Locked to AT&T, Verizon, T-Mobile, EE, O2 or another carrier? Here's how to check if your phone is locked, how long each carrier takes, and how to unlock it permanently for any SIM — on any network, in any country.
The quickest test: put a SIM card from a different carrier into your phone. If it works, you're already unlocked. If it asks for an "unlock code" or shows "SIM not supported," your phone is network-locked and can be freed by IMEI.
Other ways to check:
Every network has its own rules for when a device becomes eligible. Here's what to expect from the major US and UK carriers — and once you're eligible, an IMEI unlock removes the lock permanently.
Locked until the installment plan is paid in full. Once eligible, we unlock by IMEI for use on any network.
Typically a 60-day lock on financed or prepaid devices. After that window, eligible for a permanent IMEI unlock.
Financed devices are locked until eligibility conditions are met. We confirm status from your IMEI.
Prepaid brands apply their own lock periods. Enter your IMEI and we'll tell you if it can be unlocked now.
New UK sales are unlocked since 2021, but secondhand and pre-2022 devices can still be locked. We handle those by IMEI.
Australia, New Zealand, EU, Latin America and more — if it's network-locked and has an IMEI, we can usually unlock it.
Carrier policies change over time; the eligibility rules above are typical but not guaranteed. We always confirm your specific device's status from its IMEI before you pay.
Your phone never leaves your hands. The whole thing is done remotely, by IMEI.
Enter your IMEI and we'll confirm your make, model and network in seconds — free. You only pay after your unlock is confirmed.
Check your IMEI →Carrier locking isn't universal — it's common in some countries and rare in others. Here's the broader picture, useful if you're travelling, buying secondhand, or switching networks abroad.
The United States has the most network-locked phones of any country, because carriers subsidise devices through multi-year installment contracts and lock them until paid off. Australia and New Zealand follow a similar subsidised-contract model. In the United Kingdom, networks were banned from selling locked phones in late 2021, but secondhand and pre-2022 devices can still be locked. Across the EU, contract-subsidised locking remains legal in countries like France, Germany and Spain. In Latin America — Mexico, Peru, Ecuador — devices from regional carriers like Claro or Movistar often need an unlock code to switch providers early.
Some countries block phones on national networks through government IMEI registries — even a fully unlocked phone. These are government rules, not carrier locks, and can't be removed by unlocking. If you're travelling to one of these, the registration step is handled by that country's authorities:
| Country | Policy | What's required |
|---|---|---|
| Turkey | Blocks foreign IMEIs after 120 days | Pay a government registration tax |
| Indonesia | Signal loss for unregistered tourist devices | Register IMEI at airport customs on arrival |
| Kenya | Grey-listing on domestic networks | Enter IMEI on the airport F88 form |
| Pakistan | Blocked via the DIRBS database after 60 days | Pay a customs duty for continued use |
| Chile & Colombia | Immediate or short-window blocks | Device must pass "homologation" |
We'll always tell you honestly when what you need is a country registration rather than a network unlock — we won't sell you an unlock that won't solve your problem.
Carrier eligibility rules and country policies change; always verify current requirements for your specific device and network before relying on them.