[4 Ways] How to Check If Your iPhone Is Unlocked!

When you buy an iPhone, whether it is second-hand or the latest one, it is best to check whether it is unlocked, especially when we have a phone card from the operator that can be used. If the iPhone is not unlocked , then it is very likely that the phone card in your hand will be judged as invalid by the iPhone. Why is this? Let’s take a look.

Part 1: When an iPhone is Unlocked What Does It Mean

When an iPhone is unlocked, it means that it can be used with any carrier or network provider instead of being restricted to a specific carrier.

When you buy a new phone, you definitely want to be able to take advantage of all the content and specs inside. If your iPhone is unlocked, you can always switch from Sprint to Verizon on the same phone and your phone will work fine, which is ideal! If you purchased your iPhone on contract through a carrier, the phone will be locked and you won’t be able to use a SIM card from another carrier until the contract is over and paid in full.

This will cause trouble for users who already have a SIM card from another carrier. If you want to know whether your iPhone is unlocked, let’s move on.

Part 2: How do I check if my iPhone is unlocked

Checking whether your iPhone is unlocked is very simple. The following provides you with five checking methods. Try each one to ensure that you can get 100% accurate results.

1st Option: Find Out if the iPhone is unlocked with a SIM card

If you travel abroad, your phone won’t be able to communicate unless you have an excellent service plan. An easier and more affordable option is to replace your existing SIM card with a local SIM card. This will give you a new phone number for use in that country, and you’ll be able to use your phone and cellular data while on the road. To check whether the local SIM card is working properly, you can follow the steps below to verify everything:

Step 1. Turn off your cell phone. Use the ejection pin to remove the SIM card from the phone tray.

Step 2: Insert another SIM card that does not belong to the same phone company.

Step 3: After inserting the new SIM card into your phone, press the power button.

Step 4: As soon as your phone is powered on, you will receive a notification letting you know if the new SIM card is compatible with your device. If not, you’ll also receive an alert letting you know.

2nd Option: Find Out if an iPhone Is Unlocked in the Settings Menu

Typically, when people buy new iPhone devices, the vendor tells them that the device comes unlocked from the factory. This helps avoid having to replace the line if your existing one isn’t compatible with your new iPhone.

For this method, you will need to power on the relevant iPhone and unlock it (an alternative way to unlock it is to enter a four – or six-digit code to access the phone if needed). Here’s how to tell if your iPhone is unlocked in Settings:

Step 1. Open Settings > General > About

Step 2. Scroll to the bottom and find the Carrier Lock. If “No SIM Limit” is displayed, your iPhone is unlocked and you are free to use any carrier or cell phone service. If it says something else, it’s probably locked.

However, that’s not the end of the story, as some iPhone users commented that this information is not showing up in the “About” page of Settings. If this is the case for you, check out one of the other methods detailed below.

3rd Option: Find Out if an iPhone Is Unlocked Using an IMEI Service

Your phone has an IMEI (International Mobile Equipment Identifier) number that reveals all the information related to that device.

There are several online services that can scan the database of IMEI numbers and tell you if your iPhone is unlocked. However, while most are paid services, free services are not always reliable and are sometimes inaccurate.

Step 1. Find your iPhone’s IMEI number. There are several websites that claim to be able to find the locked status of an iPhone using an IMEI number. Use these resources with caution as they may be outdated or unreliable. Some of them also charge fees. If you want to try this method, you will need to find your IMEI number. To do so:

Step 2. Go to Settings > General > About”

Step 3. Scroll down to the IMEI number. It appears right below the serial number, Wi-Fi address, and Bluetooth information.

Step 4. Enter your IMEI number in the search field of the IMEI service of your choice. (Some popular IMEI service include IMEI.info, IMEICheck.net, and Swappa.com)

Step 5. Select Check and fill in any verification information required for the website. It then tries to match the IMEI number stored in the database again.

Step 6. If you enter the number correctly, you will be able to see a lot of information about the phone, including the date of production, the carrier it is connected to, whether the phone is locked, and more. The IMEI number can also reveal whether a device has been stolen.

4th Option: Find Out if an iPhone Is Unlocked Contacting Your Carrier

If you are using an older version of iOS, try this. If your iPhone is running iOS 13 or earlier and you don’t want to update, you can check with your carrier to find out if your iPhone is unlocked.

Note: You may be asked to provide your account information as well as your phone’s IMEI number. You can choose Settings > General > About > IMEI to search for the IMEI number. You can also find the IMEI on the SIM tray or printed on the back of the phone, depending on the model.

Step 1. Ask your carrier if it can unlock your phone.

If your iPhone is already locked by a carrier, most popular mobile phone carriers will be able to unlock it for you. Once you make a request, it may take a few days for them to complete the process.

Step 2. Insert a new SIM card or reset your phone.

Once your carrier starts unlocking your phone, you may need to take a few steps to complete the process.

A. Depending on the circumstances, you may need to: insert a SIM card provided by your new carrier, or ask them to help you activate your eSIM. You can find detailed instructions on how to set up eSIM here.

B. If you don’t have a new SIM card to install, you’ll need to reset your phone to factory Settings to complete the unlocking process. To that end:

• If you haven’t backed up your iPhone recently, do so.
• Locate to Settings > General > Reset, then select Delete All content and Settings.
• Enter password or Apple ID password to confirm and wait for the reset process to complete.
• Finally, remember to restore your iPhone from the backup you made.

Part 3: How to Unlock iPhone without passcode?

If you bought your iPhone second-hand, or haven’t used it for a long time, and you forget the lock screen password, you can’t unlock your phone to confirm whether your phone is locked by the carrier, which must affect your experience of using your phone. 

But there’s no need to be discouraged. With the rapid development of technology, you can use the most popular and professional iOS device unlocking software – Passixer iPhone Unlocker to help you solve the difficulty of forgetting the lock screen password or not knowing the password.

Passixer iPhone Unlocker can do even more:

• Reset screen passcode: You can reset a 4/6-digit passcode, Touch ID, or Face ID.
• Bypass iCloud Activation Lock in just 3 simple steps.
• Remove Apple ID without requiring a password.
• Effectively remove MDM (Mobile Device Management) from all iOS devices.
• One-click solution to remove iTunes backup encryption password. 

The steps are simple:

Step 1. Download and install Passixer iPhone Unlocker for free. Connect your phone with the cable to your computer and launch Passixer iPhone Unlocker.

Step 2. Select Wipe Passcode from the home and it will detect your device automatically.

Step 3. Please ensure the information is correct about your iPhone. Tap Start button and it will immediately download the firmware package for the device.

Step 4. After the firmware package is downloaded, you will be asked you to enter “0000” to confirm the unlocking. When you confirm the unlocking, the program will begin unlocking your iPhone.

Step 5. Wait for the unlocking process to continue. When it is completed, your iPhone will be unlocked successfully.

Conclusion

Now you know how to use Passixer iPhone Unlocker to unlock your phone without a password. You also know how to check whether your phone is locked by the operator through settings, SIM card, using the online IMEI Service and contacting the operator. I hope you can feel free to use your iPhone and wish you all the best in using your device.