How do I unlock a deactivated iPhone 7 ?

Captkev47 Said:

"How can I unlock a deactivated iPhone 7? AT&T says that since I bought it at an Apple Store and had it activated there, they can’t unlock it so I should contact Apple. Apple says to contact AT&T."

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Please Specify the Occurrence:

When did it become locked? Was it right-out-of-the-box? Usually, this occurs because you enter the passcode incorrectly too many times. If it was like this right-out-of-the-box, then it is obviously a fault device, and Apple should fix it.

Troubleshooting a Locked iPhone:

Your iPhone is locked. So, get this serviced.

Hold it Right There!

Being Locked Out...

Enter the passcode incorrectly too many times, and you'd likely be locked out for good. So, hold it right there, and refer to this link: If you Forgot the Passcode on your iPhone, or your iPhone is Disabled - Apple Support. It would be the one you've always entered. If you do not know it, then look for it in a location you may have stored it in.

No Success?

Contact Apple support:

If you cannot get the above link to work, then contact Apple Support.

Apple Contact Info:

• Contact Us - Choose Locations
• Proceed from there, as necessary
• Why the Wait: Phone calls are taking a bit to go through at the moment, due to lots of calls. With the Coronavirus Pandemic, many are at home at the moment, with much time on their hands to contact Apple. So, just stay on the line, and you will get through.

Captkev47 Said:

"How can I unlock a deactivated iPhone 7? AT&T says that since I bought it at an Apple Store and had it activated there, they can’t unlock it so I should contact Apple. Apple says to contact AT&T."

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See if this applies...

Unlocking a Lost iPhone:

Disable Lost Mode:

1. Go Here: Mark a Device as Lost in Find My on iPhone - Apple Support
2. Scroll to: Turn off Lost Mode for an iPhone, iPad, iPod touch, Apple Watch, AirPods, or iPhone Wallet with MagSafe
3. Proceed from there as necessary.

Unfortunately, the boilerplate response that you see above does not come close to answering the question that you asked.

You know that only the carrier can lock and unlock the phone. Apple is not a carrier. AT&T is giving you the runaround. Apple did not activate the phone, AT&T did.

Once again, only the carrier can lock and unlock the phone.

Ask for a senior support person at AT&T who can give you some straight answers. Depending on the fine print in the sales agreement, AT&T may be under no obligation to unlock the phone. That may be what they are not telling you.