Unlocking a T-Mobile phone: the 40-day and 365-day rules
T-Mobile unlocks its own phones for free once they qualify, by itself, within two business days. Here is what it asks on postpaid and prepaid, and when a paid IMEI unlock fits.
A T-Mobile phone that meets T-Mobile’s rules is unlocked by T-Mobile for free: its policy says it unlocks an eligible phone automatically and remotely within two business days. On a postpaid plan the phone must have been active on the line for at least 40 days and be paid in full; on prepaid it needs 365 days since activation, or more than $100 in refills on each line in that time. A paid IMEI unlock is for the phones that can’t get there: still financed, inside the waiting period, or bought secondhand. Check the lock first, then the rules, then pick the model above.
Is your T-Mobile phone already unlocked?
- 1iPhoneSettings → General → About → Carrier Lock. “No SIM restrictions” means the phone is unlocked; “SIM locked” means it is still tied to the carrier.
- 2Samsung GalaxyRecent Galaxy phones show the network lock under Settings → Connections → More connection settings; older ones under About phone → Software information.
- 3Any phone with a SIM trayPut in a SIM from another carrier. A message that the SIM isn’t supported, or a prompt for an unlock code, means the phone is still locked to T-Mobile.
- 4A used phone, or no accountDial *#06# for the IMEI and run an IMEI check: it shows the carrier and lock details on record without the account.
T-Mobile’s own unlock rules
T-Mobile’s device unlock policy, read on October 3, 2026, sets three conditions for every phone and then separate ones for postpaid and prepaid. In our words:
| Every phone | What T-Mobile asks |
|---|---|
| Where it came from | Sold by T-Mobile. A phone sold elsewhere is unlocked by whoever sold it. |
| Its record | Not reported lost, stolen or blocked. |
| The account | In good standing. |
| Plan | The extra conditions |
|---|---|
| Postpaid | Active on the T-Mobile network for at least 40 days on the line asking. Financed or leased through T-Mobile: every payment made and the phone paid in full. A canceled account: its balance at zero. |
| Prepaid | At least 365 days since the phone was activated on T-Mobile. Less than that: more than $100 in refills during that time on each line on the account, and more than 14 days since the phone was bought. |
| Any prepaid line | No more than two unlocks on that line in the last 12 months. |
| Deployed military | Customers in good standing can be unlocked on showing their overseas orders; contact T-Mobile. |
Which route fits your phone
| Your situation | The route |
|---|---|
| The phone meets every condition | T-Mobile, for free, by itself. Check the status in your T-Mobile account; contact T-Mobile if nothing has happened after two business days. |
| Still financed or leased, or under 40 days on the line | A paid IMEI unlock, if a service above accepts financed phones (each card says). |
| Prepaid, short of 365 days and under $100 in refills | A paid IMEI unlock from the grid above. |
| Bought secondhand, no access to the account | A paid IMEI unlock. Run an IMEI check first so you know what you have. |
| Reported lost, stolen or blocked | Neither. The report has to be cleared by whoever placed it. |
The rules the US carriers share are in our guide to whether your phone is eligible for an unlock; Galaxy owners also have unlocking a T-Mobile Samsung Galaxy, and iPhone owners unlocking an iPhone on AT&T, T-Mobile or Verizon.
Pick your phone above
The brand tiles and the model grid at the top of this page are the paid route: pick the brand, then the model, and the card shows that service’s live price and usual time, which is why neither is written here. The order box then asks for the IMEI and an email, and pays in one step. Samsung, Apple and the other brands also have their own pages.
What to confirm before you order
- The phone is locked to T-Mobile, not to another network: the services above are for T-Mobile phones only. An IMEI check settles it when you aren’t sure.
- The exact model: Settings → General → About on an iPhone, Settings → About phone on Android. Each card above names the models it takes.
- The IMEI: dial *#06#, or read it in the same About screen. You type it at checkout; nothing is installed on the phone.
- No lost, stolen or fraud report on the IMEI. An unlock can’t remove one, and no one else can either except the carrier that placed it.
- The service’s own notes on its page: some take only phones with a clean record or a paid-off balance, and each states its refund rule.
- 1ConfirmationThe order number arrives by email straight away. Keep it; it is what Track order and our support use.
- 2While it runsEach service card above shows its usual time. Leave the phone as it is; there is nothing to do on it in the meantime.
- 3DoneThe result comes by email. Put in the new SIM, restart the phone, and the lock-status check above should now read as unlocked. Anything odd: Help & FAQ.