How to SIM unlock the Google Pixel 8a for FREE
The Google Pixel 8a is the latest Pixel smartphone from Google. It is also designed to be a more affordable alternative to the Pixel 8 series. But if you’d still rather not pay the full price upfront, buying a Pixel 8a from a carrier can be a more affordable alternative. The only problem is that sometimes carriers will lock the SIM to their network until the end of the contract. If you need to unlock the SIM of your Google Pixel 8a, then this guide will show you how to unlock it for free!
Unlock the Pixel 8a SIM for free
To go the free route, you will have to call your carrier to unlock it for you. Carriers are usually fine with unlocking your phone’s SIM, but there are a couple of things you’ll need to check first, which includes:
- You need to be in good standing with your carrier, meaning that you don’t have any outstanding bills and that the contract with your carrier for the phone has expired
- You’ll also need to make sure that you have owned the device for at least 60-90 days
If you meet those requirements, then follow the instructions below:
- On your Google Pixel 8a handset, launch the Phone app and dial *#06# to pull up your phone’s IMEI number
- Write the IMEI number down somewhere so you can refer to it later
- Call your carrier and request for your SIM unlock code
- You will probably be asked to provide the IMEI for the Google Pixel 8a’s
- If you meet all the requirements that we mentioned above, the SIM unlock code will be sent to the email address you provided in the next 2-5 days.
- Once you’ve received your code, 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’re set!
Different carriers usually have different requirements when it comes to unlocking. This is why it’s probably best to give your carrier a call to see what they need from you first before proceeding to unlock the SIM of your Pixel 8a.
Using Android SIM Unlock
For whatever reason, your carrier may decide to not unlock the SIM of your Pixel 8a for free. If that is the case and you cannot convince them otherwise, it’s not the end of the road. Instead, you can use Android SIM Unlock’s services to unlock the SIM of your phone for a very small fee.
The process is also very simple so just follow the steps below to get started.
- On your Google Pixel 8a phone, launch the Phone app and dial *#06# to get the device’s IMEI number
- Write the IMEI number down
- Go to Android SIM Unlock’s website
- Enter your device’s IMEI number
- Complete the checkout process with your payment and contact information
- Once payment is made, you should then receive the Google Pixel 8a’s unlock code either through SMS or email
- The moment you’ve received your code, you can then swap out the SIM on your phone with a SIM from another carrier
- You should be prompted to enter the SIM unlock code that you received in your email, and once you’ve done that, you should be good to go
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