Affiliate Disclaimer You cannot track a phone using IMEI online. IMEI number tracking is only possible with the help of law enforcement agencies and network operators. The only service you can obtain from online services is to confirm whether an IMEI number is valid or has been blacklisted.
Still, in this article, we’ll explore why it’s important to know your IMEI number’s capabilities and how you can use it to track a lost or stolen phone.
You can’t track a phone by its IMEI, but you can track it by its phone number
Try it right now
- Number Tracking
What is an IMEI Number?
IMEI number stands for International Mobile Equipment Identity Number. This number is 15 digits long, and every mobile device is equipped with one.
The IMEI is unique to every mobile phone. Mobile network operators use it to identify devices on their network.
Law enforcement uses IMEI numbers to identify and track devices, locate stolen phones, block unauthorized usage, link suspects to crimes, and facilitate forensic data recovery.
There are few ways to find the IMEI number on a mobile device.
Dial a Code
This is the simplest way to know your phone’s IMEI regardless of the brand. Dial *#06# on the keypad and your device’s IMEI will be displayed on the screen.
You can take a screenshot and send it to someone else’s phone for fast retrieval when you need it.
Check your Device’s Settings
Android and iOS devices store the IMEI number in the settings.
On an iPhone, go to Settings > General and tap About. The IMEI number will be listed among the phone’s information.
On an Android phone, open the Settings app and go to the About Phone Section. The IMEI number and the phone’s information will be listed, such as the model number.
How IMEI Tracking Works
IMEI tracking technology relies on cellular towers to estimate a phone’s location by triangulating signals exchanged between the phone and nearby towers. These signals include the IMEI number, which uniquely identifies the device.
Mobile network operators can combine this information with GPS data, if available, for precise location tracking. GPS operates separately, using a smartphone’s GPS receiver to calculate its position by measuring distances from satellites.
Only authorized entities like mobile network operators and law enforcement can track a mobile phone with IMEI number, accessing network data each time the phone connects for calls, texts, or internet use.
Online services cannot track IMEI numbers, as this data is strictly protected and only shared with law enforcement when legally required.
How Do Online IMEI Trackers Work?
While IMEI tracking is a technical process managed by authorities, many online tools claim to provide similar capabilities. Still, online IMEI trackers do not work.
People often confuse IMEI tracking with GPS tracking apps due to a lack of understanding about the technologies involved, lending to the misconception that you can use an IMEI tracker to find a phone. However, IMEI tracking involves cellular networks and requires technical capabilities.
Sites that promise to find your phone’s location using an IMEI tracker are using false advertising because they don’t deliver on their promises.
To prove this, we tested several online IMEI tracking platforms to evaluate their claims, and here’s what we found.
IMEI Tracker
This free online IMEI tracker is one of the first suggestions in Google. After I entered the IMEI number of my phone, the service indicated it had found my phone’s location and I needed to complete an offer to find the IMEI number’s location.
However, I could not get past that stage and I did not see my device’s location.
IMEI Tracker — Find My Device
This app also claims to be an IMEI tracker. After installing it, the app showed that it offers various services, such as “Secure My Phone,” “Anti-theft security,” and “Track My Members.” I could not use it to track my phone using IMEI.
As you can see, there is no legit IMEI tracker. Available online IMEI tracking apps don’t work. Such websites not only fail to deliver, but can also compromise your data, expose you to phishing scams, or even infect your device with malware.
If you’re looking to find your phone using an app, go for your brand’s tracking app, like Find My Device for Android phones and Find My for iPhone. Let’s review them further.
What You Can Do to Track a Lost or Stolen Phone
The best way to track a lost or stolen phone is to use Find My Device or the Find My app for iOS devices.
If you think your device is stolen, report it to your local police station. You will be asked to provide the phone’s IMEI number. The police will give you a report to take to your mobile network.
Your mobile network provider will use the stolen phone’s report to block it from accessing the network using the IMEI.
In most cases, the police lists stolen IMEI numbers in an equipment identity register for blacklisting. Once the phone is found, it will be easier to identify and unblock since it will be listed with the owner’s name.
How to Track Android using Find My Device
The Find My Device feature lets you find a lost Android phone online. To do this, log in to your Google account on the Find My Device website at https://www.google.com/android/find/. If you have enabled the service on your phone, tap your lost Android device name to see its location.
How to Track iPhone with the Find My App
The Find My app works similarly. Use your Apple ID to log in to the Find My app on another iPhone or iCloud website. You will see your iPhone’s location on a map.
You can also use the app to play a sound and lock the device to prevent someone else from accessing your data.
How to Track Lost Samsung
There’s no Samsung IMEI tracker as well. To find a Samsung, use the SmartThings Find service.
Log in to your Samsung account online to see the phone’s location on a map. The SmartThings app can ring the lost device, put it in lost mode, or erase data on the lost phone.
Track Phone Number And Send a Message to Lost Phone
If your Find My Device apps don’t work, you can consider using an online mobile number tracking service like Scannero.
This mobile phone tracker allows you to track a phone number’s location and send a message to the lost device, giving instructions on returning the phone to the person who finds it.
To text your lost phone, go to the scannero.io website and use the send message feature.
With Scannero, you can track iPhone or Android with their mobile phone number.
What is IMEI Check
An IMEI check is the process of using a phone’s International Mobile Equipment Identity (IMEI) number to verify its status. You can check whether a device is reported as stolen, locked, or blacklisted. This step is crucial when buying a used phone.
Why is an IMEI Check Important?
An IMEI check is important for the next reasons listed below:
- Verify a Phone’s Ownership
If you’re buying or selling a used phone, the IMEI number will help confirm the legitimate owner and ensure the phone isn’t reported stolen or lost. - Avoid Blacklisted Devices
You will know if phone carriers have blacklisted a phone for reasons like theft or unpaid bills by checking its IMEI. - Check Network Compatibility
You can use a phone’s IMEI to determine whether it can be used on all network providers or has been locked by a specific phone carrier. - Ensure the IMEI is not Tampered with
A phone’s IMEI can be tampered with and used for hacking. An IMEI checker can confirm that the IMEI is valid and has not been tampered with.
How to Check IMEI Number
You can use the next platforms to confirm an IMEI’s legitimacy.
IMEI.info
This service uses the device’s IMEI to show you such details as its name, type, chipset, available memory, and SIM card type.
Imeicheck.com
This platform shows the device’s information, such as the model number, warranty status, serial number, and production location. You can use it to determine whether a device is covered by warranty when buying.
How to Get Information About Phone Numbers Without IMEI
If you’re trying to search for phone number information, you don’t need an IMEI number — you can use a standard phone number and check it with HeyLocate service.
When you enter the phone number, HeyLocate Free Phone Number Tracker will reveal the country, network provider’s name, network type, and area code.
Additionally, HeyLocate will reveal other basic details like the line type (mobile or landline) and time zone.
Conclusion
Online IMEI tracking tools often promise to locate lost phones using their IMEI number, but they don’t work like this. Avoid using online IMEI trackers since they can expose your phone to hacking, data theft, and scams instead.
IMEI tracking software is available only to phone carriers and police.
For personal tracking, use in-built GPS locators and phone number trackers like HeyLocate and Scannero.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
An IMEI number can be tracked using a police IMEI tracker with help from phone carriers.
There are no a free IMEI trackers, as only phone carrier and the police can track IMEI. To track your lost or stolen phone for free, use tools provided by your phone’s brand, such as Find My Device and Find My for iPhone.
Contact your mobile service provider to have an IMEI number blocked.
An IMEI number can be tracked without a SIM by the police and your mobile network.
Yes, police can track a phone that is turned off, but only to a limited extent. They can access the phone’s last known location using data from cellular networks or other sources before the device was powered down.
Advanced features on modern phones, like Apple’s Find My network, may allow limited tracking even when the phone is off, but this depends on user settings and the phone model. For fully powered-down phones, tracking is impossible until the device is turned back on and reconnects to a network.
You cannot use Google Maps to track an IMEI number. Google Maps uses GPS to show your phone’s location.
You cannot track an iPhone’s location using its IMEI; you can only use the Find My app to locate an iPhone with GPS.
Tracking an IMEI number through Google Earth is a common misconception and not a feasible method of locating a device. Google Earth is a geographic visualization tool that provides satellite imagery and maps but does not have the capability to interface with IMEI numbers or track devices.
IMEI tracking is strictly handled by mobile network operators and law enforcement agencies, as it involves accessing cellular network data to locate a phone. For personal tracking, tools like “Find My Device” for Android or “Find My iPhone” for Apple devices should be used instead.
Monday-Sunday: 5:00am - 8:00pm (PT)
Leave a Comment