How to inspect a used laptop before you buy
Most bad used laptop deals come down to a few problems: a laptop still locked to the seller's account or company, a worn or swollen battery, a failing hinge or keyboard, or specs that don't match the listing. This checklist covers them in the order you'll meet them, from messaging the seller to paying. Plan on 15 minutes in person. The free MxMob tests handle most of the hardware checks.
The three checks that matter most
- Locks: Find My Mac, Activation Lock, company MDM enrollment, BitLocker and BIOS passwords can each make a laptop unusable after you buy it. Reset it together with the seller before paying.
- Battery: below 80% health, plan on a replacement ($80–$250 depending on the model). A swollen battery is a safety risk.
- Hinge and screen: hinge and display repairs are among the most expensive laptop fixes, often $150–$400.
Red flags: walk away if…
- the seller won't reset the laptop or sign out of their account in front of you;
- it shows a “Remote Management”, school or company login screen;
- the trackpad or bottom case is bulging;
- the processor, memory or storage don't match the listing;
- the seller pushes for payment by gift card, wire transfer or crypto.
Buying on Facebook Marketplace, Craigslist or OfferUp
Meet in daylight at a public place with Wi-Fi, or bring your phone to share a hotspot. Bring a USB drive or phone cable, wired headphones and, if you can, an HDMI cable to test the ports. Open mxmob.com/laptop-test on the laptop to run every hardware test in about 5 minutes, then save the report. Buying a phone instead? Use the used phone checklist.
Frequently asked questions
What should I check before buying a used laptop?
Confirm the model and specs, make sure the seller has removed their Apple ID or Microsoft account and there is no Find My Mac, company management, BitLocker or BIOS lock, check battery health is 80% or more, inspect the hinge, screen and case, and test the keyboard, trackpad, ports, webcam and audio.
How do I check a used MacBook is not locked?
Before paying, have the seller sign out of their Apple ID and turn off Find My Mac, then erase the Mac together (System Settings › General › Transfer or Reset › Erase All Content and Settings). It must restart to the setup screen with no Activation Lock or Remote Management prompt.
How do I check battery health on a used Windows laptop?
Open Command Prompt or Terminal, run powercfg /batteryreport, and open the battery-report.html file it saves. Compare Full charge capacity with Design capacity. 80% or more is healthy.