I am buying used Pixel, Inquiry? - Google Pixel Questions & Answers

Hello guys, I am buying a new Pixel phone but the seller claims that it was officially carrier unlocked.
I had this boot screen from his device and the lock logo confused me a bit (Check attachment) . I am not an expert so it would be great if you could help me to know whether it is ok to have this on the boot up screen or not and if there any ways to know if it is officially unlocked or unlocked by a 3rd party company. Sorry for my bad English
PS: The carrier company is in a foreign country

This is officially unlocked, that screen means the previous owner unlocked the bootloader. It's irrelevant to carrier unlock, and it's okay.
Enjoy the phone !

グăƒȘッチ said:
This is officially unlocked, that screen means the previous owner unlocked the bootloader. It's irrelevant to carrier unlock, and it's okay.
Enjoy the phone !
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Thank you for the help. But could you tell me please how could you know if it is officially unlocked or not ?
two more thing, Locking again the boot loader will cause the device any harm or will back it SIM locked again ?
How could I find out if this piece has microphone issue that most of people complain about ?
Thanks in advance, sorry if my questions are too rookie

Pixels are carrier unlocked.
You can easily relock the bootloader which is not the same thing as sim unlocking and will not affect that.
You can't tell with microphone issue unless you notice direct issues. If it is still within warranty you can rma the phone back to Google no questions asked (but bootloader must be relocked). I bought a used Pixel and it had a dead GPS chip and Google sent me a new not refurbished phone even though I was not the original owner.

Blue1k said:
Pixels are carrier unlocked.
You can easily relock the bootloader which is not the same thing as sim unlocking and will not affect that.
You can't tell with microphone issue unless you notice direct issues. If it is still within warranty you can rma the phone back to Google no questions asked (but bootloader must be relocked). I bought a used Pixel and it had a dead GPS chip and Google sent me a new not refurbished phone even though I was not the original owner.
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What did they say when they saw that the had not been bought from your Google account?

Related

[Q] Can't get phone unlocked help!

So I recently bought this phone d6603 from a guy who won it from a contest from Bell... Now I wanna unlock it. But according to the "unlockers" they can't seem to get the code.. So i tried getting it unlocked at a higher price from the carrier but they say the phone is not on their system. I tested the phone with their sim at the store and it works... It is obvious the phone is locked with them.
What should.I do please help
fakolego said:
So I recently bought this phone d6603 from a guy who won it from a contest from Bell... Now I wanna unlock it. But according to the "unlockers" they can't seem to get the code.. So i tried getting it unlocked at a higher price from the carrier but they say the phone is not on their system. I tested the phone with their sim at the store and it works... It is obvious the phone is locked with them.
What should.I do please help
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Chances are it was a pre release model, and some of these are not bootloader unlockable, or are already unlocked. If you search around there is a sequence that you enter with the phone keypad that shows you a service menu with the lock information

Google Store model screwed by Verizon update?

Hey folks! This forum has helped me so much in the past, but this is my first time posting here.
I had been using a Verizon Pixel since November with PN without any issues up until last week when the phone had an audio hardware failure and I had to RMA the device. I decided to process the RMA through Google directly, rather than risk ending up with a Verizon version of the phone with a locked down bootloader. After about a week of waiting, my replacement unit arrived today in the mail. The phone came with software version NOF26V, which is a non-Verizon build and should be unlockable.
I inserted my Verizon SIM card (poor choice) before booting it up without realizing that this would put it on the Verizon update path. I was trying to unlock my bootloader first thing, but after restarting the phone it automatically updated to NHG47O without any prompt or anything - WTF! So now I'm on a friggin Verizon build with a locked bootloader. Did I just ruin this thing? Is there any way to revert from NHG47O to the factory image? Does this phone now have a permanently locked bootloader?
Any suggestions? I wonder if Google would be willing to send me another one even though this was obviously my own fault....
That's not the way the way it works. The software version does not lock it. The IMEI is in a database that the phone talks to and gets permission to unlock. Your phone was already on a newer version....it would not have unlocked.
Google sent you a phone tagged as a VZ phone.... unlockable. That is what they do if you send them a VZ phone. Not always, sometimes they send a google phone. But not often.
And yes, you are permanently locked. There is no going back.
Hey TonikJDK, thanks for the response.
I'm sorry, but I'm not sure I understand what you're saying. First you say
TonikJDK said:
Your phone was already on a newer version....it would not have unlocked.
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Click to collapse
Then you say
TonikJDK said:
Google sent you a phone tagged as a VZ phone.... unlockable.
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Click to collapse
To be clear - I spoke with a Google Rep about receiving a replacement phone from Google specifically because I wanted to have an unlockable bootloader and I was assured that my replacement would be unlockable. I am trying to understand but it seems to me that the quotes above contradict each other. Are you saying that I wouldn't have been able to unlock the device even if I hadn't accidentally installed the VZ update?
To be clear. You bought a Verizon device with the understanding it has a locked bootloader. That's what you got. If you don't like it, sell it. If you BUY a Google phone it's unlocked. Not if you get one thru replacement for your Verizon device. It's really that simple.
Sent from my Pixel using XDA-Developers Legacy app
CapriciousCrawdad said:
Hey TonikJDK, thanks for the response.
I'm sorry, but I'm not sure I understand what you're saying. First you say
Then you say
To be clear - I spoke with a Google Rep about receiving a replacement phone from Google specifically because I wanted to have an unlockable bootloader and I was assured that my replacement would be unlockable. I am trying to understand but it seems to me that the quotes above contradict each other. Are you saying that I wouldn't have been able to unlock the device even if I hadn't accidentally installed the VZ update?
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Click to collapse
The statements do not contradict each other.
Google shipped you a Verizon phone with NOF26V on it. That is 7.1.1, you would not have been able to unlock it even if you tried before it updated. If it had 7.1 on it, yes the old depixel8 method would have worked.
Alright, sorry for the misunderstanding and thank you for clarifying. I get it now. The phone would've only been unlockable via depixel8 on 7.1 (because it's a VZ model) and since it shipped with 7.1.1 I was SOL from the start.
Either Google support didn't understand what I was asking or they outright lied to me about my replacement being unlockable. I am sad.
In any case, I appreciate your help. Thanks for your patience.
Happy to help. I think Google is honest, the rep screwed up.

I just asked and they unlocked Bootloader (T-Mobile)

Hi, everyone so I was trying to unlock my T-Mobile Pixel 4 XL the other night and I was having a problem with the person previously than the ones that ended helping me to get it done. I told them I just wanted to unlock it for a trip, I didn't want to tell them I wanted to root it. They said I needed to make so many payments for a temporary unlock and pay the phone in full for a full unlock. That didn't work. So the next day, I just said I needed to unlock my bootloader and the only way to do it was if the phone was unlocked. At this point, I had the phone for a week, but they did it, I was able to unlock the phone in the app and OEM unlock in developers menu and root like everyone else. I provided some screenshot on the twitter conversation.
she messed up lol
i42o said:
she messed up lol
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Don't hurt to ask nicely
I tried through the chat function in the TMobile app. Even threatened to switch carriers and they stood their ground. Said they 'respect' my decision.
Just got my phone ulocked as well, just by asking nicely on Twitter.
I'm trying this now for my 3a, will update if it goes well.
Excuse my ignorance, but what are the advantages of rooting this device if you don't mind me asking.. I'm new to my Pixel XL. Thanks for your patience in advance
w2830 said:
Excuse my ignorance, but what are the advantages of rooting this device if you don't mind me asking.. I'm new to my Pixel XL. Thanks for your patience in advance
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This might help you decide :good:
https://forum.xda-developers.com/pixel-4-xl/help/rooted-t4004915
Well, I'm going through twitter support now. Of course the first thing they ask is if the device is paid off. They were really cool about it but basically told me I'm SOL.
I really wanted to avoid having to go through a grey-area unlocking service.
obelisk79 said:
Well, I'm going through twitter support now. Of course the first thing they ask is if the device is paid off. They were really cool about it but basically told me I'm SOL.
I really wanted to avoid having to go through a grey-area unlocking service.
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Damn sorry to hear that man
Holy ****ttt . It actually worked for me ! It took a week but it worked ! It was from someone on the T-Mobile app. I basically told them how I loved the phone but I was disappointed that I couldn't use it to it's fullest potential so I needed it unlocked. and that I have paid more than a half of the device off so I really would like it unlocked or I would like to switch to a cheaper phone. The lady was very nice to me and said that she would work that out for me as best as she could and she really did it for me !
rhonal89 said:
Hi, everyone so I was trying to unlock my T-Mobile Pixel 4 XL the other night and I was having a problem with the person previously than the ones that ended helping me to get it done. I told them I just wanted to unlock it for a trip, I didn't want to tell them I wanted to root it. They said I needed to make so many payments for a temporary unlock and pay the phone in full for a full unlock. That didn't work. So the next day, I just said I needed to unlock my bootloader and the only way to do it was if the phone was unlocked. At this point, I had the phone for a week, but they did it, I was able to unlock the phone in the app and OEM unlock in developers menu and root like everyone else. I provided some screenshot on the twitter conversation.
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I just received my 2nd Pixel 4XL from T-Mobile after reading your 1st post. TMO is still refusing to help Unlock the Bootloader. If they do not, i guess i will be sending this one back as well...
i42o said:
she messed up lol
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The carrier lock is what prevents you from the OEM unlocking. if you get it carrier unlocked and stick a different sim in you should be able to oem unlock.
Has anyone Tested Temporary Unlock from the Unlock app? Once Temp Unlocked, run the fastboot command...
ThisPlaceIsaJoke said:
Has anyone Tested Temporary Unlock from the Unlock app? Once Temp Unlocked, run the fastboot command...
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Once you're 40 days in the temp unlock works. But from what I've read the OEM unlock button in Dev options is still greyed out so you can't unlock the bootloader. That switch has to be flipped on in order for you to be able to run the fastboot command.
jr313 said:
Once you're 40 days in the temp unlock works. But from what I've read the OEM unlock button in Dev options is still greyed out so you can't unlock the bootloader. That switch has to be flipped on in order for you to be able to run the fastboot command.
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Yeah I definitely understand how it works I was on the phone with a T-Mobile escalations supervisor regarding the four or five people that had their devices unlocked through two T-Mobile help without issue and without being within policy and they're still giving me no and I'm not taking no I'm taking it all the way to the FCC at a class action lawsuit if I have to this is my second Google Pixel 4 XL because the first one they told me I could boot later unlock and I couldn't The second one after showing them proof that it's been done they gave me a not so straight okay-ish upgraded me again and I got the device yesterday and they won't do Jack about it. I currently have three contacts in the office of the president escalations department and I am waiting here back from one of them...
I just randomly tried to unlock my phone from the unlock app and it worked. Didn't ask and device isn't paid off.
Just hit up Tmobile-help on Twitter and asked them if they would unlock my phone so I could better help with Android 11 development and they did it with no trouble. Even thanked me for helping with 11 development. My phone is not paid for. I do have 5 lines and have been a customer for awhile. Not saying it will work for everyone but did for me.
No luck here
Just got my T-Mobile Pixel 4 XL unlocked via Twitter.
I'm a brand new T-Mobile customer AND my phone is on a lease, not paid off at all. In fact I've not made any monthly payments or anything yet! I've only had the phone 4 days.
The trick is to ask them to enable dual SIM card mode and provision you over to an ESIM so you can run a physical SIM due to single issues. Basically T-Mobile sucks so bad you can't use your phone in some areas without a secondary SIM.
This was really what was happening for me and I had no issues getting it unlocked.
I now have a T-Mobile ESIM and a AT&T physical SIM plus OEM modes unlocked.

At&t pixel 5 is carrier-locked

Does anyone know an unofficial way to unlock this? Otherwise it's going back.
Thanks
joemommasfat said:
Does anyone know an unofficial way to unlock this? Otherwise it's going back.
Thanks
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Is it financed, or did you buy it outright? Mine is financed, but I assumed (like an idiot, after all this is at&t) that I would be able to unlock it after paying it off. Please don't tell me I'm stuck.
Mine is financed, but I have 14 days to return it. I thought it was a deal at $450, but if I can't root it, I'll have to get an unlocked one.
I'm not from the US but I think people on the OP7Pro would call up and saying there are going on a business trip abroad so could they please have the device unlocked.
It was a bit of a lottery if they got someone chill who would do it. The other option is to pay it off.
That might have been another US network though.
Sent from my Pixel 5 using XDA Labs
rav101 said:
I'm not from the US but I think people on the OP7Pro would call up and saying there are going on a business trip abroad so could they please have the device unlocked.
It was a bit of a lottery if they got someone chill who would do it. The other option is to pay it off.
That might have been another US network though.
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This was the locked t-mo model, and that's how I got mine unlocked. I don't work at at&t anymore but when I did there would be no way to unlock it without it being paid off. However I was contracted to work with at&t and not directly employed by them, maybe someone would have permission to do so I'm just doubtful.
joemommasfat said:
Mine is financed, but I have 14 days to return it. I thought it was a deal at $450, but if I can't root it, I'll have to get an unlocked one.
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Carrier locked is not the same as bootloader locked. As long as you can toggle the unlock bootloader setting in the developer options menu, you can root. You just can't insert the SIM of another carrier until your device is paid off.
You cannot toggle the OEM unlocking switch on carrier locked devices
joemommasfat said:
Mine is financed, but I have 14 days to return it. I thought it was a deal at $450, but if I can't root it, I'll have to get an unlocked one.
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LOL, you just now discovered that carrier locked phones can't be rooted?
Tel864 said:
LOL, you just now discovered that carrier locked phones can't be rooted?
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No, I discovered when I received the phone that at&t was carrier locking this phone. I was asking if anyone had found a way to side step this.
Tel864 said:
LOL, you just now discovered that carrier locked phones can't be rooted?
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It's amazing the number of people who still don't know that carrier incentivized devices are locked and the exploit ship has long ago sailed away into the sunset.
l7777 said:
It's amazing the number of people who still don't know that carrier incentivized devices are locked and the exploit ship has long ago sailed away into the sunset.
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What's truley amazing is that I thought I could ask a question on this forum without a bunch of 1337 know-it-alls being condescending.
joemommasfat said:
What's truley amazing is that I thought I could ask a question on this forum without a bunch of 1337 know-it-alls being condescending.
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Apologies, no condescension intended. It looks like you've been rooting devices all the way back to the HTC M8. That may well have been one of the last devices that could be bootloader unlocked via exploit. I find it hard to believe that you have been active on XDA all this time and never read any posts regarding bootloader unlocking of Verizon branded/locked devices. The answer regarding bootloader unlock and root has been the same for many years now. Thus my statement that I'm amazed people are still not aware of this.
I didn't know that either. Guess all the phones I've purchased have been unlock devices.. My last phone was a samsung note 10 whick couldn't be unlocked.
if pixel 5 is anything like pixel 4 then the oem bootloader unlock option is tied to the sim lock status. for example my p4 was carrier lock to EE but i paid it off right away so i can sim unlock. becuz i read that once sim unlocked, the oem unlock toggle ungreys itself. this is exactly what happened and i was then able to unlock bootloader.
i read posts about at&t models when early researching the p4 and the way i remember it being explained was it is like apple unlocking system. the serial gets whitelisted for unlocking on google servers which then sim unlocks phone. but this also controls the oem unlock toggle! so basically sim lock status = oem unlock toggle ability status. but again this was for p4.
if youre willing to pay it off early you should be able to unlock. im debating going to p5 because of batteyr life on p4. otherwise love the phone. choices choices! anyway hope this info helps mate, good luck
vdevl said:
if pixel 5 is anything like pixel 4 then the oem bootloader unlock option is tied to the sim lock status. for example my p4 was carrier lock to EE but i paid it off right away so i can sim unlock. becuz i read that once sim unlocked, the oem unlock toggle ungreys itself. this is exactly what happened and i was then able to unlock bootloader.
i read posts about at&t models when early researching the p4 and the way i remember it being explained was it is like apple unlocking system. the serial gets whitelisted for unlocking on google servers which then sim unlocks phone. but this also controls the oem unlock toggle! so basically sim lock status = oem unlock toggle ability status. but again this was for p4.
if youre willing to pay it off early you should be able to unlock. im debating going to p5 because of batteyr life on p4. otherwise love the phone. choices choices! anyway hope this info helps mate, good luck
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Thanks for that. Unfortunately if you pay it off early, you have to pay full price (which is somehow more than buying it straight from google). The discounted price only applies if you submit to the 30 month lock in. I returned the phone. Guess I'm sticking with the trusty 2xl for a little longer.
The carrier unlock and SIM unlock are tied together for T-Mobile and AT&T, only Verizon has the "OEM unlock" permanently stuck to OFF and they will not unlock it. I think they need to be pressured but it will take work. They have no excuse.
But AT&T and T-Mobile will unlock the OEM toggle when they SIM unlock, it was confirmed with Pixel 4 when they started selling those carrier-locked. Just usually have to pay off unless you can convince them early.
FYI....T-Mobile only sells the 4a 5G, not the 5. Could change as 5 stock comes back. Short supply right now.

Question App says unlocked, phone stays locked

Had a hell of a time speaking with T-Mobile representatives these last couple of days. Everyone has a different opinion on what I need to do to unlock my S22 Ultra. Just today a guy recommended I download the T-Mobile Device Unlock app off the Play store and it said the following:
"Your device is currently permantently unlocked and allowed to be used with any carrier. Restart your device to apply these changes if your device was previously locked." Yet I do that and it remains locked.
Anyone else had this experience? Not sure what I can do short of returning it.
DJRepresent said:
Had a hell of a time speaking with T-Mobile representatives these last couple of days. Everyone has a different opinion on what I need to do to unlock my S22 Ultra. Just today a guy recommended I download the T-Mobile Device Unlock app off the Play store and it said the following:
"Your device is currently permantently unlocked and allowed to be used with any carrier. Restart your device to apply these changes if your device was previously locked." Yet I do that and it remains locked.
Anyone else had this experience? Not sure what I can do short of returning it.
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If you're talking about OEM Unlocking, that is completely separate from carrier lock, and there's little the carrier can do about it.
The device is networked locked to T-Mobile.
DJRepresent said:
The device is networked locked to T-Mobile.
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Click to collapse
Are you the original owner?
Has the phone been paid off?
Are you currently running T-Mobile firmware?
KOLIOSIS said:
Are you the original owner?
Has the phone been paid off?
Are you currently running T-Mobile firmware?
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Click to collapse
No, I'm not. There was apparently someone before me. The phone is paid off and I do believe there isn't any custom firmware on it and I went through a series of updates since getting the phone.
If this indeed is a T-Mobile phone, you shouldn't need the T-Mobile unlock app. Just look around in Settings > Connections & look around for SIM unlock, network unlock or something along those lines (I'm running US unlocked firmware XAA, so, I don't have the unlock in my settings, otherwise, I'd be able to give you the exact terminology).
Anyway, once you've found it, you should be able to check for the SIM Unlock. If it says you're unlocked & you're still having issues, I'd call customer service.
KOLIOSIS said:
If this indeed is a T-Mobile phone, you shouldn't need the T-Mobile unlock app. Just look around in Settings > Connections & look around for SIM unlock, network unlock or something along those lines (I'm running US unlocked firmware XAA, so, I don't have the unlock in my settings, otherwise, I'd be able to give you the exact terminology).
Anyway, once you've found it, you should be able to check for the SIM Unlock. If it says you're unlocked & you're still having issues, I'd call customer service.
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I know that. I've been on the phone with them for over two hours already. I asked them to put in a request to unlock it given the previous owner's contract and filed a complaint with the FCC. The phone SHOULD be eligibile for unlocking but the carrier is just being stubborn.
The "T" in Mobile stands for "Trouble"
DJRepresent said:
No, I'm not. There was apparently someone before me. The phone is paid off and I do believe there isn't any custom firmware on it and I went through a series of updates since getting the phone.
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I got my T-mobile unlocked from 3rd party vendor as it was bought of ebay. I am using that phone in Asia and it is working fine. But i have a problem that i do not get OTA updates
raju_a said:
I got my T-mobile unlocked from 3rd party vendor as it was bought of ebay. I am using that phone in Asia and it is working fine. But i have a problem that i do not get OTA updates
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Who's the vendor?

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