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What is an IMEI number used for?

An IMEI number is a unique code that every mobile phone has. It&rsquo;s like an ID for your device. The IMEI is used to identify your phone and can help block it if it&rsquo;s lost or stolen, making it harder for anyone else to use it.

Is my IMEI number the same as my device serial number?

No, your IMEI number and your device&rsquo;s serial number are not the same.

The IMEI is a unique number that identifies your phone on mobile networks. The serial number is used by the manufacturer to identify your device. Both numbers are unique but serve different purposes.

Is your IMEI number your SIM card?

No, your IMEI number and your SIM card are not the same thing.

The IMEI is a unique number for your phone itself, while the SIM card is what connects you to your provider&rsquo;s network. Think of the IMEI as your phone&rsquo;s ID, and the SIM card as your network access pass.

What types of phones have IMEI numbers?&nbsp;

All modern cell phones, including smartphones, have an IMEI number. You can easily check your iPhone&rsquo;s IMEI number (or any other device) using a few simple steps, as explained in this article.

Do other devices, like tablets and laptops, have IMEI numbers?

Yes, some devices, like tablets, smartwatches, and certain laptops that can connect to mobile networks, have IMEI numbers, too. If your tablet or laptop can use a SIM card for cellular data, it probably has an IMEI number just like a phone. Devices that only connect to Wi-Fi&reg;, though, won&rsquo;t have one.

How do I find my cell phone&#39;s IMEI number?

It&rsquo;s easy to find your phone&rsquo;s IMEI number! Just dial *#06# on your phone, and the number will show up on your screen. You can also find it in your phone&rsquo;s settings.

Here&rsquo;s how to locate it: &nbsp;

<ul>
	<li>On iPhones: Go to Settings, then About.</li>
	<li>On Android phones: Go to Settings, then About Phone, and then Status.</li>
</ul>

Find your IMEI number on iPhone/IOS 

Follow these steps: &nbsp;

<ol>
	<li>Dial a code: 
	Open your phone&rsquo;s keypad and dial *#06#. Your IMEI will pop up on the screen. You might see other numbers too but look for the one labeled IMEI.</li>
	<li>Check your settings: 
	Go to Settings, then&nbsp;General, and then&nbsp;About.&nbsp;You&rsquo;ll&nbsp;find your IMEI listed with other details about your phone<stong></stong></li>
	<li>Look on the device:
	<ul>
		<li>If your iPhone has a SIM card tray (iPhone 4S to iPhone 13), eject it&mdash;the IMEI is printed on the tray.</li>
		<li>For some older models (iPhone 5, 6, and first-gen SE), the IMEI is engraved on the back of the phone.</li>
		<li>For the very first iPhone, iPad, or iPod Touch, check the back of the device for the IMEI. 
		&nbsp;</li>
	</ul>
	</li>
	<li>Check the box: 
	If you still have your iPhone&rsquo;s original box, look for a sticker on it&mdash;the IMEI is usually listed there.</li>
	<li>Call your provider: 
	If you can&rsquo;t access your phone, your provider can provide your IMEI and help you block your device if needed.</li>
</ol>

Find your IMEI on an Android

Follow these steps:

<ol>
	<li>Dial a code: 
	Open your phone&rsquo;s keypad and dial *#06#. Your IMEI will appear&nbsp;on the screen. Check for the number labeled IMEI.</li>
	<li>Check your settings: 
	&nbsp;Go to Settings, then&nbsp;About Phone. Scroll down and&nbsp;you&rsquo;ll&nbsp;find your IMEI.<stong></stong></li>
	<li>Using Google&rsquo;s Find My Device:&nbsp; 
	Open Settings, go to&nbsp;Security&nbsp;and select&nbsp;Find My Device. Tap the phone icon at the top left, then tap&nbsp;Information. Your IMEI should show up next to the phone icon.</li>
	<li>Look on the device:
	<ul>
		<li>Many Android phones (like Samsung) have the IMEI printed on the back.</li>
		<li>If your phone has a removable battery, check for a sticker under the battery with the IMEI.</li>
	</ul>
	</li>
	<li>Check the box: 
	If you kept the original box, look for a sticker on the packaging&mdash;the IMEI is usually listed there.</li>
	<li>Call your provider: 
	If you&nbsp;can&rsquo;t&nbsp;access your phone, your&nbsp;provider&nbsp;can look up your IMEI and help you block the device if&nbsp;it&rsquo;s&nbsp;lost or stolen.</li>
</ol>

Devices with battery packs
For devices with a battery pack, you can usually find your IMEI and serial number on a sticker. Just look for the sticker attached to the battery.

How do I find my&nbsp;IMEI without my phone?

If you don&rsquo;t have your phone with you, you can often find the IMEI number on the box your phone came in or on your purchase receipt. If you have an iPhone, you can also check your Apple ID account online&mdash;just sign in and look under your devices. For Android phones, you might be able to find it by signing in to your Google account and checking your device details.

How do I report a lost or stolen phone?

If you lose your phone or it gets stolen, you&nbsp;can use your IMEI number to&nbsp;<a href="/support/article/wireless/KM1086528/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_self">report it to your&nbsp;provider</a>&nbsp;and the police. Your&nbsp;provider&nbsp;can block the device from being used on their network, using the IMEI number,&nbsp;making it useless to the thief.

Can I find my stolen phone with my IMEI number?

You cannot personally track a stolen phone using its IMEI number. The IMEI is a unique identifier for your device. Only mobile network providers and law enforcement agencies can use it, mainly to block the device from accessing cellular networks or, in some cases, help locate it. 
&nbsp;

What you should do with your IMEI number if your phone is stolen &nbsp;

<ol>
	<li>File a police report: 
	Visit your local police station and provide your phone&rsquo;s IMEI number. Also, provide other relevant details, such as a purchase receipt. Law enforcement can request assistance from mobile providers to help locate the device, though they usually prioritize that for serious incidents.</li>
	<li>Contact your mobile service provider: 
	Notify your provider about the theft and provide your IMEI number. Your provider can add the phone to a national or international blacklist, preventing anyone from using it with a SIM card on their network or partner networks. This makes the device unusable for the thief.</li>
	<li>Use built-in tracking features:
	<ul>
		<li>For Android devices: Use Google&rsquo;s Find My Device service.</li>
		<li>For iPhones: Use Apple&rsquo;s Find My service.</li>
	</ul>
	</li>
</ol>
&nbsp;

These features allow you to see your phone&rsquo;s location (if it&rsquo;s powered on and connected to the internet) and remotely lock or erase your data for security.

A word of caution about online IMEI tracking services

Be wary of third-party websites or apps that promise to track your phone using only its IMEI number, especially if they charge a fee. These services are often scams. Only authorized network operators with the ability to track a device using its IMEI number through secure internal systems.

Summary
An IMEI number is a special code that makes your phone unique, like a fingerprint just for your device. Every modern cell phone, and even some tablets, smartwatches, and laptops that use cellular data, has its own IMEI number. This number helps phone companies and the police block your device if it gets lost or stolen, making it much harder for anyone else to use.

Your IMEI number is not the same as your phone&rsquo;s serial number or SIM card. The IMEI is used to identify your device on mobile networks, while your serial number is used by the manufacturer, and your SIM card connects you to your wireless provider.

Finding your IMEI is easy! You can dial *#06# on your phone, check in your device&rsquo;s settings, or look on the original box or on a sticker attached to the battery. If you lose your phone, you can report the IMEI to your provider and the police, so they can block it and help protect your information. Remember, only mobile carriers and law enforcement can use the IMEI to block or possibly help find your phone&mdash;not third-party websites.

Tamar Levin is a Sr. Digital Content Editor at AT&amp;T, who specializes in wireless technology and innovation. With dual Master of Science degrees from the University College London, Tamar brings over a decade of editorial expertise to her role. She currently spearheads the Content Standards Council at AT&amp;T. Tamar is based out of Dallas, Texas.

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What is an IMEI number? | AT&T

What is an IMEI number?

What is an IMEI number?

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