How to Unlock an AT&T iPhone: Official Ways and Requirements (2026)

AT&T iPhones are some of the most common used phones in the world. They turn up on US marketplaces, in phone markets in Lagos and Accra, and in shops across the UK and Europe. Many of them are still locked to AT&T — which means a SIM from any other network won’t work until the lock is removed.

The good news is that an AT&T iPhone that meets the carrier’s requirements can be unlocked permanently, by IMEI, without touching the phone’s software. This guide explains the official route, what to do when you bought the phone second-hand, and the checks to run before you spend a cent.

How an AT&T iPhone lock works

An iPhone’s carrier lock isn’t stored on the phone. When the iPhone activates, Apple’s activation servers look up the IMEI and apply the carrier policy attached to it — in this case an AT&T policy that only accepts AT&T SIMs (and networks that use AT&T’s network, depending on the setup).

When AT&T approves an unlock, it asks Apple to change that policy to “unlocked”. The next time the iPhone activates, it picks up the new policy. That’s why a genuine unlock:

• is permanent — it survives updates, restores and resets;
• doesn’t need a code typed into the phone;
• doesn’t void anything or change the software.

If you’d like the technical detail, our article on the iPhone carrier policy (next tether policy) explains exactly what changes in Apple’s records.

AT&T unlock requirements (general rules)

AT&T publishes its unlock policy on its official site, and the details have changed several times over the years. In general, AT&T expects that:

• The iPhone is paid in full — no remaining installment plan balance, and any contract or early termination fees settled.
• It has been active on AT&T for a minimum period. The required period has historically been shorter for postpaid accounts than for prepaid ones.
• It is not reported lost or stolen, and not linked to fraud.
• The account is in good standing — no past-due balance, and not cancelled for non-payment.
• The device is an AT&T device — it was locked by AT&T, not by Cricket or another carrier (those have their own processes).

Step by step: request an unlock from AT&T

1. Get the IMEI

Dial *#06# or go to Settings › General › About. Check the number is valid with the tool below before you submit it anywhere — a single wrong digit is the most common reason requests fail.

2. Submit the request on the official portal

Go to att.com/deviceunlock, choose whether you’re an AT&T customer or not, and enter the IMEI and the requested details. You’ll typically receive a request number and a confirmation email that you need to open to complete the request.

3. Wait for the decision

AT&T reviews the request and emails you the result. You can usually check the status on the same portal with your request number.

4. Activate the unlock

Once approved, insert or add a SIM from another carrier and restart the iPhone. If it doesn’t pick up the new network, back up the phone and restore it with a computer, or erase it — after which it re-activates with the new, unlocked policy. Then confirm under Settings › General › About › Carrier Lock: it should say “No SIM restrictions”. See how to check if an iPhone is unlocked for other ways to confirm.

When you are not the original owner

This is the most common situation for used-phone buyers — and where most problems start. AT&T’s portal generally accepts requests from non-customers, but the device still has to meet the eligibility rules above. In practice that means:

• If the previous owner paid it off and it has no blacklist report, a non-customer request often succeeds. AT&T may still ask for proof of purchase or other details.
• If there’s still a balance, only the original account holder can pay it off. Ask the seller to clear it before you buy — or don’t buy.
• If the seller can’t be reached, you’re limited to what AT&T will approve for a non-customer. Don’t assume it will go through.

This is why checking before paying matters so much. Run a carrier + SIM-lock check to confirm the phone really is an AT&T device and still locked, then the USA blacklist / barred check to see whether it’s been reported lost, stolen or flagged for an unpaid balance. A GSMA blacklist check covers reports shared internationally.

Unlock services for clean, eligible AT&T iPhones

Sometimes a device is clean, paid off and eligible, but the official portal is slow or awkward to use — for example when you bought the phone abroad and can’t provide the original owner’s details. For those cases iSerial offers AT&T iPhone unlock services that only process clean, eligible devices:

• AT&T iPhone 11 series unlock
• AT&T iPhone 13 / 14 series unlock
• AT&T iPhone 15 / 16 series unlock

Always run the checks first. If the device shows an unpaid balance or a lost/stolen report, the request won’t succeed, and you should not try to unlock it. Use the iPhone unlock page to see every supported model.

Common problems and fixes

• “Device not eligible” or request denied: usually an unpaid balance, a device that hasn’t been active long enough, or a blacklist flag. The email normally hints at the reason.
• Approved but still “SIM locked”: the iPhone hasn’t re-activated yet. Restart with a non-AT&T SIM, or back up and restore.
• Actually a Cricket phone: Cricket is owned by AT&T but handles unlocks separately. The carrier check shows which one locked it.
• eSIM-only iPhone: US iPhone 14 and later have no SIM tray. After unlocking, add an eSIM from your new carrier.

Check before you unlock

Enter the IMEI below to confirm the carrier, lock status and blacklist status in one go: