You Can Get Up to $1,200 Towards an iPhone 18 Pro with Apple's New Carrier Trade-in Incentives - PCMag

The iPhone 18 Pro will release on September 18, and if you can't stomach the starting $1,199 price tag, there is some good news. Apple recently increased its trade-in values for the second time this year, making it a little easier to afford one of its new rumored iPhones. And, following the September 9 Apple Event, the tech giant also unveiled new trade-in partner incentives for anyone buying the iPhone 18 Pro.

If you're preparing to trade in your old device to shave some cost off the upfront price, here's everything you need to know about Apple's boosted trade-in values and how to make sure your phone is prepped and ready to ship, so you can get the highest value in exchange.

Apple has partnered with AT&T and T-Mobile to offer up to $1,200 in trade-in credits when you trade in an iPhone 14 or later to put toward a new iPhone 18 Pro or iPhone 18 Pro Max.

You can also trade in your device through Apple, but the maximum trade-in value you can get this way is $885.

Apple recently announced its trade-in values for the iPhone 17 line. It also boosted trade-in values for older devices twice this past summer. Here's the max value you can get for each type of iPhone through Apple Trade In:

iPhone 16 Pro Max: $720 (previously $695)

iPhone 16 Pro: $630 (previously $560)

iPhone 16 Plus: $485 (previously $465)

iPhone 16: $480 (previously $460)

iPhone 15 Pro Max: $530 (previously $490)

iPhone 15 Pro: $420 (previously $410)

iPhone 15 Plus: $340 (previously $325)

iPhone 15: $335 (previously $320)

iPhone 14 Pro Max: $405 (previously $375)

iPhone 14 Pro: $335 (previously $320)

iPhone 14 Plus: $235 (unchanged)

iPhone 14: $235 (previously $225)

Now that you know the maximum trade-in value of your old phone, you'll want to take some steps to make sure it's backed up, unpaired, and cleaned up. Here are the steps you should take before you send in your old device.

First, make sure you don't lose your data. Back everything up before you wipe it from your phone. To back up to iCloud from your device, go to Settings, select your name, and then choose iCloud > iCloud Backup > Back Up Now.

To back up to your Mac, connect your iPhone and your computer via a cable or Wi-Fi. If you have macOS Catalina or later, go to Finder, select your iPhone, and then choose General > Back Up All of the Data on Your iPhone to This Mac > Back Up Now. If you have an earlier version or a Windows PC, you'd use iTunes. Open the program, click on the image of your phone, then select Summary > Back Up Now.

Apple’s Find My app can sometimes block activation by a new owner, so you should deactivate the app before you ditch the device. Though Find My is automatically deactivated when you erase all content and settings, which you'll do below, this is still a good step to take as a precaution. Go to Settings, select your name, then choose Find My and disable it for that device. Enter your Apple Account password and tap Turn Off.

More than a decade ago, people who switched from iOS to Android without logging out of Messages on their iPhone found that texts were going to the old phone. The problem has since been fixed, but those still scarred by "iMessage purgatory" may want to go to Settings > Apps > Messages and disable iMessage.

Similarly, you can still connect your AirPods to a new iPhone without unpairing them from the old one, but it can't hurt to wipe the slate clean. Place your AirPods and iPhone near each other, then go to Settings > Bluetooth. Tap the information icon next to your AirPods, and select Forget this Device.

If you have an Apple Watch, save yourself a potential headache and unpair it from the iPhone you'll be selling. Place them near each other, then open the Apple Watch app on your phone. Go to My Watch > All Watches and select the info circle next to the watch you want to unpair. Tap Unpair Apple Watch and then confirm, which may require you to enter your Apple Account password.

With a GPS + Cellular model, you're asked whether you want to keep or remove your cellular plan. Since you're selling the iPhone, you'll want to remove it. (If you don't plan to pair your watch with a new iPhone, you might need to contact your carrier to cancel.) Tap to confirm; you might need to enter your Apple Account password to disable Activation Lock.

You should sign out of iCloud, iTunes, and the App Store before selling your device. Tap Settings, select your name, and choose Sign Out. Enter your Apple Account password and tap Turn Off.

When your new phone is set up and you're ready to trade in or sell your old iPhone, head to Settings > General > Transfer or Reset iPhone > Erase All Content and Settings, then approve all subsequent prompts.

Apple went the eSIM route starting with the iPhone 14 lineup, but older devices will have a physical SIM card. In most cases, you can just deactivate your cellphone service on the device and trade it in with the SIM card intact. But that SIM card is the repository of your phone number, various bits of security data, and all the info needed for billing. It identifies you, your phone, and a lot of your activity on your phone. So you should remove it before you sell the phone.

Fortunately, it's simple. Locate the SIM ejector on your phone, then insert a paper clip until the tray pops out. Remove the SIM card, replace the tray, and say goodbye to your old iPhone.

I've also included some of the best sites for selling or trading in your phone. Some make it easy to send in your phone and get immediate cash, others let you control the price through bidding, and there are even options for receiving store credit from places you shop. To give you an idea of your trade-in power, I priced out what you can expect to get for an iPhone 15 Pro across all of them, and it varies wildly, as you'll see below.

You can also trade your phone in with your existing carrier or switch to a new one. Many offer compelling trade-in promotions, so be sure to check out AT&T, T-Mobile, Verizon, and others.

The Apple Trade In program pays you with a credit or gift card. If you pay for an Apple device in full up-front, a credit will be applied to your payment card once Apple receives your trade-in device and verifies its condition. If you're paying on an installment plan, the credit will be applied right away. Turning in an iPhone 15 Pro, for example, can get you up to $410 on a new iPhone now that Apple has increased some trade-in values by as much as $35.

If you're selling your iPhone and just want cash to buy electronics, you can cut out a step at Best Buy: Trade in your phone at a store or mail it in for a digital gift card. For a Black Titanium 512GB iPhone 15 Pro on Verizon in good condition, expect to get about $275.

To sell your device yourself, there's always eBay. The site has a quick walkthrough where you can input your phone's stats. After entering my example device, a Black Titanium 512GB iPhone 15 Pro in good condition on Verizon, the page recommended that I list the phone at $510.

Are most of your iPhone apps games? Then you'll probably do well to turn in your iPhone in for some store credit at GameStop. You can also get cold, hard cash for it there. Bring your device to your nearest GameStop, get a price quote from a sales associate, and then receive store credit or cash on the spot. I recommend getting an estimate on the site before you make the trip. I found that a 512GB iPhone 15 Pro from Verizon in very good condition will get you $267.30 in cash or $297.00 in store credit.

Swappa is a marketplace where you can sell your iPhone directly. Select your phone model on the site, upload some photos, and set a price. Once someone buys it, you're paid immediately via PayPal. You're responsible for safely shipping your phone to the buyer. According to the site, an iPhone 15 Pro is selling for an average price of $544, while a trade-in to one of Swappa's partners could get me $311.

Want to sell your iPhone fast? One option is uSell. Select your model, carrier, capacity, and condition to receive an offer. If you choose to accept it, you ship your iPhone to uSell for free. If your device is in the condition you said it was, you're paid by check or PayPal. A 512GB iPhone 15 Pro on Verizon in good condition is currently worth about $268.

Editors' Note: Trade-in values were accurate at the time of publication. Your mileage may vary.

Chandra Steele contributed to this story

As PCMag's editor of how to content, I have to cover a wide variety of topics and also make our stories accessible to everyday users. Considering my history as a technical writer, copywriter, and all-around freelancer covering baseball, comics, and more at various outlets, I am used to making myself into an expert.

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