Can I unlock an iPhone 3GS on iOS 5.1 that has never been jailbroken?
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emerauld23 • October 3, 2012 at 9:02pm
I have an iPhone 3GS running iOS 5.1 with baseband 05.16.05. It has never been jailbroken before. Is it possible to unlock this device for use with other carriers, and what are the steps involved?
Answers
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iClarified • January 12, 2026 at 1:02am
Unlocking an iPhone 3GS on iOS 5.1 with baseband 05.16.05 requires a jailbreak. Because this baseband cannot be unlocked directly by UltraSn0w, you must use a tool like Redsn0w to flash the iPad baseband 06.15.00 first. Once the iPad baseband is installed, it is highly recommended to use Redsn0w to downgrade the baseband to 05.13.04. This version is compatible with UltraSn0w and restores GPS functionality, which is typically lost when using the iPad baseband. After the downgrade is complete, you can install UltraSn0w from Cydia to unlock the device for other carriers. Alternatively, you may want to contact the original carrier to request a factory unlock. This is the most reliable method and does not require a jailbreak or baseband modifications.