Apple is one of the most popular smartphone brands today. Their iPhone models are widely used globally.
One problem, however, for users outside the United States, is that these phones are restricted for usage within a particular country or carrier. Another more restrictive limitation is the subscriber lock, where the customer can only use the SIM card that comes with the phone.
If you have a locked iPhone, you may be wondering how to unlock it. Fortunately, you have three options to choose from:
1. Talk to Your Carrier
Often, smartphone manufacturers put locks on their phones on behalf of the network provider. This exclusivity can help boost both companies’ profits and branding. Nonetheless, the process of unlocking your phone is entirely legal if you bought the phone unsubsidized outright or you’ve finished the contract with your carrier.
One of the best things to go about unlocking your iPhone is to talk with your network provider and ask them to lift the restriction. Again, you must make sure that your account is eligible for the process according to the terms on your contract.
Typically, your carrier will do this for free if your plan has been completed. If not, most providers can also unlock your phone for a minimal fee.
2. Use a Third-Party Unlocking Service
On the other hand, if you bought your iPhone from someone else, you may be better off enlisting the help of a third-party unlocking service provider. There are companies that specialize in unlocking iPhones legally.
What these businesses do is that they get your phone’s details, such as the model, network, and IMEI or serial number. Generally, though, you have to pay these companies to unlock your iPhone. Nonetheless, the price is worth the convenience and accessibility that you get.
The process is completely safe. It entails whitelisting your IMEI on Apple’s database, which means that the unlocking is official, permanent, and legal. Moreover, your warranty would remain unaffected. You can unlock your iPhone at www.iphoneapprovedunlock.com and enjoy your device in any location as well as network.
3. Do It Yourself
You also have the option to unlock the device, like an iPhone X, yourself. This method is ideal for hand-me-down iPhones, especially if you can contact the previous owner with ease or, better yet, you live in the same house with them.
If you’re near the previous owner physically, these are the steps to unlock your iPhone by yourself:
- Enter the Apple ID: Have the owner sign-in on the phone with their Apple ID credentials.
- Sign Out: When the home screen is displayed, they should sign out of the device in the Settings.
For models running on iOS 10.2 and below, the sign out option can be found in the iCloud menu in the Settings menu. For iOS 10.3 and above, they can click on their name in Settings and locate the sign out button.
- Re-Enter ID: Upon clicking the sign out button, they’ll be asked to re-enter their Apple ID credentials. iOS 10.2 and below users must select “Delete My iPhone” to complete the process. Devices running on iOS 10.3 and above should choose “Turn Off.”
- Reset the Phone: To finish the unlocking, you can go to settings and reset the phone. Losing important data is one of the most common iPhone problems, so make sure that the previous owner has backed up all the information they need before you choose “Erase All Content and Settings.”
If the owner is far away, here’s what you should do:
- Sign in Remotely: The owner must sign in on iCloud.com using the Apple ID credentials associated with the iPhone that’s with you.
- Find My Phone: Then, they have to go to the “Find My iPhone” settings and choose the phone that needs to be unlocked in “All Devices.”
- Remove from Account: After they’ve selected the iPhone, they must click on “Erase iPhone” and then “Remove from Account” to eliminate the connection between their Apple ID credentials and the iPhone in question.
- Restart the Device: Once they’ve completed the steps above, you can then restart the iPhone. The Activation Lock screen also shouldn’t be displayed anymore.
Conclusion
Apple is regarded as one of the most popular smartphone brands in the world. Unfortunately, the company placed restrictions on some models, and users from other countries or those using a different carrier may be unable to utilize the gadget.
Fortunately, you have three options in unlocking an iPhone. The most straightforward way is by talking with your network provider and requesting for the lock to be removed. The next one is through third-party unlocking apps. Lastly, you can also unlock the phone yourself, which works well if you can contact the previous owner and ask for their help.