The Ultimate Guide On How To Unlock An iPhone XS

The Definitive Tutorial On How To Unlock iPhone's

So, you have finally completed the contract on your iPhone and that bad boy is officially all yours. What this means is you’re able to use it while traveling in another country with a domestic SIM card and have the freedom to move networks as you want, right? Don’t start booking your flight to the Caribbean or running to AT&T just yet as, unfortunately, it’s not quite that straightforward.

In order to prevent individuals from swapping to a competitor’s network before they’ve payed off their iPhone or completed their contract, quite a few carriers put a sim lock (commonly known as as a network lock) on their mobile phones. This inevitably means that you, or the person who you sell your second hand iPhone to, are stuck with them for the long term. If you’re thinking this sounds like a pretty dysfunctional partnership, we’d tend to agree with you. Luckily, along with a little legwork as well as an account in good order, you will be on the right track to a SIM-unlocked iPhone before you know it!

Before we continue, a quick note on the sort of unlocks that are available, and the one's you should steer clear of! There are apps available on the market offering the ability to unlock a cellphone yourself, but you need to jailbreak your mobile phone, and this is a dumb move, for lots of reasons. You can do your own investigation into jail-breaking, but it's not a sensible choice, and to be avoided. The simplest way to unlock your iPhone is simply by discussing directly with your wireless provider. The journey to a carrier-unlocked iPhone hinges largely on your network, with the process being either comparatively quick and simple or painfully difficult. To get you a step closer to a life free of carrier-locked tyranny, we researched all the steps to be able to get an iPhone unlock in this comprehensive guide. Please note that while this was written with iPhone owners in mind, a lot of the advice may be used with other smartphones.

What Is Carrier Unlocking?

As mentioned earlier, when you buy an iPhone or other smartphone from your network carrier, that phone will still only operate on that individual network unless you either request to have your carrier unlock it or maybe your carrier automatically unlocks it for you (more about that later). Also called a SIM unlock, factory unlock, or network unlock, carrier unlocking means removing a network’s restrictions on a device, letting you use it with a different cellular provider.

Thankfully, not all iPhones require unlocking. As an example, should you buy your iPhone directly from Apple and pay it off in full, it should be unlocked and able to use on a variety of networks.

Please note, however, that not all phones bought outright from third-party retailers are automatically unlocked. For example, although sold as “unlocked”, smartphone's bought at Best Buy are in fact considered universal. So, if you insert a Sim for the first time, the phone will essentially lock itself to the carrier associated with the SIM card. Subsequently, given that certain networks like T-Mobile may only unlock your iPhone if you got it directly from them, you could potentially end up getting an eternally network-locked device. Simply put, you wind up paying factory-unlocked prices to get a carrier-locked mobile phone.

Why Should I Unlock My iPhone?

Possessing a IMEI-unlocked iPhone comes with its fair share of advantages including the freedom to utilize (virtually) any network within the US and abroad as well as higher secondhand values.

Officially-unlocking gives you the ability to use your cellphone with the service provider of your choice, almost wherever and whenever you want (with a few exceptions, as you’ll find out later on). As an example, if you are currently using T-Mobile but are relocating to a new part of the country with lousy T-Mobile coverage, you'll be able to swap to AT&T on a dime

A SIM-unlocked iPhone makes international travel a breeze. Unlocking also provides the flexibility to use your mobile phone in foreign countries. Global roaming fees, pricey international plans, and mad dashes for WiFi become a distant memory with an unlocked iPhone. Just put in a SIM card from a local carrier and you're good to go.

SIM-unlocked iPhones have much higher resale values.

Even when you don’t anticipate swapping carriers or going overseas soon, unlocking your iPhone remains a smart idea. Should you ever intend on trading in your old iPhone when you upgrade, you’ll almost always get more money for it if the iPhone is carrier unlocked because of a greater demand for them in the resale market.

Is it illegal to SIM Unlock your phone?

Not at all! Due to the Unlocking Consumer Choice and Wireless Competition Act, finalized into law by President Barack Obama in 2014, all US-based cellular providers must allow people to unlock their phones. However, the conditions under which a carrier will unlock a smartphone differ greatly from provider to provider. In general, nearly all providers require you to finish your contract, pay for your financial obligations fully, or at least have an account in good standing before they’ll permit you to unlock your iPhone.

How to determine if your iPhone is Unlocked

Before beginning the SIM-unlocking process, you’ll first want to determine if your iPhone is already unlocked (no sense in enduring the hassle when you don’t absolutely need to). All you have to do is be sure that you’re connected to WiFi and insert a brand new SIM card from another network provider and your handset will do everything else automatically. This validation check typically takes no more than a minute to complete as soon as a new Sim card has been inserted.

During the verification procedure, you’ll note that your iPhone will boot onto a white screen and attempt to establish that it has been unlocked with your carrier. If Apple confirm that your iPhone is carrier-unlocked, it will go back to the home screen and signal bars will appear from the new service provider. However, if a white screen appears that says SIM Not Supported, your mobile phone is not unlocked.

How to Unlock iPhones from any Service provider

Having established your cellphone is definitely locked to your current network provider, next you will need to look at your provider’s unlocking eligibility conditions. If your iPhone meets their criteria, you can ask that the device can be unlocked from their network. As recommended earlier, both the eligibility requirements and the unlocking process vary from provider to provider. They all have been outlined below for the major carriers including T-Mobile, Verizon, AT&T and Sprint.

Please note that, as long as you have met the unlock requirements and therefore are completing the network-unlocking directly with your provider, requesting that your iPhone be unlocked can be absolutely free. If you work through a third party unlocking service, you're going to be charged, but working with a 3rd party provider will be your only option if you are not the original owner of the phone. Before you spend any money, try using the directions outlined below first.

How To Locate An iPhone’s IMEI Number

When factory-unlocking your iPhone, you will have to supply your service provider your cell phones IMEI number. This unique, 15-digit identifier is fundamentally your cellphone’s VIN or social security number. To locate your IMEI, on your phone, go to Settings > General > About and search to the bottom section where it will be listed displayed next to IMEI.

You could also locate the number on the phone outer shell itself. For earlier iPhone models (6, 6 Plus, 1st-generation SE, 5s, 5c, 5), the IMEI number may also be written on the back or the SIM tray.

When you’ve established the IMEI number, we strongly recommend that you keep it someplace for safekeeping.

Unlock an iPhone on AT&T

Unlocking an iPhone from AT&T is about as simple as 1-2-3. Just pop on over to the AT&T website, answer a few basic questions, and you’re well on your way to network-unlocked freedom.

When you submit your request, use your IMEI and request reference numbers to check on your AT&T unlock status. After you receive your validation text or email, just open it up then click on the verification link. That’s it! AT&T will unlock your iPhone within two business days.

For an iPhone to get unlocked from AT&T, it needs to meet the following requirements:

Must not have a past-due balance
Must not be active on a different AT&T account
If it is a work phone, you must have your employer’s permission to unlock it
If it is an AT&T PREPAID phone, it must be active for at least six months
Must not be reported as lost, stolen, or blocked

If your iPhone is part of a term agreement or installment plan, it needs to also adhere to these requirements:

The installment plan must be paid off
The term agreement must be complete
The device must be active on the AT&T network for at least 60 days

For in depth eligibility prerequisites, click here.

Unlock an iPhone on Sprint

Based on when you acquired your phone and if it has got SIM-unlock capabilities, there are a few different unlock options. If you bought a new iPhone from Sprint after February 2015 (it will be SIM-unlock capable) and it is actively being used on their network, Sprint will unlock it automatically once it meets their eligibility requirements. So, you really don’t have to do anything apart from keep your account in good order. Even so, if your iPhone is inactive or was purchased before February 2015, you’ll need to speak to Sprint Customer Service directly to ask for an unlock (either dial *2 on your Sprint phone or dial 888-211-4727).

We have seen reports from some Sprint customers that the auto-unlock program doesn't always function as it should, so it’s undoubtedly a good idea to confirm that your iPhone is unlocked before trying to change to another provider or advertising your iPhone as unlocked, if you want to sell it to a buyback business or on craigs list.

For an iPhone to get unlocked from the Sprint network, it's got to satisfy the following conditions:

Must have SIM-unlock capabilities (if it doesn’t, it is MSL (Master Subsidy Lock) locked and you will need to call Sprint for the MSL code)
Must be active on the Sprint network for at least 40 days
Must be on an account in good standing
Must not be reported as lost, stolen, or associated with fraud

If the iPhone is part of a service agreement, lease agreement, or installment plan, it must also meet these conditions:

If leased, the end-of-lease purchase option must be fully paid
Any early-termination fees must be fully paid
Any lease or installment payments must be fully paid

For in depth eligibility conditions, click here.

Unlock an iPhone on T-Mobile

If your reading this and own an Android smartphone and your handset satisfies the eligibility requirements, consider yourself in luck: You can unlock it easily from the handset itself. For all you iPhone owners out there, you’ll need to get in touch with T-Mobile’s Team of Experts directly (either dial 611 from a T-Mobile iPhone, call 877-746-0909.

For an iPhone to be unlocked from T-Mobile, it has to fulfill the following prerequisites:

Must be paid for in full
Must not have been reported as lost, stolen, or blocked
For prepaid accounts, it must have been active on the account for at least 12 months
Must have been purchased directly from T-Mobile

If your iPhone is part of a pre-paid plan, it needs to also fulfill the following prerequisites:

Must have been active on the account for at least 40 days
The account must be in good standing

For detailed eligibility prerequisites, click here.

Unlock an iPhone on Verizon

Verizon is, without a doubt, the leading provider to use for unlocking an iPhone. Why? Because Verizon will automatically unlock your phone 60 days following the purchase of the device. If you obtained your iPhone at a retail partner, it'll be unlocked automatically 60 days after device activation.

There are no catches. You don’t have to pay off your phone, fulfill any special requirements, or even contact them to request to unlock your phone from their network. Provided your iPhone hasn’t been reported lost or stolen, simply wait 8 weeks following purchase or activation and your phone will be all set.

Hard to believe? Just click here.

Once I've Unlocked my iPhone — now what?

Back many years ago, you’d need to connect your iPhone to iTunes and do a software restore to finish the unlock procedure. Fortunately, it’s a lot easier now. All you have to do is stick to the same steps you used earlier to check if your phone is unlocked in the first place.

In the event you don’t have access to a Sim from an alternative carrier, you can still confirm that your iPhone has been unlocked by performing iTunes software restore. Just connect your iPhone to a computer running iTunes and click the “restore” option. After the restoration process has completed, you will see a message that says “Congratulations, your iPhone has been unlocked.”

Great job! You successfully officially-unlocked your iPhone! Meaning you can use whichever network you wish to now, right? We hate be the bearer of bad news, but sadly not. Due to the two different types of technologies employed in the Unites States, GSM and CDMA, your choice of cell phone providers depends on the type of your iPhone and the original carrier it was locked to. Specifically, Verizon and Sprint are CDMA (Code Division Multiple Access) networks, while AT&T, T-Mobile, and most providers abroad are GSM (Global System for Mobiles) networks.

As you’ve probably guessed, both these different network types don't talk to each other (because that's too logical). Fortunately, as we approach worldwide 5G access and as older networks are phased out, this will hopefully no longer be a major issue.

To find out which service providers you have access to based on both these factors, carry on reading.

AT&T

GSM networks only (AT&T, T-Mobile, international GSM carriers): Original iPhone, iPhone 4, iPhone 4s, iPhone 5, iPhone 5s, iPhone 5c, iPhone 7, iPhone 7 Plus, iPhone 8, iPhone 8 Plus, iPhone X

Any carrier worldwide: iPhone 6, iPhone 6 Plus, iPhone 6s, iPhone 6s Plus, iPhone XR, iPhone XS, iPhone XS Max, iPhone 11, iPhone 11 Pro, iPhone 11 Pro Max, iPhone SE, iPhone 12 mini, iPhone 12, iPhone 12 Pro, iPhone 12 Pro Max

Sprint

International networks only: iPhone 4s and iPhone 5

Any carrier worldwide: iPhone 5, iPhone 5s, iPhone 5c, iPhone 6, iPhone 6 Plus, iPhone 6s, iPhone 6s Plus, iPhone 7, iPhone 7 Plus, iPhone 8, iPhone 8 Plus, iPhone X, iPhone XR, iPhone XS, iPhone XS Max, iPhone 11, iPhone 11 Pro, iPhone 11 Pro Max, iPhone SE, iPhone 12 mini, iPhone 12, iPhone 12 Pro, iPhone 12 Pro Max

T-Mobile

GSM networks only (AT&T, T-Mobile, international GSM carriers): Original iPhone, iPhone 4, iPhone 4s, iPhone 5, iPhone 5s, iPhone 5c, iPhone 7, iPhone 7 Plus, iPhone 8, iPhone 8 Plus, iPhone X

Verizon

Compatible with any carrier in the world, but with limitations when using GSM networks: iPhone 4s, iPhone 5

Any carrier worldwide: iPhone 5s, iPhone 5c, iPhone 6, iPhone 6 Plus, iPhone 6s, iPhone 6s Plus, iPhone 7, iPhone 7 Plus, iPhone 8, iPhone 8 Plus, iPhone X, iPhone XR, iPhone XS, iPhone XS Max, iPhone 11, iPhone 11 Pro, iPhone 11 Pro Max, iPhone SE, iPhone 12 mini, iPhone 12, iPhone 12 Pro, iPhone 12 Pro Max

Is the Unlock permanent?

Yes! After your phone has been IMEI-unlocked, it will remain like that for the life of the handset. You are able to restore your iPhone or up-date applications without having to worry about your unlock disappearing afterwards.

About This Author

Huber Sander
Joined: February 14th, 2021

Article Directory /

Arts, Business, Computers, Finance, Games, Health, Home, Internet, News, Other, Reference, Shopping, Society, Sports