The Essential Tutorial On How To Unlock An iPhone 11 Pro

The Ultimate Guide On How To Unlock iPhone's

So, you have finally made the last payment on your iPhone and that bad boy's eventually all yours. So you’re able to use it while traveling overseas with a local SIM card and have the freedom to move networks when you please, right? Don’t start booking your flight to Europe or running to Verizon just yet because, unfortunately, it’s not quite that straight forward.

In order to stop individuals from moving over to a competitor’s network before they’ve payed off their iPhone or fulfilled their contract, plenty of carriers put a SIM lock (sometimes known as a network lock) on their phones. This consequently ensures that you, or the person who you sell your second hand iPhone to, are stuck with them for the long haul. If you’re thinking this sounds like a pretty dysfunctional working relationship, we’d have a tendency to agree with you. Fortunately, with a bit of effort and an account in good order, you can be on the right track to a SIM-unlocked iPhone in no time!

Before we carry on, a quick note about the kind of unlocks that are available, and the one's you should steer clear of! There is software on the market offering a chance to unlock a cellphone yourself, however you need to jailbreak your cellphone, and this is a stupid idea, for numerous reasons. You can do your own investigation into jail-breaking, but it's very risky, and not recommended. The simplest way to unlock your iPhone is by discussing directly with your wireless provider. Your journey to a carrier-unlocked iPhone relies largely on your network, with the process being either relatively quick and simple or painfully difficult. To get you one step closer to a life free from carrier-locked tyranny, we researched all the steps in order to obtain an iPhone unlock with this comprehensive guide. Please note that although this was written with iPhone owners in mind, the majority of the recommendations could be used for other smartphones.

What Is Network Unlocking?

As noted earlier, when you buy an iPhone or some other smartphone through your cellular provider, that mobile phone is only going to work on that specific network until you either request to have your network unlock it or your carrier automatically unlocks it for you (read more about that later). Also called a SIM unlock, factory unlock, or network unlock, carrier unlocking means removing a network’s restrictions on a device, permitting you to use it with a different cellular provider.

The good news is, not all iPhones require unlocking. As an example, if you buy your iPhone from Apple and purchase it outright, it will already be unlocked and ready to use with a variety of carriers.

Please be aware, however, not all phones bought outright from third-party retailers are automatically unlocked. For instance, although sold as “unlocked”, smart phones bought at Best Buy are in fact considered universal. So, whenever you insert a SIM card initially, the iPhone will effectively lock itself to the network associated with the Sim. Subsequently, since certain carriers like T-Mobile will only unlock your iPhone if you bought it directly from them, you could end up getting an eternally carrier-locked device. Simply put, you find yourself paying factory-unlocked prices to get a network-locked cellphone.

Why Should I Unlock My iPhone?

Having a network-unlocked iPhone comes with its fair share of benefits which include the freedom to use (virtually) any network within the Unites States and in another country and increased resale values.

Officially-unlocking gives you the ability to use your cell phone with the network provider of your choice, almost whenever and wherever you wish (with several exceptions, as you’ll see later on). As an example, if you're currently using T-Mobile but are moving to a new area of the country with weak T-Mobile coverage, you'll be able to swap to AT&T in a heartbeat

A Carrier-unlocked iPhone makes international travel a cinch. Unlocking also gives you the flexibility to use your mobile phone abroad. Worldwide roaming fees, costly international plans, and mad dashes for WiFi are a thing of the past with an unlocked iPhone. Merely put in a SIM card from a local carrier and you're good to go.

IMEI-unlocked iPhones have much higher resale values.

Even if you don’t plan on changing carriers or traveling internationally soon, unlocking your iPhone is still a good idea. If you ever intend on trading in your old iPhone whenever you upgrade, you’ll more often than not get more cash for it if the iPhone is carrier unlocked due to higher interest in them on the resale market.

Is it against the law to IMEI Unlock your mobile phone?

Absolutely not! Because of Unlocking Consumer Choice and Wireless Competition Act, finalized into law by President Barack Obama in 2014, all US-based cellular providers must allow customers to unlock their phones. However, the conditions under which a network will unlock a smartphone differ greatly from network to network. As a rule, the vast majority of carriers require you to complete your contract, pay for your financial obligations fully, or at best have an account in good standing before they’ll let you unlock your iPhone.

The best way to find out if your iPhone is Unlocked

Prior to starting the SIM-unlocking process, you’ll first need to check if your iPhone is already unlocked (no sense in suffering the hassle if you don’t actually need to). All you need to do is make sure that you’re connected with WiFi and insert a brand-new SIM card from another service provider and your cellphone will do everything else automatically. This validation check generally takes under a minute to complete as soon as a Sim card has been inserted.

Throughout the verification process, you’ll find that your iPhone will boot onto a white screen and attempt to authenticate that it has been unlocked with your provider. If Apple verify that your iPhone is SIM-unlocked, it will go back to the home screen and service bars ought to appear from the new service provider. However, if you see a white screen that says SIM Not Supported, your smartphone has not been unlocked.

How to Unlock iPhones from a Provider

Once you determine that your phone is definitely locked to your current cellular provider, next you will need to look at your carrier’s unlocking eligibility requirements. If your iPhone meets those guidelines, you can then request that the handset can be unlocked from their network. As hinted at earlier, both the eligibility requirements and the unlocking process vary from service provider to service provider. They all have been outlined below for the major carriers including Verizon, AT&T, Sprint and T-Mobile.

Please note that, as long as you have met the unlock requirements and so are completing the network-unlocking directly with your provider, asking for your iPhone be unlocked can be absolutely free. If you wish to work through a third party unlocking company, you will be charged, but utilizing a third party provider is your only option if you are not the original owner of the phone. So, before you spend money unnecessarily, try using the directions outlined below beforehand.

Find An iPhone’s IMEI Number

When factory-unlocking your iPhone, you will need to give your service provider your device’s IMEI number. This unique, 15-digit identifier is fundamentally your mobile phone’s VIN or social security number. To find your IMEI, on your phone, go to Settings > General > About and search to the bottom section where you'll see it displayed next to IMEI.

Additionally you can look for the number on the phone shell itself. For older iPhone's (1st-generation SE, 5s, 5c, 5, 6, 6 Plus), the IMEI number may also be branded on the back or the SIM tray.

When you’ve established the IMEI number, it highly advisable that you keep it someplace for safekeeping.

Unlock an iPhone on AT&T

Unlocking your iPhone from the AT&T network is about as simple as a, b, c. Just pop on over to the AT&T site, answer a few simple questions, and you'll be well on your way to carrier-unlocked freedom.

After you submit your request, use your IMEI and request reference numbers to review your AT&T unlocking status. After you receive your confirmation text or email, just open it up and click on the confirmation link. That’s it! AT&T will unlock your iPhone in just a couple of business days.

For an iPhone to get unlocked from the AT&T network, it must satisfy the following requirements:

If it is a work phone, you must have your employer’s permission to unlock it
If it is an AT&T PREPAID phone, it must be active for at least six months
Must not be reported as lost, stolen, or blocked
Must not have a past-due balance
Must not be active on a different AT&T account

If the iPhone is included in term agreement or installment plan, it has to also adhere to these requirements:

The device must be active on the AT&T network for at least 60 days
The installment plan must be paid off
The term agreement must be complete

For precise eligibility prerequisites, click here.

Unlock an iPhone on Sprint

Based on when you bought your phone and if it has SIM-unlock capabilities, there are a couple of different unlock options. In the event you bought a new iPhone from Sprint after February 2015 (it will be SIM-unlock capable) and it's currently being used on their network, Sprint should unlock it automatically after it meets their eligibility requirements. So, you honestly don’t need to do anything more besides keep your account in good order. However, if your iPhone hasn't been activated or was purchased prior to February 2015, you’ll need to contact Sprint Customer Service directly to request an unlock (either dial *2 on your Sprint phone or dial 888-211-4727).

We have seen reports from some Sprint users that the auto-unlock program does not always operate as it should, so it’s definitely a good idea to check that your iPhone is unlocked before attempting to swap to another carrier or advertising your iPhone as unlocked, if you want to sell it to a buyback business or on craigs list.

For an iPhone to be unlocked from the Sprint network, it has to fulfill the following conditions:

Must have SIM-unlock capabilities (if it doesn’t, it is MSL (Master Subsidy Lock) locked and you will need to call Sprint for the MSL code)
Must be active on the Sprint network for at least 40 days
Must be on an account in good standing
Must not be reported as lost, stolen, or associated with fraud

If the iPhone is part of a service agreement, lease agreement, or installment plan, it must also meet these requirements:

Any early-termination fees must be fully paid
Any lease or installment payments must be fully paid
If leased, the end-of-lease purchase option must be fully paid

For in-depth eligibility conditions, click here.

Unlock an iPhone on T-Mobile

If your reading this and own an Android cellphone and your device meets the eligibility prerequisites, consider yourself in luck: You are able to unlock it right from the phone itself. For all you iPhone owners out there, you’ll need to speak to T-Mobile’s Group of Experts directly (either dial 611 from a T-Mobile iPhone, call 877-746-0909.

To have an iPhone unlocked from the T-Mobile network, it must meet the following requirements:

Must be paid for in full
Must not have been reported as lost, stolen, or blocked
For prepaid accounts, it must have been active on the account for at least 12 months
Must have been purchased directly from T-Mobile

If your iPhone is part of a pre-paid plan, it has to also adhere to the following prerequisites:

The account must be in good standing
Must have been active on the account for at least 40 days

For in-depth eligibility conditions, click here.

Unlock an iPhone on Verizon

Verizon is, without a doubt, the leading service provider to work with for unlocking an iPhone. Why? Because Verizon will automatically unlock your phone Sixty days following the purchase of the handset. If you purchased your iPhone from a retail partner, it will be unlocked automatically 60 days after device activation.

There are no catches. You don’t have to pay off your phone, fulfill any unique prerequisites, or even contact them to request to unlock your phone from their network. As long as your iPhone hasn’t been reported lost or stolen, merely wait 2 months after purchase or activation and your phone will be good to go.

Don’t believe us? Just click here.

Once I've Unlocked my iPhone — now what?

Back many years ago, you’d have to hook your iPhone to iTunes and do a software restore in order to complete the unlock process. Luckily, it’s much easier today. All you need to do is go through same steps you used earlier to determine whether your phone had been unlocked to begin with.

In the event you don’t have access to a SIM card from a different carrier, you can still confirm that your iPhone has been unlocked using an iTunes software restore. Just hook up your iPhone with a computer running iTunes and click the “restore” option. After the restoration process has completed, you should see a message stating “Congratulations, your iPhone has been unlocked.”

Well done! You successfully carrier-unlocked your iPhone! Which means your able to use what ever service provider you wish to now, true? We hate be the bearer of bad news, but sadly not. Because of the two different kinds of systems deployed in the US, GSM and CDMA, your available mobile providers is dependent upon the model of your iPhone as well as the original carrier it was locked to. Primarily, Verizon and Sprint are CDMA (Code Division Multiple Access) networks, while AT&T, T-Mobile, and the majority of providers abroad are GSM (Global System for Mobiles) networks.

As you’ve probably guessed, both these different network types will not talk to each other (because that would be too easy). Fortunately, as we approach global 5G access and as older networks are phased out, it will hopefully no longer be a major problem.

To discover which networks you can access determined by both these factors, carry on reading.

AT&T

GSM networks only (AT&T, T-Mobile, international GSM carriers): Original iPhone, iPhone 4, iPhone 4s, iPhone 5, iPhone 5s, iPhone 5c, iPhone 7, iPhone 7 Plus, iPhone 8, iPhone 8 Plus, iPhone X

Any carrier worldwide: iPhone 6, iPhone 6 Plus, iPhone 6s, iPhone 6s Plus, iPhone XR, iPhone XS, iPhone XS Max, iPhone 11, iPhone 11 Pro, iPhone 11 Pro Max, iPhone SE, iPhone 12 mini, iPhone 12, iPhone 12 Pro, iPhone 12 Pro Max

Sprint

International networks only: iPhone 4s and iPhone 5

Any carrier worldwide: iPhone 5, iPhone 5s, iPhone 5c, iPhone 6, iPhone 6 Plus, iPhone 6s, iPhone 6s Plus, iPhone 7, iPhone 7 Plus, iPhone 8, iPhone 8 Plus, iPhone X, iPhone XR, iPhone XS, iPhone XS Max, iPhone 11, iPhone 11 Pro, iPhone 11 Pro Max, iPhone SE, iPhone 12 mini, iPhone 12, iPhone 12 Pro, iPhone 12 Pro Max

T-Mobile

GSM networks only (AT&T, T-Mobile, international GSM carriers): Original iPhone, iPhone 4, iPhone 4s, iPhone 5, iPhone 5s, iPhone 5c, iPhone 7, iPhone 7 Plus, iPhone 8, iPhone 8 Plus, iPhone X

Verizon

Compatible with any carrier in the world, but with limitations when using GSM networks: iPhone 4s, iPhone 5

Any carrier worldwide: iPhone 5s, iPhone 5c, iPhone 6, iPhone 6 Plus, iPhone 6s, iPhone 6s Plus, iPhone 7, iPhone 7 Plus, iPhone 8, iPhone 8 Plus, iPhone X, iPhone XR, iPhone XS, iPhone XS Max, iPhone 11, iPhone 11 Pro, iPhone 11 Pro Max, iPhone SE, iPhone 12 mini, iPhone 12, iPhone 12 Pro, iPhone 12 Pro Max

Is the Unlock permanent?

Yup! Once your phone has been carrier-unlocked, it'll stay that way for the life of the device. You are able to restore your iPhone or update applications without worrying about your unlock vanishing afterwards.