In many cases, you may need the IMEI number of your smartphone. This could be selling your old phone or trading it online for a new smartphone. Just in case you don’t know what your IMEI number is, this is a unique number assigned to your device by the manufacturer at the time the device was manufactured.
IMEI stands for International Mobile Station Equipment Identity and this number is very important for tracking your phone or blocking networks on your phone when your phone is lost or stolen. Even the police require the IMEI number to restrict the phone’s access to local networks or to blacklist the IMEI number.
Notably, the IMEI number is associated with the SIM card slot, which means dual SIM smartphones or regular phones will have two IMEI numbers. Similarly, cellular enabled tablets will also have an IMEI number. This unique number is the ID of your smartphone. You can use the IMEI number to prove that this is your phone. In this article, we have listed some easy steps to check your mobile phone’s IMEI number.
How to check IMEI number on Android mobile phone, Apple iPhone or any regular phone
USSD codes are the best and easiest way to find the IMEI number of any brand phone such as Samsung, Mi, Realme, OPPO, Vivo, OnePlus and Apple. The best part about this method is that it works on almost all mobile phones as it is a universal USSD code for all regular phones and smartphones. Here is how to check IMEI number using USSD code.
- First, you need to go to the dialer app on your phone.
- Now you need to dial *#06# on your phone.
- The moment you press the hash button, you can see the IMEI number appear on the screen.
- You can write down the number or take a screenshot and save it to your Google Drive, which can be accessed with your email ID.
Alternative Method: How to Check IMEI Number on Apple iPhone
For iPhone users, the company has made it very easy by engraving the IMEI number on the back of the phone, but note that the iPhone 5 series has this option. Apple stopped engraving IMEI numbers on the back with the launch of the iPhone 6 series. Previously, an Apple user printed the IMEI number on the iPhone 4s SIM card tray. New
iPhone users can use the following steps to find the IMEI number on their phones.
- Go to the settings app.
- Select “General”from the list and click “About”.
- In the “About”section, you can find all the important information about your iPhone, including the IMEI number.
Alternative Method: How to Check the IMEI Number on an Android Device
You can use the USSD code method, but if you forget the USSD code, you can use this simple method to find out the IMEI number on your Android smartphone.
- First, you need to go to the Settings app.
- Then select the About option and scroll down to the Status option.
- Select the “Status”option and you will see the IMEI number on the display.
Regular phone users can simply use the USSD code or check the IMEI number by removing the battery as the company prints a sticker inside the phone. You can take out the battery to check the IMEI number. Please note that the IMEI numbers are also written on the retail box and invoice.
How to know if the IMEI number is unlocked or not?
The process is quite simple for both iPhone and Android devices. To start with an iPhone, you can simply find out if your phone is unlocked by going to Settings > General > About. There you will see a No SIM Restrictions message next to Carrier Lock. This means that your iPhone is unlocked. For Android, all you have to do is find the IMEI number by following the above steps and then find an IMEI tracker online. From there, you can check if your Android phone is unlocked or not.
How to check IMEI activation date?
You can easily check the activation date using the IMEI number. If you have a Realme smartphone, you can use the company’s phone verification service to get all the information about the phone, including the activation date and more. OPPO also provides a similar service. However, if you want to check the activation of your Android smartphone, you can visit the IMEI check website to get all the details about its activation, warranty and more.
Can I change the IMEI number of a mobile phone?
No, a normal person cannot change the IMEI number of a mobile phone. The IMEI number is a unique number assigned to your phone by the GSM Association and its authorized bodies. The Government of India has made it clear that falsifying IMEI numbers is a punishable offence. Also, if you are caught spoofing an IMEI number, you can go to jail for up to 3 years.