Carrier lock no sim restrictions: What you need to know

Seeing carrier lock no sim restrictions on your iPhone settings, and trying to figure out what it means, what the term is all about, I’m here to explain that to you.

You don’t need to worry asking what does no sim restrictions mean cause I love it when I see such in an iphone, than I see sim card locked on my screen.

So let me explain what the term carrier lock no sim restrictions mean in an iphone.

Carrier lock no sim restrictions meaning in iphone

This simply means that an iphone is unlocked and not locked to a specific network carrier.

That is to say you as a iPhone user can use any sim card carrier network in your iPhone and it will work perfectly fine.

I saw this changes when ios 14 was released, this is now the best method to check if indeed an iPhone is fully unlocked or probably locked to a carrier network.

This is why I said that when I go to an iphone settings and I see this “carrier lock no sim restrictions” I’m always pleased knowing fully well that the phone is unlocked.

This is very much helpful to those planning on buying a used iPhone, you don’t have to ask the user if at all the phone is fully unlocked or not, just grab the phone and head over to the settings and if you didn’t see this carrier lock no sim restrictions, then be rest assured that the phone is carrier locked as you will see sim card locked instead.

This is one feature I love about iPhone compared to Android as through carrier clocked no sim restrictions on iphone one will know if the iPhone is locked or not, the case is quite different on android.

On android, you will have to insert the sim card into the phone to see if it will show network service. If it doesn’t show a network service it simply means the sim card is not compatible with the phone and literally means the phone is locked and not unlocked. 

● You may want to read Do i need a new sim card for 5g or probably not

How to check carrier lock no sim restrictions on iphone

Get started by simply going to settings, and tap on general to open. Next is to tap on about and scroll down to and you will see Carrier lock no sim restrictions.

Carrier lock no sim restrictions

However if you see this carrier lock sim restrictions or probably sim locked, then you should know that the iphone is carrier locked and not all sim cards will work in the phone except for the network carrier sim card.

Another way to check if iPhone is unlocked

Apart from checking if you will carrier Lock SIM restrictions on your iPhone settings, another method to check if the iPhone is unlocked especially if you want to buy a used iPhone is by using multiple sim cards.

So in this case what you have to do is to get up to two or maybe three sim cards from different carriers networks and try the sim cards in the iphone. If you see sim not supported on your screen, that indicates that the iPhone is not unlocked.

Also if you see no sim service or no service on your screen, you should also know that the phone is carrier locked and not unlocked.

This is what people mostly use in order to be very sure that indeed the phone is unlocked and will work with their sim network.

For me, even if I see Carrier lock no sim restrictions in any used iphone I want to buy, I will still go ahead to test if my sim network will work in the phone, if it does work then I’m good to go.

So for those that buys a used iPhone just like me, these are the two ways or methods which you can verify if indeed the iPhone is unlocked or locked.

If the iPhone is updated to the latest ios 14, you shouldn’t waste your precious time switching sim cards to see if indeed your sim network is compatible with the iPhone, but instead you should go to settings, and tap on general to open.

Followed by clicking on “about”, scroll down and check if you will see carrier lock no sim restrictions on your screen.

If you see that, then no need to worry cause the phone is unlocked and you can go ahead and buy the used iPhone.

What does no sim restrictions mean

If you’re new to iPhone and trying to understand what does no sim restrictions mean, kindly know that no sim restrictions simply means the iPhone is unlocked and any sim card from any given network carrier will work in the iphone or android phone. 

The phone is not locked to a specific carrier, and you can easily switch sim in your phone without bothering if at all the sim card will work in the phone.

You may want to read Can i put old sim card in new phone (Detailed explanation)

What is carrier lock in iphone

Carrier lock in iphone is a feature which shows or explains if an iphone is unlocked or locked to a specific network carrier.

This is the case of carrier lock no sim restrictions which signifies that an iphone is unlocked, and carrier Lock SIM restrictions which signifies that the iphone is locked to a specific carrier network.

Whenever you see this very carrier lock in iphone, you should check if you will see no sim restrictions or sim restrictions or probably sim locked. This was introduced in the ios 14 update and I so much love it cause it has made things easier in terms of checking if an iphone is locked or unlocked.


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Are iphones locked to a carrier

The simple answer is no. iPhones are not necessary locked to a specific network carrier except if someone buys iphone from carrier network like the AT&T, T-mobile, Verizon network, etc. 

If you buy an iPhone directly from Apple or from any store, you’re likely to buy an unlocked iPhone though the price is a way high compared to the carrier locked iphones. For me, i prefer to buy an unlocked iPhone so as to use any type of sim card in the phone and wherever I found myself.

For example, if you buy an AT&T iPhone, you cannot use T-Mobile , Verizon, or any other sim card network in the iphone. Mindy you, if you travel outside the United States, you cannot the use the locked iphone in any other country.

This is one major reason I don’t fancy buying a locked iPhone instead I prefer to go for a used unlocked iPhone if I don’t have the funds to go for a brand new unlocked iPhone.

The truth here is that buying carrier locked phones is a lot cheaper compared to buying an unlocked phone especially from Apple. 

Does no SIM restrictions mean unlocked?

The answer is yes. No sim restrictions means unlocked in an iphone, while sim restrictions or sim locked means the iphone is locked to a specific carrier network.

If you see carrier lock no sim restrictions on your iPhone, you should know that you have a unlocked iPhone at your convenient, that is to say that you can easily switch sim cards in your iphone. You and I know that you cannot do such in a locked iphone.

Benefits of using an unlocked iPhone

The major benefits of using an unlocked iPhone is the fact that you have your network freedom and can switch from one network sim card to another.

If you have a dual iPhone, that’s even lot better cause you can use two different network carriers in your mobile phone. This will never happen if you have a locked iPhone, instead you will only use to sim cards of the same carrier network.

You can use an unlocked iPhone in ant country you found yourself, but that isn’t the case with a locked iPhone, you’re are limited to a particular country or region because of network carrier.

Trying to know iphone carrier lock no sim restrictions meaning, it simply means the iPhone is unlocked and any sim card from different networks will work in the iPhone. 

If you have att carrier lock no sim restrictions, then kindly note tat the AT&T phone is unlocked and not locked to AT&T network. This also goes to any other network carriers like the T-Mobile, Verizon, Sprint network, etc. 


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There are lots of benefits derived from having an unlocked iPhone but i will leave it here as we are more concerned about the carrier lock no sim restrictions meaning and not the benefits of an unlocked iPhone.

Network provider lock no sim restrictions meaning

This literally means the phone r device is not locked to a particular network carrier and is supported on all networks. 

About Kennedy

I'm Amaechi Uchenna by name, a mobile tech enthusiast who love writing articles about tips and tutorials especially relating to gadgets.

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