How to Unlock Mobile Phones Through a Paid Service

Step 1: Check your phone's IMEI number.

To receive an unlock code through a third-party service, you'll need to enter your phone's IMEI (or, in the case of some CDMA phones, MEID) number. To find the IMEI number:

iPhone - Open Settings, scroll down and tap General, tap About, and find the "IMEI", "MEID", or "ESN" number.

Android - Open Settings, scroll down and tap About phone, tap Status, and find the "IMEI", "MEID", or "ESN" phone.

Step 2: Find a service.

There are plenty of companies online that will sell you the unlock codes for your phone for payment. These services often operate in a legal grey area, so be sure to find a service that is legal to use in your region.

Avoid any site that will claim to unlock your phone for completing surveys or offers. These are often scams designed to gather as much personal information about you as possible.

Never use an unlock service whose address doesn't have https:// before the "www." part of the address.

Step 3: Research your choice.

Before paying any company to unlock your phone, research the company as much as possible. Find user reviews, and ask around in phone enthusiast forums. Always be wary of potential scams, especially when you are paying to skirt your carrier's policies.

Many web browsers, such as Google Chrome and Safari, will alert you if a website is profoundly unsafe.

Step 4: Enter your IMEI number.

In the site's "unlock" section, type in your phone's IMEI number and press ↵ Enter. Your selected service may require other information as well.

Some services require you to create an account with them before you can retrieve an unlock code.

Step 5: Pay for the service.

When prompted, input your payment information. Carrier unlock codes run anywhere from a few dollars to over $20.

Be sure to select all of the correct information about your phone so that you get a code that works.

If possible, use a service like PayPal or Venmo to pay for the unlock code.

Step 6: Retrieve your unlock code.

It can take several hours to several days for you to receive your unlock code, though some services will display it for you immediately after entering payment information. Once you have your code, you can proceed with unlocking your phone.

Step 7: Determine your phone's cellular type.

There are two main cellular standards—CDMA and GSM—that dictate which carriers your phone can use. Your current carrier's hardware might not work with another carrier, so it's important to know who made your phone and who else can use it before continuing.

If the phone was manufactured as an unlocked phone, you'll need to figure out which type of phone it is before proceeding.

Step 8: Buy a SIM card for your preferred carrier.

You'll need a SIM card to operate on that carrier's network.

The best place to buy a SIM card is from that carrier's store, since they can help set you up with the correct SIM card for your phone.

Step 9: Insert the new SIM card into your phone.

This process consists of turning off your phone, removing the current SIM card, inserting the new SIM card, and turning back on your phone.

Step 10: Enter the unlock code.

When your phone finishes restarting, you'll be prompted to enter the unlock code. Once you enter this code, your phone will officially be unlocked.

Some phones will require you to unlock the screen by entering your passcode before you can unlock the phone itself.

If your unlock code doesn't work, contact your carrier.

How to Unlock Mobile Phones Through a Paid Service