How to Unlock a Phone for Free: 9 Steps (with Pictures) - wikiHow (2024)

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A simple and easy guide on unlocking your phone for free with the IMEI number

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1Unlocking Your Phone

2Troubleshooting

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Last Updated: September 3, 2024

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Domestic mobile service providers are required to unlock your phone free of charge as long as your account is in good standing and you’ve fulfilled all necessary contract obligations. Unlocking your phone requires you to contact your wireless service provider, which provides you with a unique code that unlocks your device.

Part 1

Part 1 of 2:

Unlocking Your Phone

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  1. 1

    Dial *#06# on the phone you want unlocked. This displays the phone’s unique IMEI number.

  2. 2

    Write down the IMEI number. Your wireless service provider needs the IMEI number to unlock your phone.

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  3. 3

    Contact your mobile service provider and say you want to unlock your phone. Your service provider will review your account to confirm you meet all requirements to have your phone unlocked for free. You may not be eligible to unlock your phone if you owe money or have not fulfilled the service contract.

    • : Call 1-800-331-0500 or fill out an unlock request online at https://www.att.com/deviceunlock/#/.
    • Sprint: Call 1-888-211-4727
    • T-Mobile: Call 1-877-746-0909
    • Verizon: Call 1-800-711-8300 and ask for a SIM unlock.
  4. 4

    Provide your wireless carrier with the information required to process the unlock request. You must provide your phone’s unique IMEI number, name, and contact information. The wireless provider works directly with the phone manufacturer to obtain your unlock code. For example, if you use a Samsung Galaxy S4 on T-Mobile’s network, T-Mobile contacts Samsung to obtain the unlock code.

  5. 5

    Wait for your wireless provider to provide you with your phone’s unlock code. Most major wireless carriers send the unlock code via email, while regional carriers may require you to visit a retail store.

  6. 6

    Follow the instructions provided by your wireless carrier to unlock your phone. In most cases, you’ll be instructed to insert a SIM card from another carrier, then enter the unlock code at the prompt. After your phone is unlocked, you can use SIM cards from other compatible wireless networks.[1]

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Part 2

Part 2 of 2:

Troubleshooting

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  1. 1

    Ask your wireless carrier what you can do to bring your account into good standing if it refuses to unlock your phone. Wireless service providers are required by law to unlock your phone for free, as long as your account is in good standing and you’ve fulfilled all contract terms.

  2. 2

    Contact the FCC if you experience problems unlocking your phone for free with your wireless carrier. The FCC is responsible for enforcing policies associated with unlocking your phone, and will escalate your situation as needed to unlock your device.

  3. 3

    Contact your wireless carrier and confirm the IMEI on file matches the IMEI number of your phone if the unlock code fails to work. This occurs when your wireless carrier provides the phone manufacturer with the incorrect IMEI number.

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  • Question

    How do I unlock my phone?

    How to Unlock a Phone for Free: 9 Steps (with Pictures) - wikiHow (14)

    Community Answer

    You can unlock your phone if you connect it to a computer with a USB to receive the files, but if you do a hard reset of your phone, it will erase your data and give you a brand new phone.

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    How do I unlock my phone when the SIM can't be detected?

    How to Unlock a Phone for Free: 9 Steps (with Pictures) - wikiHow (15)

    Community Answer

    iPhone IMEI is another online SIM unlocking service especially for iPhone. It can help you SIM unlock your iPhone without SIM card or unlocking code from the carrier. On iPhone IMEI's official website, just select your iPhone model and the network carrier your iPhone is locked to, it will direct you to another page.

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    If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission.Support wikiHow

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      • Ask your wireless carrier to unlock your phone immediately if you’re in the military and being deployed internationally. By law, wireless carriers are required to unlock your device after verifying deployment.

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      wikiHow is a “wiki,” similar to Wikipedia, which means that many of our articles are co-written by multiple authors. To create this article, 10 people, some anonymous, worked to edit and improve it over time. This article has been viewed 705,688 times.

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      Updated: September 3, 2024

      Views:705,688

      Categories: Unlocking Phones

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      How to Unlock a Phone for Free: 9 Steps (with Pictures) - wikiHow (2024)

      FAQs

      Is it possible to unlock a locked phone for free? ›

      Wireless service providers are required by law to unlock your phone for free, as long as your account is in good standing and you've fulfilled all contract terms.

      What is the phone unlock code? ›

      A PUK, sometimes known as a network unlocking code (NUC) or personal unlocking code (PUC), is a unique sequence of eight digits that your network must supply if you fulfil certain criteria. A PUK is required when you want to unlock a phone.

      Can I unlock my phone without paying it off? ›

      You can unlock your phone if you still owe money on it. The two ways to unlock an Android or iOS phone are through the carrier or a third party. Contact your mobile phone carrier via their website or phone number and request that they unlock your phone.

      Can I unlock my phone myself? ›

      Another method is to do it yourself by getting hold of a code or using a special data cable and software. However, you do need a fair degree of technical know-how to do so. It's not illegal to unlock your phone with either of these methods.

      Is there a free app to unlock my phone? ›

      LockWiper (Android) can help you remove all kinds of screen locks e.g. pattern lock, PIN, face lock, password, etc. The screen lock removal success rate of this tool is very high and the best thing about it is that there is no data loss when you remove screen lock via LockWiper (Android).

      What is the 16 digit network unlock code? ›

      A 16-digit network unlock code is a unique code provided by your carrier or a third-party service to unlock your phone, allowing it to work with different carriers. It's tied to your phone's IMEI number, ensuring it's secure and specific to your device.

      Can we unlock phone without password? ›

      You can unlock your Android phone even if you've forgotten the passcode, but you'll usually need to factory reset the phone. You can unlock most Android phones by performing a factory recovery or using the Find My Device website.

      Can you still use a phone if its locked? ›

      Alocked phone is a phone secured by one or more pieces of software that have two functions: Prevents users from having full access to the phone's code, which limits the kinds of apps that the user can download and use. Prevents users from using a specific mobile device with another carrier.

      What can you do while phone is locked? ›

      You can get help from Google Assistant while your Android phone or tablet is locked. Google Assistant can help you perform tasks, like set a timer on your phone, get info like sports updates, or get personal results. Personal results include: Read your messages and emails, including personal results from Gmail.

      What is phone lock code? ›

      Glossary. A code preventing the unauthorized use of a mobile phone. the user isn't given access to the phone without entering the right sequence of numbers using the keypad. Only emergency or other predefined numbers may be dialed while the mobile phone is locked.

      How do I unlock my phone if I locked myself out? ›

      Reset your pattern (Android 4.4 or lower only)
      1. After you've tried to unlock your phone multiple times, you'll see "Forgot pattern." Tap Forgot pattern.
      2. Enter the Google Account username and password you previously added to your phone.
      3. Reset your screen lock. Learn how to set a screen lock.

      Can you access a locked phone? ›

      How to Get into a Locked Android. If you're locked out of your Android, visit the Google Find My Device site and log in to your account. Select the device, and select the "Lock" option to set a new password. Once you add a new password, enter it on your Android to unlock it.

      Can a locked phone become unlocked? ›

      If you get a locked phone and decide that you'd like it unlocked, you can contact your phone carrier. A carrier can unlock a locked phone, but be wary: the phone may have to be completely paid off first, and you may also be subject to a waiting period before you're allowed to get it unlocked.

      How much do I have to pay to unlock a phone? ›

      How Much to Unlock a Phone With a Third-Party Service (iPhone and Android)?
      CarrieriPhoneAndroid
      AT&T$90$2
      T-Mobile$139$15
      Verizon$30$20
      Sprint$139$15
      Oct 28, 2020

      Can I unlock my IMEI for free? ›

      A free program for Android, by Softech Square.

      Unblock IMEI-Unlock Device is a tool that unblocks the IMEI of the phone you own. This means that you can use your phone with any service provider, even if your phone has a blocked SIM card. This is a great tool for people who want to unlock their device for any reason.

      Can someone get into a locked phone? ›

      When it's locked, your phone can't be opened without either the passcode, a face scan, or a fingerprint. If you lose your phone or someone snatches it from you, you can rest assured they won't be able to do anything with it.

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