iPhone Tip: How To Check If Smartphone Is Unlocked In iOS 14

KEY POINTS

Determining whether an iPhone is locked or unlocked used to involve time-consuming processes
iPhone owners would need to call the carrier or turn their phone off and insert a SIM card
Apple now makes it easy to find out with the addition of a feature in iOS 14

Apple's upcoming iOS 14 adds a new feature that lets users check if a certain iPhone is locked to a carrier or not. Here's how to use it.

With every iOS version, Apple adds enhancements, improvements and fixes so that the iPhone user experience becomes better over time.

With iOS 14, Apple decided to add more than minor changes and enhancements. The improvements introduced to the major iOS update include UI changes, the addition of new features, fixes, and tweaks to existing features so they can be more helpful and enjoyable to use.

If there's anything that some iPhone users would want to see added to iOS, however, it's the ability to see if the iPhone is locked to a carrier or not. Cult of Mac noted that users will only be able to determine if an iPhone, running on iOS 13 and older, is locked or unlocked by calling the carrier or by turning it off and inserting SIM cards from different carriers. This process can be time-consuming.

Thankfully, Apple added this ability to iOS 14, right there in the Settings app. The new feature will let users check if an iPhone is unlocked or locked with no more than a few taps and swipes.

Here's how to check if an iPhone is unlocked in iOS 14:

First, users will have to make sure that the iPhone they want to check is running on iOS 14. This process won't work unless the handset is updated to the new iOS version.
Second, on an iPhone running iOS 14, users should launch the Settings app.
Third, users should tap on General, followed by About.
Fourth, once there, users should scroll down and look for Carrier Lock or Network Provider Lock, then check to see if the device is locked. If “No SIM restrictions” is written there, it means the device is unlocked and can be used with SIM cards from any carrier.

This new feature will help consumers, particularly those buying used iPhones, determine if the handset they're about to purchase can be used with their carrier. It will also help private sellers see if they need to unlock the device before selling used iPhones.