Is your iPhone locked to a specific carrier? This is especially relevant for US-purchased iPhones. Knowing whether your iPhone is locked or unlocked is crucial for a smooth experience when switching carriers, gifting it, or selling it.
Outside the US, iPhones purchased from Apple or authorized resellers are usually unlocked by default. The UK, for example, banned the sale of locked handsets in 2020. This simplifies selling or gifting your iPhone.
However, US iPhones are often carrier-locked, creating complexities when changing carriers, passing the phone on, or selling it.
Unlock Your iPhone Easily with EaseUS MobiUnlock
EaseUS MobiUnlock removes Apple IDs, bypasses screen passcodes (numeric, Touch ID, Face ID), and resolves issues like security lockouts and "iPhone unavailable" errors. Currently offering a 25% discount with code: MACWORLD25
MobiUnlock for iOS MobiUnlock for Android
When buying a refurbished iPhone, the locked/unlocked status should be clearly stated. However, private sellers might not always disclose this information, making it essential to verify independently.
You can't visually determine if an iPhone is locked. Apple doesn't allow carrier branding on iPhones. Furthermore, some phones initially locked might unlock later upon contract completion.
Fortunately, checking your iPhone's lock status is straightforward. Let's explore how:
Checking iPhone Lock Status via Settings
This method works for iOS 14 and later.
- Open Settings.
- Tap General.
- Tap About.
- Scroll down to Network Provider Lock. "Unlocked" indicates an unlocked device.
Checking with a SIM Card (For iPhones with SIM Trays)
This method is for iPhones prior to the iPhone 14 (which lack SIM trays).
- Power off your iPhone.
- Eject the SIM card using the provided tool or a paperclip.
- Insert a SIM from a different carrier.
- Power on your iPhone.
- A message indicating SIM incompatibility means the iPhone is locked.
Contact Your Carrier or Use an Online IMEI Checker
Contacting your carrier is a reliable but potentially time-consuming method. Many carriers can check the lock status using the IMEI number.
Online IMEI checkers offer a quicker alternative, but many are paid services. Free services exist (e.g., IMEI24.com), but use caution and verify their legitimacy.
Unlocking Your iPhone
Our separate tutorial, "How to Unlock an iPhone," provides detailed instructions. You can also contact your carrier or use third-party unlocking services like Doctor SIM, Dr. Fone, or EaseUS MobiUnlock.
Further Information
Once you determine your iPhone's lock status, you can proceed with selling, gifting, or other actions. Our guides on selling iPhones, setting up parental controls, and finding the best iPhone deals can provide further assistance.
The above is the detailed content of How to check an iPhone is unlocked before buying it. For more information, please follow other related articles on the PHP Chinese website!

Hot AI Tools

Undress AI Tool
Undress images for free

Undresser.AI Undress
AI-powered app for creating realistic nude photos

AI Clothes Remover
Online AI tool for removing clothes from photos.

Clothoff.io
AI clothes remover

Video Face Swap
Swap faces in any video effortlessly with our completely free AI face swap tool!

Hot Article

Hot Tools

Notepad++7.3.1
Easy-to-use and free code editor

SublimeText3 Chinese version
Chinese version, very easy to use

Zend Studio 13.0.1
Powerful PHP integrated development environment

Dreamweaver CS6
Visual web development tools

SublimeText3 Mac version
God-level code editing software (SublimeText3)

Hot Topics

iPhone does not support creating contact groups directly in the address book application, but similar functions can be achieved through the following methods: 1. Use the "Group" function in the address book application, click "Edit" > "Add Group" to create a custom group; 2. Add each contact to the corresponding group by editing it; 3. If you need to send a group message, you can create a new multi-person conversation in the information application; 4. Use iCloud or Gmail to synchronize tagged groups to facilitate the management of a large number of contacts on the computer. These methods are used in conjunction with efficient management of contact groups.

iOS 15.1 and iPadOS 15.1 have been released for iPhone and iPad, the updates include SharePlay screen sharing through FaceTime, the addition of Live Text support in the iPad camera app, ProRes video capture for iPhone 13 Pro users, the inclusion of C

WhatsApp has become one of the most widely used messaging platforms across devices, so if you're looking to use WhatsApp on your iPad, you're definitely not the only one. Although WhatsApp is developing a dedicated iPad app, it’s not yet available. H

TocheckifaniPhoneisunlocked,1)gotoSettings>Cellular>CellularDataOptionsandlookforlabelslike“Unlocked”or“NoSIMrestrictions,”2)insertadifferentcarrier’sactiveSIMcardandseeifthephoneacceptsit,3)usetheIMEInumberononlinetoolslikeIMEI.infotocheckunlo

Not too long ago, the thought of connecting a Bluetooth mouse, trackpad, or keyboard to an iPad would have left most people very puzzled. But we’re in a new era now—modern iPads running current versions of iPadOS fully support trackpads and mice, and

Determining the depreciation value of iPhone requires multiple factors and comparing different platforms. 2. The first choice is Apple's official replacement plan, which has a simple and transparent process, but the final valuation must be based on the actual condition of the equipment. 3. Third-party websites such as Gazelle, Swappa, etc. may provide higher quotations, but you need to pay attention to describing the real situation and avoiding the charging trap. 4. The core factors affecting value include model and storage capacity, equipment status, operator lock status, etc. Small problems may also affect the quotation. 5. If you pursue higher returns, you can choose to sell privately, but you need to weigh the time cost and transaction risks.

Upset that you can’t take advantage of Sidecar with your Mac and iPad? Fortunately, Free-Sidecar allows you to extend Sidecar support to more iPad and Mac models not officially supported by Apple.Sidecar is a powerful feature for Mac and iPad users,

If you use Siri to make phone calls and start FaceTime calls, you might also be interested in using Siri to hang up your phone calls or FaceTime calls too.With this feature enabled, you can say “Hey Siri, hang up” while on a phone call or FaceTime ca
