How to check if a phone is unlocked

There are some things in life you want to keep locked: a safe containing your most precious collectibles, the door to the cabin you’re staying at in the woods, the trunk of your car as you hastily and safely leave said woods. But some things are more useful unlocked, like a phone. An unlocked phone is one that isn’t tethered to a specific wireless carrier, and can operate on any network. Perhaps you’re looking to switch from one phone carrier to another and want to bring your phone with you, or maybe you just want to buy a new phone that you can use with multiple carriers. In these cases, the phone will need to be unlocked. In this blog, we’ll show you how to check if a phone is unlocked, and guide you through next steps if it isn’t.

Why is it important to check if your phone is unlocked? 

Knowing the lock status of your phone is key when it comes to choosing your wireless carrier. Let’s say you’re fed up with your current overpriced wireless provider and you’ve decided to switch to a new one. You purchase a SIM kit or eSIM from the new provider, follow the steps to activate the new service and cancel your old plan… only to discover that your phone is still locked to your old provider. Now you have new service with no phone and a phone with no service. And because you already canceled your previous plan, getting your old carrier to unlock your phone for you is going to be that much more difficult.
Maybe you’ve just purchased a new phone because you wanted a fancy new camera to bring on an international trip. And you figured, you might as well have a nice new phone that you can use a prepaid SIM with while overseas, to save on roaming fees. But when you land, you swap SIM cards and discover that the new phone you bought is locked to your current carrier and won’t accept any other SIM cards. This is why it’s important to know whether your phone is unlocked or not.

How can I tell if my phone is unlocked?

Just jiggle the knob. 

Okay, that was for the dads. Anyway, there are a few different ways to check if your phone is unlocked, including asking your current carrier, trying a different SIM card or checking your phone’s settings. 

Ask your carrier if your phone is unlocked

Contact your current wireless carrier and just ask if your phone is unlocked. If it isn’t, you can ask them to unlock it for you while you have them on the line. If your phone qualifies to be unlocked, they’ll need you to confirm the phone’s IMEI number, which can be found by dialing *#06# on your keypad. You can also check your carrier’s website or mobile app to see if this information is available, or go into a store to ask a rep in person (if your wireless carrier has their own stores).

Note: If you’re on a prepaid or “pay as you go” wireless plan, there’s a good chance your phone is unlocked. The FCC requires that all prepaid phones be unlocked within a year of activation.*

Try another SIM card

If you swap out your current SIM card for one from another carrier and you’re able to successfully connect to their network, your phone is unlocked. You could perhaps do this using a SIM card that comes with a very popular free trial… just a thought. 

1. Power off your phone and remove your current SIM card
   • The location of the SIM card varies by device model, but you should be able to pop out the SIM tray using a SIM ejector tool or common paper clip
2. Insert a SIM card from another wireless carrier and turn your phone back on

If your phone asks you for an unlock code to use the new SIM card, then it is currently locked. But if you get a signal and can make calls successfully, your phone is unlocked.

How to check if iPhone is unlocked

1. Go into your iPhone’s Settings
2. Select “General”
3. Select “About”
4. Scroll down to “Carrier Lock” and see what it says
   • “No SIM restrictions” means your phone is unlocked, while “SIM locked” means… well, you get it.

How to check if an Android phone is unlocked

1. Go into your Android phone’s Settings
2. Select “Connections” (or “Network and Connections”)
   • From here you can select “Network Operators” and see if multiple networks are available. This would mean your phone is likely unlocked. Otherwise, follow the next steps.
3. Scroll down and select “More connection settings”
4. Select “Network unlock” to view your “Network lock status”
   • This will tell you whether your phone is locked to a specific carrier or unlocked.
   • If your phone is currently locked, you may be able to request an unlock here, depending on your carrier’s rules. 

Note: Android phone settings vary by make and model, so these steps may be slightly different depending on your specific Android device.

What do I have to do if my phone is locked?

If your phone is still locked to your current wireless carrier, you’ll need to contact them to request an unlock. You may be able to do this online or via your carrier’s mobile app, but in most cases, you’ll need to call Customer Service. They can tell you whether or not your phone qualifies to be unlocked and how to unlock it. Your phone may not qualify if it’s leased through them or hasn’t been fully paid off yet. 

For more on what it means to unlock a phone, including steps for unlocking phones purchased from Verizon and AT&T, check out our blog all about unlocked phones.

You’ve got your wireless expertise on lock

Congrats. You made it to the end of this blog and now you know more about unlocked phones than you did a few minutes ago. Speaking of a few minutes ago, if that “fed up with your overpriced wireless carrier” scenario felt a bit too relatable, it’s time to switch and bring your phone to Mint Mobile. It will need to be unlocked, obvs, but that should be easy now that you’re an expert on the subject. All that’s left to do is find the right Mint Mobile plan for you, and wouldn’t you know it, we’ve got a short quiz designed to help with just that.

_{*https://www.fcc.gov/general/cell-phone-unlocking#:~:text=Your%20prepaid%20device%20is%20eligible,time%2C%20payment%20or%20usage%20requirements}