In this guide we’ll show you how to unlock your iPhone using your IMEI number, maximizing your ability to use your iPhone to its full potential…
If you brought an iPhone that is locked to a carrier, unlocking it can be tricky. Carriers want to keep you locked in, but if you can get out you’re opening yourself up to plenty of benefits, including cheaper plans, more data, and more call time. Data is probably the most important thing, though.
Since the launch of 4G, the amount of gigabytes we can get through without even thinking has skyrocketed, and our phone contract allowances simply haven’t kept pace. Using an iPhone on a restricted data allowance means you cannot make the most of your phone.
If you start to shop around though, you can find great unlimited data deals both on PAYG and SIM-only contracts. The only issue? If your iPhone is locked, it probably won’t accept a SIM from another carrier. So how do you get around this?
Why Won’t My iPhone Accept Another SIM Card?
iPhones are generally locked to their original carrier, hence the reason why it won’t work with another SIM card. Carriers lock iPhones down to their network to provide long term security that you are going to keep the iPhone on their network.
Once the contract has run its course, these networks will generally keep you on this same plan, but remember this plan was never offering great value for money on data, calls or texts, it was helping subsidize the cost of the phone.
In order to be able to cancel your contract and shop around you’re going to want to unlock your iPhone.
How Do I Unlock My iPhone?
There are loads of ways to unlock your iPhone, but not all unlocks are created equally. You may have heard of “Jailbreaking an iPhone”, this is the old fashioned way of unlocking an iPhone, which is fraught with danger. For instance, it voids your iPhone’s warranty and, if you mess it up, you can brick or break your phone.
The best way we have found is a method called IMEI unlocking. IMEI unlocking is the best way of unlocking an iPhone as it works by whitelisting the device in Apple’s own database. There are loads of service providers online that offer to IMEI unlock your iPhone, the best we found was iPhone Approved Unlock. We felt their service was the best mix of speedy service and a great price.
How Do I IMEI Unlock My iPhone?
IMEI unlocking your iPhone is simple, funnily enough, all you need is your IMEI number. You can get your IMEI number by dialing *#06# on your keypad, and making a note of the number that you see on screen.
Next up you want to jump online and visit iPhone Approved Unlock to get your iPhone unlocked.
Find your device page and fill in the really simple form, which only requires your IMEI number and your carrier (if you aren’t sure who your carrier is you can use their handy carrier check).
Once you’ve filled in the simple form and entered your payment details you just need to wait for a confirmation email. Once you get this your iPhone is unlocked, all you need to do is make sure it knows this, so simply switch it on whilst connected to a Wi-Fi network or plug it into your computer and launch iTunes. And there you go, one unlocked iPhone.
How Can I Make The Most of My iPhone Now?
With an unlocked iPhone, you are free to shop around and get a great value data deal, unleashing your iPhone to be able to use it to its full potential no matter where you are.
Some top tips for using an iPhone on an unlimited data plan are to backup photos to the cloud, saving the device’s memory, only downloading your favourite playlists (you can stream albums and other songs on-demand using data) again saving memory, and use your phone to get real-time recommendations on places to eat and places to visit!
Using your iPhone when on holiday is one of the key points when owning an iPhone. You can use it as a personal assistant, helping show you round a new and unfamiliar city. Get a local SIM card which will offer much better value on a data package than any roaming can hope to achieve!
You Can Sell Unlocked iPhones For More Money
There are loads of service providers online that offer to IMEI unlock your iPhone, the best we found was iPhone Approved Unlock. We felt their service was the best mix of speedy service and a great price.
When it comes to selling your iPhone, being able to put that one simple word ‘Unlocked’ in the advert instantly makes your iPhone much more sellable, you’ll be able to get a much better price and won’t have to waste your time with people testing their SIM card’s in your device only to find out they don’t work!
So that’s our top tip on how to get the most from your iPhone in 2019, get that contract finished, get your iPhone unlocked and get shopping around for a great data deal to maximize what you get out of your iPhone.
And when the time comes to sell it, you’ll get more money for your iPhone because it’s unlocked.
Ready to get started? Check out all the latest offers from iPhone Approved Unlock to unlock the true potential of your iPhone.
Richard Goodwin
Richard Goodwin has been working as a tech journalist for over 10 years. He is the editor and owner of KnowYourMobile.
