If you’re thinking of moving to a new network, and want to keep hold of the same iPhone, you may hit a snag: the device is locked to your current carrier and can’t be used with any other company. Fortunately, you should be able to get your network provider to unlock the iPhone for you, and often they’ll do this for free. In fact, you might even be able to do it yourself.
In this article we show how to unlock any iPhone model, either by yourself, with assistance from the network provider, or using a third-party service.
Is iPhone unlocking legal?
The days of being tied to a single carrier with a locked phone for months on end are all but over. Where we once were forced into 24-month contracts with devices that were useless on any other network, nowadays your wireless carrier must unlock your phone if you request it.
Seriously, they do. It’s actually a law. The Unlocking Consumer Choice and Wireless Competition Act makes it so any phone purchased after 2015 will work with any carrier, so your provider can’t keep your phone tied to their network because they feel like it. However, there are some terms and conditions that you’ll need to follow before you can pop another SIM into your phone, and of course they vary by carrier.
In some countries it’s actually illegal to sell locked handsets. In the U.K., for example, Ofcom banned such practices in 2021, although this didn’t affect devices already in circulation and there will still be a few locked phones out there. There have been rumors and rumblings of a similar ban in the U.S., but it hasn’t happened yet.
Is my iPhone locked?
If you bought an iPhone on contract, in the U.S. at least, then there’s a good chance that it’s locked and will need to be unlocked before you can use it with a different carrier. (Some carriers automatically unlock phones remotely after a certain period of time, so you might be lucky and find this has already happened.) This should have been made clear at the time of purchase, if not explicitly by the salesperson then more discreetly in the terms and conditions.
The most common scenario where an iPhone would be locked without your knowledge is if you bought it second-hand or inherited it from a friend or family member. The previous owner may have bought the iPhone as part of a contract, and the network provider will have used software restrictions to tie the device to its service for the duration of the contract.
If you want to check, try setting up the phone with a SIM from the ‘wrong’ carrier. This will generally trigger a message saying something like ‘SIM Not Supported.’ For more information, we have a separate article explaining how to tell if your iPhone is locked.
Unlocking instructions for U.S. networks
Before you can hook up your phone to a new network, you need to meet a series of requirements. First and foremost, it needs to be a legitimate device. That means it can’t have been reported as lost or stolen, or associated with any sort of illegal activity. Then your account will need to be free of any financial obligations. If you accepted a contract in exchange for a subsidized up-front cost, you’ll have to either wait until your contract is up (usually 24 months) or, if you bought your phone on a payment plan, pay the balance.
Additionally, most carriers require accounts to have been active for a certain number of days before they will allow devices to be unlocked. For T-Mobile it’s 40 days, while AT&T and Verizon specify 60 days. And you might need to factory-reset your phone before the new network can be recognized, so make sure you’re backed up. Beyond that, the process varies slightly for each carrier.
How to unlock an iPhone on Verizon
Verizon has a set of surprisingly friendly unlocking policies that vary slightly for postpay and prepaid devices, but in both cases the company says the lock will be removed automatically 60 days after activation. No code is needed to open up your iPhone for use with another carrier. If you want to move to a new network, simply cancel your service and start a new plan with the carrier of your choice.
There are only two exceptions to this. The first is when you buy a Verizon iPhone from a different company, in which case the lock period may be different: Verizon says you should “review the back of the box” to determine this. The second applies to military personnel, where a complication can arise if the iPhone owner receives deployment orders and applies to suspend the line. Check the linked article above for more details.
How to unlock an iPhone on AT&T
On its unlock page, AT&T says eligible iPhones that are “active on the AT&T network” should automatically unlock, provided you meet the unlock requirements. These are pretty standard: purchased more than 60 days ago; paid in full; not reported lost or stolen.
If your iPhone is on an AT&T Prepaid plan or you’re not an AT&T customer (presumably this applies in the unusual event of an iPhone being bought from its owner within 60 days of the original purchase?), things are more complicated. You’ll need to submit an unlock request.
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How to unlock an iPhone on T-Mobile
In the company’s unlock policy document, T-Mobile says it will automatically and remotely unlock your device once it becomes eligible, if it can do so. (Not sure if this has happened? Got to Settings > General > About. If the section labelled “Carrier Lock” or “Network Provider Lock” says “No SIM restrictions,” your iPhone is unlocked.) The eligibility requirements are the usual: device sold by T-Mobile, not reported as lost or stolen, paid off and account in good standing. The only complicating factor applies to prepaid accounts, which must either have been active for 365 days, or have had more than $100 in refills per line.
If your device doesn’t support remote unlock, the company will send you a notification with instructions on completing the unlock process. If you haven’t received a notification, contact T-Mobile to seek clarification, or read its unlock explainer.
How to unlock an iPhone on Boost
Boost’s unlocking policy largely mirrors that of T-Mobile: it will automatically and remotely unlock your device when it becomes eligible, if that device supports remote unlocking. If this isn’t possible, you should get a notification informing you that an unlock is now available. Contact Boost on 833-50-BOOST (that’s 833-502-6678) to request an unlock.
The company also offers special unlocks for members of the armed forces who have been deployed overseas and whose accounts are in good standing.
Unlocking instructions for U.K. networks
There are four simple steps to unlock an iPhone:
- Contact your provider and request an unlock using the contact details and online tools listed below.
- If you haven’t got the original SIM, you’ll need to reset the phone before it can be unlocked.
- Power down the phone, then replace the old SIM card with a SIM from a different network.
- Check that the iPhone is able to connect a phone call over the new network.
That’s the short version, anyway. But let’s go through those steps in a bit more detail for each network.
How to unlock an iPhone on EE
EE has stated in the past that it will automatically unlock an iPhone 18 months after sale or dispatch. Considering that Ofcom banned handset locking more than 18 months ago, you should find that the device has unlocked itself by now. Should this not be the case, however, you can still request EE to unlock it, which it will do so free of charge.
You’ll need the 15-digit IMEI number, which you can get by dialling *#06# or by looking on the packaging or on the device itself. (We’ve got a separate article on finding your IMEI.) Then you enter it into EE’s unlock page and go through a checking process.
You should find any remaining information you need on EE’s How to complete the unlock process page.
How to unlock an iPhone on Vodafone
Vodafone states that all Apple products issued by the company are already unlocked. Should you find that for some reason this isn’t the case, you’ll need to get a network unlocking code (NUC) from Vodafone. (Note that the company cannot unlock phones purchased from a different provider or company. The device could be locked by the other provider, not Vodafone.)
If you’re thinking of handing on your iPhone to someone else, and are worried that it might be locked to your account, you can use Vodafone’s online unlocking form to complete the process. The company claims it usually manages to unlock your device within 72 hours, but that in some cases it may be up to 10 days depending on the circumstances. The process is free.
How to unlock an iPhone on Three
Three keeps things nice and simple. On its website, the carrier states that any iPhone purchased from it after 1 January 2014 is automatically unlocked as soon as you connect it to Wi-Fi or Finder (or iTunes on older versions of macOS).
It seems like a long shot that anyone would still be using iPhones from before that date; the page where Three used to host an online unlocking form no longer bothers to offer this, apparently on the assumption that it’s no longer needed. But if you are in that group, connecting the iPhone to Finder/iTunes and restoring it should unlock it. You’ll want to back up first.
How to unlock an iPhone on O2
If you or the original owner purchased your iPhone from O2 after 1 August 2018, it should be unlocked already. Should you find you still can’t use another SIM with it, contact the company and ask for it to be unlocked. Call free on 202 from a pay monthly O2 phone, on 4445 from a pay-as-you-go phone, or use the Live Chat feature on the O2 site. Whichever method you use, be sure to have your IMEI ready.
The whole process is explained clearly on the Unlocking an O2 mobile page of the company’s website. It will send a text to let you know when the iPhone is unlocked. You then just need to pop in the new SIM card and it should show as unlocked.
How to unlock an iPhone on Tesco Mobile
If you’ve been with Tesco Mobile for 12 months or more, or if you’ve completed your contract, you’ll be able to get an unlock code from Tesco for free by using the online form.
How to unlock an iPhone on Giffgaff
Giffgaff has a handy tool that helps you figure out how to free your iPhone from its own and other networks. It has the wonderful name of Unlockapedia and is well worth exploring.
Using a third-party unlocking service
An alternative to contacting your carrier and asking them to unlock the iPhone is to use a mobile phone unlocking service.
Retailers in most areas will arrange an unlock code for a small fee. You can also find online services that will unlock your iPhone, but they aren’t always reputable and we would generally advise against it. If you do decide to use one, please make sure you read all the small print before you buy, because they can surprise you with extra bills at the end of the process.
We’ve tried Doctor SIM, which promises to refund you if the unlock is unsuccessful, so that could be an option if you’ve tried all of the methods listed above. Doctor SIM successfully unlocked our phone with no problems and no hidden fees, so we feel confident in recommending them.
How to tell if the unlock worked
Once your phone has been unlocked you’ll receive a confirmation from the carrier. Now follow these steps:
- Turn off the phone: hold down the power button and either volume button, then swipe your finger across the screen as directed.
- Use the provided tool to eject the SIM card holder from your phone.
- Remove the old SIM card from the holder. Insert your new SIM, and return the card holder into the iPhone.
- Make a phone call, and check that the iPhone is able to connect over the new network.
How to update an unlocked phone without the SIM card
If you’ve requested an unlock from your carrier, but have not got the original SIM card, or if you have acquired a locked iPhone from someone else, you may need to reset the phone before it will be unlocked. Follow these steps to reset the iPhone:
- Back up your iPhone.
- Erase your iPhone. Open Settings and select General > Transfer or Reset iPhone > Erase All Content and Settings.
- Complete the setup assistant and restore from your backup.
The phone should now be unlocked. You can insert the new SIM card and it should work.
And there we have it! Your iPhone should now be unlocked and free for use on any network. If you’re interested in repeating the process for your tablet, we’ve got a separate guide for those who wish to unlock an iPad. If you’re thinking of moving your old iPhone on to someone else, read how to sell your old iPhone for some tips on reselling it and getting the best deal.