How to Unlock Your Boost Phone

Lauren Hannula Managing Editor

Updated 13 December 2024

In this Guide

How to Unlock a Boost Mobile Phone
How to Prep Your Phone for Unlocking
Boost Mobile Unlock Policy
Compatible Networks for Boost Phones
Boost Unlocking FAQs

Article Summary

To unlock a Boost phone, contact the carrier's customer support team and follow the given instructions.
Before beginning the process of unlocking your Boost phone, make sure your device falls within Boost's unlocking policy, and check out which networks are compatible with Boost devices.

Looking to take your Boost mobile phone away from a Boost Mobile Plan? No sweat. Simply follow Boost's simple device unlock process and you'll be on your way to network freedom.

How to Unlock a Boost Mobile Phone

Boost's mobile phone unlock process is fairly simple for both domestic SIM unlocks (i.e., phones that will be taken to another U.S. carrier) and international SIM unlocks (i.e., phones that will swap in an international SIM card).

Call Boost's Customer Support team to initiate your unlock process. An agent will walk you through the steps to unlock your Boost SIM (which the carrier calls a "Universal Integrated Circuit Card" [UICC]) so you can use your phone on a different network.

How to Prep Your Phone for Unlocking

Boost's unlock process typically takes around two business days to complete. Within that time, there are some steps you can take to ensure smooth sailing.

Don't take your SIM card out of your phone until you’ve confirmed the unlock process has finished.
Keep your phone powered on and make sure it's either connected to Wi-Fi or within Boost's network.

Once you've received notice of a successful unlock, iPhone users should back up their phone to iCloud before taking it to a different carrier. If you have issues after Boost unlocks your phone, restore a previous backup to your device or restore it to factory settings.

Android users can check their UICC unlock in the System Updates menu under your device Settings. Tap the UICC Settings option to refresh your settings and ready your phone for its next carrier.

Boost Mobile Unlock Policy

Boost Standard Unlock Policy

Your phone must:

Be capable of a SIM unlock
Be associated with an active account that's in good standing
Have been active on that account for at least a year
Not have been reported stolen or lost
Not have been flagged for any other reason as ineligible to be unlocked

As long as your device meets these qualifications, Boost will unlock your phone.

Boost Military Unlock Policy

For active-duty military outside the U.S., Boost has a specific unlock policy designed to make it easier to stay connected using an international SIM. In order to unlock your Boost phone, you must:

Be an active-duty military member or their dependent on the same Boost account
Have overseas deployment papers issued
Be a current Boost customer with an account in good standing
Have a phone capable of an international SIM unlock

You and your qualifying dependents are eligible for up to two device unlocks within a single year.

Compatible Networks for Boost Phones

Once your Boost phone is unlocked, it's ready for you to bring it to a carrier of your choosing—but first you'll need to know which networks your phone will operate on.

Boost Mobile is a CDMA carrier, which simply means its network runs on a specific set of radio frequencies that differ from other carriers that run on GSM networks with different frequencies. Most of today's smartphones operating on 4G LTE should be able to switch back and forth from each network type without any issue.

It gets a little trickier when a phone drops to a 3G connection. In this case, your Boost phone will operate much better on another CDMA network. Luckily, you can easily check your phone's compatibility with another carrier using WhistleOut's quick compatibility checker, or by visiting each of the carriers you're interested in.Once you've picked a compatible carrier, don't forget to compare phone plans to find the best deal for your phone! Take a peek at some of the most popular plans that allow bringing your own cell phone to a different carrier.

#1	Visible	Visible Unlimited Data No Contract $25/mo	100%	View Plan
#2	Mint Mobile	Mint Mobile Unlimited Data No Contract $25/mo Deal: Get this plan for just $25/mo. when you switch to Mint Mobile using promo code 15OFF at checkout. Upfront payment required	81%	View Plan
#3	XFINITY Mobile	XFINITY Mobile Unlimited Data No Contract $0/mo Deal: Get a FREE 1 year of Xfinity Mobile Select Plan with Xfinity Internet required	68%	View Plan
#4	T-Mobile	T-Mobile Unlimited Data No Contract $50/mo Deal: Get up to $800 via virtual prepaid MasterCard when you bring an eligible phone, activate a new line on select plans and port-in your number and switch from select carriers	67%	View Plan
#5	US Mobile	US Mobile Unlimited Data No Contract $25/mo whistleOut Exclusive: Get this plan for only $45 for 3 months ($15/mo.) with new number activation OR $5 off per month for 6 mo. (up to 3 lines) OR 30 Days FREE Trial	45%	View Plan

Boost Unlocking FAQs

Are Boost Mobile phones unlocked upon purchase?

No. Boost Mobile phones come formatted to operate exclusively on Boost's network.

Can Boost Mobile unlock phones from other carriers?

No. Boost will only unlock their own devices that they've certified to work with their network. If you want to bring your phone to Boost, you'll need to initiate a device unlock process with your current carrier first.

I brought my unlocked Boost phone to a different carrier. Can I bring it back to Boost's network?

Boost doesn't guarantee that your phone will work on its network again after it has been reprogrammed to run on a different carrier's network.

What if my device doesn't meet Boost's unlock policy requirements?

In some cases, DISH Wireless may be able to help you out by offering a Master Subsidy Lock (MSL) code to unlock your phone. Contact Boost to find out if this is an option for you.

What is a "locked" vs. "unlocked" Boost phone?

A "locked" phone is one that is set to only work on a specific carrier's network. In order to take that phone to a different network (like bringing your phone from Boost to Metro, for example), it wil need to be "unlocked." This process essentially resets your phone's SIM card to release it from carrier exclusivity.

For more, check out our guide on other carriers' unlocking policies.

Lauren Hannula

Managing Editor

Lauren is WhistleOut's Managing Editor. With over 14 years of digital writing and publishing experience, she's developed a passion for breaking down overly complex topics to offer easy, affordable solutions that help make the most of the tech you already have in your pocket. Her work has appeared in industry stalwarts such as CNET, Yahoo! News, and Forbes.

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