IMEI Checker
Validate an IMEI with its Luhn check digit and split it into TAC, serial and check digit
Runs entirely in your browser. Nothing you type or upload is sent to us or stored. How we handle privacy
- Dial *#06# on the phone. Dual-SIM phones show two IMEIs, one per SIM slot.
- Android: Settings, About phone (sometimes under Status). iPhone: Settings, General, About.
- On the phone's box (a sticker with the barcode) and on the purchase bill.
- File a police complaint (many states let you do it online) and keep the copy.
- Get a duplicate SIM for your number from your operator.
- Request a block on Sanchar Saathi (the Department of Telecommunications' portal, which runs the CEIR system) with the IMEI and the complaint details. The phone is then blocked on all networks in India, and you can unblock it there if you get it back.
Runs entirely in your browser. Nothing you type or upload is sent to us or stored.
Results are for general guidance. Please check anything important before relying on it. Terms of use
How to Use
- Find your IMEI: dial *#06#, or look in the phone's settings or on the box.
- Type the 15-digit IMEI in the box. Spaces, hyphens, an "IMEI 1:" label and a /01 software version at the end are all fine. You can also type the first 14 digits to get the check digit, or a 16-digit IMEISV.
- The result updates as you type: Valid IMEI, or which digit the check says should be different.
- Read the table for the TAC (make and model code), serial number and check digit, and press Copy IMEI to copy it for a police complaint or a block request.
- If your phone is lost or stolen, follow the steps below the tool to block it on Sanchar Saathi. This tool doesn't look anything up and the IMEI never leaves your browser.
What an IMEI is
The IMEI (International Mobile Equipment Identity) is a 15-digit number that identifies a mobile phone itself, separate from the SIM and phone number. A dual-SIM phone has two IMEIs, one for each slot. You need it to block a lost or stolen phone, for a police complaint, for a warranty claim and when you buy or sell a used phone. This IMEI checker confirms that the number is typed correctly using its built-in check digit, and splits it into its parts.
It checks the digits only. It can't tell you the brand, whether the phone is genuine, or whether it has been reported lost. Nothing is looked up and the number stays in your browser.
The parts of an IMEI
| Digits | Name | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 1–8 | TAC | Type Allocation Code: identifies the maker and model, allotted through the GSMA |
| 9–14 | Serial number | This particular unit of that model |
| 15 | Check digit | Worked out from the other 14 digits with the Luhn formula |
Some phones show a 16-digit IMEISV instead: the same first 14 digits followed by a two-digit software version number, with no check digit. The tool accepts it and gives you the matching 15-digit IMEI, which is the one to use on forms.
How the check digit works
The 15th digit comes from the Luhn formula, the same one used on bank card numbers. Take the first 14 digits, double every second digit starting from the second, add the digits of the results, and the check digit is whatever brings the total up to a multiple of 10.
double every 2nd: 9→18, 1→2, 4→8, 0→0, 2→4, 7→14, 1→2
sum = 4+(1+8)+0+2+5+8+2+0+3+4+3+(1+4)+5+2 = 52
check digit = 60 − 52 = 8 → IMEI 490154203237518
Because of this, a single mistyped digit or two neighbouring digits swapped almost always fail the check, and the tool tells you what the last digit should be if the rest were right. A number that passes the check is well formed, but it isn't proof that the phone or its IMEI is genuine.
Where to find your IMEI
- Dial *#06# on the phone. It works on every phone.
- Android: Settings, About phone (sometimes under Status). iPhone: Settings, General, About.
- The sticker on the box and the purchase bill. Write it down somewhere safe now, before you ever need it.
If your phone is lost or stolen
- File a police complaint and keep a copy. Many state police websites take lost-phone reports online.
- Get a duplicate SIM for your number from your operator, so you can receive OTPs.
- Request a block on Sanchar Saathi, the Department of Telecommunications' portal that runs the CEIR (Central Equipment Identity Register) system. You give the IMEI, your phone number and the complaint details. Once blocked, the phone won't work on any Indian network. If you find it, you can unblock it from the same portal.
Buying a used phone
Dial *#06# on the phone and match the IMEI with the box and the bill. Then check it with the Know Your Mobile service on Sanchar Saathi, which tells you whether that IMEI is blocked or listed as lost. A phone whose IMEI fails the check digit here, or doesn't match its box, is a reason to walk away. Changing a phone's IMEI is an offence under the Telecommunications Act, 2023.