Unlocking an iPhone will soon be a thing of the past, as Ofcom has announced that all providers will be banned from locking devices to their network by the end of 2021. But obviously this won ’ deoxythymidine monophosphate inevitably affect all devices already in circulation. so, for now, you ’ ll need to follow the steps outlined in this article to get your iPhone unlocked .
We ’ re focusing on unlocking an iPhone tied to a UK carrier, but for those in the US, visit our sister site ’ mho article on how to unlock an iPhone. Should you be looking for serve on gaining entree to data on a device in the sad event of its owner die, you can read how to unlock an iPhone, iPad or Mac when its owner passes away .
Is iPhone unlocking legal?
It ’ s wholly legal to unlock your iPhone if you ’ ve finished paying for your shrink or you purchased it outright, unsubsidised. however, if you ’ re still in the march of paying for your contract you don ’ thymine amply own the iPhone yet, so you ’ ra best to check with your carrier wave before unlocking it .
Is my iPhone locked?
normally, if your iPhone is locked you ’ ll see a message saying something like ‘ SIM not Supported ’ when you try to set up the device. For more data here ’ s how to tell if your iPhone is locked. The rationality for the device being locked is most likely if you bought it second-hand or inherited it from a acquaintance or family member. The former owner may have bought the iPhone as part of a shrink, and it ’ s been standard exercise for years that the network provider uses software restrictions to keep the device tied to its service for the duration of the compress .
How to unlock your iPhone
There are four simple steps to take to unlock an iPhone :
- Contact your provider and request an unlock using the contact details and online tools listed below.
- If you haven’t got the original SIM, you’ll need to reset the phone before it can be unlocked.
- Power down the phone, then replace the old SIM card with a SIM from a different network.
- Check that the iPhone is able to connect a phone call over the new network.
That ’ s the cut version, but let ’ s go through those steps in a morsel more detail. Below we will outline individually how to get your iPhone unlocked from each of the UK ’ s most popular networks. Scroll down to your carrier to find out that company ’ second specific process .
How to unlock an iPhone on EE
EE states that it will automatically unlock ‘ an iPad or iPhone – 18 months after it was sold ( or after it was dispatched, if it was a substitute ) ’. therefore if you know the buy date, then you might find that the device will unlock itself very soon. Should this not be the event, then you can silent request EE to unlock the device. If you ’ ve had your EE explanation for at least six months and have paid all of your bills to go steady, EE will unlock your iPhone for you. It ’ ll cost £8.99 if you ’ re still within the shrink, though, and takes around 72 hours. If your shrink has reached it ’ randomness end, then EE will unlock the iPhone for barren. If you ’ re a Pay As You Go customer and have enough credit to pay the £8.99 admin tip, EE will unlock your iPhone for you. If you ’ ve bought the iPhone second-hand, say from eBay, then EE will unlock it for you at a price of £8.99. It does stipulate, ‘ angstrom retentive as the second-hand device is more than six months old and has not been reported lost or stolen then we can unlock it ’ The process is quite square. All you need to do is call 0800 956 6000 then select options 2 followed by 4. You ’ ll be required to undergo a security test ( to prevent anyone stealing your iPhone and unlocking it ) after which you ’ ll be given the unlock instructions. You ’ ll find all the information you need on EE ’ s How do I unlock an EE device to use with another network ? page .
How to unlock an iPhone on Vodafone
Vodafone states on its web site that all Apple products issued by the company are already unbarred. Should you find this international relations and security network ’ t the case, then you ’ ll indigence to get a Network Unlock Code from Vodafone. Before attempting this, be aware that the company states, ‘ unfortunately, if you bought your phone from a different supplier or e.g. Carphone Warehouse, we can ’ thymine unlock it. You will have to contact them directly. ’ So it could be that the device is locked by the other supplier rather than Vodafone. If you ’ rhenium think of handing on your iPhone to person else, and are worried that it might be locked to your Vodafone account, you can use Vodafone ’ s on-line unlocking form to complete the process. The party claims it normally manages to unlock your device within 72 hours, but that in some cases it may be up to 10 days depending on the circumstances. The process is spare .
How to unlock an iPhone on Three
Three keeps things nice and simpleton. On its web site, the carrier states that any iPhone purchased after 1 January 2014 from Three is mechanically unlock adenine soon as you connect it to Wi-Fi or iTunes/the Finder ( depending on the adaptation of macOS you are using ). But even if you purchased your iPhone before that, you plainly need to connect the iPhone to iTunes/the Finder and restore the device to unlock it. You ’ ll want to back up first, though, as regenerate will wipe all the data. alternatively, you can fill out Three ’ s on-line shape.
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How to unlock an iPhone on O2
If you or the original owner purchased your iPhone from O2 after 1 August 2018, it ’ s likely to be unbarred already. Should you find you silent can ’ deoxythymidine monophosphate use another SIM with it, then ( if you are an existing O2 customer ) you can follow these steps : Log in to My O2 on your browser. Select ‘ More ’ in the menu bar at the top of the page, followed by ‘ Unlock your device ’. nowadays follow the instructions to get your iPhone unlocked. alternatively there ’ s the Live Chat feature on the O2 site, although you ’ ll motivation to have your IMEI ready ( here ’ s how to find it ). The whole process is explained clearly on the Unlocking an O2 mobile for use on a unlike network page of the company web site. The ship’s company says it will send a text to let you know when the iPhone is unbarred. You good need to pop the new SIM batting order in then and it should show as unlock. If not, you ’ ll need to connect the device to iTunes/the Finder with the non-O2 SIM, and iTunes will confirm the unlock .
How to unlock an iPhone on Virgin Mobile
Virgin says any iPhone purchased from the company will be unlock already, but some older iPhones models might not. These are iPhone 4 and earlier though, so there ’ mho a very adept change your handset is unlock. If you are on an iPhone 4, and why not it ’ mho silent a great device, then you should inactive be able to perform a wax regenerate of the device to unlock it. fair be sure to back up your data beginning then nothing gets lost. You can read more about how to do the erstwhile in our how to factory reset an iPhone and iPad guidebook .
How to unlock an iPhone on Tesco Mobile
If you ’ ve been with Tesco Mobile for 12 months or more, or if you ’ ve completed your contract, you ’ ll be able to get an unlock code from Tesco for free by using the on-line shape .
How to unlock an iPhone on Giffgaff
Giffgaff has a handy tool that helps you figure out how to free your Apple iPhone from other its own and other networks. It has the fantastic name of Unlockapedia and is well deserving exploring .
Using a third-party unlocking service
An option to contacting your carrier and asking them to unlock the iPhone is to use a fluid earphone unlock service. Retailers in most areas will arrange an unlock code for a small fee ( normally around £25 ). You can besides find on-line services that will unlock your iPhone, but they aren ’ t constantly reputable and we would generally advise against it. If you do decide to use one, please make certain you read all the small print before you buy, because they can surprise you with excess bills at the end of the process. We ’ ve try Doctor SIM, which promises to refund you if the unlock is abortive, so that could be an option if you ’ ve tried all of the methods listed above. Doctor SIM successfully unlocked our phone with no problems and no concealed fees, so we feel confident in recommending them .
How much should I pay?
ideally you shouldn ’ deoxythymidine monophosphate pay anything to unlock your iPhone, because your carrier should unlock it for you for free. But some carriers are silent setting admin charges, so you might prefer looking at third-party options. These seem to charge between £10 and £25, and we wouldn ’ metric ton pay more than that. Shop around if anybody quotes you a higher price .
How to tell if the unlock worked
once your phone has been unlocked you ’ ll receive a confirmation from the aircraft carrier. now follow these steps :
- Power down the phone: hold down the power button (or the power button and volume down, if it’s a Face ID equipped iPhone) and swipe your finger across as directed.
- Use the SIM card tool (or a straightened paper clip, but preferably the proper tool) to eject the SIM card holder from the side of the phone.
- Remove the old SIM card from the card holder. Place your new SIM – from a different network – into the card holder.
- Reinsert the SIM card holder into the iPhone.
- Make a phone call, and check that the iPhone is able to connect over the new network. If so, it’s unlocked!
If you ’ ve requested an unlock from your aircraft carrier, but have not got the master SIM card, or if you have acquired a lock iPhone from person else, you may need to reset the call before it will be unlock. Follow these steps to reset the iPhone :
- Back up your iPhone to iCloud or via iTunes/the Finder.
- Erase your iPhone. Click on Settings > General > Transfer or Reset iPhone > Erase All Content and Settings.
- Complete the setup assistant and restore from your backup.
The call should immediately be unlocked. When you turn the iPhone back on, complete the frame-up assistant and restore it from the backup you created. then you can insert the modern SIM circuit board and it should now work. And there we have it ! Your iPhone should be unlock and unblock for use on any network. If you ’ ra interested in repeating the process for your pad, we ’ ve got a distinguish guide for those who wish to unlock an iPad.
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If you ’ ra think of moving your old iPhone on to person else, you should besides read how and where to sell your previous iPhone for the best price for some tips on resetting it and getting the best deal .
