Is my phone unlocked? How to tell if it’s tied to one network
Quick ways to check on an iPhone or Android, what “network locked” means, and how unlocking works.
6 minute read Facts checked 25 October 2026
Rather not do it yourself? Let us handle it.
Tell us the phone, the country and the network. We check the phone first, then pass you to an unlock specialist with everything filled in.
- We check the phone first: which network it’s locked to where its records show it, and whether it’s been reported lost or stolen.
- No forms, account numbers or confirmation emails to chase.
- If our check shows a lost or stolen report, we tell you before you pay for an unlock.
- The phone stays with you the whole time.
The check costs $9.99. If the phone can be unlocked, you pay the specialist for the unlock itself, and you see their price first.
You’ve got a new SIM card, or you’re thinking of switching network, and you want to know one thing: will this phone work with it? If a phone is “network locked”, it only accepts SIM cards from the network that sold it. If it’s unlocked, any network’s SIM should work.
The good news is that you can usually find out in a couple of minutes, without paying anything. Here’s how, and what to do if it turns out to be locked.
What “network locked” means
Mobile networks sometimes sell phones at a discount, or on a monthly plan, and lock them so they can only be used with their own SIM cards. It’s a way of making sure the phone stays with them while it’s being paid for.
The lock is attached to the phone’s IMEI, the 15-digit number every phone has. That’s why changing the settings or resetting the phone doesn’t remove it. Only the network that applied the lock can take it off.
Three locks that get mixed up
People often call any locked phone “locked”, but there are three different things it can mean. Each one has a different answer.
- Network lock. The phone works, but only with one network’s SIM cards. That’s what this guide is about.
- Account lock. After a reset, the phone asks for the previous owner’s Apple ID or Google account. That’s a different lock, held by Apple or Google, and a network can’t remove it.
- Screen lock. The phone asks for a passcode, pattern or PIN to get past the lock screen. That’s set by whoever uses the phone and has nothing to do with the network.
If your phone is asking for a previous owner’s account, our guides on an iPhone locked to its owner and an Android asking for a Google account will help more than this one.
How to check an iPhone
iPhones running iOS 14 or later show the answer in Settings, so you don’t need another SIM card to find out.
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Open Settings
It’s the grey icon with a cog on it.
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Tap General, then About
You’ll see a list with the phone’s name, model and serial number.
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Look for “Carrier Lock”
Scroll down until you find it. If it says “No SIM restrictions”, the phone is unlocked. Anything else, such as “SIM locked”, means it’s tied to a network.
Some iPhones sold in the US, from the iPhone 14 onwards, have no SIM tray and use an eSIM instead. The same Carrier Lock line in Settings works for them too.
How to check an Android phone
Android phones don’t all show this in the same place, because each maker lays out its settings differently. On many Samsung phones, look under Settings, then Connections, then Mobile networks, then Network operators. If you can search for networks and see others listed, that’s a hopeful sign, though it isn’t proof on its own.
The clearest answer on an Android phone comes from trying another network’s SIM card, which is the next step.
The SIM card test
This works on any phone. Borrow a SIM card from a friend or family member who is with a different network from the one the phone came from.
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Turn the phone off and swap in the borrowed SIM card.
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Turn it back on and wait a minute for it to find a signal.
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Try making a short call or sending a text.
If the call goes through, the phone is unlocked. If it’s locked, you’ll usually see a message straight away. On an iPhone it might say “SIM not supported” or “Invalid SIM”. On an Android phone it’s often “SIM network unlock PIN” or a request for an unlock code.
Don’t guess at an unlock code
If an Android phone asks for a network unlock PIN, don’t type in numbers to see what happens. Some phones only allow a few attempts before the lock becomes permanent and can’t be removed by anyone.
Doing it yourself, or letting us handle it
Doing it yourself
- Work out which network the phone is locked to. It doesn’t always say, so you may need to borrow a SIM from another network to test it.
- Find that network’s unlocking rules. In the US each network sets its own, and they change from time to time.
- Check the phone qualifies. Usually it has to be fully paid off and active on that network for a set time.
- Ask the network, normally as the account holder, with the IMEI and the account details to hand.
- Wait for the unlock to go through, or for a code by email or text, then put the new SIM in.
- If the account isn’t yours, the network will usually deal only with the account holder, so you’ll need the seller’s help.
Letting us handle it
- Type in the IMEI, pick the country and network, and pay for the check.
- We check the phone before you spend anything more.
- We send you to the unlock specialist with everything filled in.
How a phone gets unlocked
The network that locked the phone is the one that can unlock it. Most networks will do it once the phone has been paid for, and many don’t charge for it.
In the UK, the regulator Ofcom stopped networks selling locked phones from December 2021. So most phones sold new in the UK since then are already unlocked. Older phones, and phones bought abroad, may still be locked.
In the US, each network has its own unlocking policy. They usually want the phone fully paid off and to have been active on their network for a while. The details change, so check the network’s own unlocking page or ask them.
When you ask, have the IMEI ready. The network uses it to find the phone and release the lock. On an iPhone the change usually happens over Wi-Fi, sometimes after you put in the new SIM. Some Android phones need an unlock code typed in, which the network will send you.
Not sure where to find the IMEI? Our step-by-step guide to finding it covers every way, including on a locked phone.
When the network says no
Sometimes the network refuses. The usual reasons are that the phone isn’t paid off yet, or that the account it was bought on was never settled. If you bought the phone second-hand, the previous owner may still owe money on it. In that case, the network will usually talk only to the account holder, so the seller is the person to contact.
A phone that’s been reported lost or stolen is a different matter. It’s usually blocked from all networks, not just one, and no unlock will change that. If a phone says it’s blocked, or won’t connect to any network at all, a network unlock isn’t the answer.
Our guide to buying a phone that turned out to be blacklisted explains what to do, including how to get your money back.
Where our check can help
If you can’t borrow a SIM, the phone came from abroad, or you don’t know which network it came from, our diagnosis can help. It looks up whether the phone is network locked and, where the records allow, which network it’s tied to. It also checks for lost or stolen reports, so you know whether a network unlock is even the right step.
If the diagnosis shows a network lock and nothing else in the way, we direct you to a specialist provider for the unlock, with your IMEI already filled in. You pay them directly, at their price, and you don’t need to send anyone proof of ownership. We never send a phone that has been reported lost or stolen.
Want to understand what any check can find first? Our guide to what an IMEI check can and can’t tell you explains it. If your phone won’t take a SIM right now, start on our page for phones that won’t accept a SIM.