Refurbished iPhones usually have a battery health of 80% or higher. Apple Certified Refurbished iPhones include a brand-new battery as part of Apple's refurbishment process, so they effectively start at 100%. Third-party refurbishers set their own minimum, and 80% is a common floor because Apple designs iPhone batteries to keep 80% of their original capacity at their rated cycle count. Always check the battery figure on the listing before you buy.

Do Apple refurbished iPhones have 100% battery health?

Yes. Apple states that every Apple Certified Refurbished iPhone receives a brand-new battery and outer shell, so it leaves refurbishment at full capacity. That single-battery guarantee is one of the main reasons Apple refurbished stock costs more than third-party equivalents. To see only these units on RefurbMe, filter by Apple Store listings.

What do third-party refurbishers guarantee?

Independent refurbishers such as Back Market, Amazon Renewed, and others each publish their own battery standard, and most guarantee a minimum health level rather than a new cell. A phone that passes testing keeps its original battery; one that falls below the seller's threshold is replaced. Because policies differ, RefurbMe lets you compare battery guarantees across refurbishers before choosing.

The cosmetic condition grade (Excellent, Good, or Fair) describes the outside of the phone, not the battery. A Grade B iPhone can still have strong battery health, so read both figures separately.

How do I check the battery health of a refurbished iPhone?

Open Settings, tap Battery, then Battery Health, and read the Maximum Capacity percentage, which compares the battery with its capacity when new.

  1. Open Settings and tap Battery.
  2. Tap Battery Health on an iPhone 15 or later, or Battery Health & Charging on an iPhone 11 to 14. On an iPhone 15 or later with iOS 17.4 or later, this screen also shows the cycle count, the manufacture date and the date of first use.
  3. Read any message on that screen. "Your battery's health is significantly degraded" means Apple suggests a battery replacement. "Unable to verify this iPhone has a genuine Apple battery" means the figures shown may not be accurate.
  4. Go to Settings > General > About for the parts and service history. Genuine next to Battery means Apple parts were used. Unknown Part appears when the battery isn't a genuine Apple part or can't be verified, which you may see after a third-party battery swap.

Check all of this the day the phone arrives, while the seller's return window is still open, and contact the seller if the figure is below what the listing promised. Batteries up to iPhone 14 are designed to keep 80% of their original capacity after 500 full charge cycles, and from iPhone 15 on after 1,000.

For related detail, see do refurbished iPhones get a new battery?

What if the battery health is lower than advertised?

If the phone arrives below the health level you were promised, contact the seller straight away. Most refurbishers cover this under their return or warranty policy. You can compare return policies on RefurbMe to buy from a seller with clear terms next time.