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Do I need iTunes to unlock my phone from carrier

I have AT&T and want to unlock one of my devices to use a foreign Sim card. I had issues doing this through their unlocking portal, and spoke to AT&T to get the device unlocked. I was told by a service rep that the device is unlocked and to complete the unlock process I need to back up and restore the device from iTunes. Does anyone know if this is true that I have to restore and back up on iTunes to unlock it?

Posted on Jun 2, 2017 2:53 PM

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Posted on Jun 10, 2017 8:23 AM

The AT&T portal does NOT unlock the device. It merely asks AT&T to approve and provision the unlock with Apple's device activation database. The actual process of restoring the device in iTunes is what then processes that unlock and applies it to your device.


You need to process your unlock in iTunes if you want the unlock to be applied to your device.


How to unlock your iPhone - Apple Support

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Jun 10, 2017 8:23 AM in response to mickeddie

The AT&T portal does NOT unlock the device. It merely asks AT&T to approve and provision the unlock with Apple's device activation database. The actual process of restoring the device in iTunes is what then processes that unlock and applies it to your device.


You need to process your unlock in iTunes if you want the unlock to be applied to your device.


How to unlock your iPhone - Apple Support

Jun 4, 2017 8:45 PM in response to mickeddie

This is about the "paperwork" end of things. You still have to activate your phone by erasing it and running the setup assistant.


You should be able to do with without iTunes. You will need to sign out of iCloud, so you will need either data or wifi.


Once the phone starts with your new SIM, you should be on your new cellular network.

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Erase your iPhone, iPad, iPod touch, or Apple Watch - Apple Support

Jun 2, 2017 3:10 PM in response to mickeddie

That is correct. Before you can link to a new provider you will need to backup the device to iTunes, remove the old SIM, insert the new SIM so you can use the account to which that SIM is connected. You need to activate the new provider account when you get to the foreign country. It will not work here nor will the phone.

Jun 2, 2017 5:37 PM in response to mickeddie

You will have to have iTunes and before you leave with your AT&T SIM in the iPhone connect to iTunes and Restore your iPhone as a NEW iPhone (not from backup, but do a backup before trying this). You will get a message that says "Congratulations, your iPhone is now unlocked." After that you only need to remove the AT&T SIM when you get to Israel and replace it with one from there that works with iPhones and activate the phone. You won't need iTunes to activate it.

Jun 5, 2017 6:18 AM in response to deggie

Yes all I want to do is change sims.


So as I said in my original post I was unable to unlock my device with att unlock portal and you told me to do the iTunes unlock thing.


If I have another device that WAS succ unlocked with the unlock portal do I need to do anything else with that device before going to Israel and inserting an Israeli SIM card?

Do I need iTunes to unlock my phone from carrier

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