In order to unlock your iPhone, it is imperative that you contact your current wireless service provider. However, the unlocking process is not always the same for all models. Details.
Need to unlock your iPhone? The first thing to know is that the unlocking process takes a little longer than with other smartphones. To do this, you need to ask your operator for help, be it Bouygues Telecom, Orange, SFR, Virgin Mobile or any other operator. Discover the procedure to unlock your Apple device with this guide. We describe the different procedures that apply to different iPhone models.
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iPhone Locked: Why?
An iPhone freezing can occur due to various reasons:
- Excessive memory usage
An iPhone can crash due to excessive memory usage by the device if the deployed apps are constantly updated. Because the device lags behind the updates of the pre-installed apps. As a result, the applications’ resources are overused, which leads to the blocking of the device.
To re-enable it, you need to force restart your locked iPhone. No panic ! This step will not cause you to lose your data.
- lock code error
Entering the wrong lock code multiple times in a row can also cause your iPhone to get stuck. To turn it back on, you need to put the device in recovery mode and unlock it through iTunes. It is recommended to back up iPhone very frequently to avoid data loss.
Unlock iPhone: What Eligibility Criteria?
According to ARCEP, every user has the right to ask their operator and only them to unlock their iPhone at any time. Two scenarios are possible:
The procedure for unlocking an iPhone is free after 6 months from the subscription date. After this period, all operators offer their customers the opportunity to unlock their locked devices for free and without delay. Operators that are members of the FFT (French Telecommunications Federation), such as Orange, Bouygues Telecom and SFR, allow free unblocking after 3 months.
iPhones sold on perpetual contracts cannot be unlocked. In this case, the operator immediately authorizes the unlocking. The unlocking process before the end of the required 3 or 6 months must be invoiced by the operator.
- Unlock your iPhone by switching carriers
If you switch carriers, only your current carrier can unlock your iPhone. The process involves four main steps:
As a first step, you must contact your operator to ask them to unlock your terminal. Give it your IMEI code so it can identify your device. You can get it by dialing *#06# or by browsing your iPhone receipt or original packaging.
Once your iPhone has been unlocked by your carrier, remove the old SIM card and insert the new SIM card from your new carrier.
- Unlock your iPhone without switching operators
Even if you don’t switch carriers, you have the right to ask your current carrier to unlock your smartphone. All you have to do is make an unlock request and get an unlock confirmation from your carrier. Back up your data before resetting your iPhone (Settings > General > Transfer or Reset). Then restore the data stored on your device from the created backup.
- Unlock your iPhone by freeing up RAM memory
Unlocking RAM memory is another method to unlock your iPhone. A full RAM memory causes the device to slow down and thus freeze. Freeing up RAM will restore a small percentage of your iPhone’s responsiveness. To do this, simply turn on the device, unlock the screen, and press and hold the power button until the lever that says Scroll to power off appears. Release the power button. Press and hold the home button. When the home screen appears in front of you, it will tell you that your iPhone RAM is freed.
The approach is slightly different on the iPhone X and later models. These devices do not have a home button. So, to unlock your iPhone, you need to go to Settings. Select Accessibility, click Touch, and then click Assistive Touch. Activate it by flipping the switch to ON. Return to the General panel. Click Disable and then click AssistiveTouch. Press and hold the home button that appears on the screen. When the home screen comes up, it will tell you that your iPhone’s memory has been cleared.
- Unlock iPhone from Home Screen with iTunes
To unlock your iPhone stuck on the home screen, you absolutely must use iTunes. Use a Lightning cable to connect your smartphone to the computer. Wait for iTunes to launch. Then put your iPhone in recovery mode.
Put your iPhone in recovery mode. You will see the iTunes icon on the device screen and an iTunes warning message on your computer screen. You have the freedom to choose the “Refresh” option to reset iOS without data loss. The restore option allows you to bring your iPhone back to its original condition with all your data lost. So make sure you have a recent backup of your iPhone files and data before proceeding with the restore.
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