Hidden iPhone menu reveals if you’ve been sold a dodgy model – and there’s a costly sign you shouldn’t ignore
YOUR iPhone has an easy-to-miss menu that can reveal if you’ve been scammed.
There’s a page inside the Settings app that shows if your iPhone has been fixed with non-genuine Apple parts.
That’s not necessarily the end of the world – but some fake parts can cause serious issues.
And Apple’s page can reveal if these parts are causing problems.
Sadly, if you see it then you’re probably in for a costly repair.
So it’s worth checking to see if you’ve been mis-sold a device that has phoney parts.
You can also check the Service History, which is great if you’re buying second-hand.
In fact, it may be worth asking to see this page before you buy a used iPhone – so you can ensure that the seller isn’t telling any fibs.
HOW TO CHECK YOUR IPHONE’S PARTS AND SERVICE HISTORY
First, you’ll need to make sure that your iPhone is running iOS 15.2 or later.
Just go to Settings > General > Software Update to ensure you’re updated.
Then go to Settings > General > About to check the Parts & Service panel.
If a part is officially from Apple, you’ll see Genuine next to it.
That means it’s a real Apple part installed using the official process.
If the part isn’t genuine or isn’t working properly, you’ll see Unknown instead.
And on the iPhone 15 or later (and running iOS 18), you might also see a Used message.
This means that the part “was already used or installed” in another iPhone.
iOS 18 devices – can your iPhone get it?
Here are the devices that can get the new iOS 18 update
- iPhone SE (2nd generation)
- iPhone SE (3rd generation)
- iPhone XR
- iPhone XS
- iPhone XS Max
- iPhone 11
- iPhone 11 Pro
- iPhone 11 Pro Max
- iPhone 12
- iPhone 12 mini
- iPhone 12 Pro
- iPhone 12 Pro Max
- iPhone 13
- iPhone 13 mini
- iPhone 13 Pro
- iPhone 13 Pro Max
- iPhone 14
- iPhone 14 Plus
- iPhone 14 Pro
- iPhone 14 Pro Max
- iPhone 15
- iPhone 15 Plus
- iPhone 15 Pro
- iPhone 15 Pro Max
- iPhone 16
- iPhone 16 Plus
- iPhone 16 Pro
- iPhone 16 Pro Max
The info you’ll see also depends on your model.
For iPhone 12 models or later, you can see history for the following parts:
- Battery
- Display
- Logic Board Assembly
- TrueDepth camera
- Rear camera
For iPhone 11 models or later, you can only see info on the battery and display.
And on the iPhone XR, iPhone XS, iPhone XS Max, and iPhone SE (2nd and 3rd generations), you can only see info for the battery.
It’s also worth bearing in mind that if a part has been serviced multiple times, only the most recent service will show up.
THE WARNING SIGN
If you see an Unknown message next to a part, it can mean one of several things.
That includes when a part is:
- Not genuine
- Not working properly
- Hasn’t been verified and linked to your iPhone after a repair
- Has been modified
Apple says there’s a message that you need to look out for.
“If an issue with a component significantly affects the functionality of the device and needs attention to resolve, your iPhone will display a one-time notification,” Apple explains.
“This notification appears the first time that you unlock your iPhone after the issue is detected, and the notification remains in Parts and Service History until you dismiss it.”
If you see that, you may need to take your iPhone in for a repair.