The iPhone dev team released the much awaited software solution to unlock iPhone 3G so that users can use any GSM carrier's SIM, a perfect New Year gift for all those waiting to unlock their iPhone 3G.
Here is a detailed step-by-step guide to unlock iPhone 3G using Dev team's yellowsn0w application.
Some important points to note before we start:
- Hacking your iPhone could void its warranty.
- Dev team's yellowsn0w application is still in beta and has not worked for all iPhone 3G users but they are working hard to fix the issues and have been releasing new versions of their application.
- Since one of the important requirements to unlock iPhone 3G is to upgrade to iPhone firmware 2.2 (as it exclusivley works with baseband firmware 02.28.00 which comes bundled with firmware 2.2), you need to be aware that iPhone firmware 2.2 breaks Turbo SIM (in case you are using it) - the hardware method to unlock iPhone 3G so if Dev team's software method which is still in beta does not work you might not be able to use your iPhone 3G.
- This step-by-step guide is exclusively to unlock iPhone 3G. We haven't tried it with the 1st generation iPhone. We would sugges you use QuickPwn to unlock the 1st gen iPhone.
- The current version of yellowsn0w does not support SIMs with PIN enabled. So please disable any PIN you may have on that SIM before using this guide. The Dev team are currently working to support SIMs with PIN so this is a temporary limitation.
- Please note this guide does not work for baseband 02.30.03.
- If you want to know if Dev team's unlocking solution has worked for your carrier, please check the Yellowsn0w report.
Preparatory steps before unlocking your iPhone 3G:
- Dev team's unlocking solution works exclusively with baseband firmware 02.28.00 which comes bundled with firmware 2.2, so you will need to upgrade your iPhone 3G to iPhone firmware 2.2 without preserving its baseband and jailbreak it. You can check your firmware and modem firmware(baseband) versions via Settings->General->About and look for Version and Modem Firmware. iPhone 3G firmware Version should be 2.2 (5G77) and Modem Firmware should be 02.28.00.
- You need to first jailbreak your iPhone 3G to unlock it. You can checkout this simple step-by-step guide to jailbreak iPhone 3G using QuickPwn for Mac users or this step-by-step guide to jailbreak iPhone 3G using QuickPwn for Windows users.
Once your iPhone 3G running iPhone firmware 2.2 (with baseband firmware 02.28.00) is jailbroken, you are ready to unlock iPhone 3G.
Unlock iPhone 3G using yellowsn0w:
- Launch Cydia from your iPhone 3G's home screen.
- You need to add the source of the yellowsn0w application. So tap Manage, one of the tabs at the bottom and then tap Sources.
- Tap the “Edit” button on the top-right corner of the screen.
- Then tap on the “Add” button on the top-left corner of the screen.
- You’ll be prompted to add a Cydia/APT URL. Enter http://apt9.yellowsn0w.com/ as the source URL for the yellowsn0w application and then tap the "Add Source" button.
- Once the source has been added press the "Return to Cydia" button at the bottom of the screen.
- Then tap the "Done" button at the top-right of the screen. This completes the steps to add the source for the yellowsn0w application so you can install it.
- Tap on the apt9.yellowsn0w.com source that was just added from the list of sources.
- Tap on apt9.yellowsn0w.com again from the list of packages.
- You will get an option to install the yellowsn0w application. Tap the "Install" button on the top-right corner of the screen.
- Tap the "Confirm" button on the top-right corner of the screen.
- This will install the yellowsn0w application, you will see the progress on the next screen and the "Return to Cydia" button will come up once installation is complete.
- Tap on the "Return to Cydia" button and press the "Home" button on your iPhone 3G to go back to the home screen.
- You need to reboot your iPhone 3G so that the yellowsn0w application which is a small daemon is launched on boot up. Press the “Sleep” button and hold it until you see the “Slide to power off” message. Then slide to switch off the iPhone.
- Once your iPhone 3G has shutdown, insert the desired SIM card and restart your iPhone 3G.
- Once your iPhone boots up and you see the “Slide to Unlock” screen, wait for around 10 to 15 seconds (may be more) to see if your iPhone 3G picks up the carrier signal.
- The Dev team has reported that there is a known issue with SIM cards that have STK (SIM Toolkit) application menus. So if your iPhone 3G doesn't pick up the carrier signal after reboot then try to try to pull out the SIM card and re-insert it, wait for another 10 - 15 seconds and see if your iPhone 3G picks up the signal of the carrier.
If it does then you have successfully unlocked your iPhone 3G.
Some Tips to unlock iPhone 3G if the above procedure does not work:
If the above guide did not unlock your iPhone 3G, then try some of the workarounds mentioned below as it has helped some readers to successfully unlock their iPhone 3G.
Method 1 (via Hackint0sh):
- Airplane mode on.
- Airplane mode off, you should see "searching" and should pick up the carrier's signal.
Method 2 (via Hackint0sh):
- Launch Moble terminal app (you can install it via Cydia).
- Type yellowsn0w -r wait for a moment 10 sec
- Type yellowsn0w -c wait for a moment 10 sec if you get NO SERVICE wait until u get 5 dot and run it again if you don't encounter NO SERVICE just run next command
- Type yellowsn0w -r
- Type yellowsn0w -a if you get busy message in under 15 sec and don't see NO SERVICE it's unsucesfull and you have to do -r and -a again until it loads to NO SERVICE and wait untill it changes to 5 dots and wait for 10sec
- Airplane mode on (keep it in that mode for more than 10 seconds)
- Airplane mode off, you should see "searching" and should pick up the carrier's signal.
If that didn't help:
- Type yellowsn0w -r once and after 5 sec wait 1 min.
- Airplane mode on (keep it in that mode for more than 10 seconds).
- Airplane mode off, you should see "searching" and should pick up the carrier's signal.
Note: Ignore the Unknown message (0xe3ff8000), the command still works even if you get it.
Method 3:
This was suggested by Anton, one of our readers (Thanks Anton!)
- Install BossPrefs via Cydia.
- Disable all Functions with BossPrefs (don't worry if you can't disable EDGE)
- Reboot your Phone with BossPrefs (not in the normally way - important!)
- Wait 1.30 min when you see the Lockscreen.
- Take out your Sim and re-insert it.
- Wait a moment (30 seconds).
- Go on Settings and Turn on the Airplane mode (keep it in that mode for more than 10 seconds).
- Turn off Airplane Mode.
- Your iPhone 3G should pick up the carrier's signal.
Method 4 (via YouTube, user reda92):
- Reset Network Settings. 99% of your success rate will depend on this.
(You can find this in settings - general and to the bottom you'll
see a "reset" menu in which you can find this)
- Reboot your iPhone
- Wait a little over a min.
- Remove your SIM card and re-insert it back in
- Wait 30 sec.
- Turn on Airplane mode and wait 10 sec. (This is important as well)
- Turn of Airplane mode, you should see "searching" and should pick up the carrier's signal.
If these workarounds did not help unlock your iPhone 3G, then report the problem to the Dev team using this link.
Update (Jan 7th, 2009):
Dev Team have updated their yellowsn0w app to unlock iPhone 3G. It fixes even more problems.
Please don't forget to drop us a line to tell us if you were able to successfully unlock your iPhone 3G using this guide or the workarounds. If you have any tips for fellow readers don't forget to mention them in the comments as well.
Images: iClarified
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It worked after I did a reset
mine only works when I insert the card and do a full reboot(i.e pressing the Home and Sleep button simultaneously)
after doing the BossPrefs method the 'searching' message appears and it wont go away. any extra hints? thanks in advanced!
Mine didn't work with the above tips but also worked after doing a full reboot holding the home and off buttons down.
Thanks very much!! This guide is super helpful and clear. I am completely new to this Iphone world / Jailbreaking/Unlocking etc. so I'm really grateful for the clear advice.
I had to use your workarounds and Method 3 was the one that made it work
I have a iphone 3g latest firmware and baseband. I have a relatively old Tmobile SIM
this may be a stupid question but will the iphone 3g work on tmobile's 3g network? or just on edge? and would the g1 plan work as well? so i can switch back and forth without having to change my plan.
Thanks Dev Team.It worked perfectly for me here in Ghana…Africa for those dumb f*** who don't know.I used the reset network setting after i downloaded the yellowsn0w from cydia and then turn on and off the airplane mode and viola,it worked.I am relieved.Long live Dev Team and all those who helped
Installed, no problem. Had an issue with the network falling off every 30 secs (showed 5 bars, but couldn't send / receive). Did a hard power-off (held power and home button simultaneously) took out my SIM while it was powered off. Turned it back on, then once "No SIM installed" showed up, I put the SIM back in and it worked fine. Thanks to the Dev Team for the good work.
My iPhone 3g is working with TIGO in GUATEMALA…thanks very much…at first it didn't work but then I used method 2 and nothing happen but then I reboot after method 2 and voila!! THANKS!
Mine worked like a charm. Installed yellowsn0w, reboot and it is up and running. I am in MALAYSIA subscribed to Celcom. Good Job Dev Team. Thanks a million
i dont hav wi-fii system in my house & my turbo sim dony support 2.2 so how can i access yellowsn0w via EDGE ?
PLZ HELP ME.
Installation worked perfect. It worked with another sim after resetting the network settings. A BIG thanks from me !
Works perfectly with Meteor/Eircom.
I updated Via expert mode in Pwnage tool.
Thanks to all at iPhone Dev team!
Works great here in Guam!!
thanks Dev Team…at first i thought it didnt work because it keep saying "invalid sim" then i remebered i forgot to reboot it! xD
thanks a million to you guys!
YAYYYYYYYYYYY!!!!! BOY!!!!!!! I HAVE AN UNLOCKED IPHONE 3G BABY!!!!!!!!!
THANKS FOR EVERYTHING(DEV TEAM)(IPHONEHACKS.COM)
I have been working on unlocking my phone for over three weeks(usa,tmobile). I even ordered some stupid sim card off the net(still awaiting delivery) .yellowsn0w is the bomb yo. I got discouraged in the beginning because nothing was working on making my phone search for a carrier(method 1,3&4). Out of desperation i tried method 2 and i was not getting the same results as mentioned but everything from 4 on seemed to do the trick… Yahooooo… unlocked 3G *Thanks Dev Team* from vegas
finally, the last method worked (4), maybe the easiest, hehe, thank guys!!!!
anyone have a boost in their tmobile service? usually areas where i drop service i get bars now! that's a nice surprise.
any rules with this? like don't use airplane mode or anything?
if you unlock your iphone and insert a SIM card such as t-mobile, will it charge your t-mobile service extra since you used the data plan on the iphone?
thank you for those brilliant steps to unlock iPhone
If it is not risk free why so many people want to unlock their iPhone, I think this is danger remembering on the useless of our iPhone when we are failed.
thanks all,I'm from Mongolia and i unlocked my friends phone today. i did method 4, thanks for reda92
Have any one success unlock with AT&T carrier?
It worked for me! YAY the shackles of AT&T have come off, although no more 3G or visual voicemail. I don't care I hate AT&T….
The whole thing went smooth thanks to this tutorial. It has now been unlocked for about 15 hours and this is what I've noticed:
You have to reset your NETWORK settings. Now that I reset the settings my son's t-mobile sim works perfect and my AT&T sim is crappier (hard to believe that AT&T service could get crappier)…. the AT&T service is horrible now. I mean it works 1/10th of the time, it's ok though because I reopened an account with T-mobile and ported my number…. My son needed a new phone anyway and AT&T SUCKS.
Jailbreaking – I've been wanting to jailbreak it forever but just never did and I have to say I wish I would have done it sooner!!!! MMS messaging!! SMS via landscape mode!!! Video Recorder!! Tons of ringtones, I can go on and on. Again, AT&T sucks to enslave the iPhone the way they did not allowing MMS, etc.. Thanks for all of the help!
It worked for me! YAY the shackles of AT&T have come off, although no more 3G or visual voicemail. I don't care I hate AT&T….
The whole thing went smooth thanks to this tutorial. It has now been unlocked for about 15 hours and this is what I've noticed:
You have to reset your NETWORK settings. Now that I reset the settings my son's t-mobile sim works perfect and my AT&T sim is crappier (hard to believe that AT&T service could get crappier)…. the AT&T service is horrible now. I mean it works 1/10th of the time, it's ok though because I reopened an account with T-mobile and ported my number…. My son needed a new phone anyway and AT&T SUCKS.
Jailbreaking – I've been wanting to jailbreak it forever but just never did and I have to say I wish I would have done it sooner!!!! MMS messaging!! SMS via landscape mode!!! Video Recorder!! Tons of ringtones, I can go on and on. Again, AT&T sucks to enslave the iPhone the way they did not allowing MMS, etc.. Thanks for all of the help!
where can you get cydia?
Thanks for the information and guide, works fine here in Thailand. Everything works fine, WiFi, Edge, GPRS, except tried to dial or call out, it said 'Call Failure. Can't dial out at all but can receive calls which is very strange. Does anyone has this problem?
Thanks from Venezuela Dev Team. Keep up the good work
@pinoy,
Cydia will be installed on your iPhone after you have jailbroken your iPhone using QuickPwn (assuming you select it).
Thanks a lot, software unlock works great on aljawal STC Saudi Arabia. Many many thanks.
i cannot install add yellowsnow and install it—it says the repository cannot be found.
Workssssssssss excelentttttttt
when I opened Cydia it asked me first to update Cydia after 4 times accept, coz it will take up to 4-5 times to continue download, Cydia restarted and then after that I was able to continue from step 7, only one thing I noticed, I didn't had "iClarified" on my display, only yellowsn0w. After restart, instead of signal bar, it shown Airplane mode for 2 sec and then it changed to full 5 bar signal, instead of my network name I have 5 digit number, but everything works so far, other networks visible with their names except mine. But who care, as long I have everything else working. All sims in Nepal working without loosing signal.
Great job DEV TEAM, thumbs up.
Hi
I got a question guys… while following this steps, http://www.iclarified.com/entry/index.php?enid=1881
Why do I need to click shift + Restore in itunes, then use the iPhone1,2_2.2_5G77_Restore.ipsw
Why can't I just click restore, then in quickpwn, I use that iPhone1,2_2.2_5G77_Restore.ipsw…
or do I need to use it in both… itunes and quickpwn?
PLEASE HELP ME OUT…
many thanks works 100%. God bless you
works perfect with t-mobite. thanks guys.
Dilip,
you don't have to update in iTunes your firmware if it is already up to date, just skip that step as I did and continue further.
Thanks
I was able to unlock from Optus AU to Vodafone AU without a hitch.
Thank you again for all your hard work
Just wanted to say a big thank you for these clear and straight forward instructions. Unlocked my iphone 3G on the first try from O2 in the UK to Optus in Australia.
help, my phone shows 2.2 software, but 2.11 firmware,and when I plugged into itunes, it says up to date. nothing is working. I have movistar, in Mexico.
Hey coogac,
Dev team's unlocking solution works exclusively with firmware 2.2 and baseband/modem firmware 02.28.00.
So first follow the step-by-step guide to jailbreak iPhone 3G for Mac users:
http://www.iphonehacks.com/2009/01/jailbreak3g-mac.html
or Windows users:
http://www.iphonehacks.com/2009/01/jailbreak3g-win.html
The guides include steps to update your iPhone to firmware 2.2 and baseband/modem firmware 02.28.00.
After you have upgraded and jailbroken your iPhone, you can use this guide to unlock your iPhone 3G.
Using UK Orange SIM:
Method 1 didn't work for me. Didn't try 2, 3 looked easier. Method 3 worked!! Thanks Anton!!
Note: It found a carrier (AT&T) while on step 4. waiting for the 1 minute+… Still, did the rest of the proc and all good!
Turned all back on again in BossPrefs, as I did wonder about the SIM being able to handle 3G or Edge, which thought it wouldn't since it's a simple pay as you go SIM. It did sit Searching….long on turning 3G and Edge on, but on turning WiFi on after waiting a while, it grabbed AT&T.
)
Is there a way to do the unlock by downloading yellowsn0w to my Mac, and syncing it to the iPhone? i.e. jailbreaking and unlocking a used iPhone bought privately without a contract with any carrier. Then, after jailbreaking and unlocking, using my current SIM to get service..?
i was wondering if this yellowsn0w could be integrated with quickpwn
the two step might become one
im in iceland and cant get my 3g to work with the siminn network
Worked perfectly first time on a US AT&T phone (from e**y) used on Vodafone UK. Previously I was using Gevey turbo sim but was v poor signal strength and no good for roaming abroad. Signal strength now superb with full 3G capability. Thanks guys, brilliant work.
Worked for me with Orange France with the airplane on-off swith. Phone was originally locked to AT&T.
Your team is doing a great work. I am planning to buy the iphone and unlock it. Can you suggest from where should i buy the iphone.. from the Apple store ?
It works perfectly with italian sim card.I used jailbreak and then yellowsn0w.after reboot and its done, i get carrier.thanks…
I have a rogers iphone without a working sim. I need to run cydia but it is not seeing internet. Any tips arround this?