How to find your IMEI number
The quickest way on almost any phone is to dial *#06#. Here are the other places to look, including how to find the IMEI of a phone you no longer have.
Fastest: open the phone (dialler) app and type *#06#. No call is made. The IMEI appears straight away. Dual-SIM phones show two.
iPhone
- Settings → General → About, then scroll to IMEI. Touch and hold the number to copy it. iPhones with eSIM show a second IMEI and an EID.
- SIM tray: engraved on the tray of iPhone 6s through iPhone 13, and iPhone SE (2nd and 3rd generation).
- Back of the phone: engraved on iPhone 5, 5c, 5s, 6, 6 Plus and SE (1st generation).
- iPhone 14 and later have no IMEI engraving. Use Settings, the box or your Apple Account.
- On a computer: connect the iPhone and open Finder (Mac) or the Apple Devices app or iTunes (Windows). Click the line under the device name until the IMEI appears.
Android (Samsung, Pixel, Xiaomi, Motorola and others)
- Settings → About phone. On many phones the IMEI is listed there directly. On others, look under Status or SIM status, or under “Detailed info and specs” on Xiaomi phones.
- Samsung Galaxy: Settings → About phone shows IMEI (and IMEI 2) near the top.
- Google Pixel: Settings → About phone → IMEI.
- Box and SIM tray: the box label lists the IMEI(s). Some models print them on the SIM tray or under a removable battery.
If you no longer have the phone
- iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch: sign in at your Apple Account (account.apple.com), open Devices and select the device. The IMEI is listed there.
- Android: in Google’s Find My Device on the web, select the phone and open its info. The IMEI is shown there for most devices.
- Paperwork: the original box, the purchase receipt and your carrier account or contract often show the IMEI.
Give the IMEI to your carrier and the police when you report a phone lost or stolen. In many countries the carrier can then block it on national networks and share the block through the GSMA. How blocking works and official checks.
Tablets, watches and modems
- iPad (cellular models): Settings → General → About. Also engraved on the back of some older models.
- Apple Watch (cellular): in the Watch app on iPhone, go to General → About.
- Android tablets and smartwatches: Settings → About tablet or About watch. For watches paired to a phone, the companion app usually shows it too.
- Mobile routers, hotspots and USB modems: on the label (often under the battery or on the back) and in the device’s admin web page.
- Laptops with cellular modules: in the operating system’s mobile network settings (on Windows: Settings → Network & internet → Cellular → Advanced options).
Once you have it
Paste it into the IMEI checker to make sure it was copied correctly and to see the model its TAC is listed under. If you are buying a used phone, compare the IMEI on screen with the box and SIM tray, then follow the used phone checklist.
Questions
Why does my phone show two IMEIs?
Dual-SIM phones, including phones with one physical SIM and one eSIM, have one IMEI per SIM slot. Both usually share the same TAC. Check both when buying second-hand, because either one can be blocked.
*#06# doesn’t work. What else can I try?
Use Settings (About phone, or General → About on iPhone), the box label or the SIM tray. Some carrier-customised phones disable dialler codes, and the code needs the phone app, not the messages app.
My phone shows IMEI “0” or “unknown”. What does that mean?
The phone’s IMEI storage is empty or damaged. This often happens after unofficial firmware flashing or a board repair. Networks may refuse such a device. An authorised service centre can restore it. Writing a different IMEI yourself is illegal in many countries.
Is it safe to share my IMEI?
Share it only when you need to, for example with your carrier, the police, an insurer or a buyer who wants to run an official blacklist check. Someone with your IMEI cannot take over your phone, but IMEIs are used in fraud and cloning. Prefer tools that do not store or publish it.