Unlock guides & fix-it tutorials
Everything we know about getting a phone carrier-unlocked, cleaned off a blacklist, or freed from FRP / iCloud / MDM. Each guide ends with the exact service that does the job.
81 step-by-step guides, each linked to the service that does the job
United States · AT&T
How to unlock Samsung on AT&T (United States) - NCK / MCK codes
AT&T locks Samsung devices until the contract is settled. This service removes that lock by NCK / MCK / SIM unlock code, delivered automatically for service #310.
Read guideUnited States · T-Mobile
How to unlock Apple iPhone on T-Mobile (United States)
T-Mobile locks Apple iPhone devices until the contract is settled. This service removes that lock by IMEI-based carrier unlock, delivered automatically for service #340.
Read guideUnited States · TracFone
How to unlock Samsung on TracFone (United States) - NCK / MCK codes
TracFone locks Samsung devices until the contract is settled. This service removes that lock by NCK / MCK / SIM unlock code, delivered automatically for service #430.
Read guideAustria · T-Mobile
How to unlock Samsung on T-Mobile (Austria) - NCK / MCK codes
T-Mobile locks Samsung devices until the contract is settled. This service removes that lock by NCK / MCK / SIM unlock code, delivered automatically for service #440.
Read guideAustria · Orange
How to unlock Samsung on Orange (Austria) - NCK / MCK codes
Orange locks Samsung devices until the contract is settled. This service removes that lock by NCK / MCK / SIM unlock code, delivered automatically for service #450.
Read guideLatin America · Claro
How to unlock Apple iPhone on Claro (Latin America)
Claro locks Apple iPhone devices until the contract is settled. This service removes that lock by IMEI-based carrier unlock, delivered automatically for service #460.
Read guideIreland · Meteor
How to unlock Samsung on Meteor (Ireland) - NCK / MCK codes
Meteor locks Samsung devices until the contract is settled. This service removes that lock by NCK / MCK / SIM unlock code, delivered automatically for service #510.
Read guideHungary · Vodafone
How to unlock Apple iPhone on Vodafone (Hungary)
Vodafone locks Apple iPhone devices until the contract is settled. This service removes that lock by IMEI-based carrier unlock, delivered automatically for service #570.
Read guideCanada · Rogers
How to unlock Samsung on Rogers (Canada) - NCK / MCK codes
Rogers locks Samsung devices until the contract is settled. This service removes that lock by NCK / MCK / SIM unlock code, delivered automatically for service #630.
Read guideRomania · Orange
How to unlock Apple iPhone on Orange (Romania)
Orange locks Apple iPhone devices until the contract is settled. This service removes that lock by IMEI-based carrier unlock, delivered automatically for service #640.
Read guideRomania · Vodafone
How to unlock Apple iPhone on Vodafone (Romania)
Vodafone locks Apple iPhone devices until the contract is settled. This service removes that lock by IMEI-based carrier unlock, delivered automatically for service #650.
Read guideAustria · A1
How to unlock Apple iPhone on A1 (Austria)
A1 locks Apple iPhone devices until the contract is settled. This service removes that lock by IMEI-based carrier unlock, delivered automatically for service #660.
Read guideSweden · Hutchison
How to unlock Apple iPhone on Hutchison (Sweden)
Hutchison locks Apple iPhone devices until the contract is settled. This service removes that lock by IMEI-based carrier unlock, delivered automatically for service #730.
Read guideIreland · Hutchison
How to unlock Apple iPhone on Hutchison (Ireland)
Hutchison locks Apple iPhone devices until the contract is settled. This service removes that lock by IMEI-based carrier unlock, delivered automatically for service #740.
Read guideUnited States · AT&T
How to unlock Apple iPhone on AT&T (United States)
AT&T locks Apple iPhone devices until the contract is settled. This service removes that lock by IMEI-based carrier unlock, delivered automatically for service #780.
Read guideUnited States · Verizon
How to unlock Apple iPhone on Verizon (United States)
Verizon locks Apple iPhone devices until the contract is settled. This service removes that lock by IMEI-based carrier unlock, delivered automatically for service #850.
Read guideUnited States · C Spire
How to unlock Apple iPhone on C Spire (United States)
C Spire locks Apple iPhone devices until the contract is settled. This service removes that lock by IMEI-based carrier unlock, delivered automatically for service #860.
Read guideUnited Kingdom · O2
How to unlock Samsung on O2 (United Kingdom) - NCK / MCK codes
O2 locks Samsung devices until the contract is settled. This service removes that lock by NCK / MCK / SIM unlock code, delivered automatically for service #890.
Read guideNorway · Telenor
How to unlock Apple iPhone on Telenor (Norway)
Telenor locks Apple iPhone devices until the contract is settled. This service removes that lock by IMEI-based carrier unlock, delivered automatically for service #1030.
Read guideDenmark · Telia
How to unlock Apple iPhone on Telia (Denmark)
Telia locks Apple iPhone devices until the contract is settled. This service removes that lock by IMEI-based carrier unlock, delivered automatically for service #1100.
Read guideGermany · T-Mobile
How to unlock Apple iPhone on T-Mobile (Germany)
T-Mobile locks Apple iPhone devices until the contract is settled. This service removes that lock by IMEI-based carrier unlock, delivered automatically for service #1110.
Read guideCanada · Bell
How to unlock Samsung on Bell (Canada) - NCK / MCK codes
Bell locks Samsung devices until the contract is settled. This service removes that lock by NCK / MCK / SIM unlock code, delivered automatically for service #1390.
Read guideAustralia · Vodafone
How to unlock Samsung on Vodafone (Australia) - NCK / MCK codes
Vodafone locks Samsung devices until the contract is settled. This service removes that lock by NCK / MCK / SIM unlock code, delivered automatically for service #2310.
Read guideUnited Kingdom · T-Mobile
How to unlock Apple iPhone on T-Mobile (United Kingdom)
T-Mobile locks Apple iPhone devices until the contract is settled. This service removes that lock by IMEI-based carrier unlock, delivered automatically for service #3530.
Read guideUS AT&T
AT&T iPhone Carrier Unlock by IMEI
AT&T iPhones stay locked to AT&T until the line is paid off and active for 60 days. Here is how to read the AT&T lock status of an iPhone, which AT&T policy your device falls under, and which IMEI unlock service matches it.
Read guideUS T-Mobile / Metro / Sprint
T-Mobile & Metro by T-Mobile iPhone Unlock
T-Mobile, Metro by T-Mobile, Sprint and Boost Mobile devices share one activation-policy family. Here is how to check the lock, which sub-brand policy applies, and how to unlock by IMEI — including blacklisted devices.
Read guideUS Verizon
Verizon iPhone Unlock (Already Unlocked vs. Locked)
Most 2020-and-later Verizon iPhones ship 60-day unlocked — so a Verizon model that refuses a foreign SIM usually has a different problem. Here is how to tell the two cases apart before paying for an unlock.
Read guideUS MVNO / Claro
Cricket, Xfinity Mobile, TracFone & Claro Unlock Guide
Cricket, Xfinity Mobile, TracFone, Spectrum, Dish/Boost and Claro devices follow stricter policies than the big three — longer active periods, minimum top-ups and no remote release while financed. This guide maps each sub-carrier to the right service.
Read guideCanada / Mexico carriers
Canada & Mexico Carrier iPhone Unlock
Canadian and Mexican carriers sit outside the US unlock channels, with their own activation policies. This guide covers Rogers, Bell, Telus, Fido, Koodo, Telcel, AT&T Mexico and Claro devices.
Read guideUK / Europe carriers
UK, Ireland & Europe Carrier Unlock (O2, EE, Vodafone, A1, Magenta)
European carrier unlocks are mostly free through the operator, which means a device that is still locked is usually financed, blacklisted or from a sub-brand. This guide covers UK, Ireland, Austria, Hungary, Sweden, Switzerland, Spain, France and Romania.
Read guideSIM lock status
Check iPhone SIM Lock Status by IMEI
A five-minute procedure to find out which carrier an iPhone is locked to, before you buy an unlock service — or before you buy the phone at all.
Read guideGSMA blacklist
GSMA Blacklist Check: Buying a Used Phone Safely
A GSMA blacklist entry is the difference between a working phone and a device that loses signal anywhere in the world. Here is what the flag means, how it is raised, and whether it can be removed.
Read guideApple activation locks
iCloud Activation Lock, FMI & MDM: What Each Lock Means
iCloud ON, FMI ON, MDM on, Lost Mode — these are four different locks with four different removal paths. Misidentifying which one a device has is the number one cause of failed removals.
Read guideApple GSX reports
Apple Device Verification: GSX Reports Explained
Apple GSX reports are the closest thing to an official second opinion on a used iPhone. This guide explains warranty, purchase date, carrier, blacklist, replacement and refurbish flags, and when a single check is enough.
Read guideeSIM / EID
eSIM EID Check and Dummy eSIM Setup
An iPhone without an eSIM-capable EID cannot use digital SIMs — which matters for resale, for carrier-unlock workflows and for dummy eSIM setups used with SIM adapters.
Read guideAndroid FRP / account locks
Samsung & Xiaomi FRP / Google Account Removal
Factory Reset Protection is triggered by the previous Google account after a reset. Here is how to identify FRP, MDM and device-admin locks on Samsung, Xiaomi, Realme and generic Android, and which service removes each.
Read guideAndroid network lock
Android Network Unlock by IMEI (Samsung, Pixel, Xperia, OnePlus)
Android carrier locks work differently from iPhone locks: some are database unlocks that survive a reset, others are code unlocks that must be entered once. This guide explains which is which and how to order correctly.
Read guideFirmware flashing
Stock Firmware Flashing: When a Flash Is the Right Fix
Flashing is not an unlock. Getting that distinction right saves devices: this guide explains when a firmware flash fixes a phone, when it destroys one, and the checks to run first.
Read guideGSM tools & credits
GSM Tool Activation, Credits and Renewals
Chimera, UnlockTool, UMT, DFT, TFT, EFT, NCK, Cheetah and every other box has one of three commercial models. Knowing which one you are buying prevents the classic “I paid and got no credits” problem.
Read guideModel lookup
Phone Model, TAC and Launch Date Lookup
The first eight digits of an IMEI are the TAC — the model code. Decoding it gives you the brand, model and approximate launch window without touching the device.
Read guideAPI automation
Automate IMEI Checks with the Service API
For shops that process dozens of devices a day, the web UI is the slow path. The service API submits the same orders programmatically and returns structured results.
Read guideAT&T past due
AT&T Past Due iPhone Unlock
A past-due AT&T device still carries an unpaid installment balance, which is why the standard unlock channel rejects it. Here is how past-due unlocks work, what they cost in risk, and how to pick the right tier.
Read guideAT&T semi-premium
AT&T Semi Premium Unlock
Semi-premium is AT&T's grey zone: the device is not blacklisted outright, but the record has an unpaid balance or an under-contract flag. This guide covers which devices need it and how the tiers differ.
Read guideAT&T inactive
AT&T iPhone No Longer Active Unlock
A second-hand AT&T iPhone is often no longer active on its original line, which is normal and usually easier than a past-due device. Here is how that state is handled.
Read guideAT&T blacklist
AT&T Blacklist Unbar
An unlock changes the SIM policy. An unbar changes the blacklist record. A device can need one, the other, or neither — and buying the wrong one is pure loss.
Read guideAT&T service selection
Which AT&T Unlock Service to Buy
AT&T has more unlock listings than any other carrier on the platform, and they are not interchangeable. This page maps device state to the correct listing so you pay once.
Read guideT-Mobile paid off
T-Mobile Fully Paid Off iPhone Unlock
If a T-Mobile iPhone is fully paid off, the unlock is the simple case — but T-Mobile splits listings by generation, and picking the wrong generation is the usual failure.
Read guideT-Mobile blacklist
T-Mobile Blacklist Removal & Unbar
T-Mobile blacklist entries come from several sources, and only some are releasable. Running a reason check first separates the recoverable devices from the ones to walk away from.
Read guideMetro by T-Mobile
Metro by T-Mobile iPhone Unlock
Metro devices are locked to the T-Mobile database with Metro's own service requirements, including a long active-period rule. Here is how Metro unlocks differ and how to order.
Read guideVerizon eligibility
Verizon Clean Device Unlock & Eligibility
Verizon reports device state in its own vocabulary — clean, lost/stolen, not eligible. Each maps to a different product, and only one of them is a plain unlock.
Read guideVerizon blacklist
Verizon Blacklist Unbar
Verizon uses ESN/IMEI-level blacklists with its own reason codes. Some are releasable, some are not, and one supported service explicitly targets the GSMA-side entry raised by Verizon.
Read guideCricket
Cricket iPhone Clean Unlock
Cricket phones are sold at a steep discount because they are locked for six months of paid service. This guide covers what a clean Cricket device needs and how the tiers work.
Read guideSprint legacy
Sprint Legacy iPhone Unlock
Sprint devices no longer resolve as a separate carrier — they go through T-Mobile while keeping Sprint-era flags. Older iPhone generations have their own listings.
Read guideXfinity / Spectrum
Xfinity Mobile & Spectrum Unlock
Comcast and Charter devices follow their own pay-off and active-period rules, and each has generation-split listings. This page covers both.
Read guideMexico carriers
Telcel & AT&T Mexico iPhone Unlock
Mexican carriers sell almost everything on financed plans, so most devices that arrive for unlock are still under contract. Here is how the Mexican carriers differ and how to order.
Read guideClaro
Claro iPhone Unlock (All Countries)
Claro operates in more than a dozen countries, but the unlock listings are organised by iPhone generation rather than by country. This page explains how the Claro listings work.
Read guideCanada big four
Rogers, Fido, Bell & Telus iPhone Unlock
Canada made carrier unlocking free in 2017, so a Canadian iPhone still showing a lock is usually blacklisted, financed, or from an older contract.
Read guideCanada regional
Videotron, Freedom & SaskTel Unlock
Canada's regional carriers have separate databases from the big four, which is why a Bell listing fails on a Videotron device. Here is the regional coverage.
Read guideCanada Samsung codes
Canada Samsung Unlock Code (NCK / MCK)
Canadian Samsung devices are frequently released by code rather than by database policy. This guide explains NCK and MCK codes, which carriers use them, and how to enter the code.
Read guideJapan carriers
Japan Carrier iPhone Unlock (Docomo, SoftBank, au / KDDI)
Japanese devices are heavily subsidised and heavily flagged. Docomo, SoftBank, au/KDDI and UQ each have their own listings, and Japanese blacklist records are strict.
Read guideAU / NZ carriers
Australia & New Zealand iPhone Unlock
Australian carriers follow a minimum-period policy for eligible devices, and New Zealand devices report separately. This page covers the AU and NZ listings, including unlock codes for Android.
Read guideUK networks
UK iPhone Unlock (O2, EE, Vodafone, Three)
UK networks have offered free unlocking since 2019, so a UK iPhone still locked is usually financed, blacklisted or on a sub-brand record. This page covers the four networks and their listings.
Read guideAustria
A1 Austria (Mobilkom) iPhone Unlock
A1 Austria is the carrier behind most Austrian devices in the resale market. Its unlock is a premium-tier listing, which affects price and turnaround.
Read guideGermany
Germany iPhone Unlock (Telekom, Vodafone DE)
German carriers release devices after the contract finishes, and their records are separate from the rest of Europe. Two listings cover most of the German market.
Read guideSpain
Spain iPhone Unlock (Movistar, Orange, Vodafone, Yoigo)
Spain's four networks each have their own listing, and Spanish devices are common across Latin American resale channels because of shared model numbers.
Read guideSwitzerland
Switzerland iPhone Unlock (Swisscom, Sunrise, Salt)
Swiss carriers release devices after the contract ends, and Sunrise has an extra not-found listing for records the standard channel misses.
Read guideIreland
Ireland iPhone Unlock (Three, Eir, Vodafone IE)
Irish carriers cover a small but steady resale market. Three and Hutchison have a dedicated listing, Eir and Meteor another, and Vodafone IE a third.
Read guideHungary
Hungary iPhone Unlock (Vodafone, Telekom, Yettel)
Hungary has a dedicated set of listings because Hungarian carrier records sit in their own database. Vodafone and Telenor/Yettel are the two main paths.
Read guideFrance / Romania / Poland
France, Romania & Poland iPhone Unlock
France, Romania and Poland each have their own carrier channels, with a mix of policy unlocks for iPhone and unlock codes for Android.
Read guideSweden / Nordics
Sweden & Nordic iPhone Unlock
The Nordic market has several networks with separate listings, and Sweden is the most common source. Success-rate tiers are unusually explicit here.
Read guideApple warranty
Apple Warranty & Purchase Date Check
Warranty status, activation date and estimated purchase date answer most questions about a used iPhone's age. This page explains the fields and how they can mislead.
Read guideApple model check
Apple Model, Colour & Purchase Date Check
A seller can claim any model. The IMEI record cannot. This check returns the model, colour and storage Apple has on file, plus the carrier and an estimated purchase date.
Read guideSamsung checks
Samsung Device Check (Carrier, Warranty, Knox)
Samsung devices carry their own traps: a country-of-origin mismatch, an MDM enrollment, or a Knox Guard lock. One report answers all three.
Read guideXiaomi checks
Xiaomi Mi Account, Warranty & MDM Check
Xiaomi's account lock, MDM enrollment and warranty state live in different systems. Knowing which one applies decides whether the phone is usable or needs a removal service.
Read guideAndroid brands
Android Country, Carrier & Warranty Check by Brand
Huawei, Honor, Oppo, OnePlus, Realme, Vivo, iQOO, Nothing, Tecno, Infinix, Itel, Motorola and the laptop brands each expose their own record. This page maps brand to check.
Read guideUnlock tools
Device Unlock Tool Guide (UnlockTool, Chimera, UMT)
Box tools and cloud tools do different jobs at different price points. This guide explains what each family is for, so you buy the one that matches the work your shop does.
Read guideCredits & licenses
GSM Credits, Top-Ups and License Renewals
Credit packs are priced non-linearly and licenses renew on different cycles. This guide explains how to size a purchase and what happens at renewal.
Read guideJapan blacklist
Japan Blacklist & Carrier Status Check
Japan runs a domestic carrier blacklist that is separate from GSMA. A device can be clean worldwide and still blocked on every Japanese network, or the reverse.
Read guideMetro Android
Metro by T-Mobile Samsung Unlock
Metro's Android devices follow the same network database as its iPhones but a different listing, and the active-period rule applies the same way.
Read guideLatAm checks
IMEI Check in Latin America & the Caribbean
Latin American markets have their own blacklist practices and carrier groups. This page covers which checks are meaningful for Colombia, Chile, Peru, Argentina, Brazil and the Caribbean.
Read guideAU / NZ checks
Australia & New Zealand IMEI Check
Australia runs a national IMEI blacklist that is enforced by all carriers, and New Zealand devices report separately. Both matter when importing or reselling.
Read guideNot sure which report to run?
Run an IMEI check first, then decide. A SIM-lock report tells you which carrier a device is locked to; a blacklist report tells you whether it can be used at all; an iCloud / MDM report tells you whether the blocker is not the carrier.