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?
- How can I check if my phone can be used on TextNow?
How do I know if my phone is locked or not?
If you bought the phone from a wireless carrier store, it is very likely that it will be locked by default. Even if you bought the phone from a separate retailer like Best Buy or Target, it is still possible that the phone will be locked to the carrier that you were initially using it with. Each phone is locked individually, so you might know someone who has the exact same phone model, but yours could be locked and 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. Depending on your device, there are a couple of other ways you can find out whether your phone is locked:
Android
- Scroll down to where it says Network operators (it may also just say Network)
- Click on on Select Automatically
- 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
- Go to your phone's Settings menu
- Click on Cellular
- If you see a Cellular Data Network option under the Cellular menu, then your iPhone is unlocked
- If you don’t see Cellular Data Network as an option, then the phone is locked
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?
Android
- Go to your phone's Settings menu
- Click on About Phone (usually at the bottom of the settings list)
- 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
- Go to your phone's Settings menu
- Click on General and then select About
- 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!