To unlock a phone, ask the carrier that locked it. Most US carriers unlock a paid-off phone in good standing, and the wait runs from 40 days to a year depending on the carrier and plan.
How to unlock a phone
Only the carrier that locked the phone can lift the lock, so start with its own unlock process. Treat any tool that claims to unlock a phone without the carrier with caution. Here is how to unlock a phone, step by step:
- Check that the phone is paid off, active on the carrier’s network and not reported lost or stolen.
- Find your carrier in the table below and check the wait time for your plan.
- Request the unlock the way the carrier says, then restart the phone.
- Test with a SIM from another carrier before you cancel anything.
Is my phone carrier locked?
A carrier-locked phone works only on one provider’s network, even when another network is compatible. On recent iPhones, open Settings, then General, then About, and look for Carrier Lock. Android menus vary by maker. If a SIM from another carrier is refused, or the phone asks for an unlock code, it is probably locked. To check whether a phone is also blocked, use the free device check.
What the FCC says about unlocking
The FCC’s unlocking page describes commitments carriers adopted in 2014. Postpaid carriers will unlock phones for customers in good standing once the contract or device financing is paid. Prepaid carriers will unlock within one year of activation, subject to reasonable requirements. Carriers must answer an unlock request within two business days. Unlocking does not make a phone work on a network its radios do not support. Read the full text in Cell Phone Unlocking.
How to unlock a phone at 14 US carriers
These rules were read from each carrier’s own pages on October 11, 2026. Several carriers changed their rules in 2026, so confirm with the carrier before you plan around a date.
| Carrier | Who qualifies | How to request |
|---|---|---|
| Verizon (postpaid) | Unlocks on its own once the phone is paid off or financing clears. A lost or stolen report blocks it. Paying with a Verizon gift card delays the unlock by 35 days. | No request needed. Questions: 1-800-VERIZON. |
| Verizon Prepaid | Verizon Prepaid phones only. Bring-your-own phones cannot be unlocked. Activated through Jan 26, 2026: 60 days of paid service. Activated from Jan 27, 2026: 365 days. Verizon’s own pages disagree on timing, so check status before you plan. | Check status on Verizon’s prepaid unlock page, or call 888-294-6804 with the 15-digit IMEI. |
| AT&T | Postpaid: bought more than 60 days ago, zero balance, not past due, not lost or stolen. Prepaid: 12 months of paid service. | Online unlock form. Approval takes minutes, up to 48 hours. Prepaid Android: AT&T Device Unlock app. |
| T-Mobile | Postpaid line active 40 days, financed phones paid in full. Prepaid: 365 days, or more than $100 in refills per line plus 14 days since purchase. Up to 2 unlocks per line per 12 months. Free. | Mostly automatic within 2 business days. Check status in My T-Mobile. |
| Metro by T-Mobile | Bought from Metro, 365 days after activation, not lost or stolen. Free. | Automatic within 2 business days. Military: 888-863-8768. |
| Cricket Wireless | Policy page: 365 days of paid service. The steps page says six months for phones bought before July 1, 2026. The two pages differ. | iPhone: sign in and choose Request Unlock. Android: myCricket app. Former customers: 1-800-274-2538. |
| Boost Mobile | Postpaid: unlocks when financing ends, or at once if paid in full. Prepaid: one year after activation, in good standing, zero balance. | Call 833-502-6678. Remote unlock within 2 business days. |
| Visible | Bought before Jan 20, 2026: auto-unlock after 60 days paid and active. Bought from Jan 20, 2026: request after 365 days. Affirm-financed from Jun 1, 2026: 365 days or loan paid off, whichever comes first. | Request method not confirmed. Ask Visible support. |
| Mint Mobile | Mint-bought phones auto-unlock 60 days after activation. | Call 800-683-7392, 5 am to 7 pm Pacific, seven days a week. |
| Xfinity Mobile | Active 60+ days, paid in full, no past-due balance. Only the account holder, primary user or manager can request. | Usually automatic within 48 hours of payoff. Otherwise use Xfinity chat. |
| Spectrum Mobile | Per the service agreement: paid in full, active over 60 days, account in good standing. | Request method not confirmed. Ask Spectrum support. |
| Consumer Cellular | Codes are available on request when the phone is paid in full and the account is in good standing. | Call 888-511-3894. |
| US Mobile | Its unlock page says US Mobile is not currently unlocking phones. | Use US Mobile chat for options. |
| Google Fi | Fi has no unlock process. Phones bought through Fi or the Google Store are already unlocked. | Other phones: ask the original carrier or seller. |
| Straight Talk, Tracfone, Total Wireless | All three follow Verizon Value’s unlocking policy, posted on each brand’s own device-unlock page. We could not read those pages, so no rules are listed here. | Check the brand’s device-unlock page or customer care. |
Moving to a new carrier after you unlock
Once you know how to unlock a phone, the order is simple: unlock first, then port. Get your account number and transfer PIN from the old carrier with the transfer PIN lookup, start the port from the new carrier, and keep the old line active until the number moves.
Questions about unlocking a phone
Can I unlock a phone that is not paid off?
Usually not. Postpaid carriers unlock after the device is paid off or the financing clears. T-Mobile, for example, requires financed phones to be paid in full.
Is unlocking a phone free?
Usually yes for customers in good standing. T-Mobile and Metro by T-Mobile list unlocking as free. Verizon Prepaid says a fee of up to $300 may apply in some cases.
How long does an unlock take?
Carriers that publish a response time say two business days or less. AT&T says approval takes minutes, up to 48 hours.
Does unlocking a phone void the warranty?
We did not find any carrier page that says so. Ask your carrier and the phone’s maker if the phone is under warranty.