How do I know if my new iPhone 13 is locked or unlocked?
This is probably one of the questions you might have asked yourself if you’re not familiar with those terms.
As we all know, smartphone manufacturers like Apple have their own store where they sell their devices.
But aside from that, they often tie up with service providers like Verizon, AT&T, and any other providers around the world that already have millions of customers because that’s one way to boost sales.
That’s one of the reasons why some units are locked and some are unlocked.
So if you bought your iPhone 13 Pro Max (or any of the variants) from Apple itself, then your unit must be unlocked. Which means that you can just insert a SIM card from any of the providers in your country and you’ll be able to enjoy their services.
However, if you got your iPhone together with a plan (the contract often lasts a couple of years), then most likely, your unit is locked. It means that it won’t recognize a SIM card from other providers, or even a different SIM card from your own provider. Sometimes a phone can be tied to one phone number.
In a nutshell, if you simply want to know if your iPhone 13 is locked or unlocked, you simply have to remember where you bought it. If it’s from Apple Store, it’s unlocked. Otherwise, there’s a bigger chance it’s locked.
On the other hand, if you really don’t have an idea as to where the device was bought, like if it’s given to you as a gift or you bought it from someone else, then there’s an easy way to determine whether it’s locked or not.
How to determine if iPhone 13 has Carrier restrictions?
You simply have to navigate to a few menus in the Settings. Here’s how it’s done:
Step 1: From the Home screen, tap Settings.
Step 2: Find and tap General.
Step 3: Tap About. It’s the first option under General.
Step 4: Scroll down a little bit until you find Carrier Lock.
If it says No SIM restrictions, then it means that your iPhone 13 is not locked on any network. However, if it shows the name of a network, then it means it will only work on that certain network.
Checking with a different SIM card
Another way to determine if your iPhone 13 is locked or not is by using a different SIM card. If it’s locked, it just won’t work with a new SIM and it probably won’t be getting a signal. Here’s how you do it:
Step 1: Make sure your phone can make a phone call using original SIM card.
Step 2: Turn off your iPhone.
Step 3: Pull out the SIM card and then seat the new one. It’s better to use one from a different carrier.
Step 4: Power on your iPhone.
Step 5: Once the device is ready, try making a phone call.
If it doesn’t connect or if you’re not getting a signal using that SIM card, then it’s probably locked.
Can a locked iPhone 13 be unlocked?
Yes. While carriers want to keep their subscribers and customers to use their services, it’s expected that many people would simply want to change networks depending on the availability in the area. That’s why they’ve already set up certain ways to make the phone unlocking easier for their customers.
Some will allow you to enter some information in their websites like the IMEI of your phone to have it unlocked. Others would want you to call the hotline or the tech support to have your device unlocked.
To know how to unlock your iPhone 13 in your area, simply google “CARRIER NAME unlock phone”. For instance, “verizon unlock phone”. It will show you the most relevant results that will bring you to the page that allows or informs you about how to unlock your device.
And that’s pretty much it!
We hope that this post can help you one way or the other.