Community Support
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2.7K Messages
AT&T Device Unlock Help - Solutions & FAQS
Learn what you need to do to unlock your device and the requirements
Notice
If you are not the original owner of the device and are denied a device unlock, you will need to reach out to the original seller/ owner. AT&T is unable to assist. Read below for more information.
To unlock your device, you need the right keys. By keys I mean, device eligibility. Unlocking your phone seems cut and dry but there are requirements it must meet first. Below you learn which set of keys you'll need before your device can be unlocked. You'll also find information about why your request may have been denied (scroll toward the bottom of the page).
How to request a device unlock |
Check the status of your request |
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*AT&T customers will receive a unique Text that can be used to check the status of your unlock request without the need of entering your IMEI Number or Request Number.
**Non-AT&T customers will receive an email and must follow steps 2-4 above.
Things to know:
- The device unlock process usually takes minutes and we will let you know when your request is complete. For non-AT&T customers If prompted, please confirm your request in the email we send you.
- AT&T cannot unlock devices from other wireless carriers.
- Business customers can submit an unlock request through the same Device Unlock portal.
Email Confirmation
In some instances, you may need to confirm an unlock request via email. In some instances, the email is routed to your primary email folder, in others, it may have been routed to spam. So, check spam and trash to make sure the email did not go there.
Website Troubleshooting
If you have an issue with the site, delete cache, cookies, and restart your browser. In some instances, you may need to use another browser.
General Requirements for All Unlock Requests
- The device must be designed for use on, and locked to, the AT&T wireless network.
- A device bought at full price must wait 60 days from that purchase date to be eligible to unlock (Prepaid requires 6 months of service & Postpaid is 60 days from the date of purchase if paid in full)
- It must not be reported lost or stolen.
- It’s not associated with fraudulent activity.
- All the device’s service commitments and installment plans are completed, and all early termination fees are paid in full.
- The device is not currently active on a different AT&T customer’s account.
- If you performed an early upgrade, you must wait the 14-day buyer’s remorse period before you can request to unlock your previous device.
- Visit our Unlock Support page for the full requirement list.
eBay & Non-AT&T Purchases
Before purchasing a device from a non-AT&T authorized dealer or sites like eBay, make sure the seller performs the unlock request. In some instances, you will have to contact the seller to perform the request. If the device was purchased by another provider, they should have online resources to unlock the device. If you purchase the device and it is NOT unlocked AT&T will not be able to unlock the device.
Postpaid Customers
- If your device was purchased on an installment plan, your account must be active for at least 60 days, with no past due or unpaid balance.
AT&T Prepaid
- The device must be active for at least six months of paid service.
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- You currently do not or you’ve never had an AT&T wireless account and you meet the General Requirements for unlock requests.
Deployed Military Personnel (Current AT&T Customers Only)
- Current AT&T customers who are active and deployed military personnel, and have provided deployment verification, need to meet all the General Requirements, except those related to the device's service commitments, installment plans and early termination fees.
Have you submitted an unlock request that has been denied and you are unsure why?
Chat with us so we can look at your request further. (Scroll down to find the chat option)
Important:
AT&T reserves the right to deny any unlock request that it concludes would result in an abuse of this policy or is part of an effort to defraud AT&T or its customers. AT&T further reserves the right to alter this unlocking policy at its discretion without advance notice.
ChrisZ, AT&T Community Specialist
AT&T Help
Need help with an account specific question? Post a new question here on the forums by clicking the "Ask a Question" button.
For additional support, please visit us at our AT&T services hub.
*I am an AT&T employee, and the postings on this site are my own and don't necessarily represent AT&T's position, strategies or opinions.
GLIMMERMAN76
ACE - Expert
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23.9K Messages
6 years ago
@JoeJohn
you need to find a new hobbie
Here are 2 unlocks I did and you can see how quick they were approved.... Also read the terms of service you cant file a class action against ATT you gave up those rights.
2 Attachments
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ODad
Guru
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673 Messages
6 years ago
@JoeJohn You're going to educate AT&T at your own expense? I assume through this forum? Got news for you, they ain't listening via this forum. Just so you know, this is a user to user forum. When someone does happen to respond via the ATT Cares account, it is a technical support person. Not someone that has input into polices concerning locked devices. You'll have more luck trying to arrange a meeting at AT&T Wireless Corporate Headquarters.
Just an FYI
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JoeJohn
Mentor
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50 Messages
6 years ago
@ODad not ATT the other ATT customers, basically anyone who tries to unlock an att phone will be directed here. This will bring the scam to light. @GLIMMERMAN76 Stop posting stuff like how fast you got your phone unlocked. Almost everyone whos tried to unlock a device has had issues.
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GLIMMERMAN76
ACE - Expert
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23.9K Messages
6 years ago
@JoeJohn
dont like the fact that I can counter your gripe? The unlock portal works if people have followed the guidelines that are listed on the portal... As for a phone to be used on prepaid IF YOU UNLOCK THEM BEFORE you stick a prepaid sim in the phone will stay unlocked. The new S9 unlocked thru Samsung WILL NOT LOCK to ATT as the imei is not in ATT's database and never will be for advanced features counter to what you posted in the S9 thread.
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JoeJohn
Mentor
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50 Messages
6 years ago
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DPenhead
Mentor
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32 Messages
6 years ago
I have a Phoenix 3 AT&T GoPhone that I bought at Walmart in December-2017 that AT&T swore they could not unlock, the box states it cannot be unlocked until after 6 months of service, and AT&T representatives on THIS FORUM SITE argued with me that I could not get a legal unlock code from AT&T... yet I did... I called AT&T customer service and they gave me one in December of 2017. I used that unlock code to unlock the phone. The phone stated that it was unlocked on the very first try... and the phone will not 'see' a new SIM card at all. It WILL take a SIM card from any other phone on the AT&T network that uses a micro-SIM, which then turns my phone into their phone in the blink of an eye with no error messages or problems of any sort at all. I have been back in touch with AT&T and they told me it is a manufacturing problem with the phone itself. They told me to call the manufacturer. I then called the manufacturer. They said that there wasn't anything wrong with the phone and that it was AT&T's responsibility. I went to take it back to Walmart in Dec after hearing all of that insane .. to discover that Walmart changed their return policy just before the 2017 Christmas holidays so that they only accept returns on phones for 15 days now. I was at about 20 and they told me 'No'. I'll never buy another electronic device EVER again at Walmart. I'm sure they won't care or notice, but I have a long memory and don't care either. AT&T is right there at being fired from my family plan forever. I have a brand new brick that I can't do anything with except practice flashing operating systems on it. Once I get that down AT&T is going to lose a LOAD of money from my family in retail sales...
AT&T just doesn't seem to understand that when you oppress a group of people within a civilization, those that feel screwed are then forced to get off their butts, rise up from that feeling of oppression, and get motivated to become dynamic, creative, entrepreneurial individuals with a chip on their shoulder. In the long run, this is a stupid and short-sighted idea on the part of AT&T. It is decisions like this one that detract from the great country that we could be. It does NOT add to the betterment of society. It destroys our hope that companies care at all about their consumers, our faith in them to be great leaders of trends, their integrity, our desire to see them prosper, our happiness with our own decisions to keep choosing AT&T, and any amount of respect that we might have for AT&T and anyone that stands up for them. They NEED TO CHANGE THIS POLICY. Period. What else is there to add to that?
Have an excellent weekend 🙂
[Inappropriate content removed]
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GLIMMERMAN76
ACE - Expert
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23.9K Messages
6 years ago
@JoeJohn
I have always said that prepaid is the issue with the unlock portal.. I wont use the garbage service on any carrier its to expensive for my family... I pay ATT 34 dollars a month for 6 lines of unlimited plus prepaid cant beat it.....
Now I will say you going in that s9 thread and telling folks their device will be locked was off... If it was a apple device I would agree.... There is a problem with apples activation server and att that apple AND att need to get fixed. Remember Apple holds ALL the unlocks on their servers for device unlocking... You don't get a code like all the other phone os.
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GLIMMERMAN76
ACE - Expert
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23.9K Messages
6 years ago
@DPenhead
If you want a cheap phone then pay full price for it... That LG phone costs more than you paid walmart for it... All prepaid devices are subsidized.... How do you think a iphone se costs 199.99 and not 349.99?
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DPenhead
Mentor
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32 Messages
6 years ago
Well, you are wrong, actually. Within 1 mile of that Walmart, the AT&T store that I was dealing with related to this phone in December sold that Phoenix 3 phone for $50, with NO 2 year contract...I have seen it in other AT&T stores now for $75. They were out of it the last time I went in there to update them on the drama I am going through over this phone. As for iPhones, I came across in my recent research how the iPhone X has a manufacturing cost of I think it was $324 a phone, though it sells for $1000 a phone. Screw that. I want a $50 phone that costs $25 to make... That is it. I need email, calls, and radar...maybe a camera... It is all I want on my phone. I am done spending $600 on phones that just cannot last more than 2 years. I am not paying for that scam anymore and NO ONE should. I'll tell you what, I would even pay $200 for a phone that costs $25 to make. All I want is a phone that I can use on the family plan that we have that won't cost me $600 every year or so like the other 5 people on our plan that pay for one of those every year or so when their phones screw up. I should have the right to own a $50 phone that is actually worth $50. I have purchased many new $600 phones in the past and had the insurance for them, but every time one of them broke I have received from the AT&T phone insurance company the phone that AT&T gives away for free for signing up for a 2 year contract. I refuse to pay for the insurance now because of that scam... Who would keep throwing money at that situation? How does a $600 phone turn into a $100 phone in one year? The same is true for the quality of the phones...Take the 2 year old Nexus 6P phone that my coworker gave me after giving up on it. It went into the Google Bootloop of Death during an update and is stuck. That was an $800 phone that was worthless in under 2 years... Poor guy... That is the cost of a decent car in some households... How long should we as consumers put up with cheap quality phones, predatory business practices on the part of AT&T (raising our costs on our bill/changing our plans to more expensive ones without telling us so that we have to call them out on it), and having to spend any amount of energy at all on trying to keep our phone company from forcing us to spend money on poorer and poorer quality equipment that costs more and more? It is ridiculous. Be a fantastic company that we all love to throw money at! That is what we demand. That is what we expect. You know? If we do not get that, eventually it will play itself out and we will find happiness elsewhere. This is like being in an abusive marriage...
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GLIMMERMAN76
ACE - Expert
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23.9K Messages
6 years ago
@DPenhead
actually I am quite right those prepaid phone are sold at a LOSS which is subsidized with the 6 month rule... You just fail to realize that is why prepaid phones have lock rules like they do... Most prepaid carriers lock the phones for 12 months...
@lizdance40 I will let you have a stab at this since you have the pic from the iphone se box....
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