Don't select AT&T, T-Mobile, or Verizon as the financing option. | Image by Apple
Even though AT&T, T-Mobile, and Verizon offer the best smartphone deals, you don't need to be on an eligible plan to finance an iPhone. You can also use Apple Card Monthly Installments to split the cost of ownership over 24 months or lease an iPhone for 12 or 24 months through Apple Upgrade. Frustratingly, both of these options require you to be an AT&T, T-Mobile, or Verizon customer.
However, it looks like Apple was a little lax when it comes to implementation. It turns out that if you select T-Mobile as your carrier, a new iPhone will ship unlocked. When setting up the device, you will be able to bypass T-Mobile activation by ignoring the "Transfer Your iPhone Number" prompt and pressing "Continue" three times. Tap "Not Now," and voilà, you will be free to connect your new iPhone to any prepaid carrier you choose.
What's stopping you from trying this trick?
32 Votes
What's happening?
Apparently, when you finance a phone through Apple Card Monthly Installments or lease it with Apple Upgrade and select T-Mobile as your carrier, you aren't required to verify your account right away. Just make sure not to choose T-Mobile as a financing option.
It looks like the T-Mobile activation process when you switch on a new iPhone is just an Apple-designed setup feature, and not a sign that the device is locked to T-Mobile.
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In addition to paying Apple hundreds of millions of dollars to get preferential treatment, AT&T, T-Mobile, and Verizon also vet postpaid customers. While AT&T and Verizon have stringent rules, T-Mobile's verification process doesn't require you to prove you are a customer.
new 18 Pro on ACMI just arrived—can confirm that Option 1 works. when prompted to enter carrier account number and whatnot, simply leaving it blank, pressing "Continue" then "Try Again" three times reveals the "Not Now" button and bypasses immediate activation like years past. eSIM transfer from phone to phone was seamless and we're up and running!
dozycats, Reddit user, September 2026
Legality
WhistleOut doesn't think that skirting the Big Three by using this loophole is wrong. The publication argues that it's Apple and T-Mobile who struck the carrier requirement deal, not you. Financing a phone directly through Apple isn't illegal, as you will be entering into financing agreement with Goldman Sachs or Klarna. You will still be paying the installments, just not to the Big Three.
Will likely be closed soon
Apple and the major carriers have already closed the loophole for standard models like the iPhone 17, 17e, and iPhone 16, so it's only a matter of time before it's shut down for the iPhone 18 Pro, iPhone Air, and iPhone Duo as well.
Keep in mind that you'll be paying more every month if you go for Apple Card Monthly Installments instead of financing a new iPhone through one of the Big Three. That will likely be offset by savings from a prepaid carrier.
Ultimately, this isn't how you are supposed to finance a phone, and no one knows what punitive measures Apple might take if it found out.
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Anam Hamid is a computer scientist turned tech journalist who has a keen interest in the tech world, with a particular focus on smartphones and tablets. She has previously written for Android Headlines and has also been a ghostwriter for several tech and car publications. Anam is not a tech hoarder and believes in using her gadgets for as long as possible. She is concerned about smartphone addiction and its impact on future generations, but she also appreciates the convenience that phones have brought into our lives. Anam is excited about technological advancements like folding screens and under-display sensors, and she often wonders about the future of technology. She values the overall experience of a device more than its individual specs and admires companies that deliver durable, high-quality products. In her free time, Anam enjoys reading, scrolling through Reddit and Instagram, and occasionally refreshing her programming skills through tutorials.
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