Did Apple just email you to say your trade-in is canceled? Don't panic, it's a glitch

Apple Trade In
(Image credit: Apple)

Apple has reportedly accidentally sent an email to its iPhone customers telling them that their previous iPhone trade-ins have been canceled. 

Users on X have reported the phenomenon, which started Thursday. "Anyone else get a “Your trade-in has been canceled” email from Apple? Uh sorry, I traded in that iPhone in September 2023," one user wrote on the platform. Multiple users have replied to say they've received the same correspondence. User @DylanMcD8 noted, "I just got this email." A screenshot from Apple's email reads "because you didn't trade in your iPhone, we are unable to complete the trade-in process. The associated loan on this iPhone will resume." 

Users on Reddit also noticed the same issue. "I just got this very concerning email. I am on the Apple One trade-in program. I started it two years ago, getting the 14, then traded it in and upgraded to the 15 pro max this year. I picked up my new iPhone and traded-in my old one at the Apple store back in September 2023."

iPhone trade-in email glitch

Considering a plethora of iPhone users seem to have all received this email despite having reported successfully trading their devices in some time ago, this email appears to have been issued in error by Apple. The company wasn't immediately available for comment. 

One Reddit commentor noted that Apple support seemed to have confirmed "that they are receiving a lot of this same complaint, so this certainly does sound like a glitch on their end." 

Emails seem to pertain to orders for many of Apple's best iPhones including the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max, all from last September. 

While the prices Apple offers for trading in devices isn't always competitive, Apple store trade-ins remain one of the most convenient ways to save money on buying new products while offloading your old gear in an environmentally friendly manner. It's not all plain sailing though. Beyond this glitch, this week a report revealed the case of more than 99,000 iPhones that were not recycled by a Canadian recycling plant. 

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Stephen Warwick
News Editor

Stephen Warwick has written about Apple for five years at iMore and previously elsewhere. He covers all of iMore's latest breaking news regarding all of Apple's products and services, both hardware and software. Stephen has interviewed industry experts in a range of fields including finance, litigation, security, and more. He also specializes in curating and reviewing audio hardware and has experience beyond journalism in sound engineering, production, and design. Before becoming a writer Stephen studied Ancient History at University and also worked at Apple for more than two years. Stephen is also a host on the iMore show, a weekly podcast recorded live that discusses the latest in breaking Apple news, as well as featuring fun trivia about all things Apple. Follow him on Twitter @stephenwarwick9