sjt959
Level 1 (0 points)

Q: Factory re-set and remaining unlocked?

My phone has been unlocked from the original carrier, if I do a full factory re-set and restore from iTunes will it remain so?  Apple support has recommended this action due to the OS crashing and possible causing battery issues.

Thanks

iPhone 5, iOS 7.1.2

Posted on Sep 8, 2014 8:28 AM

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sjt959

Q: Factory re-set and remaining unlocked?

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  • Helpful answers

  • by raymond73,

    raymond73 raymond73 Sep 8, 2014 8:43 AM in response to sjt959
    Level 4 (1,738 points)
    Sep 8, 2014 8:43 AM in response to sjt959

    If the previous owner turned off "Find My Phone" and removed the device from their iTunes account you should be OK restoring to a factory condition.

  • by sjt959,

    sjt959 sjt959 Sep 8, 2014 8:47 AM in response to raymond73
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Sep 8, 2014 8:47 AM in response to raymond73

    Thank you for the reply.

     

    I am the original owner and "Find My Phone" is on but the instruction say to disable that before attempting the restore so will do that.  Just nervous about the phone locking again.

  • by Phil0124,

    Phil0124 Phil0124 Sep 8, 2014 8:50 AM in response to sjt959
    Level 7 (27,899 points)
    iPhone
    Sep 8, 2014 8:50 AM in response to sjt959

    It was unlocked by the carrier itself, and not through a hack of any kind, then yes, the unlock will remain after the restore.

     

    If it was hacked in any way to unlock it from the carrier, then no, the Unlock will be reverted when the OS is re-installed.

  • by KiltedTim,

    KiltedTim KiltedTim Sep 8, 2014 8:51 AM in response to sjt959
    Level 9 (56,508 points)
    iPhone
    Sep 8, 2014 8:51 AM in response to sjt959

    If it was legitimately unlocked by the carrier it was originally locked to, it will remain unlocked. If it was hacked to unlock it, you may well end up with a brick on your hands.

     

    You can't get help for a hacked phone here.

  • by sjt959,

    sjt959 sjt959 Sep 8, 2014 8:52 AM in response to Phil0124
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Sep 8, 2014 8:52 AM in response to Phil0124

    Thank you for the reply.

     

    The unlock was arranged via the carrier t-mobile and done remotely, by Apple I assume.

  • by ckuan,

    ckuan ckuan Sep 8, 2014 8:55 AM in response to sjt959
    Level 7 (34,344 points)
    Sep 8, 2014 8:55 AM in response to sjt959

    Apple do not unlock your iPhone remotely, you have to restore as new using computer iTunes to finalise the unlocking.

  • by Phil0124,

    Phil0124 Phil0124 Sep 8, 2014 8:56 AM in response to sjt959
    Level 7 (27,899 points)
    iPhone
    Sep 8, 2014 8:56 AM in response to sjt959

    In that case, the unlock should remain after the restore.  The Carrier unlocks the Phone, Apple only pushes the unlock to the Phone when it is restored.

  • by sjt959,

    sjt959 sjt959 Sep 8, 2014 9:00 AM in response to Phil0124
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Sep 8, 2014 9:00 AM in response to Phil0124

    OK, now I'm getting a little confused.  I requested and paid for the phone to be unlocked via T-Mobile,  this I know was do as I have used other sim cards in it while in the US.  There was nothing physically done to the phone, it just happened.  This is what I assume Apple do either through the IMEI or via a push notification of some sort.

  • by Chris CA,

    Chris CA Chris CA Sep 8, 2014 9:03 AM in response to sjt959
    Level 9 (79,677 points)
    iTunes
    Sep 8, 2014 9:03 AM in response to sjt959

    sjt959 wrote:

     

    My phone has been unlocked from the original carrier, if I do a full factory re-set and restore from iTunes will it remain so?

    Yes.

    Carrier unlock & FindMyiPhone/Activation Lock are completely separate issues.

  • by Phil0124,

    Phil0124 Phil0124 Sep 8, 2014 9:18 AM in response to sjt959
    Level 7 (27,899 points)
    iPhone
    Sep 8, 2014 9:18 AM in response to sjt959

    When requesting an unlock from the carrier the carrier will issue the request, and Apple would make it available, and to get it you needed to have restored the iPhone through iTunes.

     

    Once that was done, the iPhone would have been unlocked and should remain so through all future restores.

  • by Chris CA,

    Chris CA Chris CA Sep 8, 2014 9:45 AM in response to Phil0124
    Level 9 (79,677 points)
    iTunes
    Sep 8, 2014 9:45 AM in response to Phil0124

    Phil0124 wrote:

    When requesting an unlock from the carrier the carrier will issue the request, and Apple would make it available, and to get it you needed to have restored the iPhone through iTunes

    Though restoring is no longer (necessarily) a requirement.

    -> http://support.apple.com/kb/HT5014

  • by sjt959,

    sjt959 sjt959 Sep 8, 2014 9:52 AM in response to Chris CA
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Sep 8, 2014 9:52 AM in response to Chris CA

    Thanks for the replys.

     

    Although I don't remember doing so, I've found the unlock-request e-mail from T-Moble and the instructions therein state to do a restore via iTunes.  I guess I did that at the time.

    I'm hoping that e-mail will act as proof if the phone re-locks itself to get it unlocked again.