YouTuber Stetson Doggett (a cell phone plans reviewer), walked through a way to get a new iPhone 17 Pro without paying the full price up front: finance or lease it through Apple, then activate it on US Mobile. We rounded up the steps below.

US Mobile works with your iPhone 17 Pro however you pay for it: buy the phone directly, finance it through Apple Card Monthly Installments, or lease it through Apple’s lease program via Klarna. The steps below show the checkout using the lease program. The other payment paths follow the same checkout flow, so the steps still apply.

The 18 Pro hasn’t shipped yet, so we can’t confirm if it works, but we also won’t stop you from trying.

Before you start

Stuff you’ll need to possibly make this work.

An Apple Account you can sign in to
A phone number and email you can receive codes on

Other stuff you might want:

A Klarna account, which Apple’s leasing program uses for financing. You can set that up or sign in during checkout.
An Apple Card, if you’d rather purchase through Apple Card Monthly Installments. These phones are always unlocked and able to be used on US Mobile, regardless of the carrier selected at checkout.

Lease an iPhone from Apple

1. Choose an iPhone

Go to apple.com and choose the iPhone you want. This walkthrough uses the iPhone 17 Pro.

Choose the model before configuring your phone.

2. Pick color and storage

Choose your color and storage capacity, then continue to the payment options.

Finish selection shown in cosmic orange.

3. Select Apple Upgrade

Under Payment options, select Lease with Apple Upgrade. Review the lease term, monthly payment, and agreement before continuing. [1]

Apple lists leasing alongside buying and financing.

4. Review the carrier selection

Choose a carrier from the options Apple provides. T-Mobile is selected in this walkthrough. Confirm the connection requirements for your order before proceeding. [1]

T-mobile is the example selection shown.

5. Choose delivery or pickup

Sign in to your Apple Account when prompted. Choose delivery or store pickup, then confirm your address or pickup location and the available timing.

Availability and delivery options vary by order.

6. Start the lease application

Next, enter your phone number to receive a verification code. Follow the prompts to sign in to Klarna or create an account and complete the lease application.

Klarna handles the apple upgrade application.

7. Confirm your Klarna account

If Klarna finds an existing account, check that the details are yours and follow the prompts to continue.

Existing-account confirmation; personal details obscured.

8. Continue to the order review

Once your application has been submitted, tap Continue to return to checkout. Review the final details and place your order. Submitting the application does not complete the order.

The submitted-application screen leads back to checkout.

9. Check the confirmation

After checkout, review your order confirmation for the device and delivery details. Keep the confirmation and lease documents for your records.

Delivery section of the order confirmation; account and order details obscured.

Get an iPhone 18 Pro from $268 with trade-in from US Mobile.

See the trade-in deal →

Set up your iPhone and activate US Mobile

When your iPhone arrives, complete setup and check that it can be used with US Mobile. Your device lease stays with Klarna; activating a US Mobile line is a separate step. [1]

10. Set up your iPhone

Turn on your iPhone, connect to Wi-Fi, and follow Apple’s setup prompts. Use Quick Start or set up manually, then sign in and restore your data as needed. Follow the carrier activation instructions shown for your order. [2]

During setup you may see a “Transfer Your Phone Number” screen asking for a wireless number and account PIN. This is left over from the carrier commitment tied to the Apple Upgrade lease, and you don’t need to complete it to activate with US Mobile. Tap Continue three times; a “Not Now” option will then appear below it. Tap that to skip the transfer and continue setup.

Transfer your phone number screen asking for a t-mobile wireless number and account pin.

Same screen after tapping continue again, now showing a not now option below continue.

11. Check carrier lock and compatibility

Open Settings → General → About. Under Carrier Lock, “No SIM restrictions” indicates an unlocked iPhone. Check device compatibility with US Mobile before starting activation. [3]

12. Activate your US Mobile plan

Download the US Mobile app and sign in. Purchase a plan if needed, then open the plan on your Lines dashboard. Choose your network and SIM type, and select a new number or transfer your existing number. For a transfer, enter the matching carrier account details. [4]

13. Install your eSIM and test service

Use the Install eSIM link on your line page or in your confirmation email. Follow the prompts, then make a call, send a text, and check cellular data after activation completes. [4]

If setup requires carrier verification and you cannot continue, contact Apple or the selected carrier for help.

Helpful links

[1] Apple Upgrade: program details and carrier requirement

[2] Apple: set up your iPhone

[3] Apple: check whether your iPhone is unlocked

[4] US Mobile: activate or transfer your number