How To Verify Your iPhone: Check If It’s Original, Fake, Refurbished, Or Made In A Specific Country

Since the rise of counterfeit products is flooding the market, it is important to ensure that your iPhone is authentic before making a purchase.

Whether you’re buying a new iPhone or purchasing a second-hand one, there are ways to verify its authenticity, determine whether it’s original, refurbished, or repaired, and even find out where it was made.

This guide will walk you through the steps you can take to confirm that your iPhone is a genuine Apple product, and if it’s not, help you spot potential issues.

One of the simplest and most effective ways to check if your iPhone is original or fake is to use Apple’s own Check Coverage tool. This tool helps you confirm the authenticity of your iPhone and check its warranty status.

Here’s how to use it:

1. Go to Settings: Open the Settings app on your iPhone.
2. Click on ‘About’: Scroll down and tap on the ‘About’ section.
3. Copy the Serial Number: In the About section, you’ll see a serial number. Copy it.
4. Visit Apple’s Check Coverage Website: Open your browser and go to checkcoverage.apple.com. 
5. Paste the Serial Number: Paste the serial number you copied into the field provided on the website and press “Continue.”

If the serial number is valid, the website will display details about your iPhone, including its warranty status and whether it’s eligible for support.

If the number is invalid, it could mean that the iPhone is a counterfeit, or it might be a faulty product that isn’t registered with Apple.

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After verifying the serial number, the next step is to check the model number. This number can provide valuable information about whether your iPhone is new, refurbished, or replaced.

Here’s how to check it:

1. Go to Settings: Open the Settings app.
2. Click on ‘General’: Scroll down and tap on ‘General.’
3. Tap on ‘About’: Here, you’ll find the Model Number listed along with other details about your iPhone.
4. Check the Model Code: The model number will have a code starting with a letter. The letter before the slash indicates the status and origin of the device.

Here are some common model number codes and their meanings:

• M: Retail unit (brand new iPhone bought from an official Apple store or authorized reseller).
• N: Replacement unit (an iPhone that has been replaced by Apple under warranty).
• F: Refurbished unit (an iPhone that has been refurbished by Apple or an authorized service provider).
• 3: Demo unit (iPhone used for display purposes in a retail store).

In addition to identifying whether the iPhone is new, refurbished, or replaced, the model number can also reveal where the iPhone was made. This can help you verify whether your iPhone was manufactured in a specific country, such as India, Japan, China, or the United States.

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Here’s how to decode the country of manufacture from the model number:

• HN: Made in India
• CH: Made in China
• J: Made in Japan
• LL: Made in USA

The country code is typically found just before the slash in the model number. For example, if your model number reads MX123LL/A, the “LL” indicates that the iPhone was made in the United States.

If you’re still unsure about the authenticity of your iPhone, you can perform a diagnostic test to check its functionality. Apple provides a built-in diagnostic tool called Apple Support that you can access online or through the Apple Store app.

To run a diagnostic test:

1. Visit the Apple Support Website
2. Select ‘Get Support’: Choose the option to get support and select the type of issue you’re facing.
3. Use the ‘Apple Support App’: Alternatively, you can use the Apple Support app to run diagnostics or schedule an appointment with an Apple technician for further testing.