Find Your Phone's IMEI and Serial Number

Your phone carries two numbers that identify that exact handset: a serial number and an IMEI. If the phone is ever lost or stolen, your carrier needs the IMEI to block it, police want it for their report, and your insurer will ask for it before paying a claim. If you're buying a second-hand phone, the same numbers tell you whether it has been reported stolen before you hand over your money.

Serial number or IMEI?

The serial number is assigned by the manufacturer and is what Apple, Samsung or Google use for warranty and repairs. The IMEI (International Mobile Equipment Identity) is a 15-digit number that identifies the phone to mobile networks. It is the number Australian carriers use to block a lost or stolen handset.

Phones that support two SIMs, including a physical SIM plus an eSIM, usually have two IMEIs, one for each SIM. Record both. Wi-Fi-only tablets don't connect to mobile networks, so they have a serial number but no IMEI; cellular iPads and Android tablets have both.

The quickest method: dial *#06#

On almost any phone, open the Phone app and dial *#06#. The IMEI (or both IMEIs on a dual-SIM phone) appears on screen straight away, without needing to press call. Many Android phones, including Samsung and Pixel models, show the serial number on the same screen. Take a screenshot and save it somewhere other than the phone itself, such as your email or a photo of the screen on another device.

In Settings

iPhone and iPad

Open Settings, tap General, then About. Scroll down to find the serial number and the IMEI (dual-SIM iPhones list a second IMEI as well).

Samsung Galaxy

Open Settings and tap About phone. The IMEI, model number and serial number are shown there. On older versions of Android you may need to tap Status first.

Google Pixel and other Android phones

Open Settings, tap About phone and scroll to IMEI. Tap Model on the same screen to see the serial number. Other Android brands follow a similar pattern, although menu names vary slightly between manufacturers.

When the phone is dead, lost or already gone

The original box. The serial number and IMEI are printed beside the barcode on the label. Keep the box, or at least photograph the label.
The SIM tray or the back of the phone. Many phones print the IMEI on the SIM tray; some older iPhones and Samsungs print it on the back of the case.
Your receipt or carrier account. Tax invoices from phone retailers and carriers often list the IMEI, particularly for phones bought on a plan.
Your Apple Account. Sign in at account.apple.com, open Devices and select the phone or iPad to see its serial number and IMEI.
Google's Find Hub. On Android, Find Hub (previously called Find My Device) shows the IMEI of phones signed in to your Google Account. Open it at android.com/find, select the phone and view its information.

Checking a second-hand phone before you buy

Phones are small, valuable and easy to resell, which makes them a favourite with thieves. Australia has a useful safeguard: when a phone is reported lost or stolen, the owner's provider adds its IMEI to a national blocking list run with the Australian Mobile Telecommunications Association (AMTA). The block is shared across Australian mobile networks, so the phone won't work in Australia even with a new SIM. According to AMTA, carriers cannot unblock a phone for someone who bought it after it was blocked, so the loss falls on the buyer.

Get the IMEI and serial number before you meet. A genuine seller has no reason to refuse. Run the IMEI through AMTA's free IMEI checker at amta.org.au to see whether it is blocked, and search the serial number on SerialCheck to see whether an owner has reported it stolen.
Check again in person. Dial *#06# on the phone and confirm the IMEI matches what you were given, and matches Settings and the box if there is one. A mismatch means you walk away.
Remember the block list has a lag. AMTA notes it can take a few days for a newly reported phone to show as blocked. A clean result doesn't prove the phone is clean, so ask for proof of ownership, such as the original receipt, and take a photo of the seller's ID if you can. AMTA suggests proof of ownership also protects you if a seller falsely reports the phone stolen after selling it.
Test it with your own SIM. Put your SIM in and make a call. A phone that shows no service with a working SIM may be blocked or locked to another network.
Make sure the seller's account is removed. This is the step most buyers skip, and it is covered below.

Activation Lock on iPhone and iPad

When Find My is turned on, an iPhone or iPad is protected by Activation Lock. After it is erased it can't be set up again without the previous owner's Apple Account password, which makes it close to useless to anyone else. Apple's advice to buyers is not to take any used iPhone or iPad until it has been erased and unlinked from the previous owner's account. If you turn it on and see the passcode screen or the Home Screen, it hasn't been erased. If you see an "iPhone Locked to Owner" screen, it is still Activation Locked.

Ask the seller to go to Settings > General > Transfer or Reset iPhone > Erase All Content and Settings while you watch. When Find My is on, erasing this way removes Activation Lock, and the phone should restart to the Hello screen, ready for you to set up with your own account.

Factory Reset Protection on Android

Android has a similar safeguard, usually called Factory Reset Protection. If a phone with a Google Account on it is reset without the owner's permission, it asks for that owner's screen lock or Google Account password before it can be used again. The fix is for the seller to remove their Google Account (and, on Samsung phones, their Samsung account) in Settings and then factory reset the phone, again while you watch. Don't accept "it's already been reset, trust me": if you can't get past the setup screens with your own account, you've bought a paperweight.

Red flags

The seller won't give you the IMEI or serial number, or gives one that doesn't match the phone.
The phone is locked, or the seller can't remember the passcode or account password.
They won't erase it in front of you, or want to meet somewhere you can't test it.
No box, no receipt, and a price well below what the same model sells for elsewhere.
Pressure to pay a deposit or transfer money before you've seen it working.

Our guide to buying safely on Marketplace and Gumtree covers meeting sellers and paying safely, and we explain the legal risk of buying stolen goods in why you should always check the serial number before buying second-hand.

If your phone is stolen

Locate, lock or erase it. Use Find My on iCloud.com or another Apple device, or Find Hub at android.com/find for Android. Marking it as lost locks it and lets you display a contact message.
Call your mobile provider and ask for an IMEI block. The block applies across Australian networks. Ask them to suspend your SIM at the same time so no one can use your number.
Report it to police and give them the IMEI, serial number, make, model and colour. Keep the report reference for your insurer.
Change your passwords for email, banking and social media, starting with the account the phone used for sign-in codes.
Mark it stolen on SerialCheck so anyone who searches the serial number is warned before they buy it.

Our step-by-step guide on what to do if your property is stolen covers police reports and insurance claims in more detail.

Record it today

Dial *#06#, take a screenshot, and photograph the label on the box. Then register your phone on SerialCheck so there's a timestamped record of ownership if you ever need it. While you're at it, see our guides to finding your laptop's serial number and where to find serial numbers on common items.

How to Find Your Phone or Tablet's Serial Number and IMEI (and Check a Used One Before You Buy)