How can I tell if my phone is unlocked?

When you buy a phone from a wireless carrier such as AT&T or Verizon, it will likely be locked to that network. This means that the phone can only be used with SIM cards from the carrier it was purchased from, and you won't be able to change your wireless service unless you get the phone unlocked first.

On this page:

• How do I know if my phone is locked or not?
• How do I unlock my phone?
• What’s an IMEI number?
  • Where can I find my IMEI number?
• How can I check if my phone can be used on TextNow?

How do I know if my phone is locked or not?

There are a couple of ways to check if your phone is locked, like checking with your original carrier or looking in your phone's settings. 

Ask the carrier if it's unlocked

If you purchased the phone from a wireless carrier store, it is likely to be locked by default. Even if you bought the phone from a separate retailer like Best Buy or Target, it's still possible that it may be locked to the original carrier. Each phone is locked individually, so you might know someone who has the same phone model, but yours could be locked even if theirs is not.

If you see a carrier logo when you turn on the phone, or are unable to set your APN as explained in this article, there’s a good chance it’s locked to that carrier.

Check your settings

You may be able to find out whether your phone is unlocked by looking in your phone's settings, just follow the steps below for your device type:

Android

1. Go to your phone's Settings menu 
2. Tap on Connections (it may also be called Networks or Networks & Internet)
3. Tap on Mobile Networks (it may also be called SIMs)
4. Scroll down to where it says Network operators (it may also just say Network)
5. Tap on Select Automatically
6. If you see more than one network listed then your phone is unlocked, but if you only see one then your phone is locked to that network

iPhone

1. Go to your phone's Settings menu
2. Tap on General
3. Tap on About 
4. Look for the Carrier Lock row 
5. If the row says No SIM Restrictions, then your mobile device is unlocked

How do I unlock my phone?

How to unlock a phone depends on the carrier it is locked to. Each carrier has their own way of unlocking, but there are a few common pieces of information they will likely need before they unlock it:

• Account holder’s name and account number (for the carrier you purchased the phone from)
• IMEI number of your device
• Your phone number

They may also ask for:

• Account holder’s Social Security number or password
• A completed contract and/or device payment plan
• Overseas deployment papers, for military personnel who want to unlock the phone before the contract expires

What’s an IMEI number?

IMEI stands for International Mobile Equipment Identity and is a number that is unique to your phone. The IMEI number is how networks know if your phone is using their network.

Where can I find my IMEI number?

Where to find your IMEI number depends on what kind of device you're using:

Android

1. Go to your phone's Settings menu
2. Click on About Phone (usually at the bottom of the settings list)
3. The 15-digit IMEI number will likely be listed along with the Model and Serial numbers (if not, click Status and then IMEI Information)

iPhone

1. Go to your phone's Settings menu
2. Click on General and then select About
3. The 15-digit IMEI number will be listed along with the Model and Serial numbers

How can I check to see if my phone can be used on TextNow?

Go to our device checker and enter the IMEI number for the phone you’d like to use to see whether it is compatible with TextNow's Nationwide 5G/LTE service!