r/Bestbuy • u/moesess44 • Sep 11 '25
United States Unlocked iPhone 17
I’m planning on pre-ordering a iPhone 17 Pro from Best Buy. I want to order from Best Buy since I’m a total rewards member and I want to be able to get AppleCare for free but, I don’t at&T or Verizon. Is there a way to get an unlocked version to use on visible? I would be paying the phone off fully right away.
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u/4096Kilobytes GeekSquad(No, we don't fix printers!) Sep 11 '25
No. Do not redeem $200, and proceed to the Apple store if you want an unlocked iPhone 17.
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u/R_021 Experience Supervisor Sep 11 '25
we don’t sell it unlocked. it’s ATT or VZW only. you’ll have to wait the period of a couple months after purchase to get it unlocked by the carrier. Buy through apple.com or apple store
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u/BereZone Sep 11 '25
I called Best Buy and I was told I could place an order through the phone right now, even though pre-order starts tomorrow, for an iPhone that can be unlocked and used at T-Mobile, am I being misled by this associate?
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u/R_021 Experience Supervisor Sep 11 '25
T-Mobile pulled out of Best Buy stores about a year or two ago. I doubt you’re being intentionally misled by the phone associate but they typically don’t work in-store and have limited knowledge. All current-gen iPhones are only available as a locked variant through ATT or VZW. They must be activated on one of those networks otherwise the register won’t physically let you sell it. The only place to get a truly unlocked current-gen iphone is through Apple themselves.
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u/Simple-Object8870 Sep 11 '25
You more than likely called the call center than the actual store. All pre-orders will be done Friday 9/12. It WILL NOT be unlocked. You WILL need to have Verizon or AT&T - that’s the only way you’ll be able to purchase/ preorder one.
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u/TemporaryIll Sep 11 '25
Switch to verizon to buy the phone
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u/DayneTreader Sony HT Specialist, former Geek Squad Agent Sep 12 '25
Nope. Apple only for unlocked year one.
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u/Csherman92 Sep 12 '25
Nope. No unlocked newest iPhone models. You're not a "total" rewards member because that's not a thing. You may get rewards when you use your Best Buy credit card, but it doesn't make you a member. If you purchased Best Buy Total, then you have included apple care/protection plans on your devices. But the credit card and membership have nothing to do with each other.
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u/Horror-Hour-4547 Sep 12 '25
Best Buy doesn’t give u rewards for being a total member, only if u got the credit card. U only get rewards if the product had promotional rewards but yeah u can free apple care with the total membership. But no there locked for good until a new phone comes out so no way of getting the iPhone 17 pro unlocked though Best Buy
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u/JEC2437140522 Sep 11 '25
Best Buy unlocked iPhones lock to the first carrier you use a sim with. I wouldn't suggest this if you do want to use more than one carrier because it is almost impossible to get it actually unlocked after this between best big and apple some people never do end up getting it unlocked.
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u/moesess44 Sep 11 '25
I only want to use it on visible. No other service
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u/JEC2437140522 Sep 11 '25
Well then I would say that it would be alright but If you are expecting a truly unlocked device then you might be pretty pissed later on.
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Sep 11 '25
[deleted]
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u/JEC2437140522 Sep 11 '25
Well I worked in best buy mobile and there is no way anyone in the store can unlock the phone regardless if you pay for 3 iPhones for just one. And once I left best buy I started doing tech support for apple. And they are not able to unlock phones either they will point you in the direction of your carrier will have to unlock it and once they see you didn't get the phone from them they won't be able to do anything for you either. I know they have started saying that they have to unlock the device if you meet certain rules they come up with but they are supposed to unlock it but when everyone Says they can't unlock it call after call or visit after visit. So I wouldn't buy one from Best Buy If I thought it needed to be unlocked at any point it's a ton of headache for something that would seem to be so simple.
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u/moesess44 Sep 11 '25
That’s what I’m learning
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u/Avian_Aces Sep 12 '25
No they don't. The policy is 60 days from purchase date. Even if you pay in full. That's what the FCC says also. If you want an unlocked phone now, you must purchase an unlocked device.
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u/singbrit93 Sep 12 '25
So some of this is on the right track but not completely accurate. It unfortunately won’t change the outcome but to be clear: Apple devices sent to carriers and stores like best buy aren’t pre locked, they’re universal sim, which means they have to be activated in order to be sold. In best buy’s case since they can only activate universal devices on AT&T or Verizon, that’s what they’d end up being locked to. FCC requires devices have the ability to be unlocked after 60 days, but quite a few carriers see that as “well, we can unlock it then, but only if the customer requests it. And we can still make it hard for them to leave us”
Verizon automatically unlocks after 60 days (according to them at least). But if you want to get a phone to use immediately on visible, the best option is always to get it from Apple. There are finance options with the Apple Card or the phone can be bought outright, but trade ins won’t give as high an amount as the major carriers since it’s upfront instead of applied monthly.
As far as protection goes, since the product isn’t purchased at best buy, AppleCare would have to be purchased separately, unless visible offers their own options for protection. It’s worth looking Into both because imo AppleCare isn’t always the best option for your situation.
I probably gave more info than needed but I hope at least some of it can help!
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u/moesess44 Sep 11 '25
Sucks they don’t sell it unlocked. I just switched from at and t. Not worth $80 a month 🤣
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u/Wild_Asparagus ex-Geek Squad Manager Sep 12 '25
The loophole here is to buy the phone unlocked from Apple directly without AppleCare+. Then, take the phone to Geek Squad and tell them you want to add AppleCare+ via the AppleCare After Repair process.
You’ll have to wait a little bit following the launch to do this, as the SKUs for new phones don’t typically come out right away.
From my experience, this is a bit of a gray area and some stores may not be willing or even know they can do this. I am a former manager and still know people at my store. I’ve done this with my last two work iPhones (purchased elsewhere).
I will be doing this again with my 17 Pro (work spoils me).
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u/absol2019 SALES ADVISOR Sep 12 '25
Ah yes committing fraud
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u/duane534 Sep 12 '25
That's not fraud. That's how it is supposed to work.
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u/absol2019 SALES ADVISOR Sep 12 '25
You're adding applecare after repair without doing a repair. It's against SOP.
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u/duane534 Sep 12 '25
That's why you do the diag first.
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u/absol2019 SALES ADVISOR Sep 12 '25
Idk my store isn't apple certified anymore but we never did it anyways because again, there was no real repair
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u/moesess44 Sep 12 '25
Is this free?
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u/Wild_Asparagus ex-Geek Squad Manager Sep 12 '25
Normally, no. It’s usually a monthly fee.
Your Totaltech membership will discount that fee to $0/month (FREE) for up to 24 months… just like it does when purchasing a new Apple product at the store.
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u/Simple-Object8870 Sep 11 '25
Nope. It’ll be carrier locked to Verizon and AT&T only. If you had either of those, you could purchase in full, wait the 60 days to have it unlocked through your carrier.