Accessories That Make Your Old Phone Look Brand New for Resale

Remember the old proverb, “Dress the way you want to be addressed”? Well, in 2025, I’d argue that the proverb is significantly relevant not just to clothing anymore but also to the smartphone and tech resale market as a whole.

Most buyers no longer judge a phone simply by its specs; the judgment starts (and many times ends) with how the device looks. In other words, regardless of how “perfectly” a device works, scratches, smudges, dents, and worst of all, cracks kill its resale value.

In this article, we’re going to look at 

• The must-have accessories that keep your phone looking brand new.

• Step-by-step guide on how to prepare your device for sale.

• Best place to sell your phone online

Must-Have Accessories to Keep Your Phone Looking Brand New

Premium Phone Case

The importance of a premium phone case can’t be overemphasized because if you want to keep your phone looking brand new, a simple good, or worse, cheap case won’t cut it.

Premium cases from brands like Ghostek are engineered with raised edges, shock absorption, and rugged materials to prevent the cracks and dents that instantly kill resale value, and keep your phone looking as good as possible. With premium smartphone accessories like rugged phone cases, you can use your device to your heart’s content without sacrificing its cosmetic condition.

Screen Protector 

Screen protectors are another important piece of the puzzle. As you probably already know, screen protectors shield your phone’s display from scratches and cracks. 

Pair your Ghostek case with a tempered glass screen protector to keep your display flawless and protect your phone’s resale value. The risks of using a cheap one far outweigh the benefits. A well-made protector absorbs and distributes impact across its surface when your device falls, and helps protect your phone resale value. Cheap ones often fail to do this. In fact, in many cases, with a low-grade protector, your phone’s actual screen can still end up taking the damage. 

Camera Protection

Camera lens protection is another important accessory if you want to keep your device looking like it’s fresh out of the box when it’s time to finally resell it.

This accessory is designed specifically to protect your device’s camera lens from getting smudged, scratched, and worst of all, cracked, without affecting/reducing the camera’s image quality.

Cleaning & Polishing Kits

Having a proper cleaning kit for your device shouldn’t be skipped over. A proper cleaning kit allows you to easily clean off smudges, stains, fingerprints, grime, and dust from your device as soon as you notice them.

Doing this regularly isn’t only healthy, as the average smartphone screen is dirtier than a toilet seat, but it also keeps your phone device shining and looking as good as new. So make it a routine to clean your phone every now and then.

Materials Needed: 

• Microfiber Cloth

• Antibacterial wipe

• 70% Isopropyl Alcohol

• Soft-Bristled Brush to clean speaker 

• Compressed air for charging port

Box & Packaging (If Available)

This isn’t really an accessory, but having it in addition to what we’ve already discussed can significantly boost your phone’s resale value and appeal to buyers. So don’t just toss out your original phone box, especially if you know you’re going to eventually sell your device.

7 Simple Steps to Prepare Your Phone for Resale

How you prepare your smartphone for resale is very important; in fact, it could be the difference between an excellent selling experience where you get top dollar for your old device and a disappointing experience riddled with scammers, low offers, back-and-forths between you and buyers, etc. Here are a few simple steps to help you properly prepare your phone for resale:

How to Prepare Your Device for Sale

1. Confirm Device Details

• Check the exact model, storage size, and network lock/unlock status.

• This helps you and the buyer stay clear on what’s being sold.

2. Inspect the Device

• Look for scratches, dents, cracks, or screen damage.

• Test essentials: buttons, ports, cameras, speakers, battery health, etc.

Be upfront about any issues; transparency builds trust and avoids messy situations with buyers.

3. Remove SIMs (physical & eSIMs).

• Take out your physical SIM card.

• If your device uses eSIM, erase it in settings.

This ensures your personal info is cleared and the phone is ready for setup.

4. Sign Out & Factory Reset

• Back up your data.

• Log out of all accounts (Google, Apple ID, Samsung, etc.), then factory reset the phone.

This protects your information and prevents activation lock for the new owner.

5. Unlock the Device (If Locked)

• Unlocked phones sell faster and for more money.

• Check eligibility requirements, and if your device meets up to

• Contact your carrier for specific information on what to do.

6. Clean the Phone

• Power off, then gently wipe with a lint-free cloth.

• Use screen wipes or alcohol-based wipes for fingerprints and grime.

• Avoid bleach and keep moisture away from ports.

How to Clean Your Smartphone

• Turn off and unplug your phone.

• Thoroughly wash your hands, using soap and water; scrub for at least 20 seconds.

• Wipe your phone, including the screen, with an antibacterial wipe. Alternatively, you can use a soft cloth sprayed with a disinfectant cleaner that contains 70% isopropyl alcohol. This specific concentration is effective at killing germs on the surface of your phone.

• Avoid getting any moisture in the ports.

Not all devices are made equal, so before cleaning any of your devices, be sure to check the manufacturer’s instructions for keeping your tech clean.

A spotless device looks better in photos and inspires buyer confidence.

7. Take Quality Photos

• Use natural daylight and capture multiple angles.

• Show the device powered on to prove it works.

• Include extras like a box, charger, or case in the photos; they boost appeal.

Where To Sell Used Phones For The Most Money

SellMyCellPhone is the best place to sell your used phone online for the most money. Beyond getting the best deal for your used device, SellMyCellPhone prioritizes a smooth and hassle-free selling experience. In other words, the goal is to make selling your phone as straightforward as buying it was. No squabbling or dealing with low offers or scammers. Just send in your phone and get paid fast.

How To Sell Your Device To SellMyCellPhone

• Go to sellmycellphone.com/sell

• Check for your device brand and then model.

• Select your phone details: condition, carrier, and storage.

• Receive an instant quote and click Get Paid to accept.

• Proceed to checkout and follow the on-screen instructions.

Final Words

At the end of the day, selling your phone in 2025 isn’t just about specs; it’s about presentation. As I said earlier, “dress the way you want to be addressed” applies to smartphones, too. If your phone looks rough and mishandled, buyers won’t care how well it works; the value is already gone in their eyes.

That’s why the little things matter. A solid case, a quality screen protector, a clean camera lens, and even keeping your original box can make your device feel brand new again and boost its resale value. 

Bottom line: Spend a little effort now, and it’ll pay you back when it’s time to sell your old phone. 

Protect your phone’s resale value today with rugged accessories from Ghostek, and when it’s time to upgrade, sell your used phone for cash at SellMyCellPhone.com. The best place to trade in phones. A little care now pays off big later.