How do I unlock my phone?

An unlocked phone is a phone that isn’t tied to a specific carrier’s network. To bring your own phone to Mint, you need an unlocked phone. To unlock your phone, you’ll most likely need to contact your current carrier so they can unlock it for you. If it hasn’t been paid off, you will probably need to do that first.

How do I know if my phone is unlocked?

If you’re on a prepaid or pay-as-you-go phone plan, you most likely have an unlocked phone. If you’re not, here’s how to check depending on your phone model:

For Android:

Since there are a lot of Android devices, try Googling your specific model to get the most accurate instructions on checking if your phone is locked.

For iPhone:

  1. Go to Settings.
  2. Tap Cellular.
  3. If you see a Cellular Data option under the Cellular menu, then your iPhone is unlocked. If you don’t see Cellular Data Network as an option, then it’s still locked.

Try a different SIM card

An alternate way to check if your phone is locked is to try swapping in a different SIM card. Borrow a SIM card from a friend or request a SIM kit with our free trial in the app. If your phone is able to connect to another network (or activate a Mint trial), your phone is unlocked. 

For more about unlocked phones (and how to unlock your phone) check out our blog on the differences between unlocked and locked phones.

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