How to Check If Your iPhone Is Unlocked (5 Easy Ways, 2026)

You’re about to buy a used iPhone, switch carriers, or board a plane with a plan to grab a local SIM on arrival. One question decides whether that works: is the iPhone unlocked?

Apple made the answer much easier in iOS 14, but the Settings screen isn’t the only — or always the most reliable — method. Below are five ways to check, which one to trust in which situation, and what to do with the result.

Method 1: Settings › General › About › Carrier Lock (iOS 14 and later)

This is the fastest check and needs no SIM card.

1. Open Settings.
2. Tap General, then About.
3. Scroll down to Carrier Lock.

What you’ll see:

• No SIM restrictions — the iPhone is unlocked and accepts SIMs or eSIMs from any compatible carrier.
• SIM locked — the iPhone is locked to a carrier. It won’t say which one; you’ll need method 4 or 5 for that.

On older iOS versions the Carrier Lock line doesn’t exist. Update the phone if you can, or use one of the other methods.

Method 2: The SIM swap test

The classic real-world test is still one of the best, because it proves the phone actually works on another network.

1. Borrow an active SIM from a different carrier than the one the phone came from.
2. Power the iPhone off, swap the SIM, and power it back on.
3. Wait for signal bars, then make a short call or load a web page with Wi-Fi turned off.

If it connects, the iPhone is unlocked. If you see “SIM Not Supported”, “SIM Not Valid” or “Activation Required”, it is locked to another carrier.

Method 3: Look for clues on the iPhone itself

These clues don’t prove anything on their own, but they tell you where to look:

• Carrier name in Settings › General › About › Network/Carrier shows the network the current SIM is on, not the lock. Don’t confuse the two.
• Model number (Settings › General › About, tap “Model Number” to reveal the A-number). It tells you the region variant, which is useful for checking bands and eSIM support, but not the lock status.
• Carrier settings prompts or a carrier logo at boot are hints the phone came from a carrier, nothing more.

Method 4: Ask the original carrier

If the iPhone came from a carrier, that carrier can tell you whether it’s been unlocked. Most US carriers let you check or request an unlock online — for example AT&T’s device unlock portal. Account holders can usually also check via chat or in a store.

This method works well for your own phone. It’s less useful when you’re buying from a stranger, because you won’t have access to their account. Carrier policies also change, so always confirm on the official site. See our guides for AT&T iPhones and the Verizon unlock policy.

Method 5: Run an IMEI carrier and SIM-lock check

An IMEI check reads the lock status that Apple’s activation system holds for that device. It’s the best option when you’re buying remotely, when the phone is eSIM-only, or when you want to know which carrier it’s locked to.

Get the IMEI

Dial this on the iPhone’s keypad (no call button needed):

*#06#

You can also find it in Settings › General › About. If you’d like to make sure the number is valid before you pay for anything, open the terminal below and type checkdigit followed by the first 14 digits, or imei followed by the full 15-digit number, and press Enter.

Choose the right check

• Carrier + SIM-lock check — shows the original carrier and whether the lock is on. Best all-round choice.
• SIM-lock status — a fast yes/no answer: locked or unlocked.
• SIM-lock status by IMEI or serial — handy if you only have the serial number.

Pair it with a GSMA blacklist check if you’re buying. An unlocked iPhone that’s reported stolen is still a bad buy. For the full picture — model, color, storage and Find My status — start with the All-in-one basic info report, or dive deeper on the iPhone unlock page.

Which method should you trust?

Mistakes that give the wrong answer

• Testing with a SIM from the same carrier. An AT&T-locked iPhone works perfectly with an AT&T SIM — and with SIMs from some networks that use AT&T’s infrastructure. Always test with a genuinely different network.
• Reading the “Carrier” line instead of “Carrier Lock”. The carrier name in About shows the SIM that’s inserted, not the lock.
• Trusting a seller’s screenshot. Screenshots can be from another phone. Read the IMEI from *#06# yourself and run the check.
• Forgetting the other locks. “No SIM restrictions” says nothing about Find My or blacklist status. An unlocked phone that’s still signed in to someone’s Apple ID is useless after a reset.

What to do if the iPhone is locked

A locked iPhone isn’t necessarily a problem — it just needs the right next step:

• It’s your phone and it’s paid off: request an unlock from the original carrier. Once approved, the unlock is applied by IMEI; restart the phone or insert a new SIM to activate it.
• You’re buying it: negotiate the price, or ask the seller to get it officially unlocked before you pay. Learn the difference between locked and unlocked phones first.
• It still has a balance or is reported lost/stolen: it isn’t eligible for unlocking, and you shouldn’t buy it.

Ready to check? Run the reports below with the IMEI: