iUnlock Reloaded: free iPhone unlocking for dummies now available
By Thomas Ricker 
posted Sep 15th 2007 8:56AM
posted Sep 15th 2007 8:56AM
Wake the kids, phone the neighbors, the We'll bring you more just as soon as we get hands-on with the new wares (eh hem, all our iPhones seem to be unlocked at the moment) and as long as Apple doesn't drop the hammer with a new iPhone firmware release. We know it's coming, and chances are it will wreak havoc with the unlock.
Download
EU mirror
US mirror
Update: Not so dummy-proof Instructions and more after the break.
Update 2: GUI version is now out.
Here's the latest from the iPhoneDev team:
"It works like this:
- upload all 3 files to your phone in some location you prefer
- ssh in
- run iUnlock_Reloaded (./iUnlock_reloaded)
- be happy if its done
First cocmment?
Oh well if not I'm just sad like that.
This is FANTASTIC news!
Thanks engadget
Didn't you know that jumping onto the "First comment!"-bandwagon, you are automatically reserved a slot at the gadget-hell in your afterlife?
So, be prepared for iPhone knockoffs, "Sonny" mp3's, laserdisk players, the flashing Xbox360 RROD as traffic lights, HDTV over serial RS232 connections and loads of other horrible, HORRIBLE stuff. From a gadget-minded lad, that is. ;)
-See you there.
NOOOOOOOOOOOOO!
READ THIS IF YOU WANT TO UNLOCK A BRAND NEW iPhone USING WINDOWS
This is still a little misleading. I'm an experienced software developer and I still found the inital "jailbreak" process to be daunting on a new & unactivated iPhone.
Ibrickr is a GREAT tool that gets you 80% there but it still requires the latest iPhone firmware to begin... and that's not easy to get unless you have already activated your iPhone.
I have done a couple of unlocks now, and this is without question the easiest guide: http://iphone.unlock.no/
The easiest way to unlock via windows is by using someone else's iPhone/computer who has already activated their phone to help you get started.
1. Start with your buddy's iPhone sync'd with iTunes open.
2. Open iBrickr and click start.
3. Click the Restore button on the iPhone page, and act as if you are going to restore the firmware on your friend's iphone (don't worry, you won't).
4. When iTunes indicates it's downloading the update/firmware for the iPhone, unplug your friend's iPhone and replace it with the phone you want to activate.
5. Now follow the instructions in iBrickr, and you're good to go...
Um, I still have my laserdisk player. And I still use it. And I am now going to try to get video over RS232 because you said that.
Anyway, this looks great. Everyone in AT&T management must be screaming/crying right now.
Either that or they're completely ignorant to the whole 'iPhone unlocking market' coff coff schiller coff coff
This is awesome news! and all the credit goes to the countless hours put in by all of you guy's at engadget! On another note Im having so much trouble staying connected to "ibrikr".after i activate my iphone using the lockdown file on ibrikr is doesn't stay connected to my phone. I have restored the iphone many times just to get a connection through ibrickr to try to complete the unlock. I have been so close i think my iphone did a back flip! I have put in countless hours and it seems I left off where i started. If anyone help me out with some usefull info that would be appreciated! Thank you
ummm is anyone else less interested than I am about unlocking the iphone? Since when did unlocking a cell phone become front page news? Engadget... a little intervention please? How about posting all new cell phone unlocking articles deep within Engadget Mobile?
Mate, this is an unlock for the iphone, letting people all round the world use it, including me in the UK, its great news, but anymore info about how to install files? Or same as before? Jailbreak then put files in iUnlock.app folder?
josh, this iPhone is not that much Phone, and even that 'i' is small.. it's just a trendy fashion item.. Tim is soooo right
BECAUSE ITS FREE!!! even i know that i and dont even own an iphone! yet i am still excited by this piece of news
This makes the iPhone affordable. Get the iPhone, get a cheap contract which gives you 300-350 € for signing up (24 month contract, 50 free minutes, 7.50 € a month), and unlock the iPhone. 50-100 € seems to be a pretty good price.
No full tutorial available yet?
This is awesome. Thanks guy!
I think it's time for me to buy an iPhone. Now, all i need is a SIM to get it to work in Canada. What is the best Canadian provider?
For a Canadian Provider you can go with Rogers, telus, or fido. I am with rogers, and with the exception of their data plan rates.. its decent service. Being in Canada you will really have to watch the data you use on the iphone, stick to wifi at all times and only use data if absolutely necessary. Unfortunatley we are screwed for that as data rates here are ridiculously high.
If it's Prepaid, go Fido. If its postpaid, go Rogers. Fido s wholly owned by Rogers BTW. Both suck, they are money hungry companies but they are your only GSM options.
Telus is NOT an option. It'll only work with Rogers and Fido.
*slap*
Time to buy an iPhone. What is the best Canadian Carrier? because I need to get a Sim but I don't know who offers the best rates.
rogers for sure. its either rogers or fido here but i think rogers offers the better rate plans having been on both services.
I don't know where you're from but i'm from Quebec and I'll try really soon with Videotron, so i'll give you news.
Every dummie on this planet must know how to execute a binary under SSH [/scarcasm]
And that's a good thing no ;)
front page news... there is only ONE page of posting new news on engadget...
Anyway, this is great.
Jailbreak, copy over, launch. Nice and easy. Wish the unlock came AFTER the update though, then Apple probably wouldn't be working as hard to relock it.
They arent working to relock it are they? Thought they werent really against it?
I'm sure they are against it. Apple is making lots of money on the phone AFTER it has been bought. If you use a different contract, they will loose all that.
Its really a toss here... on one hand Apple will sell more phones (they make money on those, too), and on the other hand they will lose AT&T contract money... either way I think its a win/win for Apple.
I hope this gets included in installer.app soon!
Yesterday night I was wondering about how many articles there actually are tagged with "iphone"... :-)
Mac version?
Booo Engadget deleted my meanfull comment:
Quit this crap Engadget, Ifirst!
My IPhone will be free at last!
Sorry if this is a stupid question, but with an unlocked iPhone, can I use it without activating it? (Use it without the phone part?)
Sure. Once it's unlocked, you don't even need a GSM card in it. Just use it as a better iPod Touch!
Yes, just 'Jailbreak' your phone (google it, you'll find plenty of tutorials, etc.
I need to know if it will work ITunes 7.3.2.6?
And so what if they 'break' the unlock in new firmware... can't you just ... not... update your firmware? Or will iTunes go crazy and eat your children?
A solid update for Australian's is definetly needed
Finally registered after all this time...
Can someone post simple instructions? Thanks in advance!
I've learned a very valuable lesson from all of this...
Ok... got it. Phone will be here soon. Then what? No readme file? Guess it's not quite for "Dummies" yet!
So, I need to put the 3 files on the iPhone (with iBrickr?) and then I execute iUnlock_reloaded? How?
Thanks for the details!
iBricker is for Windows. I need Dummy instructions for Mac!
OK, So i was under the impression that Telus was a no go. it's not GSM...so that would make sense.
That being said. Since I use Rogers for every other service accept for my cell. whats the cheapest way of doing this. Do i actually have to buy a phone from Rogers first? and then buy an iphone?
has anyone here ACTUALLY got their iphone working for Telus? I can't see how it's possible..
NO, it MUST be used with a GSM provider.
telus is not gsm.
buy phone, pull out sim card, put sim card into unlocked iphone. make calls.
OK so let's clear this up for people:
YOU WILL NEVER US AN iPHONE ON THE TELUS MOBILITY NETWORK.I AM SORRY.
When Engadget bumps up the Apple posts by 39% I'm buying an iPhone.
I think the post is misleading. Although the new free unlock software, or iPhoneSIMFree unlock, takes only 3 minutes to unlock. You do need to spend at least 10 ~ 20 minutes to "prep" iPhone for it, namely, upgrade the firmware, activate, jailbreak, install other software, etc. If you are not comfortable with all these, don't think about unlock iPhone yourself. You'll end up having a brick.
Is it possible to update the firmware of a brand new unactivated iPHONE to 1.0.2? Basically i want to know if i buy an iPHONE today , is it possible for me to use it on T-Mobile without activating it on AT&T?
I don't understand all the interest in unlocking the iphone. In the U.S. your only other option if you want it to be a phone is T-Mobile and as far as I can tell, that isn't a better answer. For those that just want to disable the phone part so they aren't paying a fee, why not spend $100 less and buy an iPod Touch?
This appears to be "much ado about nothing".
how is t-mobile not a better solution? unlimited data via edge and t-mo hotspot usage(which by the way apple just partnered with starbucks for downloads over a t-mobile hotspot) you can do the flexpay plan with 300min, unlim n&w and 5 favs(set up on computer since iphone doesnt have the software) for 39.99, plus 19.99 for the above data package, and have no contract.
I'm going by the experiences of my T-Mobile friends here in Arizona. The coverage area here is significantly sparser than A T & T. The cost for phone service is $40 for 400 minutes vs. $40 for 300 minutes on T-Mobile. All that being said, if I could get dependable Edge coverage + T-Mobile hotspot coverage for $20 per month, it would be very attractive. However, Apple didn't pick T-Mobile as their partner so for me it is a non-issue. I refuse to break my iPhone every 2 months when Apple does an update to the iPhone.
WOW! i cant wait till somebody tests this out and posts a video! Im so excited. Haha no readme wow this is very noob friendly. lol anybody tried it yet?
Sooo. Let me get his straight...
1. Take phone out of box
2. Connect to computer
3. Update firmware to 1.02
3. Activate (using your flavor of software) - I used iNdependence
4. Jailbreak
5. Place iUnlock_reloaded file in your iPhone /Applications directory
6. run iUnlock_Reloaded
7. Place your favorite SIM,
Missing anything for OSX users?
yes, you are missing us European users we can't sync or use iTunes becuse we are not with At&T...so probably the steps are different.
what a great news...now I need to win the iPhone here :D
@Charlie,
You're missing installing Apptap Installer (Installer.app) and packages Community Sources, BSD Subsystem and OpenSSH. Also, I think these files belong in /usr/bin and not /Applications.
We need a Full introduction here....
Has anyone done this with Rogers in Canada???
I'd really like to know.
John, it works great with Rogers... not a problem. I love it !
the only Canadian GSM carrier is Rogers (which also operates as Fido)... but they don't have an unlimited data plan. so have fun with that. =(
hi
i have this problem
Detected FW Version: 31408
Patching FW
Couldn't locate bytes to pach
i have my iphone unlocked but i can't make outgoing calls
help¡¡
Problems here:
......
85%
90%
95%
Detected FW Version: 31408
Patching FW
Couldn't locate bytes to pach
......
Any help?
i has the same problem, the following worked for me
http://www.theiphoneunlock.com/free-unlock-manual-english/#comment-67
I have a new iphone on it's way to me. I am using windows xp. Do I need to activate before jailbreaking, or can I just do the following: (taken from the ibrickr website)
A number of you have e-mailed me asking how to get the firmware through iTunes without an activated iPhone. To do that, follow these steps:
- Plug your phone in / dock it, and turn it off
- Power it on
- While the grey apple appears, press and hold both the power and home buttons until it says "Please connect to iTunes"
- iTunes will pop up talking about restoring your phone. Begin the process and let it start downloading.
- Unplug the phone, then press and hold power and home buttons again, until the phone restarts
- Wait for the restore to fail in iTunes, and then start up iBrickr again. It should work this time!
using some elses phone was not a helpful tutorial at all.
Does any one have a solid (as in i did it like this) method of unlock on a Windows pc from BOX to Unlock?
Using the freeiphoneunlock software.
Here's a guide to how I did mine this morning: http://smxy.org/iphone-apps/info/Unlock.html
hi all,
i'm about to purchase an iphone, i use t-mo, i use a pc and so can't make much sense of the unlocking via a mac
can any1 provide a simple tutorial for xp users to follow w/o running the risk of bricking the iphone?
Thanks
how do u set up your iphone so it doesn't automatically update the firmware?
This might be a redundant question, but Verizon doesn't do GSM, does it? I have a Verizon phone and love the service, but my phone's boring and useless for anything but calls. I'd get an iPhone if it could do Verizon.
So mine did not work. The script runs fine but at the end I get this:
90%
95%
Done
Sending End Secpack command
Validating the write command
FW are equal!
Resetting baseband
Unlocking...
Testing unlock status...
==> Still locked :(
Restarting Commcenter
The Flash succeeded but the unlocked failed
Can some give me some hinters here???
How do you go about signing up with T-mobile to use the IPHONE
Can you go on T-mobile with out a contract???
Can i get someones old phone (T-Mobile) or buy their cheapest phone and say i want a data plan and then use my IPHONE
# Download the iUnlock_Reloaded.zip from here, here or here. Save it to a directory.
# cd to where you just saved the download and unzip it.
# in another wiindow, ssh into your iPhone and run: mkdir /unlock
# back on your Mac, scp the three files to your iPhone: scp -p iUnlock_reloaded *bin root@youriphoneip:/unlock
# on your iPhone, run: cd /unlock
# on your iPhone, run: ./iUnlock_reloaded
WHATS DOES "CD TO" MEAN???
wHAT IS SSH???
cd to = change directory to = CD [directory name] -or- CD /[directory name from root]
ssh = type it in the mac terminal. you'll see help ;-)
I found this seems pretty good, if anyone tries it out, please, please let us know!!!
:)
http://freeit4less.itsyouriphone.com/guide/install.html
For anyone thinking an ipod touch compared to a 4g iphone that can still be picked up at random att & apple stores is really a comparison is a moron. All the current dev work is focused on the iphone for one thing, the 4g iphone @$300 out the door without a contract is easy to do just tell them you will activate with itunes when you get home. ibrikr unlock and start having a good time with wifi, I don't even use the phone features I have a 10cent prepaid I use for that. Data is all over wifi anyway if you want to google map or youtube(which you can just convert and store on the software unlocked phone anyway) Only thing missing is a good .pdf viewer and some other apps currently in developement such as a decent painting program and so on. So waste your money and buy an ipod touch or be smart and buy as many 4g iphones as you can and sell them unlocked on ebay to the rest of the earth for a profit. Oh and then donate half the profit to iphone application developers if you truly support free information.
rant off
I'm sorry. I am expected to spend 4-500 dollars for something that doesn't do as much as another cheaper product, then take it home and hack it so it does what it should have done in the first place? Considering Apple seems to have a history of breaking hacks with updates. Now I should do all this for the coolness factor? Maybe the tequila is clouding my reasoning but this makes no sense to me. Guess I'm getting old.
Cart
Hey guys, we've got an extremely easy to follow OS X guide at http://modmyiphone.com/wiki/index.php/IPhone_unlock_OS_X_Part_1 and are working on a Windows one.
"Kyle Matthews"
Excellent mac tutorial! Nice work!!
Im really looking forward to a PC version, you should add a paypal donation button, once you have it posted.
:)
"Kyle Matthews"
Excellent mac tutorial! Nice work!!
Im really looking forward to a PC version, you should add a paypal donation button, once you have it posted.
:)
Followed the tutorial - easy to follow instructions and unlock went off without any problems.
Thanks!!!
thanks works like a charm!
yeah my friend and i were able to unlock the phone using the gui method and the manual method. we were able to use wifi and the ipod feature. but anytime we tried to put in a sim card. we got "no service" any ideas as to why this would happen?
I agree that we could use a very dumbed down tutorial for those of us idiots out here. i.e. not assuming we know how to put files on the iphone, "ssh in", and so on.
all the while, I really appreciate the dev folks who have worked so hard on this. thanks!
chis
actually, i'm kinda sorry:
i'm viewing some of these tutorials and there's good stuff out there. thanks for those who are posting and helping.
chris
Thanks!!! http://modmyiphone.com/wiki/index.php/IPhone_unlock_OS_X_Part_1
Im really looking forward to the PC version!!!!!!
:) you rule!!
Has anyone done this with Rogers in Canada???
I'd really like to know.
Yes, I got mine to work with the Rogers Network.
So im new at this iphone thing and just curious of 2 things if I just wanna use it as a iTouch till my sprint contract runs out how do i go about that and then if its unlocked at the time i join AT&T can it then be used a a true iPhone even if it is unlocked, or will it being unlocked cause a problem with AT&T later on down the road?
Kasey
PS do i need a 2nd sim card for this whole fiasco
Someone mentioned that it's not possible on Windows to update the firmware without activating first.
It is possible, from http://ibrickr.com :
- Plug your phone in / dock it, and turn it off
- Power it on
- While the grey apple appears, press and hold both the power and home buttons until it says "Please connect to iTunes"
- iTunes will pop up talking about restoring your phone. Begin the process and let it start downloading.
- Unplug the phone, then press and hold power and home buttons again, until the phone restarts
- Wait for the restore to fail in iTunes, and then start up iBrickr again. It should work this time!
http://freeit4less.itsyouriphone.com/guide/install.html
the unlock seems to prefer some type of simcard i found it out in Kuwait where it will accept the watanya sim but not the zain (mtc)sim.
does anybody know if there is a soloution for the problem.
----( doesn't accept calls but sends calls in some sims )----
Here is a much easier way to do this. I was having trouble initially when the GUI version came out last week but I tried the .pxl way, and it worked much much better.
Make sure your iphone is activated first.
Get iBrickr
Go to applications and Install the PXL if you havent already.
After you reset the iPhone, go back into applications and install the iunlock.pxl file, which you would have put on your desktop with this link: http://rapidshare.com/files/55186481/Unlock.pxl.html
Restart iPhone then on the iPhone get the iunlock program and click start. Wait 20 min, DONT PRESS ANYTHING, and youre good to go.
for more help and questions
http://www.hackint0sh.org/forum/showthread.php?t=6027&highlight=.pxl
I am currently in a contact with t-mobile, I want to hack the phone for use with t-mobile then when my contract runs out can I easily go back to the standard software with att? Also does youtube and everything else work fine on t-mobile or what do I have to do?
I have the idiot proof guide!! for newbie...
come visit @ iphoneinspire.com
To be fair, the guys down at iPhoneSIMFree are probably crying as much as AT&T right now; they should've released their [crappier] software a lot earlier no ones gunna buy it now!
One MAJOR reason people want to unlock the phone in the US is for travel outside the U.S. I am happy with ATT, but when I have to travel outside the US for extended periods, my clients in Europe do not want to call my US phone number, when they are around the corner from me!!!
This is just not a matter of using another carrier where you live.
does any body has problem making calls after unlocking? its says NO SERVICE, I used http://iphone.unlock.no/
check out the discount i got from apple!!!!
Shipment Details
Product Name
Product Number
Unit Price
Qty
Subtotal
ALIPH JAWBONE- BLACK-USA
TN538LL/A
$44.95
1
$44.95
Easy to use:
http://pxl.ibrickr.com/anySIM-1.0.pxl