How to Check if a Phone is Paid Off? – (Best Ways!)

Wondering how to check if a phone is paid off? Well, this guide uncovered everything!

Nowadays, there are numerous different ways to pay our phone bills, and after we pay we often wonder whether the bill has been actually paid.

So in this guide, we’ll show you the exact steps to check if a phone bill has been paid or not on the major network operators in the US…

To check if a phone has been successfully paid off, acquire the IMEI number of your device and go to the operator’s IMEI website.

Alternatively, the billing cycle and latest payments can be viewed from the official operator mobile application.

Let’s continue unwrapping!

Paying a Phone Bill – Fundamentals!

The phone’s billing date is typically a single day of the month, whereas 10 days or more prior, you receive a reminder message via SMS.

Then your services continue to operate normally until the billing date, after which you will receive a short grace period, even if the payment is delayed.

Phone Bill – Grace Period?

The grace period is strictly dependent on the operator’s policies. For some operators the grace period could be an entire week, and for others, just a few days.

When the grace period ends, there will be limitations, which are most typically an inability to call but you will receive calls.

Pro Tip – Check Your Funds!

One of the fastest ways to check whether your phone bill has been paid off is to simply check your financial account.

If funds have been recently extracted, matching the billing amount for your phone, well, your phone is paid. 

Note: Keep in mind that renewing your phone services might take up to a few hours after your funds have been extracted from your financial account.

How to Check if a Phone is Paid Off in Easy Steps?

There are only two ways to check whether your phone has been paid off or not.

One way is to simply contact your operator via phone call or check by yourself using the device’s IMEI number.

1. Acquire the IMEI Number

The International Mobile Equipment Identity (IMEI) is a 15 digit long identification number that absolutely any phone contains.

The IMEI is different for each phone and is one of the best ways to check the device’s hardware, specifications, and of course, whether it’s paid off or not.

How to Acquire the Device’s IMEI?

The IMEI number on your phone can be found on a sticker (under the battery) or on the original device’s box packaging.

If you’re unable to find the IMEI for your device, there is a simple way to acquire the number manually by dialing “*#06#* from the phone’s keypad.

Upon dialing, you will be provided with a few numbers, and the easiest way to recognize the IMEI is by its 15-digit length.

When you have the IMEI, write the code down, and proceed…

How to Find an IMEI Number on iPhone?

1. From the home screen, go to the Settings.
2. In there, tap to enter the General tab.
3. Next, tap on the About section at the top.
4. Scroll down to find IMEI/MEID and ICCID.

How to Find an IMEI Number on Android?

1. From the home screen go to Settings.
2. Next, locate and enter the “About Phone” tab.
3. Scroll down to find the device’s IMEI number.

Reminder: If you’re unable to find the IMEI number from the device’s settings, dial “#06#”.

2. Check if the Phone is Paid

In the US, there are 4 general mobile carriers also referred to as “the big four”, which are Sprint, T–Mobile, Verizon, and AT&T.

When you have the IMEI number of your device, it’s enough to navigate to the proper user portal, in order to check if your phone is paid off.

How to Check if a Sprint Phone is Paid Off?

Using IMEI Number:

1. On a computer or phone browser go to the Sprint IMEI Page.
2. Insert your IMEI in the “Phone IMEI (or MEID / ESN)” field.
3. Check the “I’m not a robot” reCAPTCHA and click “Check”.

Using My Sprint App:

1. Download the “My Sprint” app on your mobile device.
2. Disable the “WiFi” feature and enable mobile cellular.
3. Open the My Sprint app and wait to get connected.
4. Then enter the “My Account” tab from the bottom.
5. Select “Payment Center” and “View Payment Activity”.
6. Check if your Sprint phone has been paid off or not.

Shortly after you’ll be provided with information about the latest payments, and billing, or in case the IMEI is wrong, you would only see an error message. 

How to Check if a Verizon Phone is Paid Off?

Using IMEI Number:

1. On a phone browser or computer, go to Verizon IMEI.
2. Insert your Verizon phone, and IMEI number in the field.
3. Click on the “Check” button to proceed and check.

Using My Verizon App:

1. Download the “My Verizon” app on your mobile device.
2. Don’t forget to stop the “WiFi” and enable mobile data.
3. Open the My Verizon app and tap on the Account tab.
4. Then, tap on Manage All Devices from the list of options.
5. Next, find your Verizon mobile number and tap “Pay Off”.
6. Finally, view the device’s billing date and paid-off status.

How to Check if a TMobile Phone is Paid Off?

Using IMEI Number:

1. From an online browser go to the official T-Mobile IMEI.
2. Insert your device’s IMEI in the “Enter IMEI” number field.
3. Next, click on “Check Phone” to receive the information.

Using T-Mobile App:

1. Download the “T-Mobile App” on your mobile device.
2. Disable the “WiFi” and enable the “Mobile Data”.
3. Then sign into the T-Mobile app and go to Account.
4. From there track your data and check your billing.

Tip: You can also sign into the official T-Mobile website and go to “Bill Pay” for more information!

How to Check if a Phone is Paid Off for AT&T?

Using IMEI Number:

1. Navigate to the official AT&T Unlock Device Page.
2. From there, tap on “Submit an Unlock Request”.
3. Select “NO” if you’re asked if you’re a wireless customer.
4. Insert your IMEI number in the form to proceed.

Using the AT&T App:

1. Download the “myAT&T” app from the device’s store.
2. Disable the WiFi on your device and enable cellular.
3. Open the myAT&T app and navigate to My Account.
4. From there check the billing status and billing date.

Tip: Alternatively, you can always contact your operator and require billing information!

3. Test Making a Call

If you’re still not confident that your phone is paid, there is one final step, which would be the conclusion method.

We know that when a phone hasn’t been paid off after the billing date, soon or later the outgoing calls will be restricted, hence you’ll only be able to receive calls.

• Well, to check if your phone has been paid off, test making a call!

If you’re able to perform outgoing calls, well, your phone has been paid. If you’re unsure if that is the grace period, the best next step would be to contact your operator.

They would require some verification information, which you need to provide but they will then check and inform you.

Why is My Phone Bill Not Paid Off?

If you’ve just found out that your bill hasn’t been paid off, even after paying, well, don’t worry, since sometimes there are delays.

If you’re using an IMEI or the mobile app to check, know that recent payments are being reflected in the “My Account” tab in the app after a few hours.

In case your phone hasn’t been paid off, here are some steps to undertake:

• Check whether funds have been withdrawn from your bank.
• If not, retry to pay the bill and if yes, wait for a few hours.
• If there’s an issue or concern, locate the payment receipt.
• If money is missing and the phone is not paid, contact the operator.

Reminder: When you’re contacting your operator, don’t forget to acquire the IMEI of your device since you may have to verbally provide the number.

Quick Recap:

In this guide, we’ve learned how to check if a phone is paid off in two different ways and we know that the method works for the “big four US operators”.

If you’re on a different operator than the ones covered in the guide, simply contact their customer support. Follow us for more guides such as this one!

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