A Cricket Wireless warranty claim starts at warranty.cricketwireless.com or by calling 1-800-CRICKET (274-2538), and if your phone qualifies you can get a replacement at no cost through one of three exchange options.1Cricket Wireless. Warranty Most new Cricket devices carry a 12-month manufacturer warranty from the purchase date, some Cricket-branded phones get two years, and reconditioned or refurbished devices get 90 days.2Cricket Wireless. Cricket Wireless Warranty Claim Form
Check Whether Your Problem Qualifies
The warranty exchange covers devices that stop working under normal use because of a manufacturing or design flaw. Software failures count as covered defects. The test is whether the problem happened on its own, rather than because of something that happened to the phone.1Cricket Wireless. Warranty
These situations are not covered:
- Physical damage, including cracked screens, bent frames, or any harm from drops or misuse.
- Liquid damage from water, food spills, or any other liquid.
- Unauthorized repairs or modifications, such as opening the device, using unapproved parts, or service by a non-authorized provider.
- Normal wear and tear, including gradual degradation of camera lenses, batteries, and screens.
If your phone falls into any of those categories, the warranty exchange will not cover it, and the Returns Center will send it back to you after inspection. Cricket Protect, the paid insurance plan, is the path for accidental damage, liquid damage, loss, or theft.3Cricket Wireless. Cricket Protect FAQs
Gather Your Information First
Before you start, pull together the pieces the claim will ask for. The most important is your 15-digit IMEI number. Dial *#06# on the phone’s keypad to display it, or find it in your device settings.4Cricket Wireless. Check Your Device Have your original purchase receipt handy, since the warranty period runs from the purchase date.
Write down a clear description of the problem. “The touchscreen is unresponsive in the lower half” is far more useful than “it’s broken.” Specific symptoms let the support team confirm the issue is a covered defect without back-and-forth. You’ll also need your Cricket account information, including the phone number tied to the device.
Submit the Claim Online or By Phone
You have two ways to start a warranty exchange:
- Online at warranty.cricketwireless.com. The site walks you through verifying your device and account information.
- By phone at 1-800-CRICKET (274-2538). An agent troubleshoots the malfunction with you and, if it qualifies, gives you instructions for the warranty return.1Cricket Wireless. Warranty
Calling is worth considering if you’re not sure whether the problem is a hardware defect or something a software fix could resolve. The agent may walk you through steps that solve the issue without a return at all. If a return is needed, you’ll receive a Return Authorization to proceed.
Pick an Exchange Option
Once the claim is approved and you have a Return Authorization, Cricket offers three ways to swap the device. The right choice depends on how urgently you need a working phone and whether you’ll pay for speed.1Cricket Wireless. Warranty
- UPS Exchange (Standard). Drop your defective phone at the nearest UPS Store. A replacement arrives in one to two business days, no weekend delivery. Free.
- Post Exchange. Mail the defective device to Cricket’s Returns Center yourself. The center must receive and inspect it before shipping a replacement, so delivery takes five to seven business days. Free.
- Advanced Exchange. Cricket ships the replacement before you send the defective phone back. Next-day delivery costs $20 and two-day delivery costs $10. A credit card is required, and Cricket places a security deposit equal to the full retail value of the device on the card. Once the Returns Center receives your defective phone and confirms it meets warranty conditions, the deposit is refunded within five business days.
Advanced Exchange is the only way to avoid being without a phone during the process, but the deposit can be substantial, and if the returned device fails inspection, you lose it.
Send the Defective Phone Back
Follow the return instructions from the Returns Center and keep the tracking number from the shipping carrier. That tracking number is your proof the device was sent; without it, you have no recourse if a package goes missing in transit.1Cricket Wireless. Warranty
Cricket recommends removing any personal or confidential information from the device before returning it.5Cricket Wireless. Returns and Exchanges Pull the SIM card and any microSD card too, because replacements typically don’t include original accessories and returned items may not come back. Pack the phone securely so transit damage doesn’t complicate inspection.
What Happens at Inspection
The Returns Center inspects every device to confirm the malfunction matches what was reported and falls within warranty conditions. If inspection reveals physical damage, liquid exposure, or unauthorized modifications that weren’t disclosed, the claim fails, even if the device also has a genuine defect.1Cricket Wireless. Warranty
Replacement devices may be new or refurbished, and Cricket ships the same model or a similar one. You don’t get to choose. Domestic shipping for valid warranty exchanges is covered by Cricket at no charge under the UPS Exchange and Post Exchange options.
If the Claim Is Denied
When the Returns Center determines a device doesn’t qualify, it ships the phone back to you. Any fees collected during the exchange are not refunded. If you chose Advanced Exchange, the security deposit charged to your credit card isn’t returned either.1Cricket Wireless. Warranty
You still have options. You can return the phone directly to the original equipment manufacturer if it’s still within the manufacturer’s own warranty period; Cricket’s exchange is a supplemental service, not a replacement for the OEM warranty. If you have Cricket Protect, you can file through the insurance administrator instead, since that coverage extends to scenarios the warranty doesn’t. Without either, your remaining options are an out-of-pocket repair through a third-party service or a new device, because Cricket does not offer a paid repair service for out-of-warranty phones.