Important update
AT&T and the iPhone 17: a temporary pause
AT&T changed how it locks the new iPhone 17 lineup, and it affects whether we can buy a financed iPhone 17 on AT&T right now. Older iPhones and every other carrier aren't affected — here's what's going on.
Get a quoteWhat happened
This isn't your normal carrier lock
Starting with the iPhone 17 lineup, AT&T tightened how it authorizes phones tied to a device payment plan. If a financed iPhone 17 goes unpaid, AT&T blocks the phone so it can't be used for anything — by anyone.
Here's why that matters. Plenty of carriers lock a phone to their network until it's paid off, and that kind of lock comes off once the balance clears. This is different: AT&T doesn't just limit the network — it bricks the phone. The device can't be set up or used at all while the balance goes unpaid.
When it happens, the iPhone shows a lock screen that reads “Property of AT&T — This device hasn't been authorized for activation and cannot be used.” At that point it's effectively a paperweight until AT&T releases it.
Because buying one of these before it's paid off would hand the next owner a potentially bricked phone, we've paused buying financed iPhone 17s on AT&T for now. This only affects the iPhone 17 lineup — every earlier iPhone, and every other carrier, is business as usual.
What it means for you
Is your iPhone still good to sell?
An AT&T iPhone 17 that's not paid off
If your iPhone 17 is on AT&T and still on a payment plan, we can't buy it yet — and here's the real reason. While it's financed, the phone stays tied to that account. If those payments stop, or the account hits a snag, AT&T can now brick it — even after we've bought and paid for it. Before this change, that only locked the phone to AT&T and someone else could still use it; now it's a paperweight. Since we can't control an account we don't hold, we have to wait until it's fully paid off.
Paid off, older model, or another carrier
If your AT&T iPhone 17 is fully paid off — or you're selling any older iPhone (16 and earlier) or any phone on another carrier like Verizon or T-Mobile — nothing changes. We're still buying as usual. Get a quote and we'll take it from there.
Get your quoteWhat the lock looks like
The screen on a blocked iPhone
We expect this to be temporary
This just started — we began seeing these locks on June 18, 2026, so it's brand new. We're waiting on official word from AT&T about what's going on before we decide how to proceed. We believe it's a short-term change, and the moment we know more we'll update this page — and start buying these iPhones again. If you're not sure where your phone stands, reach out and we'll help you figure it out.
Not sure if yours qualifies?
Send us your device and we'll tell you straight whether we can buy it today — no guessing, no pressure.