Troubleshoot your device issues
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Community Support

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2.7K Messages

Friday, November 24th, 2017 1:25 PM

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​​)​​.​

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​How to request a device unlock​

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​Check the status of your request​

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  1. ​Go to our ​​Device Unlock portal​​.​​ ​
  2. ​Select ​​Yes​​ if you are an AT&T Customer, ​​No​​ if you are ​​not an AT&T customer​​. ​​ ​
  3. ​Enter your telephone # if ​​you are​​ ​​an AT&T Customer​​. Enter your IMEI if you ​​are a non-AT&T Customer, Email confirmation will also be required.​​ ​
  4. ​Follow the prompts. ​
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  1. ​Click the link in your *Text message to check your status. If you are a **non-AT&T customer, click the link in your Email follow steps 2-4.​​ ​
  2. ​Go to our ​​Status Portal​​.​​ ​
  3. ​ Enter your IMEI Number & Request Number.​​ ​
  4. ​Follow the prompts.​
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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​​.​
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​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. ​

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​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​​. ​
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​ ​​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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​ ​​Non-AT&T Mobility Customers​
  • ​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.​​ ​
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​Have you submitted an unlock request that has been denied and you are unsure why?​

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​Chat with us​​ so we can look at your request further. (Scroll down to find the chat option)​

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​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.​
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​ChrisZ, AT&T Community Specialist​

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AT&T Help

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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.

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1 Attachment

ACE - Sage

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116.4K Messages

6 years ago

@DPenhead

Yeah, activate the new SIM card in a different phone.  

Mentor

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32 Messages

6 years ago

I want to say there was some kind of issue with that. I discussed doing that at one of the stores, but I think something kept us from doing it. I don't know. I don't remember. Maybe I need to give that another shot to see if I can eliminate it as a possibility again. Good idea though. It just dawned on me a minute ago to maybe have my current SIM cut down to a smaller one, which could potentially do the same thing, but I think we discussed that too and supposedly it wouldn't work. I'll give it a try again at a store and see if I cannot work through that again to see. Thanks for the idea. 

ACE - Expert

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23.9K Messages

6 years ago

I am thinking whoever gave you that unlock code screwed something up.  Because they did break a att rule on the unlock.  

 

To reply to why it worked last year and not this year att did get more serious with the unlock rules.

Voyager

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3 Messages

6 years ago

Buy from ebay..and now go overseas. Need to use another card. But when try to unlock.

 

"Looks like you upgraded your device recently so we can't unlock it right now. Submit a new request after the 14-day waiting period ends."

 

I buy this Kyocera DuraXE in January.

Need help. Thanks.

Guru

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673 Messages

6 years ago

@nugiedha contact the seller on eBay to make sure the device is ELIGIBLE for unlock

Mentor

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50 Messages

6 years ago

@ODad it doesn’t matter if its eligible or not. This fourm is enough evidence to prove the portal does not unlock eligible phones a large majority of the time.

Guru

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673 Messages

6 years ago

@JoeJohn Of course it matters if it is eligible. Hate to tell you this. But i bought a phone on eBay, sent in my unlock request, next thing you know I'm entering the unlock code and the phone is currently rocking away on T-Mobile. The process was very smooth.

Mentor

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50 Messages

6 years ago

@ODad so 1 out of 100 unlock requests worked. Still broken for actual customers.

Guru

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673 Messages

6 years ago

@JoeJohn I am an actual Customer. Where do  your stats come from?

Mentor

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50 Messages

6 years ago

@ODad they are an estimation based upon -how no one on this fourm is able to get their device unlocked during the few months I have been trying to and unable to unlock any of mine. 

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