iPhone IMEI check
Enter an iPhone’s IMEI to confirm it’s valid and see which iPhone model, A-number and year its TAC belongs to. Below: how to check the things an IMEI can’t show, such as Activation Lock, carrier lock and warranty.
- Free, no sign-up
- Model lookup runs in your browser
- A source on every line
What the IMEI can tell you about an iPhone
Our open data has 218 Apple TACs. For most iPhones from the iPhone 5 onwards, the TAC record includes the model, the Apple model number (A-number) and the year. Sometimes it also lists a variant (for example “US Model” or “China Model”) and the modem chip. Use these details to check that the phone matches the advert and that the variant suits your carrier.
It can’t tell you storage size, colour, purchase date, the carrier the phone was sold through, or whether it’s locked. Apple doesn’t encode those in the IMEI.
iPhone models and their A-numbers
Recent iPhone models with enough data for their own page, with the model numbers listed in our TAC data. Select a model to see every TAC and variant.
| Model | Year | Model numbers | Variants listed | TACs |
|---|
Activation Lock, carrier lock and blacklist: how to check properly
- Activation Lock (Find My): ask the seller to sign out of their Apple Account, turn off Find My, then go to Settings → General → Transfer or Reset iPhone → Erase All Content and Settings while you watch. If the iPhone restarts to a screen asking for someone else’s Apple Account, don’t buy it.
- Carrier lock: Settings → General → About → Carrier Lock should say “No SIM restrictions”.
- Lost or stolen: use the official check for your country, for example the CTIA Stolen Phone Checker in the US.
- Repairs: Settings → General → About → Parts and Service History shows replaced parts on supported models.
Warranty and coverage
Apple’s own Check Coverage page shows warranty and AppleCare status from the serial number or IMEI. Apple runs it; we don’t send it anything.
Open Apple Check CoverageQuestions
Can I check iCloud or Activation Lock status with the IMEI?
Not reliably, and not from Apple. Apple removed its public Activation Lock status page in January 2017. Sites that claim to report “iCloud ON/OFF” from an IMEI either use unofficial sources or can’t show where the result comes from. Check in person: the seller signs out of their Apple Account, turns off Find My and erases the iPhone while you watch.
How do I know if an iPhone is unlocked?
On the iPhone go to Settings → General → About and look at Carrier Lock. Apple says “No SIM restrictions” means the iPhone is unlocked. You can also insert a SIM from a different carrier and make a call.
What does the iPhone model number (A-number) tell me?
Each A-number (for example A2221) is a hardware variant, often specific to a region or set of carriers. Our TAC data lists the A-number for many iPhone TACs. Compare it with Settings → General → About → Model Number (tap it to switch from the part number to the A-number).
Why does my iPhone have two IMEIs?
iPhones with an eSIM, or with dual SIM, have one IMEI per line. Both are listed in Settings → General → About. US iPhone 14 and later models have no SIM tray but still have two IMEIs for their eSIMs.