How to Unlock An AT&T Phone Yourself for Free

Do you own an AT&T phone that you need to unlock to get more flexibility? This article provides a complete overview of unlocking such a device for free. Along with outlined benefits and requirements, the mentioned solution will help you understand how to unlock an AT&T phone yourself for free.

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Myra

Updated on Oct 10, 2024

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A Glance At All Possible Solutions:

To Unlock AT&T Phone Effectiveness
Device Unlock Request It is the official method to unlock your iPhone and Android from AT&T. You should provide your mobile number or IMEI number.
Customer Service You can receive an unlock code from customer service through email so that you can unlock your phone at home.
Third-Party Software Another method you can use to unlock an iPhone to any network yourself for free is to apply an unlock tool.

"I just became aware of an iPhone carrier-unlocking dilemma between AT&T and Apple. I bought the phone at Apple's web store for use on AT&T's network, and it's all good. But now that I need to have it unlocked, Apple says only AT&T can perform the unlocking, and AT&T says that it's impossible because the phone was not purchased directly from them in the first place. It has to be technically possible to carrier-unlock this device, but how? No one said anything about this catch at the time of purchase, naturally."

As AT&T buyers, users face multiple issues when unlocking their devices. Amidst the confusion of unlocking smartphones, many methods have been considered a remedy. However, users are still perplexed about how to unlock an AT&T phone yourself for free. This article discusses the best methods that can be used to unlock the AT&T smartphone properly.

Benefits of Unlocking AT&T Phone

The first question many people ask before unlocking their AT&T phone themselves is the benefit of executing this process. Provided next are some explained benefits that would then lead to the answer to "how to unlock an AT&T phone yourself for free:"

  • Saving The Data Roaming Charges: This act can save you money on roaming charges if you are a regular international traveler. By unlocking a SIM card-locked iPhone, you can use a local SIM card on your phone.
  • Making Reselling Better: Unlocking your AT&T phone enables you to contact a wide range of buyers. This can also help you sell your smartphone device internationally to other users at a better resale value.
  • Gets Easy to Sell: If you intend to sell out your smartphone device after some time, unlocking it is a good option. This will make the device easy to sell, as the user doesn't need to be an AT&T user.
  • Carrier Flexibility: The phone can be used with any compatible GSM carrier after unlocking. You can easily choose the carrier that provides the best services at the best prices.

Before Unlocking An AT&T iPhone at Home

A few things need to be considered before you discover the answer to "how to unlock an AT&T phone yourself for free." In this section, learn the pointers you should carefully look at before unlocking your AT&T phone:

1. Check Whether Your AT&T Phone Is Locked

Firstly, you might have to check whether the AT&T phone you are using is locked. There are two convenient ways available to check the carrier network status, which is mentioned as follows:

From Settings

Step 1. Open your iDevice "Settings" app and scroll down to access the "General" option. Continue to look for the "About" section to view further device details.

tap on about settings

Step 2. As you lead into the following screen, scroll down to look for the "Network Provider Lock" option. The device is locked if you view the "No SIM Restriction" status. However, if the option shows a different status, the AT&T device will be unlocked.

check network provider lock status

Try Another SIM Card

Another way to ensure your AT&T phone is locked is by trying a SIM card from another carrier. If the SIM card works, it means that your device is unlocked. This conventional technique can quickly help you figure out the status of your AT&T phone.

2. Check Whether Your Phone Is Eligible to Unlock

After figuring out whether your phone is locked, you need to check the eligibility criteria for your AT&T smartphone device. There are some requirements that every user needs to consider when they have to unlock their device. Provided below are the eligibility criteria before figuring out how to unlock an AT&T phone yourself for free:

  • Paid Off Device: Ensure the AT&T device is fully paid off, with no payments left behind. To avoid all sorts of legal issues, you should fully own the device.
  • Device & Account Status: When you consider unlocking your AT&T device, check for any active service contracts. Furthermore, the account associated with the device should have no suspension or termination issues.
  • Official Unlocking Limits: To unlock your AT&T phone, the device should have been active for at least 60 days on the network.

How to Unlock AT&T Phone Yourself for Free

Upon reviewing the benefits and requirements for unlocking an AT&T phone, I found that some essential methods are provided to understand "how to unlock an AT&T phone yourself for free."

Method 1. Go Through the Official Unlocking Process

For starters, unlocking your AT&T device through the official channel is the first solution to this issue, and the official method is available to both iPhone and Android users. To make the process understandable, we have discussed the unlocking plan provided by AT&T as follows:

Step 1. Access the Device unlock request page of the AT&T website by tapping on the "Start an unlock request" button. However, before proceeding with the process, confirm that you fulfill all the requirements mentioned on the page.

press start an unlock request

Step 2. Next, confirm whether you have an AT&T number. If you have the AT&T number, you will have to provide it. Otherwise, give your smartphone IMEI number. Hit the "Next" button after confirming the details and go through the on-screen instructions for unlocking your device.

input the number or imei

Method 2. Get AT&T Unlock Codes from Customer Service

The customer service of AT&T is the other direction one can apply to unlock their AT&T phones. While you obtain the unlock codes from them, learn how these codes are used to derive a solution for "how to unlock an AT&T phone yourself for free:"

Step 1. With all the requirements fulfilled for the locked device, as mentioned in the article above, dial *#06# to note down its IMEI number.

check the phone imei

Step 2. Contact the customer support service of AT&T and provide all the required details to receive an unlock code. The AT&T team will email you the unlock code within 1-2 days after confirming all the details related to your smartphone.

Step 3. Following this, insert a new SIM from a different network provider into your smartphone and wait for the unlock SIM screen to appear. Enter the unlock code provided by AT&T and enjoy your smartphone without any network restrictions.

input the sim lock

Method 3. Apply Third-Party iPhone Unlock Software

If you are uncomfortable applying the above methods, a direct solution is available to unlock your carrier-locked iPhone. EaseUS MobiUnlock is a provocative iPhone unlocking system that helps remove different locks from your iPhone. While it provides the essential services of removing Apple ID from iPhone without passcode, it can also feature the option of unlocking iPhone carriers simply and quickly.

The service is a one-click solution to "how to unlock an AT&T phone yourself for free." It is preferred for its high success rate and quick operations. It is an excellent toolkit if you are considering unlocking your AT&T carrier-locked iPhone using EaseUS MobiUnlock. It does not restrict its services to unlocking iPhone passcodes and carrier locks. You can also use this innovative iOS tool to remove the activation lock without an Apple ID.

Provided next are the simplified steps to remove the carrier lock from your iPhone using EaseUS MobiUnlock:

Step 1. Connect your iPhone to the computer and run EaseUS MobiUnlock. Select "Remove SIM Lock" from the home-page. 

Remove SIM card - Step 1

Step 2. Check your device's infromation displayed on the screen, and then click "Start." After that, you'll see our Terms of Use, click "I Agree" and then click "Start" again to proceed. 

Remove SIM card - Step 2

Step 3. Then, you'll need to confirm your device information and click "Start Unlocking" to strat the unlocking process. Wait until the process is completed. 

Remove SIM card - Step 3

Step 4. Once the SIM card is unlocked, you can disconnect your iPhone and go to check whether it is SIM lock removed. 

Remove SIM card - Step 4
 

Conclusion: Enjoy Your Unlocked Phone Right Now

This article has provided you with definitive guidelines on unlocking an AT&T phone. After going through the benefits of this process, you’ve learned the requirements for unlocking such devices. With all the solutions outlined, you might have discovered the remedies for how to unlock an AT&T phone yourself for free.

For best results, it is preferred to go with EaseUS MobiUnlock as the direct solution to unlocking carrier locks on your iPhone. If you seek effective results, this third-party solution provides the best setup to unlock your carrier-locked iPhone.

Frequently Asked Questions About AT&T Phone

Do you still have some queries on unlocking your AT&T phone for free? We have given a list of questions to help you figure out a solution to this condition:

1. What is the 16-digit network unlock code?

It is a unique alphanumeric code that you can use to remove the SIM lock from your smartphone, which makes you rely on a specific network provider.

2. Can you unlock an AT&T phone that’s not paid off?

Yes, with the help of EaseUS MobiUnlock, you can unlock an AT&T device whose payment plans have not yet been completed.

3. Can you unlock an AT&T phone without a SIM card?

To unlock an AT&T phone without a SIM card, you can download EaseUS MobiUnlock and follow the guide provided in this article to get full access to your smartphone.

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Updated by Myra

Myra joined EaseUS in 2017. As a big fan of Apple products, she mainly focuses on iOS data transfer and iOS troubleshooting tips. Meanwhile, she is expanding her knowledge and skills in other fields like data recovery and disk management.

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