HT201328: How to unlock your iPhone for use with another carrier

Learn about How to unlock your iPhone for use with another carrier
cadreamer20

Q: I do not like the idea of ERASING my phone information and then hope to God that it backs up. What a hassle APPLE.

I need to unlock my IPHONE as I will be traveling out of the country and won't have access to another "sim" card until I get there. I wasn't intending on taking my computer with me so I can "erase" my iPhone and then back it up while I'm out of the country. Sheesh not an easier way for ppl to unlock their phone?

 

What a hassle!

 

Do you know anyone in the Cayman Islands that will do this for free? When I get a "sim" card from them and do this arduous procedure??????

 

Terry Givens

iPhone 6 Plus, iOS 8.3

Posted on Aug 12, 2016 7:51 PM

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Q: I do not like the idea of ERASING my phone information and then hope to God that it backs up. What a hassle APPLE.

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  • by Michael Black,

    Michael Black Michael Black Aug 13, 2016 5:32 PM in response to cadreamer20
    Level 7 (24,047 points)
    Aug 13, 2016 5:32 PM in response to cadreamer20

    Paying in full or even getting a device without any contract commitment are never guarantees a device is sold as unlocked. You always need to specifically inquire if the device you are buying is carrier unlocked or not. Not "SIM-free" or full price or anything else. If it is not sold specifically as "carrier unlocked" then it is not necessarily so.

     

    But it sounds like you should be fine. Just process your unlock in iTunes according to the Apple instructions link from previous posts, with your existing SIM in place, and you can then restore your content from backup. After that, you can swap SIM cards and service at will.

  • by cadreamer20,

    cadreamer20 cadreamer20 Aug 13, 2016 7:58 PM in response to Michael Black
    Level 1 (4 points)
    iPhone
    Aug 13, 2016 7:58 PM in response to Michael Black

    Thanks for your reply to my message. I wasn't surprised that we were sold locked phones from the carrier we choose. Clearly, it doesn't matter whether you finance a phone or buy it outright the carrier wants you "locked in." We were supposed to get our unlock codes for our Samsung phones in 24 hours and that never happened either. I am still wondering when that is going to happen.

     

    thanks again to you all. I clearly know what to do with my iPhone and I appreciate the support I have received from you all on this forum!

     

    Thank you,

     

    Terry

  • by Kurt Lang,

    Kurt Lang Kurt Lang Aug 14, 2016 7:33 AM in response to cadreamer20
    Level 8 (37,681 points)
    Aug 14, 2016 7:33 AM in response to cadreamer20

    I have no idea why T-Mobile's instructions would state that. It's completely unecessary to wipe the phone in order to unlock it. The only real requirement is having an active SIM from the next carrier. A blank SIM won't do anything. For our phones, I found a cell provider in a local mall that was willing to sell me a SIM without a contract (it just happened to be T-Mobile). I explained why I needed a competitor's SIM (any competitor) and they helped me out. I should say that's how our cheepie Android phones were. The instructions for those required having an unmatched SIM in order to get the unlock screen to appear. We couldn't do it with the current SIM in the phone. I still have my Andoid, and the wife has a used iPhone 5. What a difference in quality and ease of use! I'll have to replace mine someday with on iPhone.

     

    The step then is to put the competing SIM in the phone. The phone is locked to whatever service it came with. The SIM doesn't match, so the phone then waits for you to do one of two things. a) put a SIM in that matches the carrier the phone has been set to use, or b) enter an unlock code so it can use the new SIM. That's all that needs to be done.

     

    T-Mobile doesn't do anything special in regards to locked phones. Most high end phones from Apple and Samsung are sold that way. Especially of course if you buy it from the cell provider, who want you to use their service with the phone. Starting with the iPhone 6, phones can now be purchased directly from Apple already unlocked. Which makes sense since Apple simply want to sell you a phone. Apple isn't a cell provider, so it makes no difference to them if the phone is locked to particular service, or is open to any provider who supports that model.

  • by cadreamer20,

    cadreamer20 cadreamer20 Aug 14, 2016 8:20 AM in response to Kurt Lang
    Level 1 (4 points)
    iPhone
    Aug 14, 2016 8:20 AM in response to Kurt Lang

    Thank you for your response. I agree, I do not understand why they require and backup and erase to accomplish the unlock on an iPhone. They have never given me a code but here are the iPhone unlock instructions from T-Mobile:

    Unlock Instructions:

    Thank you for taking the time to contact T-Mobile. 24 hours after receiving this email, follow the below instructions for unlocking your T-Mobile iPhone. If you have a non-T-Mobile SIM card, follow these steps: If you have a non-T-Mobile SIM card: 1. Insert non T-Mobile SIM Card 2. Complete the setup process. If you will be using your T-Mobile SIM card follow the steps below: 1. Back up your iPhone using iTunes. 2. When you have a backup, erase your iPhone. 3. When you see the Welcome screen, connect your device to iTunes. If successfully unlocked, the message Congratulations, your iPhone has been unlocked will display. Additional information for unlocking Apple iPhone devices can be located at https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT201328.

  • by Kurt Lang,

    Kurt Lang Kurt Lang Aug 14, 2016 8:39 AM in response to cadreamer20
    Level 8 (37,681 points)
    Aug 14, 2016 8:39 AM in response to cadreamer20

    Ah! There's the difference. If you're using a competitor's SIM, then the instructions are the same as we followed. You just put the other SIM in and enter the unlock code. No erasing necessary. But for reasons I can't guess, unlocking the phone from T-Mobile's own SIM requires erasing the phone before it will allow you to bring up the unlocking sequence.

  • by cadreamer20,

    cadreamer20 cadreamer20 Aug 14, 2016 9:17 AM in response to Kurt Lang
    Level 1 (4 points)
    iPhone
    Aug 14, 2016 9:17 AM in response to Kurt Lang

    thank you for responding. I have not been given an "unlock code" for my iPhone only the instructions. Should I contact T-Mobile for an unlock code as well? Or will the unlocking sequence work without an unlock code?

  • by LACAllen,

    LACAllen LACAllen Aug 14, 2016 9:44 AM in response to cadreamer20
    Level 5 (4,537 points)
    iCloud
    Aug 14, 2016 9:44 AM in response to cadreamer20

    To unlock an Apple device, there is no unlock code given to the end user.

     

    The device must be re-activated.

     

    This is so the device can receive (new) carrier activation settings from Apple's servers in real time. This "conversation" between device and activation server instructs the device which carrier(s) the device is able to use for cellular service.

     

    In your case, this re-activation will set your phone for any carrier as opposed to "T-Mobile only" as it is currently. Apple hosts these settings for the carriers, but does not create or manage them. They deliver them.

     

    To re-activate, the device must run the setup assistant.

     

    To run the setup assistant, you must erase the device.

     

    Other devices running other OS's may be different. Apple does not use unlock codes.

  • by Phil0124,

    Phil0124 Phil0124 Aug 14, 2016 11:26 AM in response to Kurt Lang
    Level 7 (26,867 points)
    iPhone
    Aug 14, 2016 11:26 AM in response to Kurt Lang

    Kurt Lang wrote:

     

    Ah! There's the difference. If you're using a competitor's SIM, then the instructions are the same as we followed. You just put the other SIM in and enter the unlock code. No erasing necessary. But for reasons I can't guess, unlocking the phone from T-Mobile's own SIM requires erasing the phone before it will allow you to bring up the unlocking sequence.

    LACAllen is correct.

     

    There is no unlock code for iPhones. There never has been.  Unlock codes only apply to other brand phones.

     

    For an iPhone, all you need to do is request the unlock from the carrier and then perform the restore in iTunes once the carrier has processed the unlock.  Some carriers such as Verizon (that i know of) may not require a restore. The iPhone will unlock directly, and  you can insert a sim without restoring.  for most carriers however, you get an e-mail stating the unlock has been processed. There's nowhere to input the code if you get one, and no real need for it.

     

    Once the iPhone is restored, you get the "Congratulations, your iPhone has been unlocked" message, and you are done.

     

    iphone-6s-unlocked-confirmation.jpg

  • by Kurt Lang,

    Kurt Lang Kurt Lang Aug 14, 2016 2:33 PM in response to Phil0124
    Level 8 (37,681 points)
    Aug 14, 2016 2:33 PM in response to Phil0124

    Thanks. I didn't think to look into that, and should have. I figured they'd all be the same.

     

    I do wonder why though with the Step 1 method, it simply says to put in the non T-Mobile SIM and follow the setup sequence, with no mention of erasing the phone.

  • by Lawrence Finch,

    Lawrence Finch Lawrence Finch Aug 14, 2016 2:45 PM in response to cadreamer20
    Level 8 (37,842 points)
    Mac OS X
    Aug 14, 2016 2:45 PM in response to cadreamer20

    iPhones do not need, and cannot use an unlock code. Just insert a "foreign" SIM. If the phone is unlocked it will recognize it.

     

    Option 2 is to back up the phone to iCloud AND iTunes (belt and suspenders). Then connect the phone to iTunes and use the Restore button. If the phone was truly unlocked near the end of the restore you will get the message "Congratulations, your phone is unlocked." This is by far the most reliable and secure way of doing it. For the iTunes backup, check the Encrypt Backup option, and whatever you do, do not forget the backup password. If it isn't encrypted some things will not be backed up.

  • by Phil0124,

    Phil0124 Phil0124 Aug 14, 2016 5:08 PM in response to Kurt Lang
    Level 7 (26,867 points)
    iPhone
    Aug 14, 2016 5:08 PM in response to Kurt Lang

    As I said some Carriers may unlock without requiring a restore. I knew of Verizon only that did this for iPhone 6s and 6s plus.  Maybe T-Mobile also does this now. I'm not entirely certain.

  • by Lawrence Finch,

    Lawrence Finch Lawrence Finch Aug 14, 2016 5:31 PM in response to Phil0124
    Level 8 (37,842 points)
    Mac OS X
    Aug 14, 2016 5:31 PM in response to Phil0124

    All Verizon iPhones are unlocked out of the box since the iPhone 5. They do not need to be further unlocked. Verizon also sent a carrier update over a year ago that unlocked all Verizon iPhone 4S models.

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