How to Unlock Your iPhone 13, Mini, Pro, and Pro Max (To Use With Other Carriers’ SIM)
Published on September 21, 2021
In general, the majority of today’s smartphones come locked to a specific mobile network. That’s the case with iPhones as well, especially those bought directly from mobile carriers. In that sense, unlocking your iPhone means getting to use it with any mobile carrier simply by swiping SIM cards. So, how to unlock your iPhone 13? Let’s find out!
How to Unlock iPhone 13 for Use With a Different Carrier
Keep in mind that Apple can’t unlock your iPhone. Instead, you must turn to your carrier and ask for your iPhone to be unlocked (if that’s possible in your particular case, of course). So, here’s precisely what you need to do.
1. First, check whether you’re eligible to have your iPhone 13 unlocked.
2. Then, contact your carrier and submit a formal request for unlocking your iPhone.
3. Once done, insert a SIM card from a different carrier and activate your phone.
4. If you don’t have a SIM card, erase and then restore your iPhone.
We understand that you’ll want additional information on how to unlock your iPhone 13. With that said, let’s go over the previously mentioned steps and give you more detailed info.
Step #1: Check If You Meet the Requirements for Unlocking
Mobile carriers will be happy to unlock your iPhone – if you meet specific requirements. No matter where in the world you are, your mobile carrier will lock your brand-new iPhone 13 for a pre-determined period. After that, you’ll be free to unlock it.
It would be impossible to list the requirements for unlocking your iPhone for every single mobile carrier out there. However, we'll provide some assistance by focusing on the major carriers found across the US:
- AT&T: In general, AT&T will agree to unlock a device once it’s been active on the network for a minimum of 60 days. This carrier even offers a handy website for device unlocking and checking the status of your request.
- T-Mobile: When it comes to T-Mobile, you can unlock your device only if your account is free of any commitments or contractual obligations. And also, your iPhone needs to be active on the network for at least 40 days. To submit your request, you need to access your T-Mobile online account.
- Verizon: What’s interesting about Verizon is that this carrier automatically unlocks any device 60 days after purchase. At any moment, you can contact Verizon’s customer support team and ask about the status of your smartphone.
Step #2: Contact Your Carrier & Submit Your Request
Once you check your eligibility, you need to contact your carrier and submit your formal request. In many cases, that could be done online, especially since businesses aren’t widely yet open worldwide due to the pandemic. However, don’t be surprised if you’re asked to submit your form in a physical form.
In general, it could take up to a couple of days for your mobile carrier to provide an answer to your request. If everything goes smoothly, your iPhone could be unlocked in less than 72 hours.
Step #3: Finalize the Process of Unlocking Your iPhone
Once you receive a confirmation that your iPhone is unlocked, you’ll need to finalize that process on your own. So, based on if you have another SIM card or not, do the following.
- If You Have Another SIM Card: Remove your existing SIM card from your iPhone 13’s SIM card tray (on the left side of your phone). Insert the new card, and your phone should activate automatically. That's it!
- If You Don’t Have Another SIM Card: You’ll first need to back up your iPhone and then erase your phone (which means that it’ll return to factory settings). Then, you can restore your iPhone from the backup you've previously made. Once you're done, you'll get to use your phone with any SIM card.
That would be all on how to unlock your iPhone 13. If you have any questions, share them via the comments section you’ll find just below. And lastly, thank you for reading!
Related
Get expert insights on threats, breaches, scams, and security trends — delivered every Monday.
Most Popular
Get expert insights on threats, breaches, scams, and security trends — delivered every Monday.
Most Popular