How to check whether your phone is network unlocked

Check the network-lock information on an iPhone

Open Settings, General, About and look for Network Provider Lock or Carrier Lock, depending on the software and region. No SIM restrictions indicates that the handset is unlocked. Apple's used-iPhone inspection guide describes this check.

Record what the phone actually displays rather than guessing from the provider name at the top of the screen. Having service from the original network does not prove that a different network will be accepted. You do not need to erase the phone to read its status.

For other phones, start with the original network

Android settings and messages vary by manufacturer. Contact the provider that supplied or locked the phone with its exact model and private device identifier, and ask whether any network restriction remains. Keep any unlock confirmation associated with that handset.

A legitimate alternative SIM can help check service where the device supports it, but use the network's instructions. Some models show a request for an authorised unlock code. Vodafone's guide illustrates why procedures can be model-specific. Do not guess codes repeatedly or change advanced settings to force a result.

Do not treat every service failure as a lock

The test SIM or eSIM needs an active service, compatible handset and available coverage. An invalid-SIM alert can also involve the card, provider settings or hardware. Apple's SIM troubleshooting guide includes provider and physical-SIM checks.

If you see an unfamiliar error, record its wording and ask the provider what it means. One failed call is not a useful certificate of network lock. Equally, connecting to Wi-Fi does not test whether the cellular network accepts the handset.

Check other restrictions separately

A phone can be network-unlocked while still linked to an owner's account or blocked by an IMEI report. Our blacklist-checking guide covers the latter. An iPhone requesting a previous owner's account needs Activation Lock resolution, not a network-unlock code.

Screen passcodes, Google device protection and business management are also separate matters. Only the responsible owner, provider or administrator should resolve them. Do not label the phone fully unrestricted merely because one check passed.

Keep an accurate description for a selling enquiry

State the model, storage, condition and checked network status. If status is uncertain, say so and retain the provider's answer for your records. If a restriction is confirmed, our network unlocking guide explains the authorised next step. EXE reviews the actual device individually; an unlocked status alone does not establish its value.