Last Updated: March 13, 2025
Wondering if you can unlock a blacklisted phone? The short answer is yes—but there are important legal, ethical, and technical considerations you need to know before attempting it. This comprehensive guide will walk you through everything you need to know about blacklisted phones and your options for unlocking them.
A blacklisted phone is a device that has been reported as lost, stolen, or associated with unpaid bills. Carriers add these devices to a shared database, preventing them from being used on cellular networks. This means that even with a new SIM card, the phone cannot connect to cellular service.
Key points about blacklisting:
⚠️ IMPORTANT WARNING: Unlocking a blacklisted phone that doesn’t belong to you may be illegal. This guide is intended only for legitimate owners who have had their phones mistakenly blacklisted or who have purchased a phone not knowing it was blacklisted.
Before attempting to unlock a blacklisted phone, consider:
The most legitimate approach is to contact the original carrier directly.
Success Rate: High if you’re the legitimate owner and can provide adequate proof
Cost: Free
Risk Level: None
Remote unlocking services claim to remove blacklist status without physical access to your device.
Success Rate: Moderate for GSM phones (AT&T, T-Mobile), lower for CDMA phones (Verizon, Sprint)
Cost: $50-$100 on average
Risk Level: Medium – many services are scams, and original carriers may re-lock the device
⚠️ CAUTION: Many online unlocking services are potential scams. Research thoroughly and look for reviews before using any service.
Specialized software tools like Infinity-Box, EFS Pro, or GSMTool claim to remove blacklisting by installing custom operating systems.
Success Rate: Varies widely depending on phone model and software
Cost: $20-$80 for software, potentially up to $150 total with additional hardware
Risk Level: High – can potentially damage your device or compromise your data
⚠️ CAUTION: These software solutions may void warranties and potentially damage your device.
Some online services claim to offer IMEI cleaning to remove blacklist reports.
Success Rate: Low to moderate, highly dependent on service legitimacy
Cost: Varies widely, typically $30-$150
Risk Level: Very high – many services are scams
⚠️ WARNING: The legitimacy and effectiveness of these services are highly questionable. Exercise extreme caution.
If unlocking isn’t possible or desirable, consider these alternatives:
While cellular functions won’t work, the device can still be used for Wi-Fi-based applications, including messaging apps, web browsing, and media consumption.
If purchased from a marketplace, try to return the device or report the seller for selling a blacklisted phone.
If unlocking isn’t possible, the device may still have value for its components on marketplaces like eBay.
Changing the motherboard effectively changes the IMEI, but this is costly and may void warranties.
“I had success using an rSIM (a SIM card overlay) to bypass the lock on my blacklisted iPhone 12 Pro Max. However, iOS updates broke this solution, requiring frequent rSIM replacements. It’s a temporary fix at best.”
— Anonymous User Experience
Expert opinions and user experiences suggest:
No, a blacklisted phone cannot be used with any cellular plan, including eSIMs, as the IMEI is blocked across all carriers.
No, factory resetting does not remove the blacklist status as it’s tied to the device’s IMEI number, which is hardcoded.
While some blacklists are country-specific, many carriers share blacklist databases internationally. It’s not guaranteed to work abroad.
A phone typically remains blacklisted indefinitely unless the original reporter (usually the carrier or previous owner) removes the blacklist status.
It depends on the circumstances. If you’re the rightful owner and the phone was mistakenly blacklisted, it’s legal to seek unlocking. However, unlocking a stolen phone is illegal.
So, can you unlock a blacklisted phone? The answer is yes, but with significant caveats:
Final Recommendation: If you’re not the original owner or cannot get the carrier to remove the blacklist, consider cutting your losses and using the device for Wi-Fi only or selling it for parts. The time, money, and potential legal issues associated with unlocking services often make them more trouble than they’re worth.
Remember that phone blacklisting exists for good reasons—to deter theft and protect consumers. Always purchase phones from reputable sources and check the IMEI status before buying to avoid these issues altogether.