Carrier and Lock Status, and FMI – what do these mean?

With mobile phones you often encounter the terms carrier lock and FMI (Find My iPhone). These are key pieces of information when buying a used device or when checking IMEI to find out whether a phone can be used freely.

Carrier status

A carrier status shows which network the phone belongs to and whether it is unlocked. If the device is locked, it works only with a specific carrier’s SIM card. For an unlocked device, any SIM can be used.

• Unlocked: Can be used with any carrier.
• Locked: Works only with the specified network.
• Partially Unlocked: Only active in certain regions or with certain carriers.

Lock status

The lock status can refer not only to carrier restrictions but also to security locks. If a device has been stolen, lost, or blacklisted due to debt, its IMEI may appear in a blacklist database. This means the phone cannot be activated on the network.

• Clean status: Freely activatable.
• Blacklisted: Stolen or banned device.
• Barred: Blocked due to debt or contract breach.

FMI (Find My iPhone) status

The FMI is Apple’s security feature that prevents unauthorized access. If FMI is ON, the device is tied to an Apple ID and only the original owner can activate it. If OFF, the phone can be used independently.

• FMI ON: iCloud locked – cannot be activated with another account.
• FMI OFF: iCloud account removed, the device is free.