How to check a used Apple Watch before you pay

A second-hand Apple Watch is only worth buying if it is free of the seller's Apple Account and works as it should. Use these checks at the meet-up to confirm the model, warranty, battery and Activation Lock before any money changes hands.

Meet in person with your own iPhone, check the serial number and model in Settings > General > About, run it through Apple's coverage check and look at the battery's maximum capacity. Then have the seller unpair the watch in front of you, which removes Activation Lock. Only pay once the watch pairs with your iPhone without asking for the previous owner's Apple Account password.

• 1. Note the serial number on the watch: Ask the seller to open Settings on the watch, tap General, tap About and scroll down. Write down the serial number, and the IMEI if it is a GPS + Cellular model. On Series 1 and later, the serial is also printed inside the band slot, so remove the strap and check that it matches the screen and the box.
• 2. Confirm the exact model: On the seller's iPhone, open the Apple Watch app, go to My Watch > General > About and tap the Model Number line. It changes from a part number starting with M to a model number starting with A. Match that A number against Apple's Identify your Apple Watch page to be sure the series, size and version are what you were promised.
• 3. Run the serial through Apple's coverage check: Enter the serial number at checkcoverage.apple.com. It shows whether the watch is still under Apple's warranty or AppleCare and confirms Apple recognises the serial. If Apple's tool cannot find the serial, double-check each character and be very cautious about going ahead.
• 4. Look at battery health: On the watch, go to Settings > Battery > Battery Health and scroll down to Maximum Capacity. This shows how much charge the battery holds compared with when it was new. If the watch has already warned that capacity is significantly reduced, factor a battery service into your offer.
• 5. Test the screen, buttons and charging: Turn the Digital Crown, press the side button, swipe across the whole screen and look for dead patches, lifting edges or cracks. Put the watch on its charger for a minute to see that it starts charging. Ask the seller to start a workout so you can see the heart rate reading appear.
• 6. Watch the seller unpair it: Ask the seller to unpair the watch from their iPhone in the Apple Watch app while you watch. They will need to enter their Apple Account password, which is what removes Activation Lock. For a Cellular model, make sure they also remove the mobile plan.
• 7. Check that it has been erased: Apple says that if you still see the passcode lock screen or the watch faces, the watch has not been erased. Once unpairing is done, the watch should restart ready for setup. Do not accept a watch that still opens to the seller's watch face.
• 8. Pair it with your iPhone before paying: Hold the watch near your iPhone and start setup. If you are asked for the previous owner's Apple Account password, Activation Lock is still on and the watch cannot be used by you. Only pay once setup carries on without that request.