How to sell a broken or dead phone in India

Many people keep a broken phone in a drawer because they think nobody will buy it. In most cases that isn't true. A phone with a cracked screen, a dead battery, a broken camera or even one that no longer switches on still has working parts inside, and a buyback service can usually make you an offer for it.

This guide explains how a broken phone is priced, what you should do before you sell it, and what happens when a phone is too damaged to be resold.

What counts as a broken phone?

Buyers usually group faults into a few types, because each one affects the price differently:

• Screen damage: cracked glass, lines, dead spots or colour patches, or a touch screen that doesn't respond everywhere.
• Body damage: a cracked back glass, a bent frame or deep dents.
• Parts that don't work: cameras, loudspeaker, microphone, earpiece, charging port, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, buttons, fingerprint sensor or face unlock.
• Battery problems: a battery that drains very fast or shows a "Service" warning.
• Dead phone: it doesn't switch on at all, for example after water damage or a fall.
• A replaced screen: a screen changed at a local repair shop works, but it is not the original part.

How a broken phone is priced at Changekro

Every model on our sell pages has a top price for a phone in perfect condition. When you check your price, you answer a few questions: does it switch on, can it make calls, does the touch screen work, is the screen original, is the glass cracked, how does the body look, and which parts don't work. Each problem you select takes a fixed amount off the top price.

The calculation runs on our server and uses the same rules for everyone, so the same answers always give the same price. If the device matches your answers at pickup, you get exactly that price: that is our Price Promise.

If your phone doesn't switch on, answer No to "Does the phone switch on?" and answer the other questions as best you can. You still see a price straight away. For some badly damaged phones the deductions add up to more than the phone is worth; in that case the website tells you there is no online offer, and you can sell it as an old gadget for recycling instead (see below).

Before you sell: protect your data

A broken phone can still hold your photos, chats and banking apps, so treat it like any other phone you sell.

• If the screen still works even partly: back up your data, sign out of your Apple ID or Google account, and factory-reset it. Our guides on turning off Find My and Activation Lock and removing your Google account show the steps.
• If you can't use the screen: you can still deal with your account from another device. For an iPhone, Apple explains how to erase it and then choose Remove This Device on icloud.com/find in How to remove Activation Lock. For an Android phone, sign it out of your Google account from the device list in your Google Account settings on another phone or computer.
• If the phone is completely dead: take out your SIM and memory card. A dead phone can't be reset in front of you, so it is wiped at our facility. Every device we buy is fully wiped before it is refurbished or recycled.
• Note your phone's IMEI if you can (dial *#06#, or check the box or bill). It helps if you ever need to prove the phone was yours.

Be honest about the damage

It is tempting to leave out a crack or a weak battery to get a higher quote. It doesn't help: the executive checks the phone at your door in about 5 minutes, and any difference from your answers changes the price, worked out by the same system. Honest answers mean the price you see online is the price you are paid, with no surprises at the door.

Not sure whether the speaker, microphone or touch screen works properly? Run our free 2-minute phone test in your phone's browser before you answer. It checks the touch screen, speaker, microphone and cameras, and can fill in some answers for you.

When a phone is too damaged to resell

Very old phones and phones damaged beyond repair are bought as old or broken gadgets for recycling. These have small fixed prices: you pick the item, answer one question (is it in one piece?), and see the price. They are recycled responsibly, never sent to a dump, as set out in our e-waste policy.

Recycling an old phone properly matters. Phones contain metals that can be recovered and materials that shouldn't end up in landfill, and India's E-Waste (Management) Rules, 2022 require old electronics to go to registered recyclers.

How the pickup works

1. Check your price on the sell page and answer the condition questions honestly.
2. Book a free doorstep pickup at a time that suits you. Doorstep pickup runs in these cities.
3. The executive checks the phone at your door and confirms the price.
4. You are paid by UPI, bank transfer or cash before you hand the phone over, and you get a bill of sale.