There are a few options when it comes to unlocking an iPhone for free. While there is no official Apple software to unlock iPhones, there are some third-party tools and methods that allow you to bypass the carrier lock on your device.
Using Third-Party Unlocking Services
One option is to use a third-party unlocking service. These services offer to remotely unlock your iPhone for a fee. Typically it costs around $15-30 to unlock an iPhone this way. The advantage is it’s fast and convenient – you provide them your iPhone’s IMEI number and they send you an unlock code to input on your device. However, using third-party unlocking services does void your iPhone’s warranty since it involves illegally circumventing the carrier lock. There are also risks involved in providing your IMEI to an unknown company. So while these services do work, they aren’t free and aren’t without risks.
Unlock with Jailbreaking
Another option is to jailbreak your iPhone and use jailbreak tools to unlock it. Jailbreaking removes restrictions on iOS and allows you to install apps and tweaks outside of the App Store. There are free jailbreaking tools like checkra1n that will jailbreak recent iPhone models. Once jailbroken, you can then use tweaks like iUnlock and SAM to bypass the carrier lock. Jailbreaking is legal but does void your warranty. Also, Apple does patch jailbreaks in later iOS updates, so jailbreaking becomes unavailable at times when there is no jailbreak for recent iOS versions. Overall, jailbreaking can unlock your iPhone for free but it requires some technical know-how and does come with tradeoffs.
Carrier Unlocking with Contract Fulfillment
If you fulfilled your contract term with the carrier that your iPhone is currently locked to, you may qualify to get it officially unlocked for free by that carrier. AT&T, Verizon, T-Mobile and other major carriers do provide free iPhone unlocks upon request in certain conditions. For example, AT&T requires you to have had active service with them for at least 60 days and to have fulfilled your contract term. Verizon iPhones come unlocked already. Each carrier has their own policy for postpaid contract unlocking, so you’d need to contact them directly to request an unlock after your contract ends.
Pre-Ordering Unlocked iPhones
Going forward, you can avoid carrier locked iPhones by purchasing an unlocked iPhone directly from Apple. Unlocked iPhones allow you to use any carrier. The key is to buy the phone at full price without any carrier financing. Apple offers unlocked iPhone models that work on all major networks. The drawback is the high upfront cost of buying an unlocked iPhone at $699+ without carrier subsidies. Still, purchasing an unlocked iPhone is the best way to avoid carrier locks from the start.
Using an Alternative SIM Card
Some carriers will automatically unlock an iPhone if you request a SIM unlock after inserting a non-carrier SIM card. For example, AT&T iPhones can potentially be unlocked by inserting an active SIM from T-Mobile or another GSM provider, then requesting an unlock from AT&T after the foreign SIM has been activated. This doesn’t always work and depends on the carrier’s policy, but may be worth trying. Just ensure the alternative SIM you insert is an active one, not just an inactive SIM you have lying around.
Factory Unlocking Services
There are companies that offer factory IMEI unlocks for iPhones, which permanently removes the carrier lock from the phone’s database. This involves identifying your iPhone’s model and chips version to determine if a factory unlock is possible. If so, they access the Apple database to remove the network lock associated with your device’s IMEI number. This method works on iPhone 4 and newer models. It provides a permanent unlock even through updates. The downside is it isn’t free. Expect to pay around $50-100 for this factory IMEI unlock service depending on your iPhone model.
Unlock with GSX Report
There is a free official unlocking method that relies on getting your iPhone added to Apple’s Global Service Exchange (GSX) database as eligible for unlocking. Certain sites like icloudunlockstatus.com let you check if your IMEI is in GSX and unlockable. If it’s flagged unlockable, you can request a free official unlock from Apple support. This won’t work for all iPhones but can provide a free unlock in some cases if your IMEI shows as unlockable in GSX. The eligibility requirements are vague though.
Conclusion
While there is no native free iPhone unlocking software from Apple, there are some workarounds like jailbreaking, GSX unlocks, carrier unlocks and factory unlocks that let determined users unlock their iPhones at no cost in certain scenarios. However, most reliable methods do incur a fee. Your best bet is to request a carrier unlock after fulfilling your contract or buying an unlocked iPhone to begin with. But with some technical skill and luck, it is possible to unlock an iPhone for free using special tools and techniques for bypassing carrier restrictions.
| Method | Free? | Permanent? | Works on Latest iOS? | Difficulty |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Third-party Unlocking Services | No | Yes | Yes | Easy |
| Jailbreaking | Yes | No | No | Moderate |
| Carrier Unlock | Yes | Yes | Yes | Easy |
| Unlocked iPhone | No | Yes | Yes | Easy |
| Alternative SIM | Yes | Yes | Yes | Easy |
| Factory Unlock | No | Yes | Yes | Moderate |
| GSX Unlock | Yes | Yes | Yes | Easy |
This table summarizes the various iPhone unlocking methods, whether they are free, permanent, work on the latest iOS, and their difficulty level.
Key Takeaways
- There is no official free Apple software to unlock iPhones, but third-party methods exist.
- Common options include third-party unlocking services, jailbreaking, carrier unlocking, using unlocked iPhones, alternative SIMs, factory unlocks, and GSX unlocks.
- Most reliable methods require paying a fee, with exceptions for specific situations.
- To avoid locked iPhones, buying an unlocked device or fulfilling your contract term are the best options.