How to trade in or recycle your old iPhone in preparation for iPhone 11 - 9to5Mac, 9to5mac.com

Tomorrowis the big iPhone (event day) , and we’re expecting the new devices to be a major upgrade, especially if you’re coming from a device that’s at least a couple years old. But what should you do about that aging phone now that you’re planning to upgrade? Here’s how to trade inand recycle your old iPhone in preparation for tomorrow’s big unveil…

Back up your old iPhone

The first thing you want to do is make sure your iPhone is wholly backed up so that you don’t lose any data. You might already have iCloud backups happening automatically, which generally occurs if your device is connected to power, connected to Wi-Fi, locked, and there’s enough space.

Regardless, it’s a good idea to go in and perform one manually before you trade in your old iPhone just for good measure. To do this, head to Settings on your iPhone tap your name, and then tap iCloud. Tap iCloud Backup and then tap “Back Up Now.”

If you don’t have enough space to perform your backup via iCloud or you’d prefer to back up with iTunes, our Michael Potuckdid a comprehensive guide on this processearlier this year. In short, though, it’s just a matter of connecting your device, navigating to it in iTunes, and clicking “Back Up Now.” If you need more help,Michael’s guide is great.

Factory reset your old iPhone

After your device is fully backed up, the next step for trading it in (or recycling it), is to wipe it completely. Once you’re sure that your device and all its data is fully backed up to your iCloud account (or iTunes), head to Settings>General>Reset. There, you’ll find an option to Erase All Content and Settings. You may have to enter your Apple ID and / or device passcode. After that, your device will erase completely.

Should you trade in or sell your old iPhone?

Now that your device is ready, it’s time to decide whether it’s best for you to trade in or sell your old iPhone.

Trading in your device through one of the many services below will be the easiest and quickest, and the amount you’ll get generally won’t be too shabby. With sites like MyPhones Unlimited (which is9to5Mac‘s partner for device trade-ins), Gazelle, and Apple Trade-In, you’ll generally fill out a form, get a box in the mail, and ship your device. Within a matter of days, you’ll get a check or gift card for the amount owed, and that will be the end of it.

Alternatively, you can put in the work of actually selling the device on an online marketplace like eBay, Craigslist,Swappa, and other sites. We explained in more detail the advantages and disadvantages of these various sites in our full iPhone trade-in guide, so be sure to check that out if you want to go this route. Selling your device yourself will mean slightly more risk and a bit more work, but will certainly pay more.

How much is your old iPhone worth?

If you decide to go the trade-in route, you’re probably wondering what your device is worth. Wetake a closer look at all the latest trade-in values every month, and here’s a quick sampling of the newly updated latest iPhone 8, iPhone X, and iPhone XS trade-in deals from this month:

How much is your iPhone 8 worth?

MyPhones via9to5Mac:$ 220cash( (GB, unlocked, good) (Support the site!)
MyPhones via9to5Mac:$ 270cash(256 GB, unlocked, good) (Support the site!)
Apple Trade-In:$ 205Apple Gift Card(any capacity, unlocked, good)
Gazelle:$ 198cash(64 GB, unlocked, good)
Gazelle:$ 232cash(64 GB , unlocked, good)

How much is your iPhone X worth?

MyPhones via9to5Mac:$ 340cash( (GB, unlocked, good) (Support the site!)
MyPhones via9to5Mac:$ 380cash(256 GB, unlocked, good) (Support the site!)
Gazelle:$ 321cash(64 GB, unlocked, good)
Apple Trade-In:$ 400Apple Gift Card(any capacity, unlocked, good)
Best Buy:$ 350(64 GB, carrier model , good)

How much is your iPhone XS worth?

MyPhones via9to5Mac:$ 500cash(64 GB, unlocked, good) (Support the site!)
MyPhones via9to5Mac:$ 550cash(256 GB, unlocked, good (Support the site!)
Gazelle:$ 475cash(64 GB, unlocked, good)
Best Buy:$ 420(64 GB, carrier model, good)

Don ‘t see your iPhone model here?Check out our trade-in site!

Trade in Your iPhone with 9to5Mac

9to5Machas partnered with leaders in the iPhone / iPad / Laptop cash trade -in and repair industries. The easiest way to get cash for your device is to head over totrade-in.9to5mac.comfor an instant quote. We chose this partner in particular because of their industry-leading paybacks, rapid payment service, integrity, and reliability. They’ll accept most iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch, MacBook, iPod, Apple TV, AirPods, and more – as long as they are relatively recent and in working order, of course.

While9to5Macdoes do business, use, and endorse MyPhones Unlimited, the sites are external and we cannot be held liable for your experience with them. We may receive a small commission if you are satisfied with and move forward with your cash trade-in or repair, which is a great way to support the site. We love MyPhones, and we use it ourselves.