A carrier locked phone only works with SIM cards and eSIMs from the carrier that sold it. Put in a SIM from another carrier and the phone won't connect to the network. You may also hear it called a SIM locked or network locked phone. The lock is software on the phone, and only that carrier can remove it, usually once the phone is paid off and has been active for a while. This guide explains what carrier locked means, how to check if your phone is locked, why carriers lock phones, the current unlock rules at AT&T, Verizon and T-Mobile, and what to do if you bought a phone that is carrier locked.
What does carrier locked mean?
When a phone is carrier locked, it's tied to one carrier's network. You can still use Wi-Fi, apps and the camera as usual. What you can't do is use a SIM card or eSIM from another carrier, at home or abroad. Google puts it simply: to use a phone with any carrier, "the phone must be SIM-unlocked" (Google: Use your Pixel phone with any mobile carrier).
The lock comes from the carrier, not the brand. Samsung says it doesn't lock any of its devices to a network, so a locked Galaxy was locked by the carrier that sold it (Samsung Support). Phones bought from the Google Store come unlocked.
Carrier locked vs unlocked phone
- Carrier locked: works only with SIMs and eSIMs from one carrier. Bought from a carrier, often on a payment plan or as a prepaid phone.
- Unlocked: works with any carrier whose network your phone supports. You can switch carriers, use a local SIM or a travel eSIM abroad, and sell the phone to anyone.
"Carrier Lock: SIM locked" on iPhone: what it means
On an iPhone, go to Settings > General > About and scroll to Carrier Lock. If it says SIM locked, your iPhone is carrier locked. If it says No SIM restrictions, it's unlocked. In some countries the line is called Network Provider Lock (Apple: Unlock your iPhone for use with a different carrier). So "SIM locked" here doesn't mean your SIM card is locked. It means the phone is locked to a carrier.
Carrier lock vs SIM PIN lock vs Activation Lock
"Locked phone" can mean three different things:
- Carrier lock (SIM lock, network lock): the phone only accepts one carrier's SIMs. Your carrier removes it.
- SIM PIN lock: your SIM card asks for a PIN when the phone starts. This locks the SIM card, not the phone. Too many wrong tries and you need a PUK code. See how to unlock a SIM card without a PUK code.
- Activation Lock: an Apple security lock linked to the owner's Apple Account. A used iPhone with Activation Lock on can't be set up until the previous owner removes it (Apple: Activation Lock).
How to check if your phone is carrier locked
1. On iPhone
- Open Settings > General > About.
- Scroll to Carrier Lock.
- No SIM restrictions means unlocked. SIM locked means locked to a carrier.
2. On Samsung Galaxy
On recent Galaxy phones, go to Settings > Connections > More connection settings and look for Network lock status. On some carrier models you'll see Network Unlock in the same menu instead. Menu names can vary by model and carrier (AT&T: Unlock your device, T-Mobile: Device unlock).
3. On Google Pixel and other Android phones
A Pixel bought from the Google Store is unlocked. A Pixel bought from a carrier may be locked, so check in your carrier's app or account. T-Mobile Pixels use the T-Mobile Device Unlock (Pixel) app, and T-Mobile Motorola phones show Device Unlock under Settings > About phone. On other Android phones, use the SIM test below or ask your carrier.
4. Try a SIM from another carrier
Borrow a SIM card from a friend on a different carrier, put it in your phone and restart. If it connects and you can make a call, your phone is unlocked. If you see an error such as "SIM not supported" or a request for a "SIM network unlock PIN", it's locked. AT&T describes the same test: if the phone says the SIM isn't compatible with the AT&T network, it's still locked.
This only works on phones with a SIM tray. iPhone 14 and later models sold in the US are eSIM only (Apple: Which SIM your iPhone uses), so use the Settings check or ask your carrier instead. Not sure your phone supports eSIM? See how to check eSIM compatibility.
5. Ask your carrier
Your carrier can see the lock status in your account. AT&T shows Device unlocked in your device info, and the T-Life app shows Device lock status for each line. You can also call or visit a store.
Why is my phone carrier locked?
Carriers lock phones for two main reasons:
- You're paying the phone off over time. If you got the phone on a payment plan or a deal, the carrier keeps it locked until it's paid in full. Prepaid phones stay locked until you've had service for a set time.
- Fraud and theft. A locked phone is worth less to a thief. In January 2026, the FCC said phones that unlocked quickly were targeted by handset trafficking schemes and resold abroad (FCC news release, January 2026).
Your phone may still be locked after that if:
- there's a balance left on the device, or your bill is past due;
- it hasn't been active long enough (see the rules below);
- it was reported lost or stolen, or flagged for fraud;
- you bought it second-hand and the first owner didn't finish paying for it.
How to unlock a carrier locked phone
Only the carrier that locked your phone can unlock it. Apple says the same for iPhone: it can't unlock it for you, and your carrier may need a few days to process the request. Here are the current rules at the big US carriers, checked on their official pages in October 2026.
AT&T
- Postpaid: you bought the phone more than 60 days ago, it's paid in full, it isn't reported lost, stolen or involved in fraud, and your bill isn't past due.
- Automatic unlock: eligible Apple, Samsung and Google phones on an AT&T Wireless plan should unlock by themselves. For other phones, submit an unlock request on AT&T's website.
- Not an AT&T customer? You can still request an unlock for an AT&T phone that meets the rules.
- Prepaid: the phone needs 12 months of paid AT&T service (AT&T unlock requirements).
Verizon
- Postpaid: the phone unlocks automatically once it's paid in full. If you pay it off with a Verizon Gift Card, the unlock is delayed by 35 days.
- Prepaid: the phone stays locked until it has 365 days of paid and active service, then Verizon unlocks it automatically.
- Once unlocked, it stays unlocked: Verizon says it will never re-lock a device (Verizon device unlocking policy).
Good to know: Verizon phones used to unlock automatically 60 days after activation. The FCC waived that rule in January 2026, and Verizon's current policy took effect on February 18, 2026 (FCC waiver order).
T-Mobile
- Postpaid: the phone has been active on T-Mobile for at least 40 days on your line and is paid in full.
- Prepaid: 365 days since activation, or more than $100 in refills and more than 14 days since purchase. No more than 2 unlocks per line in 12 months.
- Automatic unlock: once eligible, T-Mobile unlocks the phone remotely within two business days if your phone supports it, free of charge. Otherwise you get a notification with next steps (T-Mobile device unlock policy).
Other carriers and deployed military
Smaller carriers and prepaid brands have their own unlock policies, so look for "device unlock policy" on your carrier's website. Carriers that follow the CTIA Consumer Code also unlock phones for deployed military personnel in good standing. T-Mobile, for example, asks for your overseas orders.
After your phone is unlocked
- iPhone: put in the new SIM or add the new eSIM. If you don't have another SIM to test with, Apple's steps are to back up your iPhone, erase it, then restore it from the backup (Apple). Here's how to factory reset your iPhone.
- Android: restart your phone after the unlock, then insert the new SIM or add the eSIM.
What about third-party unlock services?
Be careful. Online "IMEI unlock" services aren't your carrier, and you can't check what they do. A phone that's reported lost or stolen, or still has a balance, won't become eligible with your carrier just because you paid someone else. Ask the carrier first. More on this in our guide on how to unlock your phone.
Carrier unlock rules in the US, Canada and the UK
- US: there's currently no FCC rule that makes every carrier unlock phones after a set number of days. AT&T, Verizon and T-Mobile follow the voluntary CTIA Consumer Code: postpaid phones unlock once paid off, prepaid phones no later than one year after activation. The FCC proposed a 60-day unlock rule for all carriers in 2024 but hasn't adopted it, so check your carrier's page for changes.
- Canada: under the CRTC's Wireless Code, your provider must unlock your phone for free when you ask. New phones are meant to be sold unlocked, but since August 2026 the CRTC lets providers sell a phone locked if it unlocks automatically within two business days, and you can still ask for it to be unlocked right away. The CRTC is also reviewing Bell's 60-day lock (CRTC Notice 2026-210).
- UK: mobile providers haven't been allowed to sell locked phones to consumers since December 2021. An older phone from a provider that used to lock phones may still be locked, so ask that provider to unlock it (Ofcom).
- Elsewhere: rules differ by country and carrier. Ask the carrier that sold the phone what it needs to unlock it.
I bought a phone that is carrier locked: what now?
You bought it new from a carrier
That's normal. Keep paying, and the phone unlocks once you meet your carrier's rules above. At Verizon it happens automatically, and AT&T and T-Mobile unlock many phones on their own too. Need it sooner? Paying off the remaining balance usually speeds things up.
You bought it second-hand
- Find out which carrier locked it. Ask the seller. If you put in another carrier's SIM, the error message may name the carrier.
- Contact that carrier. Give them the IMEI. Dial *#06# to see it. AT&T accepts unlock requests from non-customers if the phone meets its rules. T-Mobile may ask for proof of purchase.
- If there's still a balance, only the original account holder can pay it off. Ask the seller to do it, or ask the marketplace for a refund if the phone was sold as "unlocked".
- If it was reported lost or stolen, carriers won't unlock it. In the US, check an IMEI before you buy with the free Stolen Phone Checker.
- Buying a used iPhone? Also make sure the seller has removed it from their Apple Account, so Activation Lock is off.
Travelling with a carrier locked phone
This is where a carrier lock hurts most. Abroad, a locked phone can't use a local SIM card or a travel eSIM from another provider. Apple is clear: to use another carrier when you travel, "your iPhone cannot be locked to a carrier" (Apple: Use eSIM while traveling internationally). On iPhone, adding another carrier's eSIM to a locked phone can fail with an error like "Cellular plans from this carrier cannot be added".
With a locked phone, you can only use your own carrier's roaming or travel pass, or Wi-Fi. If you want a local SIM or a travel eSIM, check and unlock your phone before you go:
- Check the lock a few weeks before your trip, with the steps above.
- If it's locked, ask your carrier what's missing. Unlocks can take a few days, and some need time on the network first (40 days at T-Mobile, 60 days at AT&T, 12 months for prepaid).
- Check that your phone supports eSIM. Then install your travel eSIM on Wi-Fi before you fly. Our checklist to prepare your phone for travel covers the rest.
Once your phone is unlocked, a travel eSIM gives you mobile data at your destination without a store visit. Your home SIM stays in your phone, so you can keep your number for calls and texts. The plans below are data-only, with no phone number.
Europe, Mexico and Asia plans shown · data-only eSIMs, no phone number · Europe · Mexico · Asia · Find the eSIM for your destination
Visiting the US from Canada, the UK or elsewhere? Check that your phone is unlocked before you leave home, then a US data eSIM gives you mobile data as soon as you land. It's data-only, with no US phone number.
FAQs
What does carrier locked mean on iPhone?
It means your iPhone only works with SIMs and eSIMs from the carrier that sold it. Check in Settings > General > About > Carrier Lock: SIM locked means locked, No SIM restrictions means unlocked.
Is "SIM locked" the same as carrier locked?
Next to Carrier Lock in iPhone settings, yes. "SIM locked" there means the phone is locked to a carrier. But if your phone asks for a SIM PIN when it starts, that's a SIM PIN lock on the SIM card, which is something else.
Does a carrier lock also block eSIMs?
Yes. A carrier locked phone can't add an eSIM from another carrier or a travel eSIM provider. It only accepts eSIMs from the carrier it's locked to.
Can a carrier locked phone be unlocked?
Yes, by the carrier that locked it, once you meet its rules. That usually means the phone is paid off and has been active long enough. Phones reported lost or stolen stay locked.
Is it legal to unlock my phone?
Yes. In the US, Congress made phone unlocking legal again in 2014, as long as you respect your contract with the carrier. The simplest way is to ask your carrier, which is free at T-Mobile and automatic at Verizon once you're eligible.
How long does it take to unlock a phone?
Once you're eligible, T-Mobile unlocks within two business days, and Verizon unlocks postpaid phones automatically when they're paid off. Apple says carriers can take a few days, so don't wait until the day before a trip.
Does unlocking my phone delete my data?
Not usually. On an iPhone without a second SIM to test, Apple's steps include erasing and restoring from a backup, so back up first.
Does a factory reset remove a carrier lock?
No. A reset doesn't unlock your phone. Only your carrier can remove the lock.
