Find my Phone’s IMEI number

By Found, Lost, Stolen
iPhone, Find the IMEI Number

Phone IMEI Number: Do you keep getting asked for an IMEI number and aren’t sure what to do? No worries! Liff Happens is here to clear things up.

I'm Missing My Phone
I Have My Phone

What is the IMEI number?

The IMEI or International Mobile Equipment Identity number is a unique 15-digit serial number to identify the device. This number is used by GSM network carriers, like At&t and T-Mobile, to identify valid devices on their network.

What would I need it for?

Your phone’s IMEI number can be an essential piece of information typically required when reporting a missing device, insurance, police reports, or verifying ownership of found devices.

How do I find my IMEI?​

Great question! The answer is it depends. 

When you have the device:

If you still have the device, then this is relatively easy to retrieve.

Keypad IMEI Lookup​

  1. Open up your Phone app ( Image result for phone app icon )
  2. On the keypad punch in this sequence: *#06#
  3. Boom, there is your IMEI Number

Find it on the "outside" of the Phone​

IMEI numbers can be found on the outside of many devices and here are common places to locate them:

  • Etched in small print on the back
  • On the Sim Card tray (pop out with a paper clip)
  • Under the battery, after removing the back of the device 

If you don't have your device:​

Well, that’s not great, and you might need this info–locating the IMEI number is slightly more complicated but not impossible.

iPhone: Get it from Apple​

There are several places to check that might show the IMEI number.

  1. Go to appleid.apple.com in a web browser.
  2. Sign in with the Apple ID that you use on your device.
  3. Choose the Devices section. 
    • To see the serial and IMEI/MEID number, select the device.
  4. Scroll to the About section at the bottom.

If you still need help, here’s what to try next:

  • Do you have a different device with iOS 10.3 or later that’s signed in to your Apple ID? On that device, go to Settings > [Your name]. Scroll down to see any devices signed in with your Apple ID. Tap the device name to view the serial and IMEI/MEID number.
  • Do you still have your device’s original package? Find the serial number and IMEI/MEID on the barcode:
  • Still can’t find the number that you need? Contact Apple Support by selecting your device from this list:

iPhone 14 - Serial Number

Apple is fun… in that they constantly introduce new wrinkles, like iPhone 14’s don’t have physical IMEI numbers since they don’t have sim card trays. 

Without access to an IMEI number, we have to use the serial number, which is a bit more painful for us but just as easy for you.

  1. Go to appleid.apple.com in a web browser.
  2. Sign in with the Apple ID that you use on your device.
  3. Choose the Devices section.
    • To see the serial number, select the device.
  4. Scroll to the About section at the bottom.

Android: Get it from Google

  1. Login to Google’s Android Device Manager, https://www.google.com/android/devicemanager
  2. Select the missing device from the list provided.
  3. To see a device’s serial and IMEI/MEID number, select the information icon (i) in the top right. 

Call your Carrier​

Your cellular carrier will keep your IMEI number on file associated with your phone number. The highest success rate, but the customer service wait times and talking to humans can get challenging.

Find it from a Backup

iTunes may save you here

  1. Open iTunes
  2. Open Preferences (Mac: Command Comma  Related image,)
  3. Select Devices
  4. Hover Mouse over the backup
  5. Boom IMEI

Note: unfortunately, Android doesn’t seem to have this option.