Want to switch your SIM for a better plan or use your iPhone data while traveling abroad? You’ll first need to unlock your iPhone from carrier most of the time. The good news is that you can unlock iPhone carrier online for free and there are also paid methods like Passixer iPhone Unlocker if you don’t qualify. Next, we’ll walk through both options step by step.
To check whether your iPhone is locked to a specific carrier, you can go to Settings > General and check the Carrier Lock item. If it’s written with SIM Locked, it means that your iPhone is carried-locked.
How Online iPhone Carrier Unlock Works
The online ways to unlock an iPhone carrier are by using your device’s IMEI. IMEI is a unique identifier of your iPhone. Online unlocking services will use that number to recognize your iPhone remotely and process the unlock on their end. Finding the IMEI is also simple and here are 2 common ways:
- Open Settings > General > About and then scroll until you see “IMEI”.
- Dial *#06# on the keypad and the IMEI will appear instantly on screen.
How to Unlock iPhone Carrier for Free Online
The only sure way to unlock your iPhone for free is by going through your network provider. Of course, carriers have their own rules for when they will approve a free unlock. You must meet these requirements before they will process the unlock.
In the US, the usual conditions include:
- All your bills must be cleared.
- Your iPhone must not be under an active contract.
- The minimum number of active days set by your carrier (40 days, 60 days, 6 months, varies by provider) should be completed.
In some countries, the rules are different. Like the U.K., for instance, carriers like EE allow you to unlock your iPhone for free whether or not the device is still under contract, as local regulations permit it.
Steps to Unlock iPhone Online Through Carrier
So, as long as you meet their rules, carriers will unlock the iPhone over the phone itself. Here’s the entire process:
What you’ll need: your IMEI (dial *#06#), the account details (if you’re a customer) and a reachable email.
How to Unlock iPhone Carrier with AT&T
Step 1. Go to AT&T’s official Unlock your device page and click the unlock button. Sign in with your AT&T account.
Step 2. Check your info.
Step 3. Enter your iPhone’s IMEI number and hit Submit.
Step 4. AT&T will send you an approval email with instructions to complete the unlock. If the unlock cannot be processed, AT&T will explain the reason in the same email.
How to Unlock iPhone Online [Paid]
The paid way to remove a carrier lock online is by choosing a third-party SIM unlock service. These sites ask for just two thing—your IMEI number and payment. Once they have it, they claim to process the unlock and let you use any SIM.
What method they actually use is rarely revealed. Still, a few site admins admit that they rely on backchannel methods, often by contacting carrier representatives directly. That’s how they say they can remove a lock even when your phone doesn’t meet carrier requirements or when you want the process expedited.
Here’s the caution. Almost every site in this space is risky. In fact, 98% of them are outright scams. They advertise high success rates, charge you upfront and then ask for more money to finish the unlock, but the unlock could never happens at all. Reddit is full of such stories.
5 Best Sites to Unlock iPhone Carrier
These five sites are not perfect and none of them can guarantee a 100% success rate. Even so, they remain among the few names that have managed to unlock certain carriers.
So, if you want to take your chances with an online carrier unlocker, the five services here are considered relatively more trustworthy.
doctorSIM
iPhone & Android Tiered routes (Standard, Express or Premium) US$4.95–US$100 (by tier, carrier, model) 24 business hours (varies by route/carrier) Web portal; Email updates You must choose the tier upfront ⭐⭐⭐⭐ (4.1/5, 23,000+ reviews)
UnlockRiver
iPhone & Android 120+ countries
700+ networks US$3.99–US$300 (e.g., iPhone 15: US$179.99–249.99) 15–30 days common; some cases > 30 days Web
Email No (single payment flow) ⭐⭐⭐⭐ (4.4/5, 3,200+ reviews)
Official SIM Unlock
iPhone Android
iPad
Apple Watch US$24.99 upfront + US$80–160 unlock fee Claims 1–15 minutes; users report delays, some >7 days Email only Yes (eligibility + unlock fee) ⭐⭐⭐ (3.2/5, 4,000+ reviews)
Mobile Unlocked
iPhone Cellular iPad
Apple Watch
Android US$14.99 start + typical US$50–95 add-on Some finish in 5–6 hours, others stall up to 60+ days Web
Limited contact Yes (mid-process add-ons) ⭐⭐⭐ (3.6/5, 6,900+ reviews)
UnlockBase
250+ brands 835+ networks
iPhone, Samsung, most Android US$10–100 (extra charges on some models) 3 hours–15 days typical; certain regions require 30–90 days Web tickets
Live order tracking Sometimes (extra requested later) ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (4.7/5, 2,000+ reviews)
Steps to Unlock iPhone Carrier with Paid Online Service
Almost all of these sites work in the same manner and using any of them is surprisingly straightforward. So, let’s take the example of doctorSIM to show their carrier unlocking process.
Step 1. Identify Your Phone Details.
Go to the doctorSIM site and choose your phone’s brand & model, country, and the original network provider.
Step 2. Pay and Submit Your Order.
Once you see the unlock options and price tier, pick one and complete the payment.
Step 3. Receive Instructions via Email.
Within a short time, doctorSIM sends you step-by-step instructions to follow on your iPhone to complete the unlock.
Step 4. Wait for the Unlock.
Most unlocks happen within one business day. However, in some cases, it can take a few days, depending on the carrier that locked the iPhone.
How to Unlock iPhone Carrier with Desktop Tool – Passixer
Passixer iPhone Unlocker is a desktop tool that makes carrier unlocking far simpler than relying on online services. It enables you to control the carrier unlocking process without waiting for approval from online tools. Passixer also removes carrier lock from your iPhone fast, generally taking about 30 minutes. Additionally, it simplifies the requirements for unlocking your iPhone SIM – what you need is a computer and a USB cable and then follow the onscreen steps to unlock your iPhone from carrier without IMEI or carrier.
Online Carrier Unlocker vs. Desktop Carrier Remover
(doctorSIM, etc.) Desktop Carrier Remover
(Passixer iPhone Unlocker)
long wait times,
inconsistent success and
non-refundable fees Require a computer (Mac/Windows) to run the tool
Steps to Unlock iPhone from Carrier with Passixer
Launch Passixer iPhone Unlocker on your Mac/PC and choose Remove SIM Lock.
Connect your device to the computer with a USB cable and tap Trust on the iPhone.
Click Start in Passixer to move into the guided flow.
Follow the on-screen jailbreak instructions for your model.
Passixer will display the phone model, iOS and IDs. Check if they match and then click Start SIM Lock Removal.
Remove SIM from the phone. Then, go to Settings > WLAN and forget every saved network. Finally, switch Wi-Fi Off.
You’ll see a live progress bar while the tool is removing the carrier lock. Wait until it finishes.
Conclusion
In the end, unlocking the iPhone carrier free online is only possible through the carrier itself, but not everyone can meet the conditions from the carrier. As an alternative, some users go for the paid online services, but they rarely hold up as a real solution.
So, if you want something that actually works, go with Passixer iPhone Unlocker. It will remove the SIM lock in just 30–40 minutes and frees your iPhone to use a new SIM from another carrier and use the plan of your choice.