Samsung’s Galaxy Note 9 flagship smartphone was launched last year where it offered users a huge screen and also the S Pen stylus for them to use. Its size made it perfect for taking notes and making some quick doodles while on the go, with the S Pen also pulling double duty as a Bluetooth remote where you can use it to trigger the camera’s shutter button.
Now if you have bought the phone from a service provider and would like to be able to unlock the phone’s SIM card (so that you can more freedom and control over a phone that you bought and paid for), here’s our guide for unlocking your device which will give you two options.
One of those options is to get your free SIM unlock code from your carrier (as long as you meet their requirements), and the other will be to use a third-party service such as Android SIM Unlock.
Free SIM unlock code from your carrier
To get your free SIM unlock code from your carrier, there will be several criteria that you will need to meet:
First of all the device needs to have been paid in full, meaning that if you’re on an installment plan, you’ll need to finish off those payments before you can get your code.
Secondly, you will also need to ensure that you must have owned your device for at least 60-90 days
Thirdly, you will also need to be in good standing with your carrier. This usually means that you do not have any bills that are unpaid or overdue.
Assuming you meet those requirements, here are the steps to take to get your free SIM unlock code:
On your Galaxy Note 9 handset, launch the Phone app and dial *#06# to display your phone’s IMEI number
Write the IMEI number down somewhere where you can refer to it easily
Call your carrier’s customer service hotline and request your SIM unlock code
You will then be asked to provide your Galaxy Note 9’s IMEI number
If you qualify for the SIM unlock code, you should receive it in 2-5 days via email
Once you’ve received your code, swap out the SIM with one from another carrier
Enter the SIM unlock code you received in your email when prompted, and you should be good to go
Buy your SIM unlock code from a third-party
If for whatever reason you are denied the SIM unlock code from your carrier, not to worry because there are third-party services that you can use to unlock your Galaxy Note 9’s SIM. To do so:
On your Galaxy Note 9 handset, launch the Phone app and dial *#06# to display your phone’s IMEI number
Write the IMEI number down somewhere where you can refer to it easily
Select your Galaxy Note 9 model and the carrier you bought the phone from
Enter the device’s IMEI number
Complete the checkout process with your payment and contact information
Once that’s complete, you should then receive the Galaxy Note 9’s unlock code in less than an hour
Once you’ve received your code, you can then feel free to swap out the SIM with a SIM from another carrier
Enter the SIM unlock code that you received in your email when prompted, and you should be good to go
For those who bought their devices from T-Mobile or MetroPCS and want to use a third-party SIM unlocking service, there will be some slight variances to the steps above due to the carriers using a separate app to unlock their devices:
On your Galaxy Note 9 handset, launch the Phone app and dial *#06# to display your phone’s IMEI number
Write the IMEI number down somewhere where you can refer to it easily
Visit Android SIM Unlock’s T-Mobile or MetroPCS pages and enter your Galaxy Note 9’s IMEI number
Complete the checkout process
Once payment has been confirmed, you should receive your unlock confirmation in your provided email within 1-3 days
Launch the T-Mobile Device Unlock or MetroPCS Device Unlock app on your Galaxy Note 9
Tap Continue > Permanent Unlock to SIM unlock your Galaxy Note 9
Your device will need to be rebooted in order to complete the process
Once you’ve completed all the steps, your Samsung Galaxy Note 9 should now be unlocked and you will not have any issues with swapping between carriers, such as when you’re traveling overseas and need to use a local SIM with your phone.