Unlock guide
An Apple iPhone 16 Pro Max is locked the same way any Apple handset is: the carrier that sold it holds a record against the IMEI, and the device refuses every other SIM until that record changes. This page shows how the model is identified in the TAC register, what kind of lock it uses, and which of our services apply.
The TAC — the first eight digits of the IMEI — is how the register knows which model a handset is, and it is what every unlock and warranty service actually queries. Our register holds 199 TAC ranges under this model name:
| TAC prefix | Look it up |
|---|---|
35060037 | run the lookup |
35077343 | run the lookup |
35124584 | run the lookup |
35161440 | run the lookup |
35231540 | run the lookup |
35235635 | run the lookup |
Dial *#06# to read the IMEI, then compare the first eight digits. Not listed? The lookup will still resolve the model if the range is filed under a different name.
The register dates this model to 2024, which decides how it is locked: handsets of that generation and market follow the rules described below.
iPhone, iPad and Watch are never locked with a code. Apple holds an activation policy against the IMEI that names the carrier the device may activate on, and the unlock is a change to that policy. Everything else — restoring, changing SIM, resetting network settings — re-reads the same record.
On an Apple iPhone 16 Pro Max the practical test is simple: insert a SIM from a different network. If the phone asks for a code, it is code-locked. If it refuses with “SIM Not Supported” or a carrier-lock notice, it is server-side locked and has to be released against the IMEI. If it just works, it is already unlocked.
| Service | Price | Type |
|---|---|---|
| Announced Date Check - iPhone & Android | $0.01 | Model / TAC |
| Apple Warranty Pro Activation Check IMEI/SN | $0.02 | Warranty |
| Apple iCloud Lock On/Off FMI Check | $0.02 | iCloud / FMI |
| Apple Model + Color + Storage Check | $0.02 | Model / TAC |
| GSMA Worldwide Blacklist Status - Apple & Generic | $0.02 | Blacklist |
| Apple SIM Lock Check | $0.03 | SIM lock |
Brand-level services from $0.01 – $0.03. The carrier-specific tier is on the carrier guide and on each service page.
Unlock prices depend on the carrier and the model generation, so the same handset costs different amounts depending on who sold it. These are the carriers we hold a service for:
TAC data from the register we query for /tac. Last updated 2026-10-28.