BUYING GUIDE
Activation Lock versus SIM lock on iPhone
The word “locked” can describe several different problems. Identify which restriction you mean before paying for a report or buying a used phone.
Three different questions
| Type | What it concerns | Related check |
|---|---|---|
| Activation Lock / Find My | The Apple account associated with the device | Find My status |
| Carrier / SIM lock | Use with another mobile network | Lock status |
| Blacklist | Reported device restrictions | Blacklist status |
A screen passcode is another kind of lock
A screen passcode protects access to the phone. None of these information reports reveals a passcode, Apple account password or saved browser passwords. An IMEI report does not bypass a locked screen.
Check the phone as well as the report
Before a used iPhone purchase, ask the seller to erase it and remove their account. Complete setup before handing over money. Apple explains Activation Lock. For a network lock, inspect Carrier Lock in Settings; Apple explains carrier unlocking.
Use the result for the question it actually answers
Find My OFF does not prove that an IMEI is clean, and an unlocked network result does not prove that Activation Lock is removed. Unknown means the result is not confirmed. Use our purchase checklist to combine the checks with a physical inspection.