Carrier-Specific Unlock Guides
Every U.S. carrier unlocks iPhones a little differently — different waiting periods, different eligibility rules, and different portals to submit a request through. Most unlock sites only cover the big three postpaid networks; find your carrier below and follow its exact process instead of guessing, whether you're on a national postpaid plan, a prepaid brand, or an MVNO leasing space on someone else's towers. Not sure a carrier request is even the right approach for your situation? Compare every unlock method first.
Postpaid carriers
Every carrier has its own rules, wait times, and hoops to jump through. Find your carrier and follow the exact steps to unlock your iPhone.
- AT&T — free unlock once paid off, usually approved within 24 hours
- Verizon — often unlocks automatically, no request needed
- T-Mobile — free request, 40-day minimum line activity
Prepaid carriers
- Cricket Wireless — 6 months active service required
- MetroPCS — 180 days active service, runs on T-Mobile's backend
- Boost Mobile — roughly 12 months active service
MVNOs and legacy networks
- Xfinity Mobile — automatic unlock after 60 days, no request form
- Sprint — legacy accounts now run through T-Mobile's system
Outside the U.S.
Carrier-lock rules aren't a U.S.-only problem — networks like EE, Vodafone, and O2 in the UK, or Rogers, Bell, and Telus in Canada, each run their own eligibility windows too, and the same principle applies everywhere: check the network's own policy rather than trusting a resale listing's word for it.
Not sure your phone even needs unlocking, or whether what you're actually facing is a carrier lock, an Activation Lock, or a blacklisted IMEI? Run it through our unlock and IMEI status checks first — it takes two minutes and can save you a wasted support call.
Frequently asked questions
Do all carriers charge for unlocking?
No. Every major U.S. carrier is required to unlock eligible devices for free. If a third party is charging you for a carrier unlock, you're likely paying for something the carrier would do at no cost.
What's the fastest carrier to unlock from?
Verizon and AT&T tend to be fastest, often clearing within a day once the device is paid off. Prepaid carriers like MetroPCS and Boost Mobile have much longer minimum service windows before you're even eligible.
My carrier isn't listed — what do I do?
Most smaller carriers and MVNOs lease network access from AT&T, T-Mobile, or Verizon, so their unlock rules usually mirror the host network. Check your bill for which network your plan runs on, then reference that carrier's policy as a guide.