How to Unlock a Smartphone From SoftBank, au, docomo

Are you looking for a way to unlock the smartphone that you got from SoftBank, au, or docomo? The user login pages and official websites are all in Japanese, making it very difficult to navigate for those who do not understand Japanese.

The procedure to unlock a smartphone is also quite complicated. The unlocking procedure differs depending on how the smartphone was purchased (new or used), the carrier you have a contract with, payment method, etc.

We have the answers that you’re looking for. In this article, we will be explaining (with pictures!) how to unlock the smartphones that you have purchased from the three major Japanese phone companies: SoftBank, au, or docomo. We hope that it comes in handy!

*The SIM unlock procedure can be performed only by the carrier you purchased your smartphone from. If you would like to unlock the SIM of an iPhone purchased at docomo, you will need to do the procedure with docomo.

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How to unlock a smartphone from SoftBank

1. Conditions for unlocking the SIM lock

① If you currently have a SoftBank contract

Apply and complete the procedure through My SoftBank (Free)
Apply and complete the procedure at a SoftBank Shop (3,000 JPY)

You can apply and complete the procedure through either of the above. It is recommended that you complete the procedure online through My SoftBank since it is free.

② If you do not currently have a contract (canceled, used smartphone purchased somewhere else, given by someone, etc.)

Apply and complete the procedure at a SoftBank Shop（3,000 JPY）ONLY

Unlocking via My SoftBank online is not possible.
Also, 101 days or more need to have passed since the product was purchased and paid in full. If you do not know the purchase date of your phone or purchase method, you can check this information at a SoftBank shop.

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2. My SoftBank Unlock Method

① Check IMEI (serial number) and make a copy of this or make note of it (You will need this later!)

iPhone／iPad

You can check for this on the “Information” screen

Settings -> General -> Information

Enter *#06# in the phone application, the IMEI (serial number) will be displayed as a 15-digit number

Smartphone(Android, etc.)

Enter *#06# in the phone application, the IMEI (serial number) will be displayed as a 15-digit number

② Log in to My SoftBank

③At the top right area of the top page, select Menu → Contract/Option Management → Option [メニュー → 契約・オプション管理 → オプション]

　→　 →　

④ Scroll down and select SIM unlock procedure [SIMロック解除手続き]

⑤ Enter the IMEI number that you wrote down earlier and click Next [次へ]

⑥ Select Proceed with Unlocking [解除手続きする]

⑦ Unlock procedure complete!

*The message “SIM unlock is not finished yet” [SIMロック解除はまだ完了しておりません] is displayed, but the SIM unlock procedure is completed.

*In the case of Android smartphones, an unlock code [解除コード] will be issued. Please write down this unlock code as it is required when inserting a SIM card from another carrier into your smartphone.

*You can check if the SIM lock was unlocked by dialing [157]

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How to unlock a smartphone from au

1. Conditions for unlocking the SIM lock

① If you currently have a contract with au

Apply and complete the procedure through My au (Free)
Apply and complete the procedure at an au Shop (3,000 JPY)

You can apply and complete the procedure through either of the above.

It is recommended that you complete the procedure online through My au since it is free.

② If you do not currently have a contract (canceled, used smartphone purchased somewhere else, given by someone, etc.)

Apply and complete the procedure at an au shop (3,000 JPY) ONLY

Unlocking via My au online is not possible.
Also, 101 days or more need to have passed since the product was purchased and paid in full. If you do not know the purchase date of your phone or purchase method, you can check this information at an au shop.

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2. My au Unlock Method

① From the au website, select SIM unlock procedure [SIMロック解除のお手続き]

② Click the SIM unlock procedure [SIMロック解除のお手続き]

③ When the screen changes to the login page, use your My au account information to log in

④ Scroll down the page and check whether the device can be unlocked or not

⑤ If the device can be SIM unlocked, select the checkbox in the upper left corner

⑥ Scroll down further and click Next

⑦ Select the reason for cancellation and click Apply with this information [この内容で申し込む]

⑧ Unlock procedure complete!

*In the case of Android smartphones, an unlock code [解除コード] will be issued.

*Depending on the model of your smartphone, the final procedures may differ. Please refer to the au site for using non-au SIM cards with your unlocked phone.

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How to unlock a smartphone from docomo

1. Conditions for unlocking the SIM lock

Apply and complete the procedure through My docomo (Free)
Apply and complete the procedure at a docomo shop (3,000 JPY)

You can apply and complete the procedure through either of the above.

It is recommended that you complete the procedure online through My docomo since it is free.

101 days or more need to have passed since the product was purchased and paid in full. If you do not know the purchase date of your phone or purchase method, you can check this information at a docomo shop.

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2. My docomo Unlock Method

① Check IMEI (serial number) and make a copy of this or make a note of it

iPhone／iPad

You can check for this on the “Information” screen

Settings -> General -> Information

Enter *#06# in the phone application, the IMEI (serial number) will be displayed as a 15-digit number

Smartphone(Android, etc.)

Enter *#06# in the phone application, the IMEI (serial number) will be displayed as a 15-digit number

② Access docomo -> SIM unlock page [SIMロック解除] and click Go to procedure site [お手続きサイトへ]

③ Log in to My docomo

④ Go to Contract details/procedures [契約内容・手続き] -> Scroll down and open the tab SIM Unlock [SIM解除] -> Proceed with the procedure [お手続きをする]

　→　

⑤ Select the type of device you wish to unlock and input the IMEI number of the device you wrote down earlier

⑥ Check Apply for SIM unlock [SIMロック解除を申し込む] and Agree to SIM unlock [SIMロック解除の注意事項に同意する]

⑦ Select the recipient of the confirmation email and click Next [次へ]

⑧ Select Complete procedure [手続きを完了する]

⑨ Unlock procedure complete!

*In the case of Android smartphones, a SIM unlock code [SIMロック解除コード] will be issued. Please write down this unlock code and enter it in when asked to.

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Final Words

What did you think? Were you able to successfully unlock your smartphone? Although we try to keep the contents of this article as up to date as possible, the actual SIM-unlock screens and process may be different from this article. If you have any questions during the actual procedure, please contact your mobile carrier.

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Features of Sakura Mobile:

docomo 4G LTE Network
No 2-Year Binding Contract
Reliable English Support
Various Payment Methods

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