Every single mobile phone on the planet has at least one thing in common: an International Mobile Equipment Identity (IMEI) number, unique to its unit, that can be used to identify it. If your phone is ever lost or stolen, your network provider can blacklist the device via its IMEI number, which renders it useless to anyone else, even if they swap out the SIM card.
Mobile phone 15-digit IMEI numbers are used to check items like country of origin, manufacturer, and model number. One item that may be obvious, but is worth repeating: Do not share your IMEI number or you risk falling prey to cloning and other IMEI-based scams.
Finding your IMEI number is easy, so let’s get started.
- Check IMEI on an Android phone:
On an Android phone, you can find the IMEI in the Settings menu. It can usually be found in one of the following locations:
- Settings > About phone > Status
- Settings > General > About device > Status
- Settings > System > About phone > Status
- Settings > About Device > Status
From there, write down the number or take a screenshot.
- Check IMEI on an iPhone:
You can find these numbers in several places, including Settings, on the physical device, in Finder or iTunes, and on the original packaging.
- Settings > General > About
- Scroll down to find the IMEI entry in the list. You can also touch and hold the number to copy it to the clipboard and then paste it somewhere else, like in Notes or a text.
*PLEASE NOTE* - it is not possible to identify the IMEI number of a device PRE purchase. We can only help identify the IMEI number of a device after an order has been placed.