IMEI number: what it is and what it can't do
Every mobile phone carries an IMEI — International Mobile Equipment Identity. It identifies the device on a mobile network. It does not identify the owner, and it is the number every stolen-phone check starts from.
Last reviewed: 11 October 2026
How to find it
- Dial *#06#. This works on almost every phone and shows one IMEI per SIM slot.
- In settings: on Android, About phone; on iPhone, Settings, then General, then About.
- On the box label and on the original bill. A genuine phone shows the same number in all three places.
How to read the 15 digits
- The first 8 digits are the Type Allocation Code (TAC). It tells you the brand and model the number was issued for.
- The next 6 digits are the device's serial number within that model.
- The last digit is a check digit, calculated from the other 14 with the Luhn formula. A typing mistake usually makes the check digit wrong — which is all a format check, like our free tool, can tell you.
Two SIMs, two IMEIs
- A dual-SIM phone has two IMEIs, one per slot. Note both when you buy or sell a phone, and check both.
What an IMEI cannot do
- It cannot tell you who owns the phone. Ownership is shown by a bill, a declaration and the seller's identity.
- You cannot track a phone's location with its IMEI. When a phone is reported stolen, the Department of Telecommunications' CEIR system can block it on Indian networks and help the police trace it; that tracing is done by the police, not by the public.
Changing an IMEI is a crime
- Under Section 42 of the Telecommunications Act, 2023, tampering with an IMEI, or knowingly possessing a phone with a tampered IMEI, can lead to up to three years in prison, a fine of up to ₹50 lakh, or both.
- Manufacturers must register the IMEI of every device made in India with the Government before first sale, under the Telecom Cyber Security Rules, 2024.
Frequently asked questions
- Can two phones have the same IMEI?
- A genuine phone has its own IMEI. The same IMEI showing up on two devices usually means one of them was changed or cloned; the KYM service then reports it as duplicate.
- Does resetting a phone change its IMEI?
- No. A factory reset clears your data and accounts; the IMEI stays the same.
- Is my free IMEI check on this site enough before buying?
- No. Our free tool checks only the format of the number. Use the Government's KYM service (KYM <IMEI> to 14422) for the register status, and keep the seller's identity.
Sources
This guide is general information, not legal advice. For a specific case, speak to a lawyer or your local police station.