If you are looking for an iPhone which is best value for money, the refurbished iPhone is definitely a good choice. As the refurbished iPhone is often much cheaper than a brand new iPhone, it gets popular among the second-hand market. It's easy to buy a refurbished iPhone online, but you need to make sure that you buy a refurbished iPhone unlocked. If you get a refurbished iPhone locked, this article will tell you how to unlock a refurbished iPhone regardless of being locked by the carrier or the screen lock passcode.

• Part 1. How to Tell If Your Refurbished iPhone Is Already Unlocked
• Part 2. Methods to Unlock a Refurbished iPhone When Locked
  • Option 1. Lock a Refurbished iPhone When Locked by the Screen Lock
  • Option 2. Lock a Refurbished iPhone When Locked by Carrier
• Part 3. Common Issues When Unlocking a Refurbished iPhone
• Part 4. FAQs about Refurbished iPhone
• Part 5. Conclusion

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Part 1. How to Tell If Your Refurbished iPhone Is Already Unlocked

From Apple Online Store, you can buy a refurbished iPhone with a standard one-year limited warranty, so you don't need to worry about the device issue. But if you purchase a refurbished iPhone from other places, you may take some risks. You need to confirm that the refurbished iPhone is not locked by the carrier when you decide to buy it.

Step 1. Go to Settings > General > About.

Step 2. Scroll down to Carrier Lock to check the status.

If it says "No SIM restrictions", your iPhone is already unlocked. But if it states a carrier name, your device is still locked. After verifying your refurbished iPhone is locked, you can follow specific steps to get it unlocked.

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Part 2. Methods to Unlock a Refurbished iPhone When Locked

There are multiple ways to unlock a refurbished iPhone, depending on how you acquired the device and whether it's locked to a specific carrier. Here's how to unlock a refurbished iPhone when locked by the carrier or the screen lock passcode.

Option 1. Lock a Refurbished iPhone When Locked by the Screen Lock

There exists the problem that you purchased a refurbished iPhone locked by the previous owner. Thus, you're unable to unlock it without knowing the screen lock passcode. In this case, you use an iPhone unlocking tool - MagFone iPhone Unlocker. Designed with a distinct user interface, MagFone iPhone Unlocker can help you deal with various unlocking issues on the iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch. Follow the steps below to unlock a locked refurbished iPhone.

Step 1 Connect Refurbished iPhone to Computer

Go to connect your refurbished iPhone to your computer with a USB cable and then launch MagFone iPhone Unlocker on the computer. You need to select the Unlock iOS Screen option and then click on the Start button.

Step 2 Put Refurbished iPhone into DFU Mode

After your device is detected by the software, follow the on-screen instructions to put it into DFU mode. In this mode, MagFone iPhone Unlocker can help you quickly delete the screen passcode on the device.

Step 3 Select the Matching Firmware Package

Then you need to check the device information of your refurbished iPhone. When the information is wrong, you can manually correct it. Now click the Download button to download the matching firmware package.

Step 4 Start to Get Refurbished iPhone Unlocked

After that, you can click on the Unlock button to start the process of unlocking iPhone. Wait for a while, and keep your device connected to you computer. Once completing the whole process, you can set up your device and set a new passcode.

Option 2. Lock a Refurbished iPhone When Locked by Carrier

In addition to being locked by the screen lock passcode, a refurbished iPhone would be controlled by the carrier. If the refurbished iPhone is locked by the carrier, you need to contact the carrier to unlock it. It will take some money to unlock the refurbished iPhone, which depends on which carrier is locked to. Here's how to find the carrier on your refurbished iPhone and unlock the SIM lock on the device.

Step 1. Go to Settings > General > About, then find your IMEI number.

Step 2. Contact your carrier and provide the IMEI number.

Step 3. Wait for the carrier to unlock your refurbished iPhone.

It will take quite a while for the carrier to unlock the device. You can check the progress by contacting the carrier. If your carrier refuses to unlock your refurbished iPhone, you can use a reliable third-party unlocking service. After removing the SIM lock, you can normally use your refurbished iPhone.

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Part 3. Common Issues When Unlocking a Refurbished iPhone

Unlocking a refurbished iPhone is essential for users who want to switch carriers or gain full control over their device. Whether you purchased your iPhone from a third-party seller or directly from Apple, knowing how to unlock it properly is crucial. In the process of unlocking a refurbished iPhone, you will encounter some issues as follows.

Issue 1. iPhone Stuck on Activation Lock

If the iPhone is still linked to the previous owner's Apple ID, you'll need their credentials to remove the iCloud Activation Lock. Contact the previous owner or use an Activation Lock removal like MagFone Activation Unlocker if necessary.

Issue 2. SIM Not Supported Error

This issue occurs when the device is still locked to a specific carrier. Double-check your unlock request with your carrier or use a third-party service.

Issue 3. Unlock Request Denied

If your unlock request is rejected, verify that all requirements have been met. If you bought a refurbished iPhone from a reseller, check if the device has outstanding payments.

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Part 4. FAQs about Refurbished iPhone

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Part 6. Conclusion

It's safe to purchase a refurbished iPhone from the Apple Online Store. But if you want to save more money, you could choose to buy one from a local phone store or an online second-hand website. But there exist some risks that a refurbished iPhone is locked by the previous owner or the carrier. Here you can try using MagFone iPhone Unlocker to completely remove the screen lock passcode or contact the carrier to delete the SIM lock.