Android 16 stopping OEM unlocking?

M00n3at3r

Hello everyone,
I just purchased a refurbished Pixel 9 Pro but I seem to be having issues getting OEM unlocking accessible. I have previously installed Grapheneos on a pixel 7, but I never ran into any issues with that install. I understand that "unlocked" is typically misunderstood and that there are two "versions". Carrier unlocked and bootloader unlocked. Since going through the normal setup, enabling developer options and turning on OEM unlocking didn't work, I went to everyone's favorite friend, AI. Specifically Claude. All opinions aside, it seems that I have a clean build, no carrier lock, and on paper, nothing glaring that should be stopping me from enabling bootloader.

What I have tried so far:

Multiple factory resets
Factory reset with and without SIM inserted from first boot
Factory reset with and without wifi connected from first boot
Factory reset with and without Google account, with Play Protect disabled
Forced Play Services check-ins
Left on WiFi + active T-Mobile SIM overnight with Google account signed in
Verified no MDM/device owner via ADB

Test results from what Claude had me do over ADB:

ro.carrier = unknown
ro.boot.verifiedbootstate = green
ro.build.flavor = caiman-user
ro.boot.flash.locked = 1
ro.boot.cid = (no output)
ro.boot.warrantybit = (no output)
ro.oem_unlock_supported = (no output)
sys.oem_unlock_allowed = (no output - not just 0, completely absent)
persist.sys.oem_unlock_allowed = (no output)
gsm.operator.numeric = 310260 (T-Mobile, active SIM inserted)
gsm.sim.state = LOADED, NOT_READY
dumpsys device_policy = No device owner, no active admins, no MDM enrollment

In all likelihood I will just return the phone, but I wanted to see if anyone else has had a similar issue and either Claude or myself missed a big flashing "I'M THE PROBLEM IDIOT" sign. Could this be an android 16 issue and I need to go back to 15? Is this just a one off? Appreciate any help on this.

Exact phone specs incase they are needed/helpful:

Model: Pixel 9 Pro (caiman)
GR83Y
Build: google/caiman/caiman:16/CP1A.260505.005/15081906:user/release-keys
Security patch: 2026-05-05
Android 16 (stable)

Kamika242

M00n3at3r I went to everyone's favorite friend, AI.

No, it's not everyone's favourite friend, especially not mine. Think by yourself and don't let stupid machines do this for you!

M00n3at3r I just purchased a refurbished Pixel

That's the main problem, you never know where such a device is from, from the free market or a mobile carrier device, no matter what the seller promised you.

If a device is OEM able, after a factory reset you need a clean internet connection without VPN and external ad-blocking and otherwise filtering DNS. If the OEM switch stays greyed out anyway, you have bought a nice brick. 😏

Good luck!

de0u

M00n3at3r Could this be an android 16 issue and I need to go back to 15?

I don't think so.

Is the device enrolled in Google's beta program? I think I may have heard that can block OEM unlocking.

M00n3at3r

Kamika242

Thanks for the input. Naturally my AI comment is sarcasm, I mostly use it as a research aid when I have run through as many reddit posts and other FAQs as possible. Program/systems analysis is outside of available mental ram I have so yeah, I lean on it when it's something like this where I need an answer but I'm not looking to be an expert.

From what I can tell it's not carrier locked in any way. When I searched the IMEI, no carrier came back and nothing on the phone fresh out of the box indicated it was carrier specific. It didn't list t-mobile until I put in a t-mobile sim in hopes that a working sim was required for OEM unlocking to be enabled.

Kamika242

M00n3at3r in hopes that a working sim was required for OEM unlocking to be enabled.

That's what solved the problem for me. I bought a brand new Pixel 10 Pro XL from the free market 4 months ago and in the beginning the OEM switch was greyed out, I ran in panic. After a factory reset with an already installed physical SIM card OEM unlock was working like from a wizards hand then.

Johnnyloans

Welcome :)

Here are a few ideas.

For oem unlocking, it always requires:

an internet connection to the phone. A VPN or DNS/ad blocking could be an issue.

It could also require:

dialing *#*#2432546#*#* secret code in the phone call app
reboot
updating Google's stockOS (android)
if the phone is on the beta updates program, getting the phone off of beta stockOS builds
fiddling with find my device to see if it's linked to a person's gmail account (google sees this as stolen since it wasn't unlinked)
Might just take time. (A few minutes, 1 day, 5 days. not sure)
factory reset
Paying off the phone fully if financed.
confirming your phone is bootloader unlocked. A phone from a carrier is often not for phones sold in the USA at least (e.g. carriers such as Verizon, T-Mobile, etc)

Johnnyloans

Johnnyloans Paying off the phone fully if financed.

I think this only applies to carrier payment plans.

M00n3at3r

Johnnyloans thanks for the reply. Pretty sure I listed this on my first post but I’ve already done everything you listed. It wasn’t on beta, everything has been updated, didn’t use a vpn/dns. For internet I tried multiple different ways including WiFi on/no sim, WiFi off/no sim, WiFi off/sim and WiFi on/sim. Each time I changed configurations I did a factory reset to try and get it to get whatever verification it needed from google. I did the ## thing multiple times and every time it would say check in succeeded. On the programming level though, I confirmed it is bootloader locked but could not find the reason why. When I would use sys.oem_unlock_allowed which checks the status of google giving permission to turn on OEM unlocking, the command would return nothing. It should return “0” if google denies it or “1” if google allows it. I’ve got nothing. When I first tested it I was on WiFi hotspot from my phone because my internet was down. It’s back up now though and I ran through all the same tests and even made sure I updated the OS and all apps preinstalled, no change. Still do not get a response back.

23Sha-ger

Where did you get the phone from? GR83Y is a specific US model, which can be AT&T/Verizon one. You might be out of luck. AT&T does have a portal to allow carrier unlocking, as long as the phone bill is paid off:
https://www.att.com/deviceunlock/unlockstep1

M00n3at3r

23Sha-ger I purchased it from back market. From what I can tell it doesn't have any Verizon finger prints on it. As if it was flashed with a clean version of the OS by the refurbisher, but something is clearly keeping it from unlocking. I guess it's possible something went wrong in the reflash or the underlying security policy from Verizon didn't get wiped out if/when it was reflashed. If that's the case, that's way above my pay grade. I assume it's probably not worth the effort of doing if I can return it and get another right?

23Sha-ger

M00n3at3r
There are usually no visual logos on most carrier phones, that practice got abandoned like a decade ago.
We can't know if you can return it or not but you should definitely try before it's too late.

de0u

M00n3at3r I assume it's probably not worth the effort of doing if I can return it and get another right?

If it was a Verizon phone there is probably no way to OEM-unlock it ever. Regardless, I would return it.

Johnnyloans

As if it was flashed with a clean version of the OS by the refurbisher

The flashing could have been sideloading an ota update. This replaces the entire OS on both boot slots. This does not need OEM unlocking. After that, factory reset and sell the phone to a person. (sideloading an OTA isn't needed though. I guess it ensures no software issues.)

M00n3at3r

Appreciate everyone’s feedback. I take it this is a pretty rare case since I don’t see many posts about this issue that aren’t resolved with either “confirmed it was a Verizon phone” or “I didn’t factory reset the phone correctly”. I feel like there was another one but regardless, is there a more consistent way to ensure that I get one that is bootloader unlocked? I.e. message the seller before purchase and hope they know what I’m talking about? Or do I buy a t-mobile one and unlock it so I’m sure it’s not a Verizon one?

de0u

M00n3at3r Personally I have had good luck with "factory unlocked" phones from eBay sold by a high-volume seller with a solid reputation and a good return policy.

raccoondad

M00n3at3r ensure that I get one that is bootloader unlocked?

Buying from google directly https://store.google.com make sure you select 'unlocked'