ThummerHow to Find Your IMEI Before You Need It
If your phone is stolen, two people will probably ask for the same number: your carrier and the police. It's your IMEI, and the worst time to go looking for it is after the phone is gone.
It takes about a minute to find and save now. Here's what it is, where to find it on Android and iPhone, and what to do if you never wrote it down.
What an IMEI is
IMEI stands for International Mobile Equipment Identity. UK carrier O2 describes it as a 15-digit number that identifies a phone. It belongs to the handset, not the SIM card, which is why it matters after a theft: swapping in a new SIM doesn't change it.
Your phone may have more than one. Verizon notes that you might see multiple IMEI numbers, which is common on phones that support two SIMs or a SIM plus an eSIM. Save every number the phone shows you.
The fastest way: dial *#06#
On most phones, open the phone app and dial *#06#. The IMEI appears on screen. O2 calls it the simplest way, and Verizon lists it as an alternative to Settings. Belgian public broadcaster VRT gives the same tip in its festival safety advice (2024), and so does UCL's crime prevention adviser (2024).
On Android: Settings
If the dial code doesn't work, go to Settings, scroll down to About phone, and look for IMEI. Verizon says you can press and hold the number to copy it. Menu names vary a little by brand.
On older phones with a removable battery, O2 says the IMEI is also printed in the battery compartment.
On iPhone: Settings and more
Apple's support page lists several places to look:
- Settings > General > About. Scroll down past the serial number to find the IMEI/MEID.
- The SIM tray on many models, including iPhone 6s through iPhone 13 Pro Max.
- The back of the phone on older models (iPhone 5 through iPhone 6 Plus and the first-generation SE). Apple says iPhone 14 models and later don't have this engraving.
- The original box. The barcode label lists the IMEI.
- A computer. Connect the iPhone to Finder, the Apple Devices app or iTunes, then click Phone Number under the device name.
Where to save it
Write it somewhere you can reach without your phone:
- In an email to yourself, or a note in a cloud account you can open from someone else's device.
- On paper, kept apart from the phone (in your luggage, for a trip; our holiday travel phone-safety checklist has the rest of the pre-trip list).
- With a family member or travel companion.
Update the note whenever you switch phones; an old IMEI won't help anyone find the new one. A screenshot in your phone's own photos doesn't count. If the phone is gone, so is the screenshot, unless it's backed up and you can reach that backup from another device.
Already lost it? You may still find it
You can often recover the IMEI without the phone:
- Android: Google says you can find it in Find Hub. In a browser, go to android.com/find and select Settings next to the device. In the Find Hub app on another device, select the phone, then tap Settings.
- iPhone: Sign in at account.apple.com, choose Devices, and select the device. On another Apple device signed in to the same account, go to Settings, tap your name and choose the device.
- The box. If you kept it, the barcode label has the number.
- Your carrier. O2 says customers can contact support to get the IMEI for a lost or stolen device. Other carriers may offer the same; ask when you call.
Why it matters after a theft
Your carrier can block the phone. O2 says the IMEI lets your network provider block a lost or stolen phone. City of London Police advise telling your provider straight away (May 2025) so it can blacklist and deactivate the device.
Speed can matter for your bill too. O2, for example, says that for a lost device, telling it within 24 hours lets it cap your liability for usage at £100. Check your own carrier's terms.
Blocks can be shared. The GSMA keeps a central list of devices reported lost or stolen, the GSMA Block List, and encourages mobile operators to join its Device Registry to report and block stolen phones' IMEIs. The GSMA notes the deterrent only works globally where regulation allows stolen-device data to be shared across countries.
In the U.S., the Stolen Phone Checker FAQ says that once a phone is reported lost or stolen, your carrier can block it, and other participating carriers may block it too. The list draws on more than 170 contributors, mostly mobile operators, in more than 45 countries.
Police reports and insurance. A police report with the IMEI identifies your exact device. Eligible parties such as police and insurers can also check a device's status against the GSMA list, according to the GSMA.
The same number protects you when buying used
The IMEI works in the other direction too. In the U.S., the wireless industry group CTIA runs a Stolen Phone Checker, powered by the GSMA's Device Check service. Enter a used phone's IMEI before you buy it. A red "Reported Lost or Stolen" result means the phone is on the GSMA Block List and is likely blocked on cellular networks. CTIA also suggests checking that the make and model shown match the phone in front of you.
Do it together with the rest of your setup
Saving your IMEI only helps after a theft. While you're in Settings, turn on your phone's theft protection and Remote Lock on Android (our Android theft protection explainer covers each feature), or Stolen Device Protection on iPhone.
A blocked handset doesn't protect the accounts on it, so it's also worth reading how thieves drain bank apps from a stolen phone. Some Android owners also add an app for the moment of the grab; Thummer, for example, locks the phone within five seconds when the owner's thumb lifts off an on-screen bubble. And keep our first-10-minutes checklist handy for what to do, in order, if the phone is taken.
The bottom line
Dial *#06#, write down every number that appears, and store it somewhere you can reach without the phone. It takes a minute, and it's the number your carrier, the police and your insurer will ask for first.