How to Check or Tell If iPhone is Unlocked or Locked?

"How to check if my iPhone is unlocked or still locked to a carrier like AT&T? I would like to know whether my device is successfully unlocked and ready to be used without network restriction or not? How to tell if iPhone is unlocked?"

Why bother checking your iPhone is unlocked or locked? Thus, if iPhone is factory or carrier unlocked, you can use any SIM and enjoy all GSM service.

What if your iPhone is locked to a mobile carrier? You can only use the specific networks with your SIM cards but can't use all GSM service on your iOS phone.

(You may also need: unlock a disabled iPhone without iTunes)

Therefore, it's important and necessary to check the unlock status of iPhone, especially before buying a new or pre-owned iPhone.

In addition, you should also check and make sure that your iPhone is not on the GSM Blacklist. Otherwise, it could result in troublesome after-sales problems. 

(Besides, you should also check how to unlock iPhone backup if it is encrypted.)

What's a Carrier Unlocked iPhone?

Compare 3 Check iPhone Unlock Status methods: (SIM card, iOS Settings, and IMEI Number)

Method 1: How Can I Check if iPhone is Unlocked with a Different SIM Card Recommend!!!

Method 2: Without Sim Card? How do I Know if iPhone is Unlocked with iOS Settings

Method 3: How to Tell if iPhone is Unlocked Using IMEI Number

What's a Carrier Unlocked iPhone?

General speaking, a factory or carrier unlocked iPhone will a little bit expensive than a GSM locked iPhone. Most discount iPhone models basically have contract locks, so they'll ask you to sign a specific contract to protect the money in their pocket. Carrier Locked iPhone has manufacturer built-in technical restriction on GSM and CDMA handsets, which limit the use of these handsets in the network or in specific countries.

Therefore, be sure to check if your iPhone whether unlocked before you get a discount on the iPhone at a store or online.

For your convenience, here are some effective ways to tell if your iPhone is unlocked or still locked. Before you decide to buy a new iPhone X / 8/8 Plus or a second-hand iPhone 7 Plus / 6 Plus / 6s Plus, please read the following guidelines and check.

(Please know that Carrier unlock is different from unlocking iPhone without password.)

Compare 3 Check iPhone Unlock Status methods: (SIM card, iOS Settings, and IMEI Number)

1. Tell if iPhone is unlocked with two different SIM Cards

Accuracy: 100% Accurate

Weakness: This method does not tell you which network your iPhone is locked to.

2. Check the lock status of your iPhone with iOS Settings

Accuracy: 60% Accurate

Weakness: This method can give you a hint, but it is not an accurate way for you to check if your iPhone is unlocked.

3. Check if iPhone is Unlocked with IMEI Number

Accuracy: 100% Accurate

Weakness: This is the quickest and easiest way to check if your iPhone does not have a locked SIM card even if your iPhone is stolen or lost. And you can check it by using the IMEI number.

Method 1: How Can I Check if iPhone is Unlocked with a Different SIM Card

This is a reliable way to check if the iPhone is unlocked using a SIM card. To check your iPhone's lock / unlock status, you must have two SIM cards from different carriers for this test. If you can use your iPhone with another SIM card from another provider, your iPhone is unlocked. In addition, you can purchase a new SIM card or buy it from your friends or family.

Follow these steps to check the locked/unlocked condition:

Step 1. Press and hold the Sleep/Wake button until you see the "Slide to power off" of the screen, then right swipe it to turn off your iPhone.

Step 2. Using your SIM eject tool or a small tool like a paperclip, toothpick etc. to eject the current working SIM card.

Step 3. Remove the current SIM card and insert the other SIM carrier's card, then slide it back into the iPhone.

Step 4. Turn on your iPhone just like the step 1.

Step 5. Now you can see the name of the carrier on the top left corner to check if the new carrier SIM works on your iPhone.

Step 6. To test the condition, you can make a call to check if is unlocked. And if you see an "Activation Code", "SIM Unlock Code", or a similar error before calling/opening the app, then your iPhone is carrier-locked. If successfully, then it means that your iPhone is unlocked.

Method 2: Without Sim Card? How do I Know if iPhone is Unlocked with iOS Settings

This is a very practical and easy way to know if your iPhone is unlocked and you can go to the settings menu and find specific options. However, this is not suitable for all iPhone, but if you want to check, you can try this way first.

Tap Setting option on your iPhone, look for the Cellular Data option, and if you can see it, then it means that your iPhone is unlocked. If not, your iPhone is locked.

Method 3: Check if iPhone is Unlocked with IMEI Number

To real-time unlock progress monitoring, the use of IMEI numbers should be the quickest way. The IMEI number is your iDevice's unique serial number, which provides all the information about your iDevices. Through the IMEI Checker website, you can easily check the iPhone's lock status. But most reliable IMEI checker service is not free. It will charge a proper fee.

But you are also recommended to use your Carrier IMEI check sites, like AT&T IMEI Unlock Check and T-Mobile IMEI Unlock Check. It will be appreciated if you know any free IMEI Check site and leave a comment. Here is a 3-party IMEI number Checker website.

Step 1. Open IMEI Info's registration page and create an account. (You may need to fill out the following forms including The Login name, First name, Email address, Country, Verification code, Password etc.)

Step 2. After activating your account, it will take you to IMEI info's main page, then you can enter your IMEI number.

And to know your iPhone's IMEI number, you can open your iPhone's Settings, and tap General > About to scroll down to the "IMEI" section, then you will see your iPhone's IMEI number.

Step 3. After entering and verifying your IMEI number, you can click Check Apple Phone Details. Then you will see one of the text as below:

Unlocked: false - Your iPhone is locked.

Unlocked: true - Your iPhone is unlocked.

By the way, if you are considering transferring previous files from old phone to a new iPhone, you can use this Mobile Transfer to migrate data directly from phone to phone. In addition, transferring WhatsApp from Android to iPhone is also recommended. Moreover, you may also interested in the method to fix iPhone is disabled, connect to iTunes.

The Bottom Line

To sum up, knowing if your iPhone is unlocked or locked is crucial because this can help you avoid unnecessary hassles after buying an iPhone, no matter a used iPhone/iPad or a new iPhone/iPad. This post has discussed 3 practical solutions to tell if your iPhone is unlocked or locked with simple steps. The easiest way is to use another SIM Card to test. In case you don't own another SIM card on a different network, we've also listed two useful way to check if iPhone is unlocked without SIM Card. Why not follow the step-by-step guide and check iPhone unlock status right now?