It happens to the best of us- you’re minding your own business when suddenly your phone is locked, and you have no idea how to unlock it.
Whether you’ve forgotten your passcode, had it changed without your knowledge, or simply inherited a locked device from someone else, there are a few different ways you can go about unlocking your locked phone.
So before you use an unlock phone service, here’s how to unlock a locked phone:
1. Understand how phone locking works
When you purchase a phone it is often locked to a specific carrier, meaning that it can only be used on that carrier’s network.
This is done to prevent you from using the phone with a different carrier, which could lead to increased costs for the original carrier. Some other causes of phone locks include:
A phone that has been reported lost or stolen
Stolen phones are often locked by the carrier as a way to deter thieves from using them. If you have a phone that was reported lost or stolen, it will likely be locked.
A phone that is still under contract
If you have an outstanding balance on your contract, your carrier may lock your phone as a way to encourage you to pay it off.
A phone that has been returned to the carrier
If you return a phone to the carrier for any reason, they may lock it as a way to prevent you from using it again.
2. Determine the type of lock on your phone
There are two main types of locks that can be applied to a phone- a SIM lock and a network lock. Let’s go over each and how to determine which one is applied to your phone.
SIM Lock
A SIM lock, also known as a subscriber identity module lock, is a type of lock that prevents a phone from being used on any network other than the one it was originally purchased for.
In order to determine if your phone has a SIM lock, insert a SIM card from a different carrier into your phone. If the phone is locked, you will see a message that says something like “SIM card not accepted” or “Invalid SIM card.”
If you see this message, it means that your phone has a SIM lock and can only be used with the original carrier.
Network Lock
A network lock is a type of lock that prevents a phone from being used on any network other than the one it was originally purchased for.
To determine if your phone has a network lock, try inserting a SIM card from a different carrier into your phone. If the phone is locked, you will see a message that says something like “Network locked” or “Invalid network.”
If you see this message, it means your phone has a network lock and can only be used with the original carrier.
Other Types of Locks
There are a few other types of locks that can be applied to a phone, but they are less common.
If you have a lock that is not a SIM or network lock, it is likely one of the following:
- A service provider lock- this type of lock is applied by the service provider and can only be removed by them.
- A bootloader lock- this type of lock is applied by the manufacturer and can only be removed by them.
- A hardware lock- this type of lock is applied by the manufacturer and can only be removed by them.
3. Contact your carrier.
If you want to unlock your phone, the first step is to contact your carrier and ask them to unlock it for you. They may or may not charge you a fee for this service. Plus, they may require you to:
- Have an active account with them for a certain period of time
- Use their service for a certain period of time
- Pay off the remainder of your contract
If you meet all of their requirements, they should be able to provide you with an unlock code that will allow you to use your phone with any carrier. Typically, this process takes a few days.
Depending on your carrier, you may be able to unlock your phone yourself by entering a code. For example, T-Mobile customers can enter the code “000000” to unlock their phones.
4. Use an unlock phone service.
If you don’t want to go through your carrier or you can’t for some reason, there are a few different unlock phone services that you can use. Typically, all you need to do is get your IMEI number and pay a small fee, and they will provide you with an unlock code.
And the best part is these services can unlock your phone remotely, so you don’t even need to take it into a store or anything. These services will charge you a fee, but it will be much less than what your carrier would charge you.
We recommend checking out Express unlock phone or Mobile Unlocks unlock phone. They are both reputable services that have a good track record of unlocking phones.
5. Use an unlocking software program.
If you’re feeling particularly tech-savvy, you can try to unlock your phone yourself using a software program. These programs are designed to bypass the security measures that carriers use to lock phones.
However, these programs can be difficult to use and may not work on all phones. Additionally, using one of these programs may void your warranty.
If you decide to go this route, make sure you do your research and only download a program from a reputable source.
6. Factory reset your phone.
If you can’t or don’t want to contact your carrier, you can try factory resetting your phone. This will erase all of the data on your phone, so be sure to back it up first.
To factory reset an Android phone:
- Go to Settings
- Select “Backup & reset.”
- Under “Factory data reset,” tap “Reset phone” Enter your PIN or password
- Tap “Erase everything” to confirm
To factory reset an iPhone:
- Go to Settings
- Select “General”
- Scroll to the bottom and select “Reset.”
- Tap “Erase all content and settings.”
- Enter your passcode
- Tap “Erase iPhone” to confirm
Keep in mind that this will only work if your phone is not locked with a SIM or network lock, and it will erase all of your data. If you don’t want to lose your data or you can’t unlock your phone, you can try a phone recovery service.
7. Use Android Device Manager
If you have an Android phone, you can use the Android Device Manager to unlock your phone. This will only work if:
- Your phone is running Android 4.4 or higher
- You have a Google account linked to your phone
- Find My Device is turned on
- Your phone is connected to the internet
To use Android Device Manager to unlock your phone:
- Go to the Android Device Manager site
- Select the device you want to unlock
- Click “Lock”
- Enter a new password
- Click “Lock” again
If you don’t have a Google account or your phone is not running Android 4.4 or higher, this method will not work.
Conclusion
Whether you just want to be able to use your phone with a different carrier or you’re trying to get rid of a phone that you can’t sell because it’s locked, there are a few different ways that you can go about unlocking it. We hope that this article has been helpful and that you were able to unlock your phone. Thanks for reading!
