How to Unlock a T-Mobile Device and More Info on Locked Phones

When you’re first looking into buying a new phone or deciding to switch network providers a term you might come across more than a few times is “unlocked” and “locked” phones. At first you might think a locked device is when you first click on your phone and have to enter a passcode to unlock it, or when your sibling starts entering a bunch of random incorrect passcodes in quick succession, locking your phone for a minute just to mess with you.

In actuality, a “locked” device is a bit different than that. 

A locked device is when that specific phone is only compatible with one specific network.

So what does this mean for you? And are you able to unlock any device so you can use it with any network? Well, you’re in luck because today we’re going to discuss what an “unlocked” vs “locked” device means, why this happens, and how to unlock a T-Mobile device- all to help you understand important information before you buy.

• What is a locked phone?
• Why do carriers “lock” their phones?
• What can you do with a locked phone?
• Can my phone be locked without me knowing it?
• How can I tell if my device is locked?
• How to unlock a T-Mobile device
• More Frequently Asked Questions

What is a locked phone?

Very briefly we covered what a locked phone is in the intro, but here’s a more thorough explanation:

• A locked phone is a phone that only works with one specific carrier, like Verizon, AT&T, T-Mobile, or another kind of wireless service. 

There are a couple limits that a locked phone can have, one is you are limited to the phone’s full potential- meaning you won’t be able to download certain apps, though this might be a good thing as the firewall prevention is keeping your phone safe from any potential viruses from outside non-vetted app sources. The second which we mentioned above is your inability to use the phone on a different wireless network.

The locked phone has a code embedded in them that prevents you from easily switching from network to network. 

For example, if you buy a locked phone from Provider A and want to take out their SIM card and use Provider B’s SIM card- your phone won’t access that new SIM card and you will only be able to use SIM cards from Provider A.

• Quick Tip: A SIM (Subscriber Identity Module) card is a small removable smart card that’s inside your phone that allows you to make phone calls, send texts, and connect to the internet when you don’t have WiFi. And an eSIM is the digital version of the card.

It’s good to note that the FCC ruled that carriers “will post on its website its clear, concise, and readily accessible policy on mobile wireless device unlocking.” There is a list of rules and regulations that companies have to follow regarding locked and unlocked devices on the website.

Now we know what a locked phone is, what is an unlocked phone?

An unlocked phone is the direct opposite of a locked phone, it is not bound by one single carrier and is basically a “clean slate” phone. It can be used with any service provider that accepts that certain model of phone- (make sure when researching different phone carriers to look into their “Check Compatibility” tab, most wireless services have this option to check in order to see if you can use your specific model of phone with their service).

It doesn’t just stop at US-based carriers either, unlocked phones have almost no limit to them so you can take it beyond and use your unlocked phone on international plans as well. 

There’s also no limits to its function as well, no apps you can’t purchase and use. 

Why do carriers “lock” their phones?

Wireless carriers, like most businesses in the world, don’t want to lose you as their customer, and they will make it difficult for you to potentially switch to another carrier by locking their phones. It’s a way to discourage consumers from switching or not paying your phone bill- (more on that later). 

• Most phones sold by wireless carriers are considered “high-end” phones, you know- the ones with high processing power, film-quality cameras built in, and more bells and whistles that make it so you have a mini computer in your pocket. Since high-end phones are rather expensive both to the customer and the provider, companies will sell their product at a discount, which is known as subsidizing. 

Carriers will then subsidize the cost when they lock you into a contract for minimally one to two years. Those monthly rates (aka your monthly phone bill), along with bonus insurance costs and extra fees will help make up any money they lost from the manufacturing of these high end Smartphones. It also prevents customers from buying a phone from a carrier at a discounted price and then immediately switching to a new provider to save even more money.

(Although it’s been argued that there’s no need to lock a phone if you're already locking a potential customer into a contract, it’s essentially creating an oxymoron. That’s why slowly providers are no longer locking their phones or getting rid of contracts).

What can you do with a locked phone?

As long as you’re using your locked phone with the wireless carrier it’s locked to, then you can use all your phone’s functions as intended. There shouldn’t be any issues with browsing the internet, emailing, texting, calling, installing apps, playing games, taking pictures, etc. with a locked phone if you are using it with the intended service. 

However, if you are trying to use the locked phone with a different carrier and you haven’t unlocked it yet then you won’t be able to use the functions of the SIM card. You’ll be able to take pictures and browse the web, maybe even download and use apps like Instagram on wifi if you’ve already had it installed before you moved carriers, but you won’t be able to make calls, send texts, or use your network data until the phone is unlocked.

Can my phone be locked without me knowing it?

Wireless carrier’s will not just randomly lock your phone for the heck of it, but they can lock your phone if you have not paid your phone bill or there’s money owed to the carrier. In most cases as long as you pay the bill as soon as possible your phone will be unlocked with no issues. 

The carrier will also lock the phone if they feel it’s been tampered with in order to get around the network’s limits and capacities. 

How can I tell if my device is locked?

There are a few different methods in finding out if your device is carrier-locked:

1. Call Your Wireless Carrier. The most straight to the point that requires little investigation from you is to call your service provider. They will be able to tell you how to find out if your device is locked and what you can do about that if you wish to unlock it. Look at their customer support phone number, contact them through email, or via website.

2. Look Through Your Settings. 

• For IOS devices you’ll want to:some text
  • Open ‘Settings’
  • Open ‘General’
  • Select the ‘About’ tab
  • Scroll till you see ‘Carrier Lock’ and if you see “No SIM restrictions” then your device is not locked. If you see a carrier’s name then your phone is locked.

• For Android devices you’ll want to:some text
  • Open ‘Settings’
  • Open ‘Network & Internet’ OR ‘Connections’
  • Select ‘Cellular Network’ OR ‘Mobile Network’
  • Select ‘Advanced’
  • Then select ‘Choose Network’ OR ‘Automatically Select Network’
  • If you see only one carrier then your phone is locked to that specific carrier. If you see multiple carriers listed then your phone is unlocked and able to accept service from multiple different networks.

3. Use An ‘IMEI Checker’ Online. An IMEI number is like your phone’s serial number. Each device gets one that’s unique. It gives you an accurate assessment of your phone by helping you check if your phone is compatible with a wireless service and to see if your phone is locked. 

• To locate your device’s IMEI number you can dial *#06# on your phone’s keypad or go to your phone’s ‘About’ tab in your settings where the option to see your IMEI number should be there.

Go to a reputable IMEI checker like IMEI.org. You’ll then be shown a detailed “report” on your phone’s information including if the device is unlocked or locked. 

4. The SIM Card Test. Taking out your current phone’s SIM card and replacing it with another SIM card to see if you can use your phone as intended is another way to check if your device is carrier-locked. To check if the new SIM card is working, try making a call, if it goes through fine then your device is unlocked, if a message shows up that says “SIM card not supported” or the call doesn’t go through correctly then your device is locked.

(Though we’d recommend doing the SIM card test last as sometimes SIM cards can cost money and you don’t want to pay to find out if your phone is locked when there are a few other free methods to do so. Plus, not all phones have physical SIM cards, some now have eSIMS).

How to unlock a T-Mobile device

Now that you know all about locked phones, the main reason you’re here is to unlock your T-Mobile device which you can do in a few different ways. If you’ve bought your current phone through T-Mobile then there is a chance your phone is locked, but don’t worry you can get your device unlocked if you meet certain criteria. 

Here is T-Mobile’s baseline requirements for all phone types, prepaid and postpaid, for unlock eligibility:

• The device must be sold by T-Mobile.
• The device must not be reported as lost, stolen or blocked.
• The account associated with the device must be in good standing.

For those who have a phone with a Prepaid Plan:

• At least 365 days must have passed since the device was activated on the T Mobile network.
• If the device was activated less than 365 days ago, then the Prepaid account associated with the device must have had more than $100 in refills during that period for each line active on the account. In addition, more than 14 days must have passed since the device was purchased.
• No more than 2 mobile device unlocks have been completed per line of service in the last 12 months.
• T‑Mobile may request proof of purchase or additional information at its discretion and certain other exceptions may apply.

For those who have a phone with a Postpaid Plan:

• The device must have been active on the T‑Mobile network for at least 40 days on the requesting line.
• If the device was financed or leased through T‑Mobile then all payments must be satisfied and the device must be paid in full.
• If the device is associated with a canceled account, then the account balance must be zero.
• T‑Mobile may request proof of purchase or additional information in its discretion and certain other exceptions may apply.

After you’ve verified if your device is eligible to be unlocked you’ll need to go to your account via the T-Mobile website. Select the phone and/or line you want to unlock and then go to ‘Device details’ where you’ll see ‘Check device unlock status’ and it will tell you if your phone is locked or unlocked.

If you are eligible to unlock your device then you can call their support number 877-746-0909 for the next steps.

They do however have outlines for all kinds of phone models on their websites on what to do to unlock your phone if your phone is eligible. Here’s the instructions for Apple and Samsung devices, to see the full device type list and their unlocking instructions click here.

Apple IOS Users:

• First view your phone’s unlock status by following the instructions in our previous section for Apple IOS users.
• If you have a locked iPhone that's eligible, you’ll need to Contact T-Mobile to submit the unlock.

Samsung Users:

• Select ‘Settings’, then ‘Connections’, then ‘More Connection Settings’.
• Select ‘Network Unlock’ and then ‘Permanent Unlock’.
• Wait for the unlock to complete and restart your device.

As long as you meet T-Mobile’s requirements then you’ll be able to unlock your locked device for free with relative ease.

More Frequently Asked Questions

Let’s summarize what info we learned and answer more of your Q’s about locked devices!

Is it illegal to unlock your phone?

No it is not illegal to unlock your phone. It’s actually been ruled by the FCC that the carrier must unlock your phone for free after it’s been fully paid off and as long as you don’t try to “bait and switch” your carrier you should have no issues with unlocking your device after you’ve paid out your current phone bill.

Does it matter whether I have an unlocked phone versus a locked phone?

Locked phones lock you out of switching carriers if you ever think you might need to in the future. There’s a number of reasons why one might want to switch carriers:

• You may be moving to a new city and the coverage from a different carrier is better than the one you currently have. 
• You aren’t happy with your current provider. 
• You’re looking for more budget-friendly options.

If your phone is unlocked you won’t have to go through that roadblock of being limited to one network. And if you ever decide to sell your device you can get more money for an unlocked phone compared to a locked one.

Do you lose all your data if you unlock your phone?

No, you will not lose any of your phone’s data and information when you unlock your phone. The only way that happens if you choose to erase all data and reset the phone back to factory settings. This could be because you forgot your phone’s password and have to force-reset it or because you want to start fresh.

It’s good to know about locked devices before you switch carriers or attempt to switch carriers with a phone. Always make sure your device is unlocked and is compatible with your new wireless carrier before you make the switch.

And speaking of switching, if you want to compare and contrast T-Mobile to over 1,200 other phone plans so you know you’re getting the service that’s right for you, then make sure to check out the REALLY compare page which allows you to look at pricing, coverage, what phone plans are available, current deals and steals, and how you can make the most of your potential phone bill.