Knowing if an iPhone has a Carrier Lock or not is important. A carrier lock prevents you from using your iPhone on other networks and also prevents users from using a local SIM card when traveling abroad.
iOS has an easy built-in way that tells you if an iPhone has a carrier lock or if it has no SIM restrictions, meaning it can be used on SIM cards from other carriers.
Check if the iPhone has a Carrier Lock
Here’s how you can check if an iPhone has a carrier lock.
- Open Settings and go to General.
- On this page tap on the About option.
- Scroll down and check the text next to ‘Carrier Lock‘. If it says No SIM Restrictions, then your iPhone does not have a Carrier Lock.
If however, it says your carrier’s name, SIM Locked, or similar text then it means the iPhone has Carrier Lock.
Use a different network’s SIM
Another way of checking if an iPhone has a Carrier Lock or not is by putting a different SIM card in it. Simply remove your iPhone’s SIM card and add a SIM card from a different carrier to it.
If the SIM works and you can make phone calls and use data, then your iPhone does not have a carrier lock.
Check the Carrier Lock Status online
If you don’t have access to the iPhone or want to verify if a pre-owned iPhone you are purchasing online has a carrier lock or not, then you can use online IMEI checker tools to find out if carrier lock restrictions are present on an iPhone.
You can get the IMEI number of the iPhone by going to Settings -> General -> About. Here look for IMEI numbers for both SIM slots of the iPhone and enter the IMEI number on the checker tool’s website.
If you are still unsure, then you can contact your carrier and ask them if your iPhone has a carrier lock or not. Some carriers also show this information on their website.
