Find out in seconds whether an iPhone or Android phone carries a SIM lock (network lock) — using the IMEI alone, without borrowing anyone's SIM card.
A SIM lock, also called a network lock or carrier lock, means a phone will only work with a SIM card from one particular operator. Devices subsidised through a contract are frequently locked, and buyers of used phones often discover it only when their own SIM is rejected.
The dependable way to establish lock status is a lookup against the IMEI. It reads manufacturer and carrier records directly and reports the actual lock state, regardless of which SIM happens to be in the device at the time.
All you need is the 15-digit IMEI. Dial *#06# on the phone to display it, or read it in Settings under "General → About" on iPhone, or "About phone" on Android.
The terms are used interchangeably and mean the same thing: a restriction set by an operator that binds the handset to its network. Apple calls it a carrier lock; on Android the usual wording is network lock.
A locked device can be unlocked officially, and for contract devices this is typically free once the minimum term has passed. Before buying used, check the status yourself rather than relying on the seller's description.
A bargain stops being one the moment the phone only works on a single network. That risk is highest with private sales and with devices bought abroad, and the check costs nothing.
Dealers and repair shops run the same IMEI-based lock check to price trade-ins correctly and to describe stock accurately before resale.
Yes. The lock status is read from carrier and manufacturer records via the IMEI, so there is nothing to try out and no second SIM required.
Dial *#06# to read the IMEI and check it here. The result shows whether a carrier lock is active and which operator the device is tied to.
The basic check is free. A detailed report including carrier, country and lock history uses a low-cost credit check, depending on the device.
A service of TR Vertriebs GmbH – your partner for professional IMEI verification.