OPEN IPHONE SIM CARD HOW TO
Contact your network providerīelow we will outline separately how to get your iPhone unlocked from each of the UK's most popular networks. That's the shortened version, but let's go through those steps in a bit more detail.
OPEN IPHONE SIM CARD SOFTWARE
The previous owner may have bought the iPhone as part of a contract, and it's been standard practice for years that the network provider uses software restrictions to keep the device tied to its service for the duration of the contract. The reason for the device being locked is most likely if you bought it second-hand or inherited it from a friend or family member. For more information here's how to tell if your iPhone is locked.
Usually, if your iPhone is locked you'll see a message saying something like 'SIM Not Supported' when you try to set up the device. However, if you're still in the process of paying for your contract you don't fully own the iPhone yet, so you're best to check with your carrier before unlocking it. It's completely legal to unlock your iPhone if you've finished paying for your contract or you purchased it outright, unsubsidised. Should you be looking for help on gaining access to data on a device in the sad event of its owner dying, you can read how to unlock an iPhone, iPad or Mac when its owner passes away. We're focusing on unlocking an iPhone tied to a UK carrier, but for those in the US, visit our sister site's article on how to unlock an iPhone.
So, for now, you'll need to follow the steps outlined in this article to get your iPhone unlocked. But obviously this won't necessarily affect all devices already in circulation. Unlocking an iPhone will soon be a thing of the past, as Ofcom has announced that all providers will be banned from locking devices to their network by the end of 2021. In this article we show how to unlock any iPhone model, either with an unlock code from the network itself (which is usually free and easy) or by using a third-party service like Doctor SIM. In fact, you might even be able to do it yourself. You should be able to get your network provider to unlock the iPhone for you often for free. While this could be a huge pain in the past, the good news is that it's usually much easier to unlock an iPhone these days. If you're thinking of moving from your current network provider to a new one, while keeping hold of your iPhone, or you've picked one up second-hand, you may find that the device is locked to your current carrier or network provider.
OPEN IPHONE SIM CARD UPDATE
How to update an unlocked phone without the SIM card