Thinkpads Forum

Hello everyone,

I recently purchased a used ThinkPad X1 Yoga Gen 6 on eBay from a local seller. The seller stated they were the original owner and purchased the laptop directly from Lenovo.

When I received the device, it had already been factory reset, so I went through the full Windows first-time setup. The seller previously used the built-in cellular modem on T-Mobile. When I opened the SIM tray to install my own new T-Mobile SIM, I found the seller’s old SIM still installed.

The laptop boots normally, detects the cellular modem, and shows T-Mobile branding under Network Connections. My new SIM appears to be recognized by the system.

However, I cannot connect to the internet via cellular. I contacted T-Mobile support and also visited a T-Mobile store. When they check the IMEI, it shows as locked, but they cannot see who applied the lock.

I’ve read that in some cases a factory reset can trigger an IMEI lock that only the manufacturer can clear. I’ve spent several hours trying to get help from Lenovo support but keep getting transferred or disconnected. One suggestion was to use a paid IMEI checker (which I did, reluctantly), and all results show the IMEI as clean and not reported stolen. I can provide screenshots if helpful.

At this point, I’m trying to answer two questions:

1) Does Lenovo have the ability to lock or unlock the IMEI on the X1 Yoga Gen 6 cellular modem?

2) If so, what is the correct Lenovo department to contact?

Lenovo support has also indicated I’d need to pay $150 for out-of-warranty support just to open a case. If the device and IMEI are clean, it seems unreasonable to pay simply to enable hardware I already own.

Any insight or guidance would be greatly appreciated. Thank you.

See if this helps:
https://www.hardreset.info/devices/leno ... mei-check/

Thank you for the input. The website you appeared to reference a paid IMEI checker site. I’ve already run paid checks through imeicheck.com and directunlocks.com. Both results came back clean.

The only carrier this X1 Yoga was reportedly used with is T-Mobile. T-Mobile has confirmed the IMEI is clear on their end, yet still shows in one of their internal systems as locked by an unknown entity.

At this point, the only remaining party involved would appear to be Lenovo. Unfortunately, I’ve been unable to get a clear answer from Lenovo support as to whether they have the ability to lock or unlock the IMEI on the embedded cellular modem. Their guidance has largely been to purchase an IMEI background check, which I’ve already done.

The response I’ve received from Lenovo has essentially been a generic "chatgtp" style reply of "An IMEI lock is tied to the mobile carrier's network, not the Windows 11 operating system itself. Windows 11 only provides the software interface to manage cellular settings, but the unlocking process must be handled by the carrier or a professional service."

When I explained that the IMEI is confirmed clean and the carrier cannot identify the lock, Lenovo has not been able to provide any further direction—other than suggesting a $150 out-of-warranty support fee just to open a case.

If I had confidence that paying the fee would lead to an actual resolution, I would consider it. At this point, however, the limited technical clarity I’ve received doesn’t inspire much confidence.