How to Check if Your iPhone Is Unlocked

This wikiHow teaches you how to find out whether or not your iPhone is carrier-locked. The easiest way to do so is by calling your carrier and asking whether or not your iPhone is unlocked, but there are a couple of other ways you can approximate your iPhone's lock status. Unfortunately, there is no free online service you can use to check your iPhone's lock or unlock status.

Method 1
Method 1 of 3:

Using General Methods

  1. Image titled Check if Your iPhone Is Unlocked Step 1
    1
    Consider just calling your carrier. The most reliable way to determine whether or not your iPhone is unlocked is by calling your carrier and, once you make it to an actual customer service rep, asking them to verify your iPhone's status and providing them with any information that they require. You can contact popular carriers at the following numbers:
    • Verizon - 1 (800) 922-0204
    • AT&T - 1 (800) 331-0500
    • Sprint - 1 (888) 211-4727
    • T-Mobile - 1 (877) 453-1304
    • You will most likely need to provide your account password (if applicable) and your iPhone's IMEI number (found in Settings > General > About > IMEI).
  2. Image titled Check if Your iPhone Is Unlocked Step 2
    2
    Think about the circumstances under which you bought your iPhone. If you bought your iPhone wholesale either directly from Apple or from a carrier, the iPhone is unlocked. If you purchased it on a carrier's plan, however, the iPhone is probably locked.
    • iPhones purchased from third-party sellers, such as those found on Amazon or Craigslist, will usually have some form of documentation in the title or the receipt that says "Unlocked" if the iPhone is unlocked.
    • If you purchased your iPhone second-hand from a friend or a classifieds seller, ask them if they know whether or not the iPhone is unlocked (preferably before the point of sale).
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    3
    Consider your current iPhone's service plan. If you're on a prepaid or pay-as-you-go plan, your iPhone is probably unlocked; however, if you're on a two-year contract or something similar, your iPhone is probably carrier-locked until you finish paying it off.
    • The main exception to this lies with active duty military personnel, as a carrier unlock may be requested before deployment regardless of the state of the iPhone's payment.
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Method 2
Method 2 of 3:

Checking iPhone Settings

  1. Image titled Check if Your iPhone Is Unlocked Step 4
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    Open your iPhone's
    iPhone Settings App Icon
    Settings.     Tap the Settings app icon, which resembles a set of gears on a grey box.
  2. Image titled Check if Your iPhone Is Unlocked Step 5
    2
    Tap Cellular. It's near the top of the page.
    • If your phone uses non-U.S. English, you'll tap Cellular Data or Mobile Data here instead.[1]
  3. Image titled Check if Your iPhone Is Unlocked Step 6
    3
    Look for a Cellular Data Network option. If you find this option, your iPhone is unlocked; otherwise, your iPhone is locked.[2]
    • On some phones, such as AT&T ones, you'll first have to tap Cellular Data Options before you can view the "Cellular Data Network" option.
    • In exceptionally rare cases where your carrier has given you a SIM card that lets you change your iPhone's Access Point Name (APN), having this setting won't necessarily mean that your phone is unlocked. If your phone has a SIM card like this, proceed to the next method.
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Method 3
Method 3 of 3:

Using a Different Carrier's SIM Card

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    Buy a SIM card for a different carrier. If you use Verizon or Sprint, buy an AT&T or T-Mobile SIM card (and vice versa). The SIM that you buy also can't be a pre-paid SIM card, and it must be the same size as the one which you currently use.
  2. Image titled Check if Your iPhone Is Unlocked Step 8
    2
    Turn off your iPhone. To do so, press and hold your iPhone's Power button until the slide to power off switch appears at the top of the screen, then swipe right the Power
    Windows Power
    icon.
    • The Power button is either on the right side of your iPhone's casing (iPhones 6 and up) or on the top of the iPhone's casing (iPhones 5S and down).
    • On an iPhone X, you'll have to hold down the Power button and either of the Volume buttons until the switch appears.
  3. Image titled Check if Your iPhone Is Unlocked Step 9
    3
    Locate the SIM card slot. You'll have to remove your iPhone's case if it has one to do so. For most iPhones, the SIM card tray is located about halfway down the right side of the iPhone's casing.[3]
    • The iPhone 3G, 3GS, and original iPhone have SIM card slots on the top of the iPhone's casing.
  4. Image titled Check if Your iPhone Is Unlocked Step 10
    4
    Find a small paperclip and straighten it. If you still have the SIM eject tool that came with your iPhone, go ahead and use that instead.
  5. Image titled Check if Your iPhone Is Unlocked Step 11
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    Push the paperclip (or tool) into the small SIM tray hole. The SIM tray will pop out.
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    Pull the SIM tray out of the iPhone. Do so gently, since both the SIM card and its tray are fragile.
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    Remove the current SIM card and replace it with the other SIM card. This will work as long as your replacement SIM is the same size as your original SIM.
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    8
    Slide the tray back into the iPhone. Again, do this gently.
    • Make sure the tray is all the way back in the iPhone before continuing.
  9. Image titled Check if Your iPhone Is Unlocked Step 15
    9
    Turn on your iPhone. Simply hold down the Power button until you see the Apple logo appear, then wait for your iPhone to open to the Home Screen.
    • If your iPhone has a passcode on it, you'll need to enter your passcode or use the Touch ID sensor to open the Home Screen.
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    10
    Open the Phone app. It's a green app with a white phone icon on it.
    • If you see a message requesting an "Activation Code", a "SIM Unlock Code", or a similar error before you can open the Phone app, your phone is carrier-locked.
  11. Image titled Check if Your iPhone Is Unlocked Step 17
    11
    Dial a number and press the "Call" button. If doing so results in an error message, a "Call cannot be completed as dialed" recording for a valid number, or a similar circumstance, your iPhone is locked; if you're able to complete your call, however, your phone is unlocked and can use other carriers' SIM cards.
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Community Q&A

  • Question
    If I am buying a phone from an online store and it says, for example, "iPhone 4 (Sprint)," does that mean the phone is unlocked?
    Community Answer
    Community Answer
    That indicates it is locked. it should say unlocked, otherwise you should contact the carrier to unlock it.
  • Question
    How long is the typical wait time to have an unlock request granted?
    Community Answer
    Community Answer
    It depends on your carrier. Some will unlock it as soon as you terminate the contract or if you pay the price on cash, and some will keep you for some time even if you pay.
  • Question
    What is the quickest way to check if an iPhone is locked or unlocked using its IMEI number?
    Andy7716
    Andy7716
    Community Answer
    The quickest way is to use a free online web checker like iPhonedata.info which will show the unlock status, iPhone model, and other details, or AttUnlocker.us checker for AT&T IMEIs that will provide details such as AT&T unlock status, unlock eligibility, etc. These checkers are free, while other web checkers may entail a fee.
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Warnings

  • The only websites which can give you accurate information about your iPhone's unlock status via an IMEI number are not free to use. This is because such sites need access to Apple's GSX database, and access is both limited and expensive.
    ⧼thumbs_response⧽
  • Handle SIM cards with care.
    ⧼thumbs_response⧽
  • If you come across a free site which offers IMEI unlock information about your iPhone, the information is most likely outdated and thus potentially inaccurate.[4]
    ⧼thumbs_response⧽
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References

  1. ↑ http://www.macworld.co.uk/how-to/iphone/how-tell-if-iphone-is-unlocked-locked-apple-3614824/
  2. ↑ https://theinformr.com/features/is-your-phone-unlocked/
  3. ↑ https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT201337
  4. ↑ https://appletoolbox.com/2016/08/how-do-i-know-if-my-iphone-is-unlocked/#Excellent_Reader_Tip

About This Article

Jack Lloyd
Written by:
Jack Lloyd
wikiHow Technology Writer
This article was co-authored by wikiHow staff writer, Jack Lloyd. Jack Lloyd is a Technology Writer and Editor for wikiHow. He has over two years of experience writing and editing technology-related articles. He is technology enthusiast and an English teacher. This article has been viewed 2,860,568 times.
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Co-authors: 34
Updated: August 17, 2022
Views: 2,860,568
Categories: IPhone
Article SummaryX

1. Open Settings.
2. Tap Cellular.
3. If you see Cellular Data Network your iPhone is unlocked.
For more tips, including how to check if your iPhone is unlocked by trying a different SIM card in it, read on!

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