Buy refurbished

iPad 4

Refurbished iPads usually come with a warranty, but every refurbisher offers a different policy. To avoid any bad surprises, make sure that you buy refurbished iPads from professional and certified refurbishers. Read the warranty policy thoroughly to make sure your iPad tablet benefits from the protection you want. You can find our partner refurbishers' warranty comparison here.

Some sellers allow you to upgrade the refurbished tablet's warranty period for an extra cost, so you can enjoy your iPad worry-free for as long as possible. 

RefurbMe gathers the warranty information of several different refurbishers. We will only feature Apple tablets that come with a minimum warranty of 30 days. When looking at a specific product, you can find the warranty information next to the seller's name:

If unclear, you can check the refurbisher's warranty terms on their website by clicking on Buy now. You will be redirected to their site where all the info is guaranteed to be up to date.

Refurbished iPads are wiped of all pre-existing user data. 

When an iPad is refurbished, its internal storage is completely reset. No video clips, random apps or documents will clutter your refurbished tablet. A refurbished iPad is fresh and ready for its next user as if it were brand new.

Of course, refurbished iPads are fully tested. In fact, when an iPad is getting refurbished, testing is one of the most important stages.

What does testing involve? 

• hardware tests;
• software tests;
• thorough checking of all components.

Generally, most if not all parts of a refurbished iPad pass these tests without a problem. That being said, if any issue arises from the testing phase, the refurbisher will move on to troubleshooting. If a faulty part can be fixed, that's what the professional will do. But some parts need systematic replacement, such as cracked screens. In that case, the refurbisher will simply change the old part for a brand new one. 

Once any repair has been completed, a refurbished iPad goes through another round of product testing process again to ensure that it is fully functional. Refurbished iPads go through the same testing process as any new iPad does. A refurbished iPad is only approved for sale once it passes all functional testing.

Refurbished iPads are devices which are pre-owned. They might have had a faulty part—a screen issue, a battery problem—and were sent back to the manufacturer. Alternatively, they were a display item that is now getting prepped to go on the market.

A refurbished iPad comes with its charger. No other accessories are included unless specified otherwise. Some sellers have the option to add accessories at checkout. You can compare resellers' included accessories here.

There are two main differences between a new device and a refurbished product: price and cosmetic condition.

The main difference between a new and a refurbished product is its price (up to 90% cheaper). Refurbished Apple products are 100% functional, and all components work like new. A refurbished device was either pre-owned or used as a display item. However, refurbished products go through the same testing process as new devices do, so any defect is found and repaired, and any faulty part is replaced. They work as well as new products but have a discounted price because of their refurb tag.

Aside from price, a possible difference between new and refurbished products is their cosmetic condition. Note that this solely concerns the cosmetic appearance of the device since a refurb is thoroughly cleaned. There are 3 levels of refurbished cosmetic condition you can choose from: Grade A (Excellent), Grade B (Good), and Grade C (Fair). Depending on your choice, you will get a more or less perfect-looking device. 

If your new Apple device breaks and Apple gives you a replacement, you're getting a refurbished device. That’s right; you literally can’t tell the difference between new and refurb in this case. Apple refurbishes its own products and classes them as excellent (Grade A).