What should I photograph when selling a used smartphone?

When you sell a used smartphone, clear photos do most of the selling for you. Buyers cannot hold the phone before they decide to contact you, so your pictures need to show what it looks like, how it works, and what condition it is really in. Good photos build trust, reduce back-and-forth questions, and help a serious buyer feel confident enough to make an offer. Start with a clean phone, good daylight, and a plain background, then work through the shots below in order.

Photograph the front of the phone with the screen on, showing a normal home screen or lock screen without personal messages, photos, or account details visible. Then photograph the front with the screen off, so buyers can see scratches, cracks, or marks on the glass that a bright display might hide. Photograph the back from straight above, including the camera area, logo area, and any colour or finish, so the model and style are easy to recognise. Take the same front and back shots again at a slight angle, because angled light often reveals wear that a straight photo misses.

Next, photograph all four edges of the phone, one at a time, in close-up. Show the charging port, speaker openings, buttons, SIM tray, and any dents, chips, or scuffs along the frame. Photograph the rear cameras closely, and the front camera too, checking that the lenses look clean and free from cracks. If the phone has a case or screen protector in the sale, photograph it separately, and make clear whether it is included. Buyers use these detail shots to judge everyday wear, so do not crop out a damaged corner or hide a mark behind your hand.

Include a photo of the phone switched on and showing that the touchscreen responds, for example with an app open or a settings screen that does not reveal personal information. Photograph the battery health or storage information screen if your phone shows it, without showing your name, email, or account details. If the phone comes with its original box, charger, or cable, lay those items beside the phone and photograph them together. Use the same plain background for every shot, keep the phone in focus, and avoid flash, which can wash out the screen and create glare.

Be honest about flaws. Photograph every scratch, crack, dent, and worn area closely, with good light, and describe it in your listing in plain words. Buyers expect some wear on a used phone, and clear photos of small marks are far better than a surprise when they meet you or open the parcel. Take more photos than you need, choose the sharpest ones, and check each image at full size before you post it. Clear, honest, well-lit photos will not guarantee a sale, but they will help the right buyer find your listing and trust what they see.

Next step: Post a free ad on ListAds with your clearest photos, so local buyers can see the phone as it really is.