Here are some ways to check if your iPhone is unlocked. For those out of the loop, if your iPhone is unlocked, that means it’s usable with most carriers around the world.
If your iPhone is “locked”, it means you can use it with the original carrier.
Do you know what does an “Unlocked iPhone” mean? An iPhone which is unlocked is not allied with any particular cell phone service provider and that is why it can easily connect to any carrier. These unlocked iPhones when are sold after usage, these are worth more than the locked iPhones.
If you have bought an iPhone through a carrier on a contract with anyone, then that iPhone tends to be locked until the contract you have made is over and the amount is paid in full.
In this article, I will tell you all three methods to check if your iPhone is unlocked, through Settings, through the SIM Card, and an online tool. Let’s get onto the methods now.
How To Check If Your iPhone is Unlocked By The Use of Settings?
For this method, you only need an iPhone powered on and security unlocked. Follow the below-mentioned steps to check if your iPhone is unlocked or not through your iPhone settings.
- Open the Settings application on your iPhone on which you want to check the unlock status.
- Locate and select the “Cellular” setting.
- Tap on the “Cellular Data” options.
- In the window of “Cellular Data”, if you see the option which says “Cellular Data Network” or “Mobile Data Network” then congratulations, your iPhone is unlocked. If you don’t see this “Cellular Data Network” option, then your iPhone is locked.
Some cases have reported that this method is not very accurate.
Some reviews have proved that this method is inaccurate. But I recommend you to have a check on this method as well; maybe it would work for you as it did for some people.
Some General Methods to check if your iPhone is Unlocked or Not
TRY CALLING YOUR CARRIER
This is considered the most reliable way to determine whether your iPhone is unlocked or locked by calling your carrier.
Once you make it up and get connected to an actual customer service rep then most importantly remember to ask them to verify the status of your iPhone and provide them with any important information that is required. Contact me if not solved yet.
It is possible that they ask you to provide them with your account password and your iPhone’s IMEI number which can have found in SETTINGS > GENERAL > ABOUT > IMEI-.
Think about the conditions in which you bought this iPhone
If you have bought your iPhone wholesale directly from the Apple Company or a carrier, then your iPhone is unlocked. On the other hand, if you bought your iPhone on a carrier’s plan, then your iPhone is said to be locked.
- iPhones that are purchased from third-party stores/sellers such as sellers found on Amazon or other services like this will usually have some form of documentation in the title or description of the iPhone which will be telling you if your iPhone is unlocked or not.
- If you have bought a second-hand iPhone from a friend of yours or a classified seller, first of all, you should ask them if the iPhone is locked or unlocked before purchasing it from them.
Consider your iPhone’s service plan currently
If your iPhone is on a prepaid or “pay as you go” plan, then your iPhone is probably unlocked.
On the other hand, if you and your iPhone are on a two-year contract or something similar to this, then your iPhone is probably carrier-licked until you successfully pay the whole amount.
Using another Carrier’s SIM Card
- You will have to buy a SIM card for a different carrier. Just take for example that you use AT&T or TMobile SIM card, and buy a Verizon, or Sprint SIM card. Make sure that the size should be the same as the SIM you are currently using.
- Press and hold your iPhone’s power button until it asks you “Slide to power off” and then just swipe right to power off your iPhone.
- If you are using an iPhone X, you will have to hold the Power button and any one of the Volume buttons until this switch appears.
- Locate the SIM card slot tray, take the SIM eject tool that came with your iPhone, or finds a small paperclip and straighten it up to open up the SIM tray for you.
- After pushing the tool into the small hole on the SIM tray, it will pop out for you. Pull the SIM tray out of the iPhone very gently.
Replace The SIM
- Remove the current SIM and replace it with the new one you just bought.
- Make sure the new SIM is fixed completely then place and slide the SIM tray back into the iPhone very gently. Push it until it completely fixes into the iPhone.
- Turn on your iPhone by holding down the Power button until the Apple logo appears.
- Open up the Dial Pad Phone application on your iPhone. If you see a message requesting you an “Activation Code”, a “SIM Unlock Code” or any other similar error before opening the Phone app, then it is sure that your iPhone is locked.
If you try to call on any number and it results in an error message such as “Call cannot be completed as dialed” or any other similar issue, your iPhone is locked. And if you can call successfully, your iPhone is unlocked.
These were the three methods I wanted to share with you. You can use any one of these methods to check if your iPhone is locked or unlocked. Official support.
Can I check if my iPhone is unlocked via IMEI?
iPhone carrier check
The iPhone can be unlocked based on the IMEI number, the carrier in which it is currently used (the network in which it was originally purchased), and the country of origin of the device.
Again, you can access this information using Carrier Lock status.
What does a fully open iPhone mean?
Factory open. Buying an unlocked iPhone means that the contract that it ended. This means that you can put a SIM card from any supporting carrier on this iPhone.
Although contracted with a locked phone carrier that has a SIM card in the phone, an unlocked phone is completely out of contract …
Does unlocking your phone delete everything?
It removes all of your settings, including contacts, and you’ll have to start over to reset the device or restore a backup of your data.
You can do a factory reset on an unlocked phone, but it can be reset during the process.
How much does it cost to unlock an iPhone?
These third-party companies typically charge around $ 30 to unlock a phone.
There may be some fluctuations, but payments are expected to be made here and there. If they are asking for more than that, shop around and see if you can find one cheaper.
How to tell if an iPhone is unlocked without SIM?
If an iPhone is unlocked, you should be able to use any SIM card in it and the phone should work with any carrier. To test this, put a different SIM card into your iPhone and see if it will work.
If it does, your iPhone is unlocked. If not, your iPhone is locked to the carrier that issued the SIM card.
How can I tell if my iPhone is unlocked?
There are a few ways to tell if your iPhone is unlocked. One is to try inserting another SIM card into your phone and see if it works. If it does, then your phone is unlocked.
Another way to tell is by checking the settings on your phone.
- Go to Settings > General > About and look at the “SIM Card” section.
- If “Unlocked” appears next to “Status”, then your phone is unlocked.
- Finally, you can also use a third-party unlocking service to verify whether or not your iPhone is unlocked.
