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How to return your trade-in to AT&T - Information and Help from the AT&T Community
Learn what you'll need to do to send your trade-in
I recently used the AT&T Trade-in Program to upgrade my smartphone. The phone was shipped pretty fast and I was able to move everything over using one of the transfer apps available (link below). Since it has been some time since I last upgrade using the AT&T Trade-in Program, I decided to update this article.
The Trade-in Box - What You Need To Do
If you're like me, you'll probably wondering what you need to do to open it. Easy, just pull the tab that says "Pull to open". Once opened, You'll see a step-by-step pamphlet and a padded envelope, that you'll put your device inside once it has been reset/ content removed. Once information is cleared from the phone, place it in the padded envelope and put it inside the box, and seal it. Pull the red tab to expose the adhesive to close the box.
The shipping label is located under the shipping label. Remove the return label and stick to the box.
Check the information below to learn more about the trade-in kit, the steps to trade in, and some tips to ensure a seamless trade process.
Shipping Your Trade-In
You'll receive either a box or an envelope that contains:
- Bubble wrap
- Instructions
- A shipping label
Did you trade your device with the Next Program? It is a bit different.
Things Not To Do, Shipping & Important FAQs
Do Not
- Do not use the shipping label that came with your NEW phone. That label is used to return the New Device and will not be sent to the AT&T Trade-In Program facility.
- Do Not use one package to return multiple trade-ins. Each trade-in has its own tracking and mailing information.
Before you ship, Make Sure You
- Reset the phone to remove all of your data, text, pictures, and passwords
- Remove the SIM card
- Take pictures of your device, front to back
- Take a picture of the tracking number
- Return the device within the offer window. Not returning your device voids the AT&T Trade-In Offer.
Important FAQs
- Reorder your shipping supplies. DO NOT send your trade-in with the new phone packaging. It goes to the wrong place.
- Trade-in device must be mailed to us within 14 days.
- Take Home, Trade Later Program - You have 30 days to return the device to the nearest USPS.
- If you submitted a Trade-In online, you may receive an envelope and not a box.
- It can take 3 billing cycles before credit is applied to your bill.
- Trade-in lost in Transit? If you initiated your trade-in:
- Online - Check the status here.
- Through an AT&T representative, such as over the phone or in store - Check the status here.
- If the device is damaged or does not meet requirements, like the right plan, you may not qualify for the credit.
- Some broken or damaged devices still have enough value for customers to trade in. If not, AT&T accepts them for recycling.
- Customers don't have to turn in power cords and accessories with their trade-in.
- All trades are final. Don't return a phone after it's traded in.
- Need to reorder your kit? Go to https://tradein.att.com/contact-us and fill out the information in the section labeled Lost Your Shipping Kit.
AT&T Trade-In Links & More
- Move Your Data
- AT&T Trade-In FAQs
- AT&T Trade-In or Recycle
- Didn't get your Kit? Let us know.
- Trading in with Next? It is a bit different.
ChrisZ, AT&T Community Specialist
*I am an AT&T employee, and the postings on this site are my own and don't necessarily represent AT&T's position, strategies or opinions.
sngdad55
New Member
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1 Message
1 year ago
Does AT&T give you the bare minimum on a trade-in? My device was rarely used and I was offered alot more then what they gave me but I tried to use AT&T and there process of upgrading a device. Kinda (Edited per community guidelines) and very disappointed customer.
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ms_ljaxon66
New Member
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2 Messages
1 year ago
An AT&T "In home support "representative came to my home setup up new our phones and took our old phones for the trade in. ALL 3 phones were working with NO damage. I have been calling about my credit since July 2021 each time I have been told "I will handle it". Today I see that have not received the correct credit for my phones and now I'm being told that only one was credited the $700, one was not working which is FALSE and one is not showing as received. The "In Home Support " Representative no longer works for AT&T (big surprise) and now I'M supposed to find the IMEI number for a phone thar I have not owned for 9 months so that they can "check and see if it was received ". (Edited per community guidelines)? So I'm supposed to believe thar this phone has been sitting in a warehouse all of this time not entered into the "system" but when I find this number it will "magically" be found??? Please that rep stole my phone and how am I supposed to prove it? If just ONE person would have told me this during one of my numerous calls to AT&T starting 8 months ago maybe we could have resolved THIS BEFORE he left. But now I'm the one literally paying the price for the mistakes made by an AT&T employee.
#makeitmakesense
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ms_ljaxon66
New Member
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2 Messages
1 year ago
An AT&T "In home support "representative came to my home setup up new our phones and took our old phones for the trade in. ALL 3 phones were working with NO damage. I have been calling about my credit since July 2021 each time I have been told "I will handle it". Today I see that have not received the correct credit for my phones and now I'm being told that only one was credited the $700, one was not working which is FALSE and one is not showing as received. The "In Home Support " Representative no longer works for AT&T (big surprise) and now I'M supposed to find the IMEI number for a phone thar I have not owned for 9 months so that they can "check and see if it was received ". (Edited per community guidelines)? So I'm supposed to believe thar this phone has been sitting in a warehouse all of this time not entered into the "system" but when I find this number it will "magically" be found??? Please that rep stole my phone and how am I supposed to prove it? If just ONE person would have told me this during one of my numerous calls to AT&T starting 8 months ago maybe we could have resolved THIS BEFORE he left. But now I'm the one literally paying the price for the mistakes made by an AT&T employee.
#makeitmakesense
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delphis2222
New Member
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1 Message
1 year ago
i lost the packaging to return my trade-in old device. can i return it at a corporate ATT store?
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Brandon409
New Member
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3 Messages
5 months ago
This trade in guide is super helpful. I wish this type of guidance would have been included with my trade in package. :-(
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nursejen84
New Member
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3 Messages
5 months ago
My husband and I switched to AT&T December 2020 to take advantage of the promo to trade in our old iPhones to get the iPhone 12. We followed the instructions to send in our old phones. Time got away from me, and several months later I realized we never did get credits for our old phones (based on the promo). Long story short, I have since contacted AT&T customer service multiple times, I have been told that it's been resolved and we will receive credits that have been owed to us for turning in our old phones (oh, and we were told that our old phones were "lost in transit" and AT&T never received the package). We still have not received the promo credits over 2 years later of switching to AT&T. We have 5 payments left on our iPhone 12's, and then we plan on switching providers, unless we could somehow get a true resolution to our problem.
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SCK
New Member
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5 Messages
5 months ago
For those who didn't get trade-in credits. I recommend filing complaint with FCC. https://consumercomplaints.fcc.gov/hc/en-us
I have had similar situation where only one of the two trade-in devices was credited. I dropped it off at the ATT store and kept the receipt.
The 2nd credit never show up until I file the consumer complaint and the office of president call and they resolved it. Also, when there is a changes on your plan, that corrected credit disappear again. I had to battle with them so many time file another FCC complaint and finally they issued credit to resolve it.
I was lucky that I kept those receipt (take a photo) and was able to show them as proof. Good Luck...
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