How to check if your iPhone is unlocked

If you are trying to determine whether or not your iPhone is unlocked, there are a few ways of checking. An unlocked iPhone means that you can use it with any mobile network. Unlocked phones are more valuable and desired for both local and international users. When your iPhone is unlocked you can use it at home or while travelling abroad by just switching SIM cards to your desired network.

So how do you know if your phone is unlocked or not? If your phone was purchased under contract, then more than likely, it will remain locked for two years. If your phone was purchased at full price from Apple, then it’s already unlocked.

There are a few ways to determine whether your phone is unlocked:

1. The easiest way to check if your phone is locked is to simply try to swap in another provider’s SIM card. If the phone gets service with this SIM card, it’s unlocked and you are free to use it with any network you wish.
2. If you don’t have an alternative SIM card from another provider to use, you can use a web service. Enter your IMEI number to check a phone’s unlock status. If you are having trouble finding the IMEI number you can find it by dialling *#06#, in iTunes, engraved on the back of your device or through your iPhone settings.
3. You can also check by resetting the iPhone back to its factory defaults and then restoring it through iTunes by connecting the device to your computer. If you see the message “Congratulations, the iPhone is unlocked” then your phone is unlocked.

Before unlocking your iPhone, checking if it’s unlocked should be the first step. If you are unsure what network your iPhone might be locked to, use our IMEI network checker to solve the mystery.