A smartphone is defined as "locked" when it can only be used by a specific telephone company. Normally, this scenario occurs when you purchase a subscription rate plan from a specific provider that plans to receive a smartphone on free loan or against payment of a much lower amount of money than the real cost of the device. On the contrary, a "free" smartphone, ie devoid of any constraint of this type, is able to connect to any cellular network available and allows the use of many types of telephone SIMs on the market: rechargeable, prepaid and international. That said, even if your smartphone is locked, there are many ways to free it from the existing constraint. Consult this guide for more details on this.
Steps
Method 1 of 4: Use a SIM from another carrier
Step 1. Get a phone SIM from a provider other than the one you are currently using
If you are not sure whether your smartphone is locked or not, the easiest way to find out is to try installing a phone SIM from another provider. If you do not intend to buy a new SIM to carry out this check, consider getting one from a friend or go to a point of sale of any telephone operator (which is however different from the one in use) and ask the staff to verify for you.
Step 2. Check the correct functioning of the current SIM card
First of all, check that the current SIM is working by trying to make a call, then wait for the connection to be established correctly. This step provides you with a fundamental point of reference to be able to take the next stage of the test. If the device is unable to make a normal phone call using the current SIM, you will need to figure out what the problem is and fix it before proceeding.
Step 3. Install the new SIM
First, turn off your phone completely, then locate the SIM card holder. Remove the current phone card and install the new one (related to another phone company).
- In some smartphones (such as the iPhone), the SIM holder is positioned on the right side of the device and can only be opened using the special tool supplied at the time of purchase (in some cases it is possible to use a small paper clip or a similar object). Once you have accessed the SIM card slot, you can manually replace it.
- In other cases, the SIM may be installed inside the phone. If so, you will need to remove the back cover and uninstall the battery in order to expose the phone card slot to view.
- If your mobile phone does not have a phone SIM, it cannot be unlocked.
Step 4. Check the operation of the new SIM
Turn on your smartphone as you normally do, then try to access your address book or call one of your contacts. If the device is working normally allowing you to make the call, it means it is unlocked. If, on the other hand, the operation is limited to a few basic functions (for example it only allows you to make emergency calls), if messages appear warning you to contact the telephone operator or that there are restrictions or if in some way it is not possible to make an outgoing call means that the device is blocked and does not accept the installation of telephone SIM cards from other operators.
Method 2 of 4: Check the Phone Settings
Step 1. Launch the iPhone Settings application
If you are using an iPhone, it will be sufficient to use the Settings app to understand whether or not the phone is blocked by the current carrier.
Step 2. Find your cellular network settings
Once you have accessed the configuration settings of your phone, go to the "Mobile" menu.
Step 3. Find your network settings
Focus your search on "Cellular Data Network". Within this menu you have the possibility to configure the smartphone to access a specific cellular telephone network. If you can find and access this option, your phone is not locked. On the contrary, if this option is not present, it means that your smartphone is most likely bound to the current telephone company.
Method 3 of 4: Contact Your Telephone Operator
Step 1. Log in to your phone account online
If you purchased the phone by subscribing to a specific telephone operator, it is very likely that the status of the device can be found directly on its website. Consult the settings related to your tariff plan to be able to get an answer to your doubts.
Step 2. Call the customer service of your carrier
If through the website you have not been able to obtain useful information regarding your account and your smartphone, try to contact customer service directly to expose your problem; you can justify yourself by saying that you have to face a trip abroad, so you want to know if your smartphone is able to use the cellular networks and SIMs of other operators.
- In the event that the device is locked, the customer service staff will notify you if you are qualified to receive the relevant unlock code.
- Note: if the contract you signed to receive the phone on loan for use or at a discounted price is still valid, you are not in a position to obtain the device unlock code.
Method 4 of 4: Restore the iPhone Using iTunes
Step 1. Connect your smartphone to your computer, then launch iTunes
This method involves fully formatting the iPhone, so all the information it contains will be deleted and will need to be restored via a backup. This method can result in the loss of some of your personal settings, so only use it as a last resort after trying all of the above methods.
Step 2. Backup iPhone
Launch iTunes, then create a new backup of the device; in this way, all your personal data will be saved allowing you to restore it in total safety. iTunes will guide you step by step in the recovery process, so you just have to follow the instructions that will appear on the screen.
Step 3. Reset iPhone to factory settings
This step erases all data on the device, restoring the configuration and installed software with the one present at the time of purchase. Please wait patiently for the reset process to complete.
Step 4. Restore the backup of your data
Once the formatting process is completed, you can proceed to restore your data using the backup file created in the previous steps.
Step 5. Look for the device unlock notification message
If the device has been legally unlocked (ie through the manufacturer or the telephone company), during the reset process you will see a message similar to the following: "Congratulations, your phone has been unlocked". If this notification does not appear, it means that the device is still locked.
IPhones on which an illegal firmware change has been performed (commonly known as a "jailbreak" procedure) will be restored to their original state during the recovery process, so they will lose any advantage gained from installing the change
Advice
- Many manufacturers of Android smartphones (such as Nexus and Asus) specifically promote the sale of phones free of any constraints. In general, Android devices are more likely to be free of carrier restrictions to use.
- Unlocked phones have a higher value. If you bought a smartphone at the normal market price (rather than through a subscription with a telephone company), it is very likely that it can be used with any telephone SIM.
- There are numerous third-party services and applications that claim to be able to verify the operating status of a mobile device by means of checks that can be carried out with its IMEI (from English International Mobile Station Equipment). To date, many reports indicate that this type of service is unreliable.
- Be careful and be wary of any website or application that offers you to check the operating status of your smartphone in exchange for money.
- Some methods of breaking the link between a device and your carrier are illegal and their application is not recommended. The best way to get a phone free from this type of constraint is to buy it directly from the manufacturer or to request a valid unlock code from the telephone company to which it is bound.
