Frequently Asked Questions

Unfortunately, if your device isn’t on the website we are unable to recycle it for you at this time.

If it’s a phone, take the cover off and look under the battery. The details are usually on a sticker there. For anything else, look on the outer case.

If you can’t find the right details, email info@o2recycle.co.uk or call 0345 505 0202 (Monday-Friday 9am-8pm, Saturday 9am-5pm).

Go to Settings/General/About and under the Capacity section you will see the number of GB available for storage on your iPhone.

Please note: this will always be lower than the 8, 16, 32 or 64GB advertised as the operating system is already pre-loaded onto the phone and will take up 2-3 GB of storage.

Yes, please contact our customer service team by email to info@o2recycle.co.uk or call 0345 505 0202 (Monday-Friday 9am-8pm, Saturday 9am-5pm) and they will be able to update this for you.

You can cancel your order by contacting our customer service team by email to info@o2recycle.co.uk or call 0345 505 0202 (Monday-Friday 9am-8pm, Saturday 9am-5pm) and they will be able to update this for you.

If your phone has been in contact with or submerged in water at any point then it will most likely be water damaged. The grading questions on the device page will give an estimation as to how much your device will be worth if it has been water damaged.

If you are still not sure, we will be able to check and confirm this when we receive the device and will update the value of your device accordingly. If you aren’t happy with this value we will return your device free of charge.

Yes, we are able to recycle broken or faulty phones. To see how much your device could be worth you can answer the grading questions on the device page which will give an updated value based on any faults.

You can find out the IMEI number by dialling *#06# on your handset. Your IMEI number should then be displayed on the screen.

To check the status of your order, please contact our customer service team:

Email: info@o2recycle.co.uk

Tel: 0345 505 0202

(Monday-Friday 9am-8pm, Saturday 9am-5pm)

It’s in working order if you can switch it on and off, the screen isn’t damaged, and it hasn’t been damaged by water.

If in doubt please utilise the option to obtain a more specific valuation if your item is damaged.

Please note for your assurance all devices are thoroughly checked upon receipt of delivery and you are notified if damage is found.

CheckMEND is a database system that is used to check if a device is registered as lost or stolen.

Some information if your device is showing as blocked:

We are governed by the recycle code of practice details of which can be found on www.checkmend.com/uk/recycle

We are unable to return or pay for items which have failed Checkmend. If you believe this may be an error on Checkmend’s behalf please contact www.checkmend.com quoting your report ID number.

If you are able to resolve this block please contact us at info@o2recycle.co.uk quoting the above reference and we will continue with your recycle order.

We will hold your device for 28 days to give you the opportunity to resolve this matter after which it will be recycled responsibly.

With iOS7 or later Apple introduced a new security measure called ’Activation Lock’, which is linked to ’Find my iPhone’. If the Activation Lock is still activated, the device will be locked to your iCloud account which is only accessible with your Apple ID and password.

With Android devices activation lock was introduced to prevent someone from activating your device should it be lost or stolen. On Android devices these locks can vary dependent on the device.

If activation lock is enabled on any device we are unable to test it or resell the device, we will be unable to access any of the functions and the device will become inoperable.

If you have put your device on Lost Mode within your iCloud account, this will need to be taken off.
Please find instructions here on how to do this.

Once you have taken the device off ‘Lost Mode’ you can continue to follow our instructions to remove Activation Lock.

If you have an iPhone 4 or iPad 2 onwards you may have iOS 7 or later on your device.

To find out which iOS your Apple device is on please follow the steps below:

Settings > General > About > Version

iOS 7 is Version 7.0.

For Apple Devices – Click on Settings – iCloud – Sign Out – Enter password and then Sign Out For more information please follow the Apple instructions.

For Android devices – To turn off device protection, Click on settings – Accounts – Select Account – Tap More – Remove account – Please ensure all associated accounts are removed.

For Apple Devices – Please follow the Apple instructions.

For Android devices – You are unable to remotely remove the lock. However when we receive your phone you will be emailed with a revised value. You will then have the choice to accept the value or have your phone returned free of charge. If you request for your phone to be returned you will then need to turn off device protection by removing all associated Google ID accounts within your settings. Once this has been done you will need to re-sell your device.

If you have forgotten your password, you can reset it at appleid.apple.com or by contacting Apple Support and verifying your identity. Once your password has been reset, it will work normally with Find My iPhone and Activation Lock.

Yes, please click here for our step-by-step guide on how to pack your order.

If you have chosen for your device to be picked up by a courier, you will be required to box and package your device before the device is picked up. We would recommend using the original packaging to ensure a safe transit.

It can take 3-5 days for your package to be delivered to us using our free postage.

We will be in contact via email as soon as your device has been received and processed.

How you data wipe your device varies from operating system to operating system, and sometimes even device to device. These are general instructions that should work with most devices; however, it's best to check with your manual or manufacturer just to make sure. You can download manuals for most makes and models of phone from the internet.

Android: For versions before Android 4.0, press the Menu key from the Home screen and select Settings/Privacy/Factory data reset. You'll get a warning screen. Scroll toward the bottom and tap "Reset phone." If you also have an SD card in the phone (and don't want to use the data in your next phone), also make sure to check the box next to "Erase SD card."

For Android 4.0 or later, go to Settings and look for "Backup and reset." Tap that, and then, on the next screen, tap "Factory data reset." You'll get a warning screen along with a list of all the accounts you are currently signed into.

iOS (iPhone and iPad): Go to Settings/General/Reset and then tap "Erase all Content and Settings." (This is specifically for Version 5; the process may differ slightly for other versions.)

Windows Phone 7: Go to the Home screen, then tap the Application Menu Key and select Settings/ System/About/ and tap the "Reset your phone" button.

BlackBerry: Head to Options/Security options/General settings, and then tap menu. Then select Wipe Handheld.

Mobile phones: Send the phone and battery. We don’t need the charger, manual or anything else.

Digital cameras: Send the camera, battery and charger. (If you don’t send all three, we can’t pay you as much money. Read our terms and conditions).

iPods: Send the iPod and charger.

Sat navs: Send the main unit, any holder or cradle, charger, battery and manuals. (If you don’t send everything, we can’t pay you as much money. Read our terms and conditions)

Tablets: Send the tablet and power cable.

Any accessories sent will not be returned

No. Take the sim card out before you send it to us. If you send us a sim card, we can’t send it back to you. Make sure you transfer everything you need from your phone or device before your send it to us.

We cover the cost of packaging and labels but recommend you send higher-value items by Special Delivery. The cost of doing this will depend on your item.

If you are concerned about your items being lost, stolen or damaged in the post we recommend you to send it by Special Delivery.

For more information on postage and packaging please read our step-by-step guide.

Don‘t worry, we‘ve sent you a confirmation email with the Packetpost Returns address label and the order summary that you need to put inside the packaging with your device(s). If you have any difficulty in getting your order confirmation number email or call us: info@o2recycle.co.uk or call us on 0345 505 0202 (Monday-Friday 9am-8pm, Saturday 9am-5pm).

We’ll send email or text confirmation (depending on the option you’ve selected) to let you know that we’ve received your items. This also confirms when your payment will be made.

You can still recycle! The price we offered you when you placed your order will remain the same for 14 days. If it has been over 14 days since you placed your order, you can simply place another order and use your new order number.

The price we have offered you when you placed your order will remain the same for 14 days. Your gadget will be graded upon arrival and if there is any damage that affects the price we have offered, we will contact you. You will then have two days to accept our new offer or get your gadget returned free of charge.

No, there is no limit to the number of devices you can send but you should only send 2 items in each pack you send us. For more information on postage and packaging please read our step-by-step guide.

All items are checked on a database system called CheckMEND against a list of stolen/lost devices.

If your device is in good working order it’ll be refurbished and sold on for reuse as an affordable means of communication, mainly in developing countries. Things that can’t be repaired are sent to be "end of life" recycled. The precious metals and other components that can be reused are extracted and any remaining materials are smelted for energy recovery.

Yes, you can place your recycle order at your local O2 store. However, if you have already placed your order online you will have to go through the order process again in store.

Find your local O2 store

For more information on postage and packaging please read our step-by-step guide.

If your device is worth more than £39, we recommend you to send it by Special Delivery (from the Post Office). This means you can track your item and you are also insured for any loss or damage. Please note Special Delivery is charged by the Post Office.

We also offer a courier collection service which will cover all lost items up to a value of £200. Unfortunately we are unable to cover any damage incurred when using the courier service. To avoid any damage during transit we also recommend devices are packaged adequately using protective wrapping.

If you are using our free pack please ask for Royal Mail Packet Post from the Post Office.

We (O2 or Redeem) can’t accept responsibility for any devices we don’t receive.

Please note: we may be unable to return any additional packaging you send us with your device.

Our courier collection service is provided by UKMail.

If you need to change your collection date or time please call our customer service team on 0345 505 0202 (Monday-Friday 9am-8pm, Saturday 9am-5pm) for assistance.

If you are not there in order for us to collect your order we will re-attempt at the same address and time slot 24 hours later.

If you are not there on the second attempt we will be forced to cancel your order.

Find out if your device is listed and how much it’s worth here or call 0345 505 0202 (Monday-Friday 9am-8pm, Saturday 9am-5pm)

We are confident we can offer you the best price for your phone. If you see your item advertised for a higher price on competitor websites within 7 days of placing your order with O2 Recycle we could match it for you.

Claim a Top Price Promise.

If your item receives a reduction we will contact you by email or text. You will then have 48 hours to get in touch with us so we can arrange for the free return of your item.

We can pay you by either cheque, bank transfer, PayPal, or bill credit (bill credit only applicable to O2 customers). Whichever you choose, as soon as we receive and process your order you'll get paid within 5 working days. Bill credit customers will have their account credited to the next monthly bill. Please note: if your bill is printed within 3 days of your payment confirmation, the credit will appear in the following months bill. Bill credit will be applied as Airtime Credit for O2 Refresh customers.

Please note: Bill credit will be applied as Airtime Credit for O2 Refresh customers.

Yes, contact our customer service team by email to info@o2recycle.co.uk or call 0345 505 0202 (Monday-Friday 9am-8pm, Saturday 9am-5pm) and they will be able to update this for your providing the payment hasn’t already been processed.

O2 Refresh is a brand new contract from O2 that lets you change phones as often as you want. With O2 Refresh, your monthly bill is split into a phone plan (the cost of the phone), and an airtime plan (your data, minutes and texts).

More information on this tariff can be found at http://www.o2.co.uk/refresh

Unfortunately we are unable to recycle devices which are locked to a non-UK network at this time.

Yes. Anyone on any UK network can use O2 Recycle.

Unfortunately not, O2 Recycle can only be used by people in the UK.

Think Big is our programme to challenge young people to make positive changes in their community. If they’ve got a great idea, we’ll help them get going. We’ll give them support, training and funding to make it work.

To find out more visit www.o2.co.uk/thinkbig

When it comes to safety, children need us to be aware and involved in what’s going on - both online and offline. And that's why we’ve joined forces with theyouth charity NSPCC. Our aim is to keep all kids safe online by helping UK parents and guardians to explore and see the internet as children do - a world that’s creative, fun and exciting - as well as understand the real dangers that exist online.

To find out more visit www.o2.co.uk/thinkbig

Registered charity number 216401. NSPCC, charity registered in Scotland, charity number SC037717

When devices are thrown away they end up in landfill sites. They don’t breakdown or biodegrade and might pollute the surrounding soil or waterways, damaging plants and wildlife.

Did you know that in the UK we are increasing the amount of wasted electrical goods we throw away by 5% a year? Historically, much of the WEEE ended up in landfill, where toxins within it could cause soil & water contamination. The UK’s Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) Regulations came into effect in 2006 with the aim to make producers and suppliers of electrical goods pay for the collection, treatment and recovery of waste electrical equipment. It seeks to encourage all of us to recycle our waste electrical goods, and it requires retailers to allow customers to return unwanted items free of charge. O2 has been doing just that for several years.

Find out more information on how you can recycle