Must be in contact with wireless carrier to unlock a smart phone.

PhilipRoy wrote:

 

Must be in contact with wireless carrier to unlock a smart phone.

Um, no.  That's to unlock it to use on a different carrier.

Even though the OP linked from an article about carrier unlocking, he probably means the device is disabled due to a passcode lockout.

OP, use this article: iOS: Forgotten passcode or device disabled after entering wrong ...

Um no, You don't 'unlock' a phone when enabling the passcode. The ONLY time you 'unlock' a phone is with a carrier. I would have no way of knowing 'proabably' what he means with such little defination.

Um sorry.

Um, yes, you do 'unlock' an iPhone when inputting the passcode.  That's why it's called a 'passcode lock'.

Look at your own iPhone. Settings > General > Passcode Lock

http://support.apple.com/kb/ht1212

iOS: Forgotten passcode or device disabled after entering wrong passcode

How, exactly, does wanting to 'unlock a phone from a wireless carrier' mean the same thing as 'disabled'?  You can still use an iPhone for EVERYTHING except making phone calls & standard text messages, even without cellular service.  You can use wi-fi for iMessage, Safari, App Store, Facetime, etc.

A 'disabled' iPhone refers to the passcode lock, as per the article I linked.  'Deactivated' is the closest thing to what you are thinking.

please re-read my post and do the best you can to comprehend that the customer is asking ONLY about

"How to disable a locked phone"

How do you get from that to what you are describing?

iOS: Forgotten passcode or device disabled after entering wrong passcode

Does NOT refer to anything LOCKED but disabled (please read where it states "device disabled"????

Once again at the attempt at enlightening you I would agree that disabled and locked could be considered possibly synonomous however technically speaking when using the term 'locked' that normally is referring to the wireless carrier condition rather than the passcode being disabled.

The article I linked specifically says "iPhone is disabled".  And there is a reference to 'lock' on that page, at the bottom:

Settings > General > Passcode Lock.

There's even a picture.

Also, that article links to another article about Using Passcodes: http://support.apple.com/kb/HT4113

Which refers to a 'lock' and' 'unlock' multiple times.

Or, hey, that article has a link to Find My iPhone overview... which ALSO refers to 'locking' an iPhone: http://support.apple.com/kb/PH2696

• Use Lost Mode to lock and track your device

Oh, and THAT article also links to Activation Lock: http://support.apple.com/kb/PH13695   which also has a lot of references to 'lock'.  Heh, it's even in the TITLE.

Are you going to keep trying to say that "The ONLY time you 'unlock' a phone is with a carrier."?

You are wrong.  That is not the only time you 'unlock' an iPhone.

The OP asked: "How do I unlock a disabled iphone?"

A phone locked to a carrier is not disabled.  It can be used with that carrier.

Unlocking a disabled iPhone refers to when the passcode has been entered too many times.

There is a passcode lock function for iPhones.

To unlock an iPhone that is passcode locked, you need to enter the passcode.

Enter the passcode incorrectly too many times, and it becomes disabled.

The only thing about the OP's post that even suggests this is an issue about carrier unlocking is the article he linked from, which is most likely explained because he seached for 'unlock iphone'.  First Google result is the article he linked from.

But a carrier locked phone is not DISABLED.  You are ignoring that part of the OP's post, and focusing on the word 'unlock', which has multiple meanings.

The most likely issue is a passcode lock on the phone, which was entered incorrectly too many times, and thus, the iPhone is disabled.

Just  like the OP said: "How do I unlock a disabled iphone?"

Being 'locked' to a carrier has NOTHING to do with an iPhone being disabled.  Restricted to use on that particular carrier?  Yes.  Disabled?  No.

TJBUSMC1973 is correct. they asked how to unlock a DISABLED iPhone, not how to unlock it from the carrier.

define disabled

PhilipRoy wrote:

 

define disabled

Deactivated.

Out of Action.

Unable to be used.

Incapacitated.

NONE of those apply just because a device is 'locked' to a carrier.  My iPhone is locked to AT&T.  But it's not disabled.

Let go of your pitbull-like grasp on the word 'locked'.  Look at the word 'disabled'.

You are wrong.  Accept it, and move on.  Even if the only thing you're wrong about is the comment: "The ONLY time you 'unlock' a phone is with a carrier.", you're still wrong.  But in this case, you're also wrong about the primary issue.

have you considered de-caf

Perfectly understanding your NEED to be 'right' I conceed.

All I care about is giving the OP the correct advice. And, perhaps, now you've been informed properly about what 'disabled' means, so the next time this questionis asked, you'll know the correct answer.  Feel free to just link any new questions about unlocking a disabled iPhone back to this thread.

So, it took two and a half years... but I got a 'Helpful' update on my post.

Just noticed my email had a forum update from this post.  Brought back some special memories.

Ahhhh...  being right does feel so very, very good!

How you been, PhilipRoy?