How to Find Your IMEI Number on iPhone or Android

The IMEI is easy to overlook until a carrier or police report asks for it. It identifies cellular hardware, not the person using the phone and not its current position. Finding it now and storing it somewhere outside the phone can save time if the device is later lost.

There is more than one route because a missing phone cannot show you its Settings screen. Start with the method that matches your situation. Apple lists several locations for an iPhone’s IMEI in its find-your-IMEI support page, while Google documents a way to view the IMEI of an Android device in Find Hub.

Find the IMEI while the phone is in your hand

On an iPhone, open Settings > General > About and scroll to IMEI. Apple says you can touch and hold the number to copy it. Check the label carefully: the serial number, EID and ICCID are separate identifiers and are not substitutes for the IMEI when a carrier asks for an IMEI. If the phone has two cellular lines, you may see more than one IMEI.

On Android, open Settings > About phone and look for IMEI. The exact screen can vary by manufacturer and Android version. Some phones place it under Status or a SIM information section. Google’s Android theft guidance directs users to Settings and About phone. If you cannot find it, search the phone’s Settings for “IMEI” before using a third-party app.

On many phones, entering *#06# in the Phone app brings up the identifier without placing a call. Treat that as a convenient shortcut rather than a promise that it works on every handset. If it does nothing, Settings is the more reliable path. You should not need to install an IMEI checker or enter account credentials on a website just to read a number already present on your phone.

An IMEI normally has 15 digits. The IMEI reference explains the format, but the number on your device or account is the one to use. Do not copy a number from a generic example image. If you have a dual-SIM or eSIM device, record each IMEI with a label so you can tell them apart later.

Find the IMEI if the phone is lost or will not turn on

First check the original box. Apple says the barcode label on an iPhone’s packaging can show the IMEI. Many Android manufacturers also print identifiers on packaging. Match the model and serial details against your purchase records; a box from a different phone is not evidence of this device’s IMEI.

For an iPhone, sign in to your Apple account from a trusted device or visit the account site by typing its address yourself. Apple’s support article describes how to find device details through your account when the phone is not available. A Finder or Apple Devices connection can also show identifiers for a phone you can connect to a computer. The SIM tray is only an option on certain models, so do not assume a modern eSIM-only phone has a number printed there.

For Android, open Google Find Hub using the Google account associated with the lost device. Select that device, then open its settings to find the IMEI if Google has it. Google’s Find Hub instructions document this path in the app and on the web. Some devices, such as Wi-Fi-only tablets, have no IMEI. If the device is absent from Find Hub, check the account and device prerequisites rather than assuming it was removed by someone else.

Your mobile carrier may have the IMEI associated with a financed or previously activated device. Sign in through the carrier’s normal website or call a published support number. Ask what proof of account ownership they need. If you bought the phone used, the carrier may not have complete records from before your activation. A purchase invoice may list an IMEI, but that varies by retailer.

What to do with the number

Save the IMEI in a password manager or another private record you can reach without the phone. Keep the serial number nearby but labelled separately. If you record two IMEIs, note which device they belong to and keep both; your carrier can tell you which one it needs for a particular line or block request.

If the phone is stolen, report it through the device maker’s finding service first, then contact your carrier about the mobile line and device blocking. The carrier may ask for the IMEI. Police may also ask for it as part of a report. These steps do not make an IMEI a consumer tracking tool. Our IMEI versus GPS guide explains the difference, while the iPhone and Android guides cover their finding services.

Be wary of a site that promises to show a phone’s live position from its IMEI. A number typed into an ordinary web form does not grant access to Find My, Find Hub or a carrier’s network. It can, however, give that site a persistent identifier. Avoid posting the complete IMEI in a public marketplace listing or support forum.

Before buying a used phone

Ask the seller to show the identifier in the phone’s own Settings. Compare it with any box or receipt they provide, while allowing for legitimate repairs and replacement packaging. A mismatch is a reason to pause and ask for an explanation, not proof by itself that a phone is stolen. Also check the device maker’s activation status and your carrier’s compatibility process before paying. An IMEI format check alone does not establish ownership or guarantee that a device will remain unblocked.

The useful habit is simple: find the IMEI while the device is available, keep it privately, and know where to recover it if the device disappears. The number helps identify hardware for legitimate support and reporting. It will not find the phone for you.

Sources: Apple device identifier instructions, Google Find Hub help and Android theft guidance. Device menus and carrier procedures can vary, so follow the current instructions for your own model and provider.