Your iPhone may display messages like "Important Battery Message", "Unknown Part" or "Used Battery" after you receive your Back Market device. These messages appear when a repair wasn't performed by Apple – this is Apple's parts-pairing policy, not a sign of a problem.
- There's no defect or safety issue
- Your iPhone's performance and features aren't affected
- It confirms that a part was replaced and cannot be verified in Apple's system
This is normal for refurbished iPhones. Read on for detailed information about these messages.
What do these messages mean?
These messages indicate that a component (battery, screen, or camera) has been replaced by someone other than Apple or an Apple Authorised Service Provider. The specific message you see depends on your iPhone model and iOS version.
Important: these messages don't indicate a defect. The replaced components are fully functional and tested for quality by Back Market sellers.
- Lock screen: 4 days
- Settings: 15 days
- Performance: no impact
- Features: no impact
- Limitation: battery health metrics may not be visible in "Settings" (depending on message type)
About batteries and battery messages
"Used Battery" message (iOS 18+)
Starting with iOS 18, you may see a "Used Battery" message even when your battery is new and fully functional. This is part of Apple's parts-pairing policy and doesn't indicate a problem.
During refurbishment, the battery cell is replaced whilst keeping the original Apple battery management board. This approach is used to avoid triggering the more disruptive "unverified battery" warning and pop-up messages. Because the original board retains its serial number, Apple identifies the battery as "used" rather than "unverified". This is a better outcome for you as a customer.
- Every battery is tested for capacity, performance, and safety before shipment
- Batteries meet Back Market's quality standards
- Your device is covered by warranty for any defects
Battery cycle counts
When checking your battery using third-party apps or diagnostic tools, you might see the original battery's historical cycle count. This is normal when batteries have been replaced.
Because the original battery management board is retained, the cycle count may reflect its previous history rather than your replacement cell's actual usage. This doesn't affect your battery's actual capacity, performance, or lifespan. The number you see is a reporting artefact, not a reflection of how your battery will perform day to day.
- The cycle count reflects the old battery's usage history
- It doesn't reflect the condition of your new replacement battery
- This is a limitation of how iOS stores battery data when non-Apple repairs are performed
- Battery health percentage (if you purchased a device with a new battery, battery health should show 100%)
- Actual device performance and battery life
What messages may appear?
The specific messages depend on your iOS version. Only recent iPhone models (iPhone XR, XS, XS Max and later) display these messages.
iOS 15.2 and later
What you can see by the model:
- iPhone XR, XS, XS Max, and later (including iPhone SE 2nd gen): battery replacement history
- iPhone 11, iPhone 12, iPhone 13 series: battery and display replacement history
- iPhone 12, iPhone 13, iPhone 14, iPhone 15 series: battery, display, and camera replacement history
Replacements not performed by Apple will display as "Unknown Part" or "Used Battery" (iOS 18+). These components are functionally equivalent to Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) parts and perform identically.
Sellers on Back Market test every device through rigorous quality suites to verify like-new condition. Our in-house teams validate these processes to ensure you receive the highest-quality devices.
Your protection: Even if something goes wrong, your device is always covered by warranty for any defects.
iOS versions earlier than iOS 15.2
- Battery: "Settings" > "Battery" > "Battery Health"
- Camera and display: "Settings" > "General" > "About"
- "Important Battery Message"
- "Important Display Message"
- "Important Camera Message"
When should you contact Customer Care?
The messages described above are expected and don't require any action. However, some situations indicate a genuine battery issue that may be covered under warranty.
Normal messages — no action needed
These are reporting behaviours linked to Apple's parts-pairing policy. They don't indicate a defect:
- "Used Battery", "Unknown Part", or "Important Battery Message" displayed in "Settings" or on the lock screen
- High cycle count showing in third-party diagnostic apps (this reflects the old battery's history, not your new one)
Contact Customer Care if you notice
These symptoms may indicate an actual battery defect:
- Battery is draining significantly faster than expected (e.g., full discharge within a few hours of normal use)
- Device shutting down unexpectedly at 20% battery or above
- Battery swelling, or the device feeling unusually warm during normal use
- Battery health percentage is dropping rapidly in a short period
- Device not charging, or charging extremely slowly