Phone unlocking, explained
Short, plain answers about carrier locks, IMEI numbers and using your phone abroad.
The FCC and Phone Unlocking: Where It Stands in 2026In 2024 the FCC proposed a 60-day unlock rule for every carrier. In 2026 it waived the one 60-day rule that existed. What was proposed, what was decided, and what it means for your phone.Read guide →UScellular Phones After the T-Mobile Deal: Locks and UnlocksUScellular’s wireless business became part of T-Mobile on August 1, 2025. What that means for a phone bought from UScellular, where the unlock rules stand, and the steps that work today.Read guide →Unlock a Straight Talk, Tracfone or Total Wireless PhoneVerizon’s prepaid brands moved from 60 days to 365 days in 2026. Which rule applies to your phone depends on when it was activated — here is the table, how to check and request, and why it changed.Read guide →Unlock an Xfinity Mobile or Spectrum Mobile Phone (2026)Both cable carriers unlock a phone after 60 days once it is paid in full — but Xfinity does it by itself within 48 hours and Spectrum needs a phone call. The rules, the request and the on-phone steps.Read guide →T-Mobile Unlock Policy in 2026: 40 Days, 365 Days, Paid OffWhat T-Mobile requires before it unlocks a phone, how the unlock happens by itself, how to check where you stand in the app, and what to do on an iPhone, Galaxy, Pixel or Motorola.Read guide →Buying a Used iPhone 18 Pro or Galaxy S26? Check These FirstSecondhand flagships are everywhere this season. The three locks to check in five minutes — Activation Lock, carrier lock and a reported IMEI — and what each one means for the price.Read guide →Unlocked Phone, No Service? Why It Happens and What to DoUnlocked isn’t the same as compatible. Bands, the 24-hour wait, a lock that hasn’t taken effect, an old eSIM profile, or a reported IMEI. How to find which one it is.Read guide →Travelling Over the Holidays? Unlock Your Phone FirstA locked phone can’t take a local SIM or a travel eSIM. What to check before you fly, how early to start, and the two ways to get the phone unlocked in time.Read guide →Holiday Phone Deals 2026: Locked or Unlocked?Carrier holiday deals tie the phone to a payment plan, and the phone stays locked until it’s paid off. How each 2026 deal type affects the lock, and how to keep your options open.Read guide →Android 17 and One UI 9: Does the Update Change Your Lock?Android 17 is on Pixels and One UI 9 is rolling out to Galaxy phones. A system update never changes a carrier lock. What the update does change, and how to check your lock after it.Read guide →iPhone Duo: eSIM-Only Worldwide and Carrier LocksApple’s first foldable iPhone has no SIM tray anywhere in the world. Pre-orders open October 16. What that means for carrier locks, switching carriers and travel.Read guide →Unlock a Boost Mobile Phone: Postpaid vs Prepaid RulesBoost unlocks a postpaid phone within two business days of being paid off, and a prepaid phone a year after activation. The rules, the military exception, and the faster route.Read guide →Unlock a Cricket Phone in 2026: The 365-Day RuleCricket asks for 365 days of paid service on a phone bought on or after July 1, 2026, six months on one bought before. The other conditions, how to request it, and the faster route.Read guide →Unlock a Motorola razr or moto g: 2026 GuideWhich Motorola phones come unlocked, what the “subsidy password” prompt means, and how AT&T, T-Mobile, Verizon, Cricket and Boost unlock a moto g or razr.Read guide →SpaceX’s Spectrum Deals: What They Mean for Your PhoneSpaceX is buying EchoStar spectrum and 800 MHz airwaves. What the FCC approved, what Starlink texting does on phones today, when T-Satellite needs an unlocked phone, and what it means for Boost.Read guide →Galaxy Z Fold8 and Flip8: Carrier Locks ExplainedSamsung’s 2026 foldables come as unlocked and carrier versions. How to tell which you have, check the lock in settings, and get a carrier one unlocked.Read guide →Unlock an EE, O2, Vodafone or Three Phone (UK)Most UK phones are sold unlocked now. How to check yours, how EE, O2, Vodafone and Three unlock an older phone, and why a US carrier phone has to go back to its US carrier.Read guide →Unlock an iPhone 17, Air or 17e From Its CarrierThe iPhone 17 family is eSIM-only in the US. How to check the carrier lock, what AT&T, T-Mobile and Verizon require, and your options if you can’t wait.Read guide →eSIM-Only Phones: Switching Carriers and Carrier LocksNo SIM tray, same carrier lock. How eSIM transfers work on new iPhones, Pixels and Galaxy phones, what a lock blocks, and how to check before you switch.Read guide →Will My New Phone Be Unlocked? It Depends Where You BuyWhere you buy and how you pay decide whether a new phone is carrier locked. What Apple, Samsung, Google, Motorola and the carriers do in 2026, and a quick check.Read guide →Google Pixel 11 and 10a Carrier Unlock: 2026 GuideWhich Pixels come unlocked, how to tell whether a Pixel 11 or Pixel 10a is carrier locked, how AT&T, T-Mobile and Verizon unlock them, and a common mix-up.Read guide →Unlock a Galaxy S26, S26+ or S26 Ultra: 2026 GuideHow to tell whether a Galaxy S26, S26+ or S26 Ultra is carrier locked, how AT&T, T-Mobile and Verizon unlock it, and what to do if you can’t wait.Read guide →Bulk IMEI Checks for Repair Shops: How It WorksWhy shops check every trade-in, what a check tells you, and how to run a whole list of IMEIs at once through a wholesale account.Read guide →Unlock an AT&T Phone in 2026: Rules and OptionsWhat AT&T requires before it unlocks a phone in 2026, how to check whether yours already is, how to request it, why requests get turned down, and your options.Read guide →iPhone Says ‘SIM Not Supported’? What It MeansWhat the “SIM Not Supported” message means on an iPhone, quick checks to find the cause, and how to fix a real carrier lock.Read guide →Phone Unlock Rules in 2026: What Each US Carrier RequiresUnlock rules shifted in 2026. What Verizon, AT&T, T-Mobile, Metro, Cricket and Boost require today, with the date shown on each carrier’s policy page.Read guide →Unlock a Metro by T-Mobile Phone: The 365-Day RuleMetro’s 365-day unlock rule explained: how the free unlock arrives, what can hold it up, and your options before the year is up.Read guide →iPhone 18 Pro: Locked or Unlocked? What to KnowThe iPhone 18 Pro is eSIM-only in the US, and whether it’s carrier locked depends on how you paid. How to check, and what to do if it’s locked.Read guide →What Carrier Is My Phone Locked To? 3 Ways to CheckYour phone’s settings, a SIM test and an IMEI carrier check: three ways to find which network a phone is locked to.Read guide →What Does a Blacklisted IMEI Mean? What You Can DoWhat it means when a phone’s IMEI is blacklisted, what still works, who can clear it, and your options if you bought one.Read guide →Unlock a T-Mobile Samsung Galaxy: 2026 GuideT-Mobile’s current unlock rules for Galaxy phones, how to check the lock, and what to do when you don’t qualify.Read guide →Verizon’s 2026 Unlock Rules: What Changed and WhyVerizon dropped its 60-day automatic unlock on January 27, 2026. Which rule applies to your phone, what postpaid, prepaid and military customers get now, and what to do if it’s still locked.Read guide →What Is an IMEI Number, and How Do I Find Mine?What an IMEI is, the three ways to find yours in under a minute, and why you'll need it to unlock or check a phone.Read guide →Carrier-Locked vs. Unlocked: What’s the Difference?What a carrier lock restricts, how to tell which one you have, what changes the moment your phone is unlocked — and what to check before a holiday phone deal.Read guide →5 Real Benefits of Unlocking Your PhoneMore resale value, any network abroad, freedom to switch carriers — what actually improves once your phone is unlocked.Read guide →How Carrier Unlocking Actually WorksWhat happens on the network side when a phone is unlocked, why it's a one-time change, and what unlocking can't fix.Read guide →How Long Does Unlocking a Phone Take?Typical unlock times by device and carrier, what speeds it up, and what can delay it — plus how to track your order.Read guide →Is My Phone Eligible to Be Unlocked?The main things that affect eligibility — contract status, blacklist status, unpaid balances — and how to get a real answer.Read guide →Unlocking an iPhone on AT&T, T-Mobile, or VerizonHow carrier unlock policies differ for AT&T, T-Mobile and Verizon iPhones, and what to have ready before you start.Read guide →Unlocking a Samsung Galaxy PhoneHow Samsung Galaxy carrier unlocking works, what you need before you start, and how it differs from an Apple unlock.Read guide →Using Your Phone Abroad With a Local SIMHow to avoid roaming charges on your next trip by unlocking your phone and using a local SIM or eSIM at your destination.Read guide →How to Check a Used Phone's IMEI Before You BuyThe pre-purchase checks that catch a blacklisted or financed phone before you pay — in under a minute, from any browser.Read guide →iCloud and FRP Locks vs. Carrier Locks: Not the Same ThingWhy a phone can be carrier-unlocked and still Activation Locked (or the reverse), and which lock we can and can't help with.Read guide →Phone Unlocking Glossary: Every Term, Plain EnglishIMEI, ESN, blacklist, FRP, eSIM, bootloader and more — every term in phone unlocking, defined in one place.Read guide →Wholesale & Reseller Unlocking: How It WorksAPI access, bulk pricing and account tools for repair shops and resellers who unlock and check phones at volume.Read guide →Refunds and Our Money-Back Guarantee, ExplainedWhen an unlock order qualifies for a refund, how long it takes, and how to request one — in plain terms.Read guide →
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