You can unlock your Chromebook if it’s carrier locked.
Carrier lock on Chromebooks
Some Chromebooks have contracts with specific mobile carriers and can only be used with those carriers while the contract is active.
You’ll be notified if your SIM isn’t supported when you set up your Chromebook for the first time or insert a new SIM card.
Identify if your network is prohibited due to carrier lockImportant: If your Chromebook is carrier locked, you can only use the SIM of that specific carrier.
- At the bottom right, select the time.
- Select Settings
.
- Under “Network,” select Mobile data.
- If your device is carrier locked, you’ll find a message “This device can only connect to a specific mobile network.”
- Under the profile that has been set up, if the network is prohibited, you’ll find a message “Cannot connect. Locked by another mobile operator.”
- You’ll get a network connection error notification when you try to connect.
Tips:
- In the Quick Settings, under “Network,” you can find if your SIM is locked by the mobile operator.
- If you attempt to install an eSIM profile, your Chromebook can’t detect whether it’ll be prohibited or not until installation is complete.
- Developer mode isn’t available on a carrier locked Chromebook.
Contact the manufacturer, original user, or third-party seller. If the carrier successfully unlocks the device, you’ll get a notification that you can now connect to another carrier.
You’ll need to contact your provider for support if:
- You’ve just started the setup for your Chromebook.
- The setup dialog notifies you that your downloaded SIM isn’t supported.
Your device should be automatically unlocked when the contract expires. If not, you may have to contact the carrier to unlock the device. You’ll be asked to provide details about the device, like serial number and IMEI. Find your Chromebook’s IMEl.
To unblock the developer mode, you might need to Powerwash and reboot your Chromebook. Learn how to Powerwash your Chromebook.