Some refurbished phones are locked to a single carrier, and some are sold unlocked. A carrier-locked iPhone only works with SIMs from the network it was tied to, while an unlocked one works on any compatible carrier. On RefurbMe you can see the status before you buy, because every iPhone listing says Unlocked or carrier-locked in its title, and on the US site you can filter to unlocked models only.
How do I know if a listing is locked?
On the US site, every iPhone title says Unlocked or carrier-locked, and a carrier-locked card names the networks it is tied to, such as AT&T or T-Mobile. An Unlocked phone works with any compatible carrier. On the Canadian and UK sites, every iPhone listing is Unlocked as of 13 October 2026, so there is no Carrier chip.
When you are unsure about a specific unit, an IMEI check with your carrier confirms the lock status.
How do I filter by carrier or unlocked?
When you search for an iPhone on the US site, click the Carrier chip in the "Narrow it down" row:
Under "Which carrier?", pick the network you want, or Unlocked. Each choice opens the results for that carrier:
Unlocked phones suit you if your carrier is not on the list, or if you might switch networks later. You can also unlock a locked iPhone once it meets the carrier's conditions.
Locked or unlocked: which should I buy?
Locked models are sometimes a little cheaper, but they tie you to one network. Unlocked, or SIM-free, is the flexible choice and travels better. The difference between the two is explained in unlocked vs SIM-free, and you can check first whether a phone is compatible with your carrier.
