LG Tribute 5 LS675 GSM Unlock for AT&T, T-Mobile and other GSM carriers

If you own LG Tribute HD LS676 please follow this Tutorial – LG Tribute HD LS676 GSM Unlock

 

Last month when I saw LG Tribute 5 Boost Mobile for $40 on Amazon & BestBuy, I was tempted to buy it. The only reason for holding back was the incompatibility with RingPlus. Until recently, April 17 to be precise, Sprint prepaid phones easily got activated with RingPlus (Sprint MVNO).  In fact, I’m still using LG Tribute 2 Virgin Mobile with Ringplus.  I’m not much inclined towards Boost, as it offers the same Sprint service as Ringplus for a higher price.

With a little research I found that Tribute 5 LS675 is a Global phone, so if its GSM part can be unlocked I can very well use it for domestic GSM carriers such as AT&T, T-Mobile, Cricket, MetroPCS etc under BYOD program.
After a lot of reading on XDA forums, I realised that it can be unlocked in the same manner as Sprint LG G3. So, as soon as I got the phone from Amazon, I worked on it and Voila! it got unlocked.

I have written a step by step guide with screenshots. Just follow this easy tutorial and get your LG Tribute 5 GSM unlocked.
The prerequisites before following this guide are –

1. Bypass Activation
2. Root

Now that you’ve rooted your phone, Let’s proceed with the GSM Unlocking Process –

We’ll need 2 apps for this whole process which are Root Explorer and Build.Prop Editor.

We’ve to replace 2 files via Root Explorer, which are node.db and node.db-journal.

You can download these apps and the required files from below download link.

DOWNLOAD

Extract the zip file and install both apk’s. Transfer the files, node.db and node.db-journal to your phone’s internal storage or external sd card.

LG Tribute 5 GSM Unlocking Step by Step Tutorial – 

panorama 2 3 4

 

Open Root Explorer and Mount it as R/W as shown above.

You can see two Partitions on top “Root” & “Storage”. The “Root” partition contains System Files and “Storage” has Phone Memory and External SD Card. Browse for the downloaded node.db and node journal files.

5 6 7

Select Both Files. Click on “Copy” Icon

Proceed to Root Partition, Look for Carrier Folder and select it.

Inside the Carrier folder, you’ll find Apps folder open it and paste the copied files here, by selecting “Copy Here” option as shown in the first screenshot below.

8 9 10

Replace the existing files with new ones.

Now you have to change the file permission as it was before for existing file. For this long press on the first file i.e node.db and Select “Permissions”.

 

11 12 13

After changing the value it should look as above. The top left 4 boxes should be checked. Based on the permissions the CHMOD value should be generated as 0660.

102 thoughts on “LG Tribute 5 LS675 GSM Unlock for AT&T, T-Mobile and other GSM carriers

  1. Please I just want to know how to use 3g network on my LG LS676 because after I unlock the phone 3G network was not working. Pls what can I do.

    • ok so this might be late and you probably already solved the problem, but you have to contact your carrier for that. For tribute 5, go to settings –> networks –> go down to mobile data and make sure it is enabled –> then, click the three dots at the top right corner –> click on mobile networks

      now, click on APNs
      you have to get on the phone with a person at the carrier and they will give you a list of information you must input. Finally, your data should work.

      hope that helped

  2. Wow! Worked!! Thank you a lot
    You just saved a life. I took this phone around and they all said it couldn’t be fixed. God bless you.

  3. Got this phone from boost mobile for like 50% off
    unlocked it but stopped using it for a couple months
    had to factory reset to turn it back on
    auto-locked again
    this is really handy thanks to whomever made this
    i can call now 😀

  4. Hello, am from Cameroon, got a new LG Tribute 5 LS675 with calls, text messaging functioning well, can’t seem to have internet access through mobile data, tried using this tutorial.. i could edit my apn settings, but still yet i don’t have internet access through mobile data…. so don’t really know what to do.. hope i get a reply.. thanks…

  5. after typing in “com.lge.hiddenmenu.jcm_only.networkmode.” i still get the no sim card inserted and the network mode is still faded out. what should i do now??

  6. I am receiving “com.android.phone has stopped working” while the “spr” keeps reverting back to “SPR”. LG LS660P

  7. Hi, did everything but am getting service disable and “com.android.phone has stopped” keeps popping up. Moreover, after rebooting the “spr” changes back to “SPR”

  8. hola como puedo liberar el tribute 2 para q me coja en Colombia lo traje de usa pero acá no me da señal en ninguna compañía de Colombia a gracias dise sim invalida gracias

  9. Thanks, I unlocked my lg Tribute 5. But there is one problem it doesn’t work in roaming, no network.
    When I tried to look into roaming settings there is an error stating setting has stopped and am not able to change the roaming settings.
    Please help.

  10. I did all the step but I have ! Next to the signal bar and no Access point just said not set, information usimg a ultra mobile Sim. Thanks and help please

  11. So I couldn’t get superU to work for me. after I opened the terminal and typed in what was shown it would give me the error and failure on the screen but the superU app would never open. I guess im just going to continue with kingroot an hope my phone doesn’t get bricked

  12. Hola y buenos dias,tengo un telefono lg ls675 segui el procedimiento y funciono ya recibo y puedo hacer llamadas,solo que la coneccion de datos no me funciona.como puedo solucionar esto???? Saludos.

  13. it worked completely but as i edit values of SPR to lowercase it again automatically changes to SPR ..i tried again but its not working and i also dont get network mode as many shown in pic..i just get default 4 options…plz help

  14. THANKU SO SO SO SO SO MUCH BRO
    IM SO HAPPY TODAY….now my 3g is working fine on gsm wwooahhhh…:D 😀
    love u bro..:*
    thanku so so much for help us..<3

  15. Ok i got a tribute 5 675 from a buddy it broke just a few days after he got it so he just bought a different phone well he gave it to me cuz i needed a phone i sent it into LG to get it fix well they fix it for me the flash memory was defect so now im trying to decide which service to get i believe he had sprint on this phone the only reason i think that is when he gave me the phone it had a micro sim card in it and it had sprint writing on it but i know he is with boost mobile service right now now ok if i do this and unlock the phone with ur steps. Will i be able to choose any cell phone company to provide me service and if i do this do i have to change the setting in my phone every time if i what to switch to a different service provider that use a different sign or will it automatically switch depending on which SIM card I have in the phone and finally is there a way to check and see if it is locked cuz i dont have any micro sim cards besides the one that was in the phone when my buddy gave it to me so i not sure which sign it is using GDMA or GSM l live in ohio so im not out of thw country but thank u for posting this page and please get back to me when u can my email is michaelmance8383@gmail.com and could u share to me the unlock code thank u so much

  16. i am almost done with the instructions given but i was not finding the Carrier folder as mentioned in the steps can u help me out

    Proceed to Root Partition, Look for Carrier Folder and select it.

  17. This worked like a charm for LG Tribute 5 but I recently bought LG Tribute HD for boost with the hope that similar rooting / unlocking is available only to find out that Tribute HD rooting is not possible. Can you please let me know know if any one successfully rooted and then unlocked LG Tribute HD?

  18. How important is it to bypass activation? I have been using the phone for a little while before I decided to try to root and unlock. If i do a factory reset will I have to activate again? Thank you.

  19. it work for my G3 LS990 i receive and makes call but when i try to connect to data
    i got this message “Unable to establish a wireless data connection”

  20. I am trying to use this exact phone on MetroPCS. I followed your steps above and once I put my SIM card in it says “Emergency Calls Only” and I cannot use Mobile Data or text. Can you please help me!!!!! I am trying to use this device on the MetroPCS network.

  21. Did this method and I am using a MetroPCS Sim card. After following the steps above I am still getting the “Emergency Calls Only” alert.

  22. After build.prop modifications mobile network was greyed out for me. Followed the shortcut master steps, switched network to HAM only and TMobile works fine. Thanks

    DICKS OUT

  23. After build.prop modifications mobile network was greyed out for me. Followed the shortcut master steps, switched network to HAM only and TMobile works fine. Thanks

  24. I followed your instructions but was unable to use my tmobile sim card until adding another APN.

    Name: T-Mobile US LTE
    APN: fast.t-mobile.com
    Proxy:
    Port:
    Username:
    Password:
    Server:
    MMSC: http://mms.msg.eng.t-mobile.com/mms/wapenc
    MMS proxy:
    MMS port:
    MMS protocol: WAP 2.0
    MCC: 310
    MNC: 260
    Authentication type:
    APN type: OR Internet+MMS
    APN protocol: IPv4/IPv6
    APN roaming protocol: IPv4
    Enable/disable APN:
    Bearer: Unspecified

  25. Thanks for the detailed info. I am also unable to edit the apn settings after unlocking. Its greyed out. I tried the above method of installing Shortcut master lite, but it failed to “Launch” com.lge.hiddenmenu.jcm_only.networkmode. Says “ui timed out”. Hence i am unable to use data at all.

    Also, i have another question. Just in case i do a factory reset after unlocking, will it get locked again and i have to do the procedure again to unlock? And do i need to remove KingRoot before doing a factory reset?

    • I got this “ui timed out” error when the phone was not rooted. Check if your phone is rooted.
      The phone will remain unlocked after reset. Make sure you unroot the phone before factory reset

  26. Yes, but didnt wrk..
    I cant click only on mobile netwrk tab. Its greyed out.
    This hapens only aftr Changn build.prop value..
    Wen i change SPR back to Capital the Mobile netwtk option comes back

    • If “mobile networks” is greyed out. Install Shortcut master lite and in Search Bar type com.lge.hiddenmenu.jcm_only.networkmode

      “Launch” it. You’ll see ” Network Mode Change”

      From dropdown select your desired network mode and reboot phone.

  27. Followed everythng but it didnt work for Me..
    Aftr Changing values with Buil.prop the Mobile Network option in setting becomes grey n i m not able to Select it at all..
    Kindly help me with this

    • You’ve to change “SPR” to lower case i.e “spr” via build.prop editor “ro.build.target_operator=SPR”
      After doing this step you’ll be able to edit APN settings

  28. Sorry for my unclear question.

    In my case It is KINGO SU.

    Can KINGO Super user be replaced by this method shown as Replacing KingUser with super SU?

    Thanks.

  29. The displayed details are as follows

    Root Access
    access granted

    SU
    su found
    /System/xbin/,
    /system/bin/
    Version: kingo 14

    Unix utils
    busybox
    /system/xbin/

  30. Thanks for your immediate reply to all members. Amazing.

    I just checked up my LS675 with root checker
    it confirms my phone has been already rooted.

    The displayed details are as follows

    Root Access access granted

    SU su found
    /System/xbin/,
    /system/bin/
    Version: kingo 14

    Unix utils busybox
    /system/xbin/

    Now….
    Can I replace the kingo su with superSU following the steps
    as given in https://lgtribute.com/replace-kingroot-supersu-lg-tribute-2/

    Please help me.

  31. Hi Admin,
    Really happy to see such a wonderful tutorial with nice illustrations.
    My search to unlock my data services ends with this website dedicated for LG Tribute models.
    Nice job.
    I am going to try this on my LS675 for sure.

    But, I am using this phone with CDMA & GSM sims in India.
    It works nice UPTO voice alone.
    It does not work on data services as APN settings not available.

    Please tell me, if the above procedures are done,
    can I use data services also? without affecting my voice services already used by me?

    Or Is there any other procedure to unlock the data services alone.
    Thanks in advance.

    Sattish R Nathan

    • Thanks for the feedback. Following this tutorial, you’ll be able to edit apn settings. GSM 3G data will work. You can switch between GSM and CDMA modes via Settings

  32. Thank you SO much for the tutorial and the “node.db” files!!
    This worked like a charm for me.
    FYI, I had gotten a 99-cent deal from FreedomPop that included a SIM and 1-month of free premium service. Was looking for an inexpensive Android phone to use with it, and found the Tribute 5 for $19.99 on Best Buy’s website. Printed out the webpage, and store price-matched their own website. {Found those deals through Slickdeals.net}
    Without your tutorial, not sure how I would have made it all work together!

  33. Hi…

    I have few questions for you.
    Please help.

    Once we unlockd the LS675 as per the procedures given
    in this article, can it be used world-wide.
    It will support almost all frequency bands of CDMA/GSM/LTE globally ??

    I have a LGLS675.
    I have given below some more specs of it for your kind attention.

    Android version
    5.1.1

    Android security patch level
    2016-02-01

    Kernel version
    3.10.49

    Build number
    LMY47V

    Software version
    LS675ZV5

    Can I follow the steps provided by you in this article to
    unlock it? I mean can this phone be unlocked using same procedures???

    Thanks,

  34. I figured it out if only first 2 boxes are checked, the CHMOD value automatically changes to 0600. So I guess it was a typo in your instruction. You mean 0600.

  35. The article says “Do the same for the other file. Note here, only first 2 boxes need to be checked with CHMOD value as 660.” But the picture you attached shows CHMOD value is 600. Do I need to change it to 0660? Thank you!

  36. Hi.. I did everything as per this post. I rooted the phone (although the root failed 3 times for unknown reasons) when I tried the 4th time. Replaced the files inside carrier/apps, changed permissions and edited the build file. I am still getting just 4 network modes and no edit option in APN settings. The ATT sim I put in is not getting recognized. Any idea ?

      • Yes, I checked the build.prop file, its in lower case. I am not getting any pop up errors. The sim is just unrecognized. There is an icon on the top near the signal strength indicator which is a slashed out sim symbol. And I dont see the network modes or edit options in APN settings (I dont even remember seeing the APN settings option)

  37. I got my Boost Tribute 5 rooted, changed ro.build.target_operator=SPR to “spr” and my phone is working with my TMO sim. My problem is I’m still getting the hands free activation coming up everytime I boot the phone. Any idea what the problem is and how to stop it ?

  38. As far as I know, as a low end phone, Tribute 5 has only band 25, 26 and 41, so it will not work on TMO
    or att 4G (LTE) network.

  39. OK…I got it to work!!
    THANK YOU!!!

    One question: I’m using a TMO SIM, but can only get 3G connection.
    Speedtest at 3M/2M only. I’ve fiddled with the settings, but no bueno.

    Any ideas how to get the 4G connection?

  40. worked for me, but not before i went an buy an unlock code which was a waste of money. Thanks a million for the detailed help.

  41. Hi admin,

    This worked perfect for me, thanks thanks!!

    Another question is, this can work for other boost mobile android phones?

    In case if I see another great deal like the tribute 5 at $20 bucks 😀

    • Glad it worked
      I’ve tested this on tribute 5 only, it may work but the boost phone should have global/gsm capability
      $20 is a killer price. I missed that deal

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