---
title: "How to Track a Phone with IMEI: What Really Works"
description: "Can you track a phone with its IMEI number? Who can, how to find your IMEI, how to block a stolen phone, and the IMEI tracker scams to avoid."
url: https://ailocator.app/guides/how-to-track-a-phone-with-imei
lang: en
dateModified: "2026-10-18"
---

Explainer

# How to track a phone with its IMEI number

Can you track a phone with its IMEI number? Who can, how to find your IMEI, how to block a stolen phone, and the IMEI tracker scams to avoid.

By the [AI Family Locator team](https://ailocator.app/about) · Updated October 18, 2026 · 3 min read · [Editorial policy](https://ailocator.app/editorial-policy)

Published by the makers of AI Family Locator. See our [product facts and limitations](https://ailocator.app/product-facts) when choosing a location-sharing tool.

## In this guide

-   [Who can actually use an IMEI to find a phone](https://ailocator.app/guides/how-to-track-a-phone-with-imei#who-can-actually-use-an-imei-to-find-a-phone)
-   [How to find your IMEI](https://ailocator.app/guides/how-to-track-a-phone-with-imei#how-to-find-your-imei)
-   [Lost or stolen phone: what to do instead](https://ailocator.app/guides/how-to-track-a-phone-with-imei#lost-or-stolen-phone-what-to-do-instead)
-   [IMEI tracker scams](https://ailocator.app/guides/how-to-track-a-phone-with-imei#imei-tracker-scams)
-   [Make sure your family can find a phone next time](https://ailocator.app/guides/how-to-track-a-phone-with-imei#make-sure-your-family-can-find-a-phone-next-time)

Every phone has a 15-digit **IMEI** (International Mobile Equipment Identity) that identifies the device itself — not the SIM card or the number. It’s useful when a phone is lost or stolen, but not in the way most “IMEI tracker” sites suggest.

**The short answer:** you can’t track a phone with its IMEI yourself. Carriers can see which network an IMEI connects to and share that with police under the law. What you *can* do is locate the phone with Find My or Find My Device, and use the IMEI to report and block it.

## Who can actually use an IMEI to find a phone

-   **Your mobile carrier** — sees the IMEI when the phone connects to its network, and can blacklist it.
-   **The police** — can request network data from carriers with legal authority.
-   **Insurers** — need the IMEI for a theft claim.

No app on the App Store or Google Play can read another phone’s position from its IMEI, because that data never leaves the carriers’ systems.

## How to find your IMEI

| Where | How |
| --- | --- |
| On the phone | Dial `*#06#` |
| iPhone settings | Settings → General → About |
| Android settings | Settings → About phone |
| Lost iPhone | appleid.apple.com → Devices → your iPhone |
| Lost Android | Your Google account → Security → Your devices |
| Paperwork | Original box, receipt, carrier bill |

Write it down today, before you need it.

## Lost or stolen phone: what to do instead

1.  **Locate it** — iPhone: [iCloud.com/find](https://www.icloud.com/find). Android: [google.com/android/find](https://www.google.com/android/find). See [find your phone with Gmail](https://ailocator.app/guides/find-my-phone-with-gmail).
2.  **Lock it** — Lost Mode (iPhone) or Secure device (Android) shows a message and blocks access.
3.  **Call your carrier** — suspend the SIM so nobody uses your number, and ask them to block the IMEI.
4.  **Report it to the police** — give them the IMEI and the last location from Find My.
5.  **Change key passwords** — email, banking and social apps.

## IMEI tracker scams

Search results are full of “IMEI tracker online free” pages. Red flags:

-   They ask for payment or personal data before showing anything.
-   They promise a live map from the IMEI.
-   They want you to install software on the lost phone (impossible if you don’t have it).

## Make sure your family can find a phone next time

Most phones that go missing are simply misplaced, and a family member could find them in seconds if they could see the last location. With [AI Family Locator](https://ailocator.app/find-my-phone), everyone in your family circle sees each other’s live or last known location and battery level — and gets a low-battery alert before a phone goes dark. [Set it up with a phone number →](https://ailocator.app/start)

AI Family Locator

## Find out where your loved ones are — in 1 minute

Enter a phone number, send a location request and see the real-time location on the map as soon as it’s approved. Arrival alerts, history, SOS and battery alerts included.

[Locate the number](https://ailocator.app/start)

 

## Frequently asked questions

### Can I track my phone with the IMEI number myself?

No. Only mobile carriers can see which network an IMEI connects to, and they share that with police, not with the public. Use Find My or Find My Device to locate your own phone, and give the IMEI to your carrier and the police.

### Are IMEI tracker apps and websites real?

No public app or website can locate a phone from its IMEI. Those services either do nothing useful or collect your money and personal data.

### How do I find the IMEI of a lost phone?

Check the original box or receipt, your carrier account, appleid.apple.com (Devices) for an iPhone, or google.com/android/find and your Google account device list for Android.

### Does blocking the IMEI help get the phone back?

It makes the phone useless on many networks, which reduces its resale value and discourages theft. Recovery still depends on the police.

## Keep reading

-   [**How to track a phone’s location — and can you do it by number?** 4 min read](https://ailocator.app/guides/how-to-track-a-phone-number-location)
-   [**Lost your iPhone? Here’s how to find it** 3 min read](https://ailocator.app/guides/find-lost-iphone)
-   [**How to find your phone using your Gmail account** 3 min read](https://ailocator.app/guides/find-my-phone-with-gmail)

Source: [Original page](https://ailocator.app/guides/how-to-track-a-phone-with-imei) · Last updated: 2026-10-18