Fix or Forget

iPhone 12 won't turn on: repair or replace?

A 2026 cost comparison โ€” independent shop vs. official repair vs. a refurbished replacement.

Independent shop repair$140โ€“$220
Official (Apple) repair$449
Refurbished replacement$260
Trade-in of the broken one (other)$45

high-confidence estimates โ€” always confirm with a real quote. Prices last reviewed 2026-09-01.

Replacediagnosis needed

Replace your iPhone 12

The repair costs about 69% of what the device is worth โ€” past that point a refurbished replacement is the smarter money.

For an iPhone 12 in good condition, replacing usually makes more sense โ€” The repair costs about 69% of what the device is worth โ€” past that point a refurbished replacement is the smarter money.

What the numbers say

Repair, typical
$180
Share of device value
69%
Replace, net of trade-in
$215
Support left
1 yr

At $180, this repair costs 69% of what a refurbished iPhone 12 costs outright ($260) โ€” you are close to paying replacement money for a repaired device.

It launched at $799 and goes for about $260 today, so it has already given up 67% of its value. Most of the depreciation is behind it, which works in a repair's favour โ€” there is less left to lose.

This is its final year of expected security updates โ€” support runs to about 2027. A repair here buys months, not years, so weigh it against putting the same money toward the replacement you will need anyway.

Buyback services pay an estimated $45 for iPhone 12 units with this kind of damage, so replacing really costs about $215 rather than the full $260 โ€” still $35 more than the repair.

Stepping up to the iPhone 13 instead costs about $50 more than replacing like-for-like ($310 refurbished) โ€” often the better use of the money if you were going to replace anyway.

When the iPhone 12 won't power on, the cause could be a $0 fix or a logic-board job, so a free diagnosis is the only honest starting point.

A dead device can be anything from a flat battery to a logic-board fault, so the cost range is wide until diagnosed.

Get the verdict for your exact situation

Factor in your device's condition and whether you'd DIY.

Run the iPhone 12 checker โ†’

Software support

updates expected until ~2027

About 1 year of security updates left.

Next step

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Frequently asked

How much does an iPhone 12 won't-turn-on repair cost?
Independent shops typically charge $140โ€“$220, while an official Apple repair runs $449. These are high-confidence estimates โ€” confirm with a local quote.
Is it worth repairing an iPhone 12 with no power?
For an iPhone 12 in good condition, replacing usually makes more sense โ€” The repair costs about 69% of what the device is worth โ€” past that point a refurbished replacement is the smarter money.
How long will the iPhone 12 get software updates?
The iPhone 12 is expected to receive security updates until around 2027 โ€” about 1 more year from 2026.

Other iPhone 12 faults

Same fault, other devices