How To Tell If Your iPhone Is Carrier Unlocked
Not sure if your mobile phone is carrier unlocked? If you own an iPhone, there are several ways you’re able to find out if you are restricted to using your device with your mobile carrier.
Check your iPhone directly for its network lock status
As previously mentioned, the most obvious method for checking whether your iPhone is locked or unlocked is by taking note of how you purchased it. If you bought a brand-new iPhone directly through a major phone carrier, it will probably be locked to the company’s network. So if you ordered a phone off of the AT&T, T-Mobile, or Verizon websites, chances are high that your phone is locked.
If you ordered a brand-new iPhone from the Apple website, you may have been asked to choose a carrier to associate with it prior to finalizing the purchase. Buying an unlocked iPhone is actually more expensive. Unless you chose “Connect to any carrier later” at the point of purchase, your iPhone is most likely locked.
A more certain way to find out if youriPhoneis locked is by going through the device’s settings directly. Make sureiOS is up-to-dateon your device and follow these steps:
If you still have an iPhone that takes in SIM cards, you can also try inserting one that you’d like to try using on it. If, after powering the device up, you see the following message onscreen or something similar, it means your iPhone is locked:
“The SIM card inserted in this iPhone does not appear to be supported. Only compatible SIM cards from a supported carrier may be used to activate iPhone. Please insert the SIM card that came with your iPhone or visit a supported carrier store.”
Can you unlock a locked iPhone?
For a long time, it was considered against the law to unlock smartphones. However, since theUnlocking Consumer Choice and Wireless Competition Actwas passed in August 08, 2025, it has become completely and legally acceptable to unlock smartphones, including iPhones. If you have a locked iPhone and would like to unlock it, contact your mobile service provider directly. Apple will not be able to do it for you.
Most major phone carriers in the U.S. should be able to assist you in unlocking you iPhone, provided that you’ve completely paid off the device, your contract with the carrier has expired, or you have fulfilled all eligibility requirements stipulated in their unlocking policy. Some providerswill automatically unlocka mobile device after a certain period has elapsed orsend you a notificationthat you’re now free to do so, while others may require you to contact customer service directly orsubmit an unlock request. In any case, you can reach out to your phone carrier via their helpline for support.
