How to Unlock Android Straight Talk Phone

Co-authored by wikiHow Staff

Last Updated: October 25, 2022

This wikiHow teaches you how to contact Straight Talk for a code that lets your Android phone be used on another carrier's network. As of March 2017, Straight Talk has very strict conditions for unlocking its phones.^{[1]
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Things You Should Know

Straight Talk has very strict conditions for unlocking phones, so if your phone is too old or it isn't a GSM phone with a SIM card, it might not meet the requirements.
Call Straight Talk to get your unlock code.
With a new SIM card installed, enter the unlock code to unlock your Android.

Part 1

Part 1 of 2:

Obtaining an Unlock Code

1
Call Straight Talk. Contact the customer service department at 1-877-430-CELL (2355) between 8:00 am and 11:45 pm, 7 days a week.
- If you did not buy your phone through Straight Talk, it is likely unlocked already, and no code is needed.
2
Inform the representative that you need an unlock code for your phone. The representative will verify that your phone and account meet all the necessary conditions to be unlocked.
- Straight Talk's unlock policy is available here.
- Only GSM phones that use SIM cards can be unlocked. Other types of phones, like CDMA units, cannot generally be used with other carriers.
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3
Write down the code. Unlock codes are typically 10 to 15 digits in length, and you will need to have this code handy to unlock your phone.

Part 2

Part 2 of 2:

Unlocking Your Phone

1
Get a SIM card. Contact the carrier you want to switch to for a new SIM card.
2
Power off the phone. Shut down your phone as you normally would.
3
Remove the Straight Talk SIM card. Depending on which Android model you're using, the SIM card will be in a slot on the side of the case or under the back cover (sometimes under the battery).
4
Replace the SIM card. Insert the SIM card from your new carrier into the slot.
5
Power on your phone. Instead of your normal home screen, you'll get a notification that your phone needs to be unlocked before it can use the installed SIM card.
6
Enter the unlock code. Use the keypad to type in the code you got from the Straight Talk representative.
Press UNLOCK. You'll see a confirmation message confirming that the code has been accepted. Now you can use your Android phone with your new carrier.

Community Q&A

Question

Straight Talk requires one year of payments before they will unlock. Is that illegal?

Community Answer

No, but it is very, very annoying and anti-consumer along, with the fact that their advertisements make people think that the phone comes unlocked.
Question

How do I unlock an Android Straight Talk phone if they don't send a code?

Community Answer

You may, for some carriers, instead of waiting the required time for unlock eligibility, pay a third party company a small fee to lookup your phone's unique unlock code.
Question

How do I switch my LG Premier 4G LTE Straight Talk phone to AT&T?

Community Answer

It may not be possible, but you can visit an AT&T store for help.

Warnings

Unlike phones from other carriers, for which you can often get unlock codes online, Straight Talk phones are designed to be hard to break. Few websites claim to generate unlock codes for Straight Talk phones.

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