Phone IMEI: what is it for, how to find out and change it? What is the IMEI code (number) in the phone What does it mean

The International Mobile Equipment Identity (IMEI) is a unique 15-character number that each mobile device has. In particular, these are smartphones, satellite phones and tablets.

International Mobile Equipment Identity can only be assigned to a device by an authorized organization. An example would be the British Approvals Board for Telecommunications (BABT).

Back in 2002, it was found out that with the help of some types of software it is possible to replace the IMEI of any device with a different number. By the way, in some countries (Belarus, Great Britain, Latvia) such actions will be criminally punishable. In Russia and Kazakhstan, harsh penalties were also applied against "craftsmen" reprogramming IMEI.

In modern times, it is believed that without replacing or reprogramming microcircuits, it will not be possible to change the identifier. It is sewn into the device at the factory in a ROM chip.

What is it for?

This code is stored in the firmware of your smartphone. The main purpose of IMEI is to identify the gadget in the cellular network. Acts as the serial number of the device when authorizing the device on the network. If your smartphone supports several SIM cards at once, then, accordingly, it will have several such identifiers.

Therefore, you can block network access for a lost or stolen phone by simply telling your carrier's support specialist the IMEI. And even if the attackers decide to use this device by replacing the SIM card, it will be useless for them. After all, the phone will be on the “black list” of all telecom operators (as you remember, the device is authorized on the network by this identifier), which will deny it access to their services.

Note that the IMEI on the network is determined by the gadget itself (which is why the phone is searched for by it), and not by its owner. The owner of the device and the SIM card helps to find out another number - the International Subscriber Identity (IMSI, International Mobile Subscriber Identity).

Another important task of IMEI is to help track the location of the phone. This facilitates the work of law enforcement agencies: thanks to the identifier, the police will quickly find out where the stolen device is located.

What is the phone's IMEI yet? This is the same combination of numbers that will help you personally learn more about your gadget (its model and place of assembly).

Where to find IMEI?

Having understood what the IMEI of a phone is, it will not be superfluous to decide where to find it on your gadget. By default, it is indicated in four places at once:

In the device itself. Regardless of the model and manufacturer of the smartphone, you can find out the identifier by clicking on the symbols *#06# on the dialing screen.
The second location is the place under the phone battery.
You will also find the IMEI next to the barcode on the branded box of your gadget.
The last location of the identifier is the warranty card. The IMEI sticker must be glued there by the seller.

What is the IMEI structure?

We found out what the IMEI of the phone is. This is a combination of 15 characters. Consider its structure based on the classic example - 35-222200-333333-4:

There are also the following versions of the identifier:

35-222200-333333-44. The code is decrypted in the same way, with the exception of the last two digits (44). The latter are SVN. This is the number of the software that is installed on your gadget.
11-222222-333333. New type identifier. It differs from those presented in that it contains an 8-character TAS (11-222222).

Identifier verification by check digit

Finding a phone is not the only thing that can help the owner of the IMEI gadget. You can also use the ID to find out if the device is genuine or counterfeit. To do this, you need to use the Luhn algorithm:

Let's take "have" 35-209900-176148-2 as an example. So, according to Luhn's algorithm:

Add even symbols: 5 + 0 + 9 + 0 + 7 + 1 + 8 = 30.
Convert odd: 3 = 6, 2 = 4, 9 = 9, 0 = 0, 1 = 2, 6 = 3, 4 = 8.
Add up the resulting numbers: 6 + 4 + 9 + 0 + 2 + 3 + 8 = 32.
Addition: 30 + 32 = 62.
The nearest round number is 60.
We consider: 62-60 = 2.
The control number is also 2. That's right, the product is genuine!

How to track a phone by IMEI?

Many are wondering if it is possible to independently find a missing or stolen gadget by IMEI. Unfortunately, everything is not so simple here:

How to track a phone by IMEI? Alas, it is impossible for a private person to do this. But you can protect your device from intruders and help yourself in your search by activating the “Find iPhone” or “Android Remote Control” option in advance.

Now you know what IMEI is. We also know how it can be useful to the user.

Phone IMEI: what is it, why is it needed, how to find it?

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When discussing phones, smartphones or other mobile devices, the term IMEI often pops up. In many materials, the authors recommend checking or changing IMEI, while explaining what it is. Now we will try to close this knowledge gap by telling you about what IMEI is in a phone and what it is for.

IMEI is a unique number that is issued to any mobile equipment operating on mobile networks such as GSM, IDEN or . For example, mobile phones, satellite phones, smartphones, tablets and laptops with mobile Internet support, 3G modems and other similar devices receive such a number. The number of received IMEIs corresponds to the number of SIM cards that this device can work with. For example, if the phone supports two SIM cards, then it receives two IMEIs.

The abbreviation IMEI stands for International Mobile Equipment Identity, which can be translated into Russian as an international mobile equipment identifier. Manufacturers of phones and other mobile devices receive these identifiers from special international organizations that are authorized to issue them. For example, such identifiers are issued by BABT (British Approvals Board for Telecommunications). In the future, manufacturers distribute the received identifiers to specific phones that they release, thus achieving the uniqueness of each IMEI.

As for the IMEI structure, it consists of 14 or 16 digits (in this case it is called IMEISV). The first 8 digits indicate the model of the phone and its origin, the remaining digits include the manufacturer's serial number and control number. In the case of IMEISV, which consists of 16 digits, the software version is also indicated.

What is the IMEI of the phone for?

As already mentioned, IMEI is a unique phone number, so it is convenient to use it to identify phones in the mobile operator's network. The mobile operator may use the IMEI to determine the model of your phone as well as the communication technologies it supports. It also allows mobile operators to blacklist the phone and no longer service it.

Due to its uniqueness, IMEI can be used to track the phone even if its owner changes SIM cards. In addition, IMEI can be used by customs officers to determine the legality of the phone.

It should be noted that IMEI is the identifier of the phone itself, and not of its subscriber. To identify a subscriber in mobile networks, another unique international number is used, which is called IMSI (International Mobile Subscriber Identity) and is recorded on the user's SIM card.

How to find out the IMEI of the phone

After assigning the IMEI to the phone, it is recorded in several ways that duplicate each other. Any of these methods can be used to find out the IMEI of the phone.

Firstly, IMEI is written into the phone's firmware, that is, into its software. This information is available at any time by request. *#06# to be typed on the device's keyboard. The code *#06# works equally well on both feature phones and modern touchscreen smartphones.

After entering this code, the IMEI that was assigned to this phone immediately appears on the screen. If several IMEIs have been assigned to the phone, then all of them will appear on the screen at once.

Secondly, IMEI is indicated on the phone itself, usually on a special sticker located under the battery. And thirdly, IMEI is always indicated in the warranty documents and on the phone box. Thus, the user always has several ways to view the IMEI of his phone.

Is it possible to change the IMEI

In older phone models, IMEI changed quite simply. In particular, this could be done using a terminal program and a few commands. But, now everything is much more complicated, because manufacturers are increasingly writing IMEI to a special area of \u200b\u200bmemory that cannot be rewritten programmatically.

However, it is still possible to change the IMEI on some phones. For example, this is done through the engineering menu of the device or by obtaining ROOT rights (if it is an Android smartphone). If you need to change the IMEI on your phone, then you need to look for information specific to your device. There is simply no universal instruction for changing IMEI that would work on any device.

It should be noted that in some countries changing the IMEI is prohibited and is a criminal offense. Therefore, before doing something like this, you need to clarify whether it will violate the laws of your country.

How to find out the phone model by IMEI

If you know the phone's IMEI, then you can find out its model, specifications, production date, and country of origin. To get this information, you just need to go to one of the sites that have a database and enter your IMEI there. For example, you can search for information on sites such as.

Many smartphone users have come across the IMEI abbreviation and a long set of numbers. They collided and, most likely, passed by. Indeed, you never know the sets of numbers associated with a mobile device. Is it worth paying attention to them?

In the case of IMEI, perhaps it's worth it. The fact is that this number is a unique identifier that is assigned to each smartphone. And it serves several extremely useful purposes. In our article, we will tell you how to find out the IMEI of the phone, and what it is for.

What is IMEI

IMEI (from the English International Mobile Equipment Identity) is a 15-digit international identifier for mobile gadgets. In fact, this is a serial number that is determined by the operator when the phone goes online. The IMEI number is decoded as follows:

The first 6 digits are an encoding according to the Type Approval Code international classifier for a specific model of a mobile device. Here the first two digits are the code of the country of manufacture;
The next 2 numbers are the code of the country where the final assembly of the gadget was made;
6 numbers - a unique serial number of the phone;
The last digit is the reserve number.

Please note that a dual SIM phone will be labeled with two IMEI numbers for each SIM card slot.

What is the IMEI of the phone for:

With the help of IMEI, you can get complete information about the device at the stage of purchase by correlating the identifier that is contained in the gadget's system with the one that is printed on the body of the mobile phone.
Through IMEI, you can recognize a stolen or lost phone and return it to its owner.
When calling from a phone, the telecom operator determines the IMEI and, accordingly, calculates the location of the gadget. Therefore, through IMEI, you can set up surveillance of a mobile phone or find a lost phone.
Having found out the IMEI, the operator can block the phone if it falls into the hands of intruders.
IMEI code is a manufacturer's guarantee in terms of build quality and safety for the user.

How to find out the IMEI code of the phone

In order to determine the identifier of a mobile device, there are 4 simple ways available to any user:

Method 1. Through a number combination on the keyboard

Open the numeric keypad on your phone and dial *#06#. After that, IMEI will be displayed on the screen.

Method 2. View inside the phone case

If the phone is equipped with a removable battery, the IMEI number can be found by removing the back cover of the mobile phone and removing the battery. All information about the phone will be placed under it, including the IMEI number or numbers.

Method 3. Look at the package.

The sticker with the IMEI number is placed on the box with the phone. In addition, the identifier is affixed to the warranty card of the device upon purchase. It is very important that the IMEI numbers on the package and on the ticket exactly match.

Method 4. View in phone settings

The IMEI number must be entered in the information list, which can be accessed through the gadget menu:

Open settings;
Find the "About phone" section;
Click on the "General Information" item;
Go to the "IMEI code data" item.

Why Fly

As you can see from the illustrations, the products of the British company Fly helped us in preparing the material on how to find IMEI. We chose smartphones of this brand for affordability, performance and reliability, which is confirmed by grateful user reviews.

Flashing the device or installing applications from unverified sources may cause the IMEI to reset. The abbreviation means International Mobile Equipment Identity - an international unique identifier for mobile equipment. This code is written at the software level of the communication modules. If the code is erased, it is impossible to make calls through the smartphone. To restore functionality, you need to change the IMEI on the android.

What is it used for?

The IMEI code is a unique identifier for smartphones that work with GSM and UMTS modules. Consists of 15 digits. The first 8 digits mean TAC / Type Allocation Code, the rest - a serial number with a check number at the end.

The code is set at the factory during manufacture, is used to identify the device on the network, and acts as the serial number of the device. With each authorization in the network, it is transmitted over the air of mobile radio communications.

Advice! IMEI can be used by mobile radio operators and law enforcement agencies and block them at the level of the cellular operator.

How to find out the IMEI of the phone?

First, let's find out if the smartphone determines the identifier. Enter the phone mode and enter the code * # 06 #. The IMEI code or codes will be displayed if the device is designed for 2 SIM cards.

If the inscription "IMEI is not defined" appears in the field, then it is reset.

Advice! You can view the IMEI in the settings, in the "About phone" section, it is written in the warranty card, on the packaging, as well as on the smartphone itself, under the battery.

Change ID

I want to warn you that in some countries changing IMEI is prohibited by law. Therefore, a trip with such a gadget abroad can cause some difficulties. Also, if you are a novice user, it is better to leave the idea of changing the IMEI, as there is a chance of inaccurately harming the device, or turning your gadget into a brick.

Technically, you can change the identifier. However, the complexity of the change depends on the device itself:

on older devices, you can change it using simple programs and manipulations;
on new devices (from most well-known manufacturers), to change the IMEI, you need to replace the smartphone chips (processor, controllers, flash memory, etc.), which is not programmatically feasible.

Let's consider two ways to change the Android ID.

Engineering menu

Calling the engineering menu is different for each gadget manufacturer. You can view yours in, on the Internet or in the documentation for your device.

After entering the menu, go through the branch:

Connectivity - CDS Information - Radio Information Phone 1

If the smartphone is designed for 2 SIM-cards, then the Phone 2 section will also be displayed.

On Phone 1, after the letters AT+, enter EGMR = 1.7,"own_IMEI".

In Phone 2 (if it exists), we prescribe EGMR = 1.10,"own_IMEI".

Click SEND AT and reboot your device. If it doesn't work, put a space after AT+.

With the help of Root-rights

To get started, you will need. Then you need to install the Mobile Uncle program (Only works with MediaTek processors). You can see your processor in the "About phone" settings. Now:

Phone IMEI? Where can you find it? And finally, why be aware of such information? We will explain everything to you in detail! Let's start with a general analysis of the term.

What it is?

The International Mobile Equipment Identity (IMEI) is a unique 15-character number that each mobile device has. In particular, these are smartphones, satellite phones and tablets.

Can only be assigned to the device by an authorized organization. An example would be the British Approvals Board for Telecommunications (BABT).

Back in 2002, it was found out that with the help of some types of software it is possible to replace the IMEI of any device with a different number. By the way, in some countries (Belarus, Great Britain, Latvia) such actions will be criminally punishable. In Russia and Kazakhstan, severe penalties were also applied against "craftsmen" reprogramming IMEI.

In modern times, it is believed that without replacing or reprogramming microcircuits, it will not be possible to change the identifier. It is sewn into the device at the factory in a ROM chip.

What is it for?

Therefore, you can block network access for a lost or stolen phone by simply telling your carrier's support specialist the IMEI. And even if the attackers decide to use this device by replacing the SIM card, it will be useless for them. After all, the phone will be in the "black list" of all telecom operators (as you remember, the device is authorized on the network by this identifier), which will deny it access to their services.

What is the phone's IMEI yet? This is the same combination of numbers that will help you personally learn more about your gadget (its model and place of assembly).

Where to find IMEI?

Having understood what the IMEI of a phone is, it will not be superfluous to decide where to find it on your gadget. By default, it is indicated in four places at once:

In the device itself. Regardless of the model and manufacturer of the smartphone, you can find out the identifier by clicking on the symbols *#06# on the dialing screen.
The second location is a place under the phone's battery.
You will also find the IMEI next to the barcode on the branded box of your gadget.
The last location of the identifier is the warranty card. The IMEI sticker must be glued there by the seller.

What is the IMEI structure?

We found out what the IMEI of the phone is. This is a combination of 15 characters. Consider its structure based on the classic example - 35-222200-333333-4:

There are also the following versions of the identifier:

35-222200-333333-44. The code is decrypted in the same way, with the exception of the last two digits (44). The latter are SVN. This is the number of the software that is installed on your gadget.
11-222222-333333. New type identifier. It differs from those presented in that it contains an 8-character TAS (11-222222).

Identifier verification by check digit

Take for example "have" 35-209900-176148-2. So, according to Luhn's algorithm:

Add even symbols: 5 + 0 + 9 + 0 + 7 + 1 + 8 = 30.
Convert odd: 3 = 6, 2 = 4, 9 = 9, 0 = 0, 1 = 2, 6 = 3, 4 = 8.
Add up the resulting numbers: 6 + 4 + 9 + 0 + 2 + 3 + 8 = 32.
Addition: 30 + 32 = 62.
The nearest round number is 60.
We consider: 62-60 = 2.
The control number is also 2. That's right, the product is genuine!

How to track a phone by IMEI?

Many are wondering if it is possible to independently find a missing or stolen gadget by IMEI. Unfortunately, everything is not so simple here:

How to track a phone by IMEI? Alas, it is impossible for a private person to do this. But you can protect your device from intruders and help yourself in your search by activating the "Find iPhone" or "Android Remote Control" option in advance.

Now you know what IMEI is. We also know how it can be useful to the user.