Every mobile phone manufactured in the world has a completely unique 15-digit serial number called an IMEI (International Mobile Equipment Identity). You can think of it as a digital fingerprint for your iPhone.
You generally do not need to know your IMEI for daily use. However, you will absolutely need to find this number if your iPhone is lost or stolen (so you can report it to the police and have your carrier permanently blacklist the phone from the cellular network), or if you are trying to unlock the device to switch to a different cellular provider.
Apple provides several different ways to find your IMEI, even if the phone itself will not turn on.
Method 1: Using the iOS Settings App
If your iPhone is working perfectly and you can unlock the screen, the Settings app is the easiest and most reliable way to find the number.
- Open the Settings app on your iPhone.
- Scroll down and tap on General.
- Tap on About at the absolute top of the screen.
- Scroll down to the “Primary” network section. You will see a 15-digit number listed clearly next to IMEI.
(Tip: If you need to send this number to your carrier, do not try to type it out manually. Simply press and hold your finger directly on the IMEI number for two seconds. A small “Copy” bubble will pop up, allowing you to easily paste the entire 15-digit number into an email or a text message without risking a typo).
Method 2: Dialling a USSD Code
This is a classic telecom trick that works on almost every cellular phone on the planet, regardless of the manufacturer.
- Open the Phone app.
- Tap on the Keypad tab at the bottom of the screen.
- Dial *#06# (Asterisk, Hash, Zero, Six, Hash).
You do not even need to press the green Call button. The moment you type the final hash symbol, the screen will transition to a stark black and white page displaying your device information, with the IMEI number printed prominently in the center.
Method 3: Checking the Physical SIM Tray
If your iPhone has a shattered screen or a completely dead battery and will not turn on, you obviously cannot use the Settings app or the keypad.
If you own an iPhone 6s or newer (including the iPhone 13, but excluding the iPhone 14 series in the US which dropped physical SIM trays), Apple laser-engraves the IMEI directly onto the metal SIM card tray.
- Locate the small, oval-shaped SIM tray on the side of your iPhone.
- Insert a SIM-eject tool (or a bent paperclip) into the tiny pinhole next to the tray. Press firmly to pop the tray out of the phone.
- Remove the tray completely.
- Hold the metal tray under a bright light. The 15-digit IMEI number is printed in microscopic text along the very edge of the metal frame.