Buying a Used or Refurbished Phone for Your Child — Safety Checklist
How to safely buy a second-hand or refurbished phone for a child — factory reset checks, account de-association, MDM/lock status and warranty.
A refurbished phone is often the most sustainable and cost-effective way to get a child their first device. The risk is not the hardware — it is the account, the lock status, and any hidden enrolment. A previous owner who has not properly de-associated their Apple ID or Google account, or a phone that was once enrolled in a corporate or school MDM, can leave the device permanently locked or remotely managed. This checklist walks through what to verify before money changes hands and what to do straight after.
Main risks
- • iCloud-locked iPhone — the previous owner's Apple ID still attached, making the phone bricked
- • Google account FRP (Factory Reset Protection) lock on Android
- • MDM (mobile device management) enrolment from a former corporate, school or operator owner
- • Stolen device blacklisted by IMEI — will not work on UK networks
- • Hidden parental control profile or VPN configuration left by the previous owner
Initial setup steps
Buy from a source with a warranty
Prefer reputable refurbishers (Back Market, musicMagpie, network refurbished stores, Apple Refurbished) over private sales. Look for at least a 12-month warranty, a clearly graded condition (A, B, C), and a returns window.
Check IMEI before purchase
Ask the seller for the IMEI (the 15-digit number from *#06#). Check it via CheckMEND or a UK network's blacklist checker. A blacklisted IMEI is non-negotiable — walk away.
Confirm full factory reset in front of you
Before paying, ask the seller to factory reset the device in your presence and watch the device boot to the manufacturer 'Hello' / 'Welcome' screen. If it asks for the previous owner's account, the reset is incomplete — do not buy.
Check for MDM and hidden profiles immediately after setup
After setting up the device with your child's account, go to: iOS Settings > General > VPN & Device Management, or Android Settings > Security > Device admin apps and Accounts > Work profile. Confirm nothing unexpected is present. Also check for any unfamiliar Screen Time, Family Link or third-party parental control profile.
Parental control settings
Activation Lock check (iPhone)
Location: Apple's checkactivationlock page was retired in 2017 — instead check on the device: Settings > General > About — and look for an Apple ID at the top of the Settings app
Recommended: Device must be signed out of any previous Apple ID before sale
An iPhone signed into the previous owner's iCloud cannot be set up by the new owner. Always insist on factory-resetting in front of you and confirming the 'Hello' setup screen appears.
Factory Reset Protection (Android)
Location: Settings > Accounts — must show no Google account before sale; setup screen must appear after reset
Recommended: Phone must factory reset to first-boot 'Welcome' screen
Android phones reset by a thief still ask for the previous Google account at first boot. Only a properly logged-out, reset phone reaches the standard 'Welcome' setup.
MDM / Supervision check
Location: iOS: Settings > General > VPN & Device Management | Android: Settings > Security or Accounts > Work profile / device admin
Recommended: No MDM, no supervision profile, no work profile
MDM enrolment from a former corporate or school owner can survive a factory reset on supervised iPhones. The device may be remotely locked, wiped, or restricted by a third party at any time.
IMEI check
Location: Dial *#06# on the phone, then check the 15-digit IMEI on a UK service such as checkmend.com or the network's lost/stolen checker
Recommended: IMEI clean (not reported lost/stolen and not blacklisted)
A blacklisted IMEI means UK networks will not connect the phone. CheckMEND is a paid service used widely in the second-hand trade; some UK networks offer free checks.
Age recommendations
A clean refurbished feature phone or basic smartphone is an excellent low-cost first device. Always reset and set up from scratch on a parent account.
Refurbished mid-range iPhones and Android phones are the most common UK starter smartphone. Follow the checklist closely — most issues come from incomplete previous-owner sign-outs.
Older teens may want to source their own second-hand phone. Walk them through the IMEI and Activation Lock checks so they learn to do this for themselves.