Three checks, one definitive: insert another carrier's active SIM/eSIM — if it gets signal and data, you're unlocked. Faster indicators: Settings → General → About showing "Carrier Lock: No SIM restrictions" on one platform, or asking your carrier's support with your IMEI (×#06#) for official eligibility status.
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- Settings peek (30 seconds): on the closed platform: Settings → General → About → scroll to Carrier Lock/Network Provider Lock — "No SIM restrictions" means unlocked. Open-platform devices vary by manufacturer; many hide this field.
- Ask the source (5 minutes): dial *#06# for your IMEI, then app/chat support: "Is IMEI [number] unlocked?" Carriers answer definitively since unlocking is their obligation.
- The proof test (10 minutes): borrow a SIM from a different network (or activate a free trial eSIM), insert, wait for registration. Signal + data + calls = genuinely unlocked. This test catches everything settings screens might misreport.
What Results Actually Mean
| Result | Meaning | Action |
|---|---|---|
| No restrictions shown | Firmware unlocked | Cross-check bands before switching networks |
| "SIM locked" shown | Still bound | Pursue unlock request (see unlock guide) |
| Foreign SIM shows signal but no data | Unlocked; APN/band issue | Add correct APN settings; verify compatibility |
| "SIM not supported" error | Locked confirmed | Same — begin eligibility process |
Locked? Your Fastest Paths
- Paid-off devices unlock on request within ~48 hours — request via app, free.
- Financing remaining? Early payoff triggers immediate eligibility; math against switching savings often favors paying off now.
- Prepaid hardware typically needs its service-period satisfied — calendar the date rather than fighting it.
- Wrongful denials escalate well through written appeals and regulator complaints (documented in our unlock guide).
Timing Your Check Around Purchases
Check lock status at three natural moments: before listing a phone for sale (unlocked units command premiums and honest disclosures prevent returns), before international trips (unlocking takes days you won't have at the airport), and immediately after final device payments post (eligibility activates but isn't always automatic — some carriers require the request). Screenshot positive results; future-you selling, traveling, or troubleshooting will thank present-you for the documentation.