IMEI means International Mobile Equipment Identity. That is, it is the identity of your mobile phone. The code that identifies it regardless of its brand, its operating system or regardless of when you bought it. It is the phone that allows us to know which phone is connecting, who is connecting and from where it is connecting and it is important that we know what it is for or that we know when we are going to need it, but, above all, how to find the IMEI number of our smartphone when we do missing.
IMEI Code: What is it and why those numbers?
The IMEI code is, as we have said in the previous paragraph, the unique and exclusive identifier code of each mobile phone. IMEI in English is International Mobile Equipment Identity and in Spanish it would be similar to International Mobile Equipment Identity. It is a fifteen-digit code that identifies us and that the smartphone transmits when connecting to a network. We do not need it to log in or unlock the phone when we turn it on, nor should we confuse it with the PUK code or with the PIN or anything similar, but it is another code that we must know or that we must know how to consult, in addition to having it stored safely.
It is the identity card of your phone and can have up to two if we have two SIM cards. It’s fundamental.
What do these fifteen digits mean? Everyone has a reason and it is not a random number assigned to us. Depends on the country, phone brand, etc. It is divided into four parts with various numbers. The first six numbers of the IMEI code correspond to the country in which we are and it is about TAC or Type Allocation Code. The next two numbers of the code tell us the manufacturer of the phone in question and it is technically considered as FAC or Final Assembly Code. The following is the serial number (SNR) and the last 15 numbers of the code are a verification code (or Spare) that completes these fifteen digits necessary to identify us.
Because it is important
You may be reading this without ever using your IMEI number or without taking it into account, even if you have been using it for ten or twelve years. using a smartphone. But it is important that you take it into account from today because there are several moments in our lives when we are going to have to use it. For example, in case of theft.
We need to provide the IMEI of our phone to the operator in case it has been stolen. This will block the ability to make calls or use the smartphone that was ours and has been taken from us. In addition, it also serves to unlock a phone in the case of smartphones that are linked to the operator, although it is a practice that is not so common anymore due to the purchase (normally) of unlocked mobiles.
It is important to know our IMEI or to know that of the second-hand mobile that we are going to buy because there is the CEIR or EIR or Equipment Identity Register, a database on the state of mobile phones. A database divided into three lists. White, gray or black. The white one tells us which telephones are authorized to receive or make calls, while the gray and black ones identify devices that can make or receive calls, but are supervised or cannot connect to the network, respectively. This will happen if they are stolen or used illegally and added based on the registered IMEI. if you do a call from a blacklisted IMEI you can’t do anything because the operator will detect it. This will prevent stolen phones from making calls and is especially important if we buy a second-hand mobile.
How to consult
It is advisable that we have the number written down somewhere: a screenshot in the email, in a cloud photo service, on your computer, in a notepad… If your phone breaks you won’t be able to check it so you should know this number if it is stolen, etc. Finding the IMEI number is very simple.
In the box or on the phone
The first option is that we keep the mobile phone box and still have it at hand. Or that you have taken a photo or have written down the corresponding number before throwing it away. Next to the barcode of each smartphone you buy will come the IMEI number. You may also see it in the back of your mobile phone. Smartphones with a back cover (it is no longer common to be able to remove it) have a sticker with a barcode under the battery. Other more recent ones usually have a sticker attached to the back of the phone with a barcode and the IMEI number or the numbers in case of having a double SIM card.
with a calling code
Another quick option is to make a call. we will make the number appears on the screen regardless of whether we have an Android or iOS phone. You simply have to go to the phone application of your mobile and dial the code *#06# to automatically pop up a window with your phone number(s). You don’t have to tap on the call button or do anything else, just dial this combination from the smartphone keyboard.
From settings
But if you have thrown it away or you have not saved the photo as we indicated, nothing happens. We can keep checking whenever we want from the mobile phone settings, whether we do it from iOS or from an Android mobile.
on Android
If you have an Android mobile phone, the steps may change slightly depending on the customization layer or the brand in addition to the version of the operating system you have. But all allow to find it.
- Let’s go to the settings of our mobile phone
- We scroll to the bottom of the screen
- We look for the option “Phone information” or “About the phone”
- We open this section or section
- Several options will appear:
- Device Name
- SIM card status
- android version
- Condition…
- Etc
- We go to “Status” (this may vary depending on the phone)
- Here we will see many details and information
- IMEI SIM slot 1
- IMEI SIM slot 2
- IMEI SV
- IP adress
- Wi-Fi MAC address
- bluetooth address
- Serial number
- battery status
- ETC
As you can see, there may be several IMEI numbers depending on whether you have one or two SIM cards your phone but just check which one you have your main SIM and write down the corresponding code. A fifteen-digit identification code.
on iOS
If you have an iPhone we can also check this code…
- Let’s go to Settings on the Apple mobile phone
- Let’s go to the General section
- We look for the “Information” section
- We scroll until we reach the “PHYSICAL SIM” section
Here we can see a series of data:
- Net
- Operator
- IMEI
- ICCID
- MEID
we simply must copy IMEI code to store it safely.