Where is the phone number listed? Why do you need a serial number if your phone is stolen? IMEI number – what is it? A universal way to view

What is IMEI? This is each person's unique identification number. mobile phone. Most often it is used to identify mobile equipment in operator networks cellular communications. In some cases, it is used to find lost or stolen mobile phones and smartphones. How to find out Phone IMEI And what you need to do?

Find out IMEI using a mobile phone

The IMEI number is written inside every mobile phone. And changing it in some countries is punishable by law - even criminal liability. To find out the IMEI number, you need to use special team*#06#. Judging by the syntax of the command, we see that it is similar to the most ordinary USSD command. The only difference is that there is no need to press the call key after dialing the last number.

After typing the command *#06# you will see its IMEI on the mobile phone screen. If the phone works with two SIM cards at once, then two IMEI codes will be displayed on the screen at once - for each SIM card. The number of digits in this identification number is 15 pieces. In smartphones on Android, iPhone and Windows Phone IMEI is checked in a similar way. Sometimes, along with the IMEI, a barcode is displayed in which the identification number is encrypted.

Some users believe that the presence of IMEI indicates the original origin of the phone (not a fake). In fact, absolutely all mobile phones have an IMEI, even if they are manufactured in the next basement.

Owners of Android smartphones are luckier - they can see the IMEI of their device directly through the menu. To do this, go to “Settings – About device – Status”. In the list of options you will see Smartphone IMEI. If the smartphone is designed for two SIM cards, then two tabs will be visible here with information on both working SIM cards and telephone modules.

Other ways to get IMEI

In order to find out the IMEI of a phone, you need to look under it battery. Carefully remove back cover device, remove the battery and look at the sticker - it will indicate Device IMEI. If the phone is designed for two SIM cards, then two IMEIs will be indicated here at once. There is a similar sticker on the phone box - it will be useful to you if you want to file a report with the police (regarding the theft of a mobile phone).

How to check your phone by IMEI

You can check your phone's IMEI online and get Additional information about the device. For example, it will help to identify the name of the model and find out some hidden service data - specialized databases on the Internet are used for this. Why are they created?

As we already said, IMEIs can be used to locate lost or stolen phones. But mobile operators diligently ignore this functionality, not allowing it to develop. Therefore, databases of lost and stolen mobile phones have begun to be created on the Internet. If you have lost your phone, enter its IMEI into these databases - this will give you another chance to find your loss. If you find someone’s phone on the street, then using these databases you will be able to find the owner of the device. True, the chances are quite small, since it knows about the IMEI number databases limited quantity of people.

By the way, it is impossible to track a phone by IMEI and determine its location - there are no such services on the Internet. Only mobile operators do this, and only upon a corresponding request from law enforcement agencies.

There are often situations when you need to identify your device and the surest way to do this is by imei. In this article we will take a closer look at how to find out the imei of a phone and what it actually is.

Educational program

Let's start with a definition. IMEI (International Mobile Equipment Identity) literally means International Mobile Equipment Identity. That is, have is a unique 15-digit serial number, which is assigned to each phone upon manufacture.

It is read by the operator mobile communications when the mobile phone connects to the network. With its help, you can find the device if it is stolen or lost. Thanks to this code, you can find a person in emergency situations. And it’s easy to identify whether the model you’re looking at is an original or a fake.

So what do these 15 numbers hide?

• The first six are assigned by the international classifier Type Approval Code depending on the gadget model. The first two of them correspond to the country code of the manufacturer.
• Two more numbers are responsible for the country in which the device acquired its final form.
• The next six digits are the unique serial number of this particular phone.
• The last digit is the backup code.

Like this knowledgeable people can sort out all the information encoded in numbers and learn a lot about the device.

Please note that smartphones equipped with two SIM card slots will have two imey codes, but they will differ only in the last digit.

Why is it important

Checking your phone's IMEI is not difficult, but this information can be very necessary. It will be useful if:

• You are buying a phone from an unverified seller and want to verify its authenticity.
• You purchase a second-hand device and want to check whether it was stolen.
• It is necessary to find a lost or stolen device, or even its owner.
• Do you want to block your gadget in case of theft or loss?

In general, IMEI is your guarantee of safety, and without this treasured combination in emergency situations it will be difficult.

How to find out

Theory is theory, but now we come to the main question. How to find out the IMEI of a phone?

Everything is simpler than you could imagine. Moreover, there are several options:

Option 1. So, to find out your phone number, dial *#06#. A window will appear on the screen where the information you are interested in will be indicated.

Option 2. You can also look under the device's battery if it is removable. Remove the back cover and take out the battery. On the back wall of the device there is a sticker with various data, including the name.

Option 3. If you dig into the settings of your mobile phone, you can also find the required combination. Go to Settings, then About phone, then select general information and go to the IMEI code data section. This only applies to Android.

However, these simple ways suitable for those who hold the device in their hands. But how can you find out the imei of a phone if it was stolen and therefore you are trying to get the code to use it to find your property?

Option 1. In this case, you need to find a phone box or a warranty card (you keep them, right?). If you managed to find both, check if the code on them matches, just in case.

Option 2. A Google account can also be your assistant. By logging into your profile linked to e-mail, you will see all the devices from which this email has ever been logged in. Select your phone model and in the window that opens you can find brief information about him, including have.

For iOS

The method of entering the combination *#06# also works here. In addition, there are other ways:

Option 1. The settings section in Apple gadgets should take you along this path: Basic, About this device.

Mobile phone for modern man- something more than just a means of communication. As a rule, it stores contacts, correspondence, passwords and account data for various Internet services, banking applications, personal photos and much more. That is why the loss or theft of a mobile phone is a real disaster for any owner. At the same time, there are not many opportunities to find a phone, but effective ways- even less. One of them is searching for a phone by IMEI. In this article I want to talk about how to independently find a phone by IMEI for free using the Google service. True, this method will only work if you have an Android gadget.

What is IMEI

In the previous article I already talked about how to recognize it, so I will not dwell on this in detail. Let me just remind you that IMEI is a unique 15-digit identifier mobile devices. It allows you to determine the location of the gadget, as well as remotely block its operation, but only if the device is turned on and connected to the operator’s network.

You can view the IMEI by dialing the combination ✶ # 06 # on your phone, in the settings of the gadget itself, as well as on the box under it, or iTunes application for PC (for Apple devices).

Looking for a phone by IMEI using Google

It's no secret that Google has been monitoring all Internet users for a long time. This can be approached in different ways, but in the case when the phone is stolen or lost, we can turn this fact to our advantage and use Google service to search for a device, and absolutely free.

It's about service "Remote Android management» , with which you can determine the location of your phone or tablet, lock it and delete all data by resetting the settings to factory settings. Remote control of Android is carried out through the IMEI of the device. But don’t rush to get upset if you don’t know him - he’s been well known to Google for a long time. So let's get started!

We use the “Android Remote Control” service

Description of the main functions of the Android Remote Control service

• "Ring"- the phone will play a ringtone for 5 minutes maximum volume. This will help you find a phone lost indoors or outdoors.
• "Block"— allows you to set a password for main screen and thus block the attacker’s access to the phone’s functions and all data stored on it.

  In addition, here you can leave a message that will be shown on the main screen of the device, and also specify contact number phone number to contact you. For example, you can write: “If you found this phone, please contact its owner at the number...”. Such treatment will greatly increase the likelihood that the person who found or stole your phone will return it back, because not only will he not be able to use or sell it, but he will also know how to contact you.

  Be extremely careful when setting a lock password through Android Remote Control. It cannot be changed or disabled through this service. Therefore, enter a combination that you remember well, or even better, write it down somewhere.

  After the phone is returned to you, set password can be disabled through the device menu: "Settings" → "Safety" → "Screen lock".

• "Clear"— resets the phone settings to factory settings. Use this feature only as a last resort because wiping will remove all your apps, photos, music, and other information from your device. After this, the Android remote control feature will stop working and you will no longer be able to find out the location of the phone or lock it. It is also important to know that the data wipe feature only applies to files stored in the phone's memory, but does not delete information from the SD card.

Is it possible to find a phone by IMEI via satellite?

Every now and then the question pops up on the Internet: “How to find a phone by its IMEI via satellite?” But you need to understand that IMEI numbers of mobile devices and space technology, in particular, satellite connection are not related to each other in any way. Information about the phone's IMEI is transmitted through the operator's mobile network and nothing else.

Perhaps someday, searching for phones using satellites will become a reality, but today such technology does not exist. That's why It is impossible to find a phone by IMEI via satellite.

How to find a phone by IMEI via the Internet?

At the beginning of this article, I told you about Google's Android Remote Control service, which allows you to independently locate your phone and lock it. There is a similar service called “Find iPhone” Apple. In both services, searching for a device by IMEI and managing it is carried out via the Internet, and this service is provided free of charge.

All other sites offering to find for a fee lost device using IMEI, serial number or SIM card number online or installing a phone search program on a PC is nothing more than scamming users out of money.

Be vigilant and don't lose your phones! And if this happens, under no circumstances transfer money to unknown persons who promise to find the phone by IMEI. You can easily find this information yourself and for free using Google services and Apple!

The loss of a mobile phone becomes a real tragedy for a modern person, because it stores contacts, correspondence, passwords to social networks, banking applications and much more. There are many ways to find lost phones, but not all of them are as effective as they should be. And some methods do not give any results at all. Many people ask: is it possible to find a phone by IMEI via satellite for free?

Let's figure out what this technique is and what its effectiveness is.

What is IMEI

IMEI is the unique identification number of a mobile phone. It consists of 15 digits and does not change when the number is changed. IMEI is flashed into the phone's memory and stored there forever, so changing it is very problematic. In some countries, this process is criminalized, which is why there is no need to experiment with changing this number. IMEI is tied directly to the phone. It is transmitted to the cellular network as one of the equipment identifiers.

If the device supports two SIM cards, then there will be two IMEI numbers, not one. Thus, cellular networks track the correspondence between IMEI and phone number. All this allows us to produce remote locks equipment and search for lost or stolen telephones.

To find out the IMEI of your mobile phone, look under the battery or dial *#06#. It is also indicated in the warranty card and on the packaging.

How to find a phone by IMEI

Searching for a phone by IMEI occurs as follows:

• A request is submitted to law enforcement agencies(documents on the phone are also provided there);
• Law enforcement agencies submit requests to mobile operators (together with IMEI);
• Cellular operators search for the device in their databases and find out who owns the SIM card that is installed in this device;
• The received data is sent to law enforcement agencies for further investigation.

Thus, you can find a phone by IMEI, but satellites have absolutely nothing to do with it, since cellular communications have nothing to do with satellites. What will law enforcement officers do? They will find out who owns the SIM card and find who is using the phone in this moment. It is possible to find a stolen phone by IMEI, but the police most often do not do this. The exception is complex cases when the police are interested in solving the case and catching the criminal. In other cases, no one is looking for stolen phones, although technical feasibility everything is just like that.

Moreover, operators are able to block lost phones at their level, depriving them of the opportunity to register in their networks (in practice, this feature is practically not used). Is it possible to find a phone by IMEI if it is simply lost? Neither the police nor mobile operator. Searching is labor-intensive, and the police are not a lost-and-found office. Therefore, by searching lost phone you will have to study on your own, without relying on anyone’s help.

Looking for a phone on our own

Your phone was stolen and you want to find it by IMEI online? We dare to assure you that this is practically impossible. There are simply no services on the network that could show the location of the phone by its IMEI. The only way out will be the use of special tracking services that allow you to track modern smartphones by reading their approximate coordinates and transmitting them via the Internet. All other services are nothing more than fantasy.

IN Lately Services have begun to appear on the Internet that allow you to find out whether a phone with one or another IMEI is listed as missing. That is, people register their devices in these services, after which they have additional chances of finding their phones if they are lost. Naturally, there is no talk about tracking phones here - these services are purely informational. And they are not widely used, so the chances of finding a lost handset using them are still small.

Finding a phone by IMEI via satellite is nothing more than a picture from a science fiction movie. Therefore, count on the availability of such services in real life no need to.

Modern people practically never let go of their gadgets. Phones have taken on many functions, because in addition to standard calls and messages, they can be used to create photographs, communicate in social networks, plan events. What can we say about standard features calendar, calculator, alarm clock, etc.? Losing a gadget can turn into a real tragedy for a person. Fortunately, each smartphone has its own unique code and if lost or stolen, you can track its location even online, so how can you find a phone by IMEI?

What is IMEI

This is an abbreviation that stands for International Mobile Equipment Identifier, which translated into Russian means “international mobile equipment identifier.” He is unique number for each mobile in GSM format. When connected, the code is automatically sent to your mobile operator. If another SIM card is inserted into a stolen smartphone and at least one call is made, law enforcement agencies will be able to access the phone by IMEI, find out who the card is registered to and seize the device.

Code assignment algorithms are constantly changing. The structure itself underwent changes in 2004. Initially, the code consisted of 14 digits, now it consists of 15. Today it has the following structure: “AA-BBBBBB-CC-D”, where:

• "AA" and "BBBBBB" are placement type codes (TAC), they are associated with the manufacturer and specific model devices. For example, at iPhone owners 5 the TAC code looks like this: 01-332700, and Samsung Galaxy S2 – 35-853704.
• “SS” is a unique serial number, supplied exclusively by the manufacturer.
• “D” is a check digit for checking the entire line.

How to find out the IMEI of a phone

Code data is traditionally stored in four places: on the packaging, under the device’s battery, in the warranty card and in the gadget’s firmware. On most devices, to retrieve it, you need to enter the code combination *#06# on the dialing screen and press call. You can use regular surfing through the device settings. Below are several options for popular manufacturers and operating systems:

• iOS (iPhone, iPad): Settings > General > About phone.
• Android: Settings > About phone.
• Old Sony models And Sony Ericsson: * right * left left * left *.
• Blackberry, new Sony Ericsson models: Settings > Status.

Is it possible to find a phone by IMEI

Using the code, you can find the gadget in several ways. It is difficult to change IMEI without outside intervention. This is illegal in some regions, so you can be sure that using the code you will accurately determine the location of the gadget. If you are not interested in returning the gadget, but do not want others to have access to the data, then contact your company cellular network to block your smartphone and extend the blocking to other mobile operators.

Find a phone by IMEI

Find out coordinates lost smartphone you can do it yourself using special services on the Internet, through various applications and programs for Android operating systems and iOS devices Apple. In case of mobile theft, it is better to contact law enforcement agencies, write a statement and indicate the unique IMEI identification number.

Google

People often wonder how to find a phone by IMEI via satellite for free. Finding a smartphone via a GPS satellite is a movie fantasy; in real life it is not feasible. You can track a phone by IMEI via the Internet if the mobile is linked to a Google account:

1. Go to Personal Area Google account.
2. On home page Find the option “Search for phone”, click “Proceed”.
3. Select the device, after which the approximate location of the smartphone will be displayed on the map.

To find an iPhone by IMEI, you need to connect iCloud service and activate the “Find iPhone” option. If your smartphone is lost, to determine its location, you need to go to icloud.com and enter your access data: password and Apple ID. Using the service, you can see not only where the smartphone is located, but also how it moves. You can also block your iPhone on the site.

Airdroid app

If the question of how to find a phone by IMEI yourself is still relevant, then use an analogue of a Google account - the Airdroid application, it can be installed from the gallery Google Play. The program implements remote control device, possibility complete cleaning and data blocking. If stolen, an attacker can take control of the application.

Lost Android program

Another program for finding a phone by IMEI is called “Lost Android”. The application is more powerful. You can install from Google Play. List of several remote features implemented in Lost Android:

• search for a device on the map;
• lock/unlock;
• viewing and copying data (contacts, messages, photos);
• on/off sound signal, vibration, screen;
• SIM card replacement notifications.

Statement to the police

Law enforcement agencies are tracking lost gadgets. If a smartphone has been stolen, you must contact the police and write a statement. You need to specify the IMEI code in it. After the request, employees will send a request to your operator mobile network. Unfortunately, the police respond very slowly to this type of complaint. In addition, cellular operators often refuse to block the phone until the fact of theft is officially confirmed.

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