IMEIProof

What is an IMEI?

An IMEI (International Mobile Equipment Identity) is the 15-digit number that identifies a specific mobile device on a network. The first 8 digits are the TAC, which identify the make and model; the next 6 are the device's serial number; the last is a checksum that catches typos.

The three parts of an IMEI

Every IMEI is 15 digits, and those digits are not arbitrary — they split into three fields:

  • TAC — digits 1 to 8. The Type Allocation Code, assigned by the GSMA to a specific make and model. Every unit of the same model shares it. This is the part that tells you a device is, say, a Galaxy S22+ rather than a Pixel. More on the TAC.
  • Serial — digits 9 to 14. Six digits that distinguish one unit from another within the same model. Assigned by the manufacturer.
  • Check digit — digit 15. A Luhn checksum over the first fourteen. It exists purely to catch typing mistakes.

So 49015420 323751 8 reads as TAC 49015420, serial 323751, check digit 8.

What it identifies — and what it does not

An IMEI identifies a piece of hardware, not a person, a phone number or an account. It stays with the device when the SIM is swapped, when it is sold, and when it changes country. That is exactly why networks use it: it is the one identifier a user cannot casually change.

It is not a secret, but it is not public either. Treat it as you would a vehicle registration — fine to share with a buyer or an insurer who needs it, not something to post publicly.

Devices that have one

Anything that connects to a cellular network: phones, cellular tablets and smartwatches, mobile hotspots, and modems. A dual-SIM phone has two IMEIs, one per radio, and both are usually printed together. Wi-Fi-only devices have no IMEI at all — they have a serial number instead, which is a different thing entirely.

Where to find yours

Dial *#06# on the keypad and it appears immediately. There are three other places to look, covered in how to find your IMEI.

A caution about what a lookup proves

Identifying a device from its IMEI is genuinely useful — it confirms a seller's claim about make and model, and it catches a mistyped number. It does not tell you whether a phone was stolen, blacklisted, carrier-locked or still tied to someone's account. Those live in databases that are not public. See what an IMEI check cannot tell you before relying on one.

Related

Check an IMEI free — brand, model and checksum, no account needed — or browse by brand.