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## What Is the iPhone 13 Worth Now?
The current trade-in value for an iPhone 13 ranges from $120 to $300 depending on its condition, a significant drop from its original price of $799 in 2021. The amount you receive depends largely on how well you've taken care of the device and whether it still functions properly.
How to Wipe Data Before Recycling the iPhone 13
To protect your personal information before recycling or trading in an iPhone 13, follow these steps:
- Back up all data to iCloud or a computer.
- Sign out of your Apple ID settings on the phone.
- Go to Settings > General > Transfer or Reset iPhone and choose Erase All Content and Settings.
- Remove the SIM card and any case or screen protector.
- Unpair an Apple Watch if connected.
Wiping data is important; it prevents identity theft and protects your privacy.
Where to Recycle or Trade In the iPhone 13
Options for recycling or trading in an iPhone 13 include:
- Apple: Offers a trade-in programme where you can receive store credit or cash.
- Third-party services: Websites like Gazelle and Back Market, Back Market, SellCell, and Gazelle offer cash returns based on your device's condition.
- Retailers: Stores such as Best Buy in the US, Currys in the UK, Staples in Canada, and JB Hi-Fi in Australia provide trade-in or recycling programmes that give you credit towards new products.
- Certified recyclers: For devices with no value, use certified what is e-waste recyclers like ERI (e-Recycling Corporation) to ensure proper disposal.
What Materials Are Recovered from the iPhone 13?
The materials recovered from an iPhone 13 include aluminum, cobalt, lithium, gold, copper, and glass. Each material has a specific role in the recycling process:
- Aluminum: Used for making new electronic devices.
- Cobalt: important for battery production.
- Lithium: Key component of batteries that can be reused.
- Gold: Recovered from circuit boards through hydrometallurgical processing and used for electronics manufacturing.
- Copper: Commonly recycled into wiring or pipes.
- Glass: Reused in new displays.
The iPhone 13 weighs about 174 grams, making the recovery of these materials a significant environmental benefit.
Environmental Impact of Recycling vs Landfill
Recycling an iPhone 13 has a much smaller environmental impact than sending it to landfill. Mining one tonne of gold from ore produces 18,000 tonnes of waste, whereas recovering gold from circuit boards is up to 80 times more efficient. A single smartphone contains about $1-2 worth of recoverable precious metals. Additionally, lithium batteries in landfills can cause fires and leach toxic chemicals into groundwater.
By recycling your iPhone 13, you significantly reduce environmental harm and support sustainable practices.
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iPhone 13: complete recycling + trade-in guide (2026-05-20)
Trade-in vs recycle decision
Use this matrix to decide:
| Device condition | Best route | Typical net value |
|---|
| Working, 0-2 years old | Manufacturer trade-in or carrier upgrade | 35-65% of MSRP |
| Working, screen damaged but functional | eBay / Swappa / Music Magpie | 20-45% of MSRP |
| Working, 2-4 years old | Music Magpie / BackMarket buyback | 15-25% of MSRP |
| Working, 4-6 years old | Specialist refurbisher | 5-15% of MSRP |
| 6+ years old OR not working | Certified recycler (free) | $0 but avoided landfill fines |
Compare 7 buyback prices for iPhone 13 in 30 seconds via our Trade-In Best Price Finder.
Data sanitisation steps
- Sign out of all cloud services - Apple ID, Google account, Microsoft account, Samsung account. For Apple devices, removing iCloud lock is mandatory or the next owner can't activate.
- Factory reset via Settings menu:
- iOS: Settings → General → Transfer or Reset → Erase All Content
- Android: Settings → System → Reset → Factory data reset
- Windows: Settings → System → Recovery → Reset this PC → Remove everything
- macOS: Apple menu → System Settings → General → Transfer or Reset
- Verify the reset completed - powered-on device should land on setup-from-scratch screen.
- For sensitive data: factory reset alone is insufficient for SSDs (drive may retain recoverable data). Use a certified ITAD provider with NIST data sanitisation standard Purge. See Hard Drive Destruction Cost Calculator.
Recoverable materials
Smartphones + tablets like iPhone 13 contain (per Apple environmental reports + iFixit teardowns):
- Aluminium frame: 1-3% mass recovered at certified processors
- Copper wiring: 60-80% recovery rate
- Gold + silver in connectors: 35-65% recovery
- Lithium-ion battery: must be separated stream (fire risk in mixed loads)
- Rare earth magnets in speakers + haptics: limited recovery economically
Total recoverable material value per smartphone-class device: $1.50-$4.20 at current commodity prices. Look up live value via our Scrap Value Calculator.
Manufacturer programs available
Most major device brands offer free recycling for their own devices:
- Apple Trade In - free shipping, in-store credit or gift card payout
- Samsung Recycle Direct - free mail-in, gift card payout
- Google Pixel Trade-In - free mail-in, instant credit
- Microsoft Trade-In - via authorised partners, gift card payout
- Dell Reconnect (US) - free in-store via Goodwill partnership
- HP Planet Partners - free mail-in label
For full verified list per device brand: Manufacturer Take-Back Finder.
Compliance + penalties
Personal data on a disposed device that isn't properly sanitised exposes the original owner to GDPR / state privacy law liability:
- UK GDPR + EU GDPR Art 32: appropriate technical + organisational measures - penalties up to £17.5M / €20M or 4% global turnover
- US state laws (CCPA, NY SHIELD Act, CO CDPA): per-incident penalties $2,500-$7,500
- HIPAA (US healthcare): per-incident penalties $137-$68,928 + per-record $137-$2,134
For any data-bearing device, request a Certificate of Destruction or use a free template via GDPR Data Erasure Certificate Generator.
Frequently asked questions
Can I sell iPhone 13 if it's still on the carrier blocklist? No - blocked devices have negligible resale value and reputable buyback services reject them. Contact the original carrier to remove the block first (verify with original purchase records). If blocked due to non-payment, settle the account before listing.
What about devices with broken screens but working internals? Refurbishers like Music Magpie + BackMarket pay 40-60% of working-condition value for broken-screen devices. Worth listing - the screen swap costs them $30-$80 wholesale.
Should I remove the battery before recycling? No - certified recyclers want intact devices. Manual battery removal risks puncture + lithium-ion fire. Loose batteries also need separate hazmat shipping stream.
Related tools + guides
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Device data verified against manufacturer environmental reports + iFixit repairability database + current commodity prices as of 2026-05-20. Operated by Defining Style Limited (UK Companies House 10572391, ICO Registration ZA711914).