Skip to main content

How do I know if my phone is unlocked?

This article explains how to know if an Android or iPhone device is carrier locked or unlocked.

Updated over 4 months ago

If you’re on a prepaid or pay-as-you-go phone plan, you most likely have an unlocked phone.

If you’re not, here’s how to check depending on your phone model:

For Android:

  1. Open the Settings app.

  2. Go to the Network & Internet, Connections, or something labeled similarly.

  3. Select the Mobile network, Cellular network, or something labeled similarly.

  4. Tap Advanced, Network operators, or something labeled similarly.

  5. Toggle off the Select automatically, Choose network, or something labeled similarly.

  6. If you see a list of carriers pop up when your phone searches for networks, your phone is unlocked. If you only see the name of your current carrier, your phone is carrier locked.

Note: Since there are a lot of Android devices, we recommend Googling your device or using an IMEI check (we have our own! www.really.com/device-check)

For iPhone:

  1. Go to Settings

  2. Click General

  3. Select About

  4. Scroll down to Carrier Lock

    • If it shows No SIM restrictions, your iPhone is unlocked

    • If it shows SIM locked, your iPhone is locked

Note: You can also use an IMEI check to check the status of your device (we have our own! www.really.com/device-check)

Did this answer your question?