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.
Jrandomuser
ACE - Expert
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10K Messages
6 years ago
People who don't have problems don't go to the forums to report success, so the posts here are going to be massively over-representing the problem cases. You can't draw any sort of conclusions from that except that some people have problems.
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Anonymous
New Member
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25.7K Messages
6 years ago
@JoeJohn because people that get their phones to unlocked go on a forum to talk about it
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ODad
Guru
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673 Messages
6 years ago
@JoeJohn ditto the last two comments. Confiding how many users there are, and how many unlock requests there are, the Real numbers are obviously much different than yours.
just tonight I am biding on a Lumia 1020 on eBay. Asked the seller if they would unlock it. She completed that yesterday, couldn't change her auction info. I didn't ask her when she started the process, but it couldn't have been more than three days ago, which means at midst a two day turn around.
I'm sorry you're having a problem. The time I've had a problem was when the device couldn't be unlocked by me. A legit reason.
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GLIMMERMAN76
ACE - Expert
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23.9K Messages
6 years ago
@ODad
still playing with windows phones I see...
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ODad
Guru
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673 Messages
6 years ago
@GLIMMERMAN76 this bid is about having a backup 1020. Nothing matches the sensor on that puppy. I've been adding some devices i didn't have, picked up a 950 to start installing Windows10 PC apps; I'm not comfortable with hacking my daily use phone. Oh yeah, I wanted a similar phone to compare network performance against T-Mobile
Use, I spent most of 2017 using Android ~80% of the time. 6-weeks ago the frustration switched to 95% Windows10 mobile. I still use Android for Android Auto, navigation and music only, no SIM.
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GLIMMERMAN76
ACE - Expert
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23.9K Messages
6 years ago
@JoeJohn
How do you know what we do for a living? Lets just say I know my way around Android studio and Xcode very well. As for the unlock portal being rigged not for post paid phones... I will say it stinks for prepaid devices.... I have unlocked post paid phones that have never been on att with just a IMEI but you are correct there is something more when it comes to prepaid...
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ODad
Guru
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673 Messages
6 years ago
@JoeJohn You're making some mighty big assumptions... I'm easy to find when you know who I am. Here I am ODad, why? Short Story... my children Attended Olympic High School in Charlotte, NC. My Sons played football. I would carry some of the kids on recruiting trips to Universities, to Football camps and I coaches some of them away from the school Olympic is known as the Big O. The kids started calling me ODad... Feel free to follow me on Twitter @DaleRoss ... I don't hide who I am anywhere. I've been too public in long life doing what is one of my passion, helping people with Technical problems... from my days as an Assistant Sysop on CompuServe back in the late 80's, many years as a Microsoft MVP and of course my years running a BBS and being a big Hub in FidoNet. Yeah, all those are geeky things. I don't mind you calling me dork; I realize you may be having issues or had an issue with AT&T and you just want to take it out on someone. My real paying job FYI is in fact engineering, Factory Automation to be exact. I worked directly 20-Years for the largest Manufacturer of Factory Automation Products. An Ace-Hole as you call us, we're just customers just like you. The difference is that we try to help other customers. Me, I try not to judge.
The unlock portal is rigged? Man, now you're just not making any sense. The majority of people that attempt to unlock devices end up with an unlocked device. You're saying the system is rigged against you? Really, it comes down the IMEI and the status of it, that is it. I'm positive that if you gave me your IMEI and I attempted to unlock, the unlock wouldn't happen. If you're having problems, I would have problems. I know your goal is not to unlock a device, but instead to disrupt things because you've had a bad experience.
Man I get it on bad experiences. I had the worst possible experience one can have with U-Verse. Trust me it was a bad interaction with those people. And I've had my moments with AT&T Wireless, I mean ready to cut them off moments. So I get it that you are motivated to do something other than get a device unlocked.
But you might want to be careful on how you judge volunteers. Us dorks or Ace-Holes do other things. Most of their technical knowledge is very broad and deep.
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Constructive
Former Employee
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32.9K Messages
6 years ago
@ODad Mecklenberg high for 2 weeks i use to live in Charlotte
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Anonymous
New Member
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25.7K Messages
6 years ago
@JoeJohn Are you here to throw insults? That's what it looks like
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Constructive
Former Employee
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32.9K Messages
6 years ago
@JoeJohnlets try to keep it civil and agree the 2 of you disagree, theres no need for name calling or attacking anyone,
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