How to unlock your iPhone for use with a different carrier

Your iPhone might be locked to your carrier. Unlocking your iPhone means that you can use it with different carriers.

About unlocking

You can find out if your iPhone is locked as follows:

  1. Open the Settings app.

  2. Tap General.

  3. Tap About. If "No SIM restrictions" appears next to Carrier Lock, your iPhone is unlocked.

If you don’t want to switch carriers and your device is locked because you forgot the passcode, you don’t need to use the steps in this article. Learn how to reset your passcode.

Apple can't unlock your iPhone for use with a different carrier. Only your current carrier can unlock your iPhone.

Contact your carrier

Only your carrier can unlock your iPhone.

It might take the carrier a few days to complete your request to unlock your iPhone. Contact your carrier to check the status of your request.

After your carrier confirms that they unlocked your iPhone, review the following scenarios that might apply.

If you need to activate an eSIM from a carrier other than your current carrier

Learn how to set up an eSIM on your iPhone

If you have a SIM card from a carrier other than your current carrier

Use the following steps to finish unlocking your iPhone.

  1. Remove your SIM card.

  2. Insert the new SIM card. Your device will activate.

If you don't have another SIM card to use

Use the following steps to finish unlocking your iPhone.

  1. Back up your iPhone.

  2. After you make a backup, erase your iPhone.

  3. Restore your iPhone from the backup you just made.

Get help

You might see this message on your computer or iPhone: "The SIM card inserted in this iPhone does not appear to be supported. Only compatible SIM cards from a supported carrier may be used to activate iPhone. Please insert the SIM card that came with your iPhone or visit a supported carrier store."

If you see this message on your device with iOS 14 and later, use these steps:

  1. Open the Settings app.

  2. Tap General.

  3. Tap About.

  4. Under Carrier Lock, you should see a message that says, "No SIM restrictions." If you don't see that message, contact your carrier.

If your device is on iOS 13 or earlier, use these steps:

  1. Contact your carrier to confirm that they applied the unlock in their system.

  2. Restore your iPhone to factory settings.

  3. Restore your iPhone from a backup.