery replacements just before selling, unless the gain in price is clearly bigger than the cost. Get a quote and compare. See selling with a cracked screen.
Cheap copy parts. They often lower the value, because buyers ask about original parts.

Find all the accessories

Look for the original box, charger, cable, unused earphones, SIM tool, receipt and warranty card. A complete box can noticeably raise the price, especially for iPhones and Samsung flagships. No box? Read selling without a box.

Update the software

Install the latest system update. It shows the phone is current and fixes small bugs that a buyer might notice.

Test everything

Before a buyer finds a problem, find it yourself:

Calls on both SIMs, speaker and microphone
All cameras, front and back, and the flash
Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, GPS
Fingerprint or Face ID
Charging and battery life
Buttons and vibration

The easiest way is a free phone health test, which checks most of this in your browser and adds a trusted report to your ad.

Check battery health

On iPhones, see Settings, then Battery, then Battery Health. On Android, check battery settings. If health is good, show it in your ad.

Then take your photos

A clean phone in daylight makes great photos. See phone ad photos that sell, then post your ad for free.