The Apple iPhone 12 Pro Max, released in 2020 with a retail price of $1,099, is now six years into its lifecycle. As of today, an iPhone 12 Pro Max in excellent condition can trade for between $220 and $280, representing a significant drop to about 25% of its original value. This guide covers how you can recycle or sell your Apple iPhone 12 Pro Max (2020) through various reputable platforms such as Gazelle, Back Market, Apple Trade In, and Best Buy.
warranty minimum.
All certified-refurbished sellers test the device, replace the battery if degraded below 80% capacity, and reset to factory defaults.
How to Recycle a Apple iPhone 12 Pro Max
If trade-in value is below £20 / $25 - or the device has a swollen battery, cracked screen with internal damage, or won't power on - recycling is the responsible end-of-life route.
The fastest free option for a Apple device is the manufacturer programme: Apple Trade In. Cash card or new-purchase credit. Mail-in or in-store. Most products eligible including non-working.
Free options that work for any smartphone:
Before recycling, factory-reset the device, remove SIM and SD cards, and sign out of any cloud account.
What's Inside (Recoverable Materials)
A modern smartphone contains roughly 0.034g gold, 0.34g silver, 0.015g palladium, 15g copper and 16g aluminium. Total recoverable raw-material value is around $1-$3 per device at 2026 commodity prices. Lithium-cobalt batteries are 30-50g and require separate processing.
The UN Global E-Waste Monitor 2024 estimates that the raw materials in global e-waste were worth $91 billion in 2022, with only 22.3% formally recycled. Every device sent to certified recycling closes a small part of that loop.
Fair-condition trade-in is around $105. Repair almost always pays off - even a full screen replacement at $150-$200 lifts the trade-in to excellent tier, recovering the repair cost twice over.
Common failure modes for this generation: battery degradation below 80% capacity (cheap fix at any independent repair shop), screen damage from drops (out-of-warranty repair from the manufacturer is usually 2-3x what an independent shop charges), and water damage (rarely worth repairing - recycle and trade up).
Related Guides
Sources
- Trade-in prices: market estimates across Gazelle, Back Market and Apple Trade In, Best Buy Trade-In, retrieved 2026-05-17
- Manufacturer take-back URLs: official manufacturer recycling pages
- Recoverable materials: UN Global E-Waste Monitor 2024 (UNITAR/ITU) baseline data
- Repairability scores: iFixit teardown database where available
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a Apple iPhone 12 Pro Max worth in 2026?
In excellent condition, the iPhone 12 Pro Max trades in for $220-$280. In fair condition (screen scratches, battery health 80-90%), expect $80-$130. Quotes vary by service; check Decluttr, Gazelle and Back Market for live pricing.
Where can I sell my Apple iPhone 12 Pro Max for the most cash?
For US sellers, Decluttr typically pays the highest cash for Apple devices and ships money within 1 business day of inspection. Back Market wins on Macs and premium laptops. Apple Trade In pays in store credit only but stacks with current promotions.
Is the Apple iPhone 12 Pro Max worth repairing?
It depends on what's broken. Battery replacement on the iPhone 12 Pro Max costs $40-$80 at an independent shop and is almost always worth it if the device is otherwise functional. Screen damage is more expensive ($150-$250) but still cost-effective if the device is less than 4 years old. Water damage is rarely worth repairing.
How do I recycle a Apple iPhone 12 Pro Max if it has no trade-in value?
Three free options: (1) the Apple manufacturer take-back programme (prepaid mail label), (2) Best Buy Electronics Recycling (drop-off, 3 items per day), or (3) Staples Electronics Recycling (no quantity limit). All three are R2 or e-Stewards certified.
Is it safe to sell or recycle a iPhone 12 Pro Max with personal data on it?
Only after a full factory reset. On the iPhone 12 Pro Max, this clears the encryption key and makes the data unrecoverable to the next owner. Sign out of any cloud account first (iCloud, Google, Microsoft account), then perform a factory reset from the settings menu before shipping.
