iPhone X T-Mobile says I need to erase my iPhone before they can unlock it, is this necessary?

[dglenn9000]

I have T-Mobile, put in a request for unlock. They replied with an email saying to unlock I will need to backup and erase the iPhone.

My question, is that really required. I have 3 iPhones I’m doing this to. I would hate to erase all three and I assume restore even tho the directions don’t say restore. Email attached.

 

[synonys]

Just get a non-T-Mobile sim if you don’t want to restore the phone. It doesn’t need to be an active sim.

 

[noobinator]

That process is just to verify it's unlocked afterwards. You can stick another sim in to not have to do this process.

 

[nburwell]

Like the others who posted before me, you just need to pop in another SIM to verify the device is unlocked. That's all I did once I paid off my X, requested T-Mobile unlock it, then popped my wife's AT&T SIM to verify the device was indeed unlocked.

No need to erase your phone - only when you sell your phone can you erase it/restore to factory settings.