How To Track Your Lost Mobile Phone With IMEI Number Tracker?

Have you lost your precious phone and are looking for a new way to track it? Losing your phone can be a major loss, as not only do you lose money, but you also need to part away with your important data, photos, and documents. Phones have become a crucial aspect of our lives, and losing them can be a terrifying experience. Fortunately, there are some ways that can help you recover your lost phone with IMEI tracker.

Each phone whether it is running on Android or iOS, has a special IMEI number on it. The IMEI (International Mobile Equipment Identity) number is unique to each device, just like your mobile number, and can be used to track or locate a device. Furthermore, this number will remain intact even if your phone runs out of battery, your mobile network is turned off, or the GPS is switched off. This 15-digit number can be your lifesaver and hope for recovering your lost phone. Here is how you can locate your phone with IMEI number tracker.

If your phone is stolen or you have lost it and are unsure what to do, you can check this article: What To Do When Phone Is Stolen- Steps To Help You Out

What Is IMEI Number?

The IMEI number is like an Aadhar Card for your mobile phone. This 15-digit number is unique to each phone and is used by manufacturers to keep track of it. However, it can be a godsend if you have lost your device because you can use it to track it down.

With the help of this IMEI number, your network providers like Jio and Airtel can help you track your lost phone. Furthermore, you can also alert law enforcement agencies if you suspect your phone has been misused for illegal activities.

Where Can You Find The IMEI Number?

The smartphone’s IMEI number is located on the back of the device, either underneath the battery or on the device’s back panel. The number can also be found on the device’s box and even on the invoice for the device.

IMEI Number Tracker In Progress:

The phone tracking project has been in development for a while, and it was formed with the sole intention of reducing theft and the counterfeit mobile phone business. The government of India has allocated about Rs. 15 Crore to this project with hopes of a solid outcome. Here’s how you can use the IMEI number tracker to find your lost or stolen phone:

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How To Find IMEI Number On Android And iPhone To Track Your Phone?

Before you use an IMEI tracker to locate your lost phone, you must know its IMEI number. It’s important to note down your smartphone’s IMEI number and keep it handy in case your device gets lost.

Do note that each SIM has its own IMEI number, so dual-SIM phones will have two IMEI numbers instead of one. Here are the steps for both Android and iOS devices.

How To Find IMEI Number On Android

Here are all the different ways that you can find the IMEI number on your Android device:

Method 1: Using Phone’s Dialer

The first method is using the dialer app on your smartphone to find the IMEI number on Android:

1. Open the Dialer app on your Android phone
2. Dial *#06#
3. A pop-up message will display the IMEI details of your smartphone.
4. In case the message doesn’t appear, press the dial button.

Method 2: From Device Settings

Another way to check the IMEI number on your Android phone is through the device settings. Just follow these steps:

1. Open Settings on your Android phone.
2. Scroll Down and tap the About Phone section
3. At the bottom of this section, you will find the IMEI number.

Method 3: On The Back Of Your Phone

The third method to locate your IMEI number is through the sticker at the back of your phone. Many smartphones have a white sticker on their back that mentions the IMEI number along with other details. While generally, most users remove this sticker as soon they unbox their phone, you can if your’s is still present at the back of your phone.

Method 4: Check The Box Of Your Device

If the back of your phone does not have a sticker, you can check the device for the IMEI number. This number is located on the back of the phone’s box, along with other details, such as the SAR value.

How To Find IMEI Number On iPhone

You can find the IMEI number on your iPhone by following these methods:

Method 1: Using Dialer On Your iPhone

You can find the IMEI number on your iPhone by following these steps:

1. Open the Phone app on your iPhone and Dial *#06#
2. A pop-up message will display details about your IMEI number
3. You must press the dial button if the number does not appear.

Method 2: From the Settings

To find your IMEI Number on your iPhone via Settings, you need to do this:

1. Open the Settings app on your iPhone
2. Tap on General and then select the About option.
3. Here, you will find details such as the IMEI/MEID/ICCID apart from other details

Method 3: Before Setting Up The Device

In case you haven’t set up your new iPhone or have performed a reset of your device, then you follow these steps:

1. Boot your iPhone by pressing the power button.
2. A “Hello” message will appear on your screen.
3. Press the Info button denoted by the “i” icon in the bottom right corner.
4. The serial number will be visible on your screen

Method 4: Via SIM Tray

If you are lucky enough to have a physical SIM Tray instead of an e-SIM one, then you can still check your IMEI number. Just open the SIM Tray using the SIM Ejector PIN, and you will be able to check your IMEI number

Method 5: Using iTunes

You can also find the IMEI number of your iPhone using iTunes. You will need to connect your device to a Windows or macOS device. Just follow these steps:

1. Connect your iPhone to your computer via USB or lightning cable.
2. Open iTunes if you are running macOS Mojave or a Windows PC. You can open Finder if you are on MacOS Catalina 10.15 or later
3. In iTunes, open the Summary tab, and in the Finder app, open the Summary tab.
4. Tap the Phone Number option under the device name or device model to locate your IMEI number.

Method 6: Using your Apple ID

Last but not least, you can find the IMEI number of your iPhone by visiting the Apple ID page. This method works even if you don’t have your device with you. To check your IMEI using Apple ID, follow these steps:

1. Visit this link in your browser.
2. Log in with the same Apple ID that you have used on your iPhone
3. In the devices section, select the device, and you will be able to view its IMEI number.

How To Find A Lost Or Stolen Phone Using IMEI Number – IMEI Number Tracking Via IMEI Tracker

Step 1: The first step is to file a report with the police about the lost or stolen phone and keep a copy of the report before the IMEI number tracking.

Step 2: Then contact your service provider to issue a duplicate SIM card; when you request the blocking of the IMEI number, you will get an OTP on this number. This will not allow you to track your lost mobile but render it entirely useless for the person who finds it with malicious intent.

Step 3: Visit the portal here to block the IMEI and attach the required documents. You will need a copy of the police report, identity proof, purchase invoice, and other details.

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Step 4: You will get an OTP On the number. This should be the same number active on the phone before it gets lost.

Step 5: You will then be given a request ID, and you can check the requestor’s status to unblock the IMEI if required in the future.

IMEI Tracker – What Next?

When you file a complaint against a lost or stolen mobile phone, the network operator will share the device’s IMEI number. It will be on the blacklist of the central database, and other operators will also ban the device so that it doesn’t work on any network, even if the SIM card is removed or replaced. This new initiative from the Department of Telecom has considerable potential and will hopefully help many users.

Also Read: What Is IMEI Number And How To See It!

Please note: Technically, one cannot track the lost device directly through your current phone. However, it is possible to approach the network operator to put the phone on the alert list. This is how the phone can be identified while it is connected to a specific network. To do this, you can follow the FIR process and add phone IMEI to the blacklist using the method above. All the steps help in the IMEI number tracking effectively.

This is also how you ensure that law enforcement authorities and network operators can contact you when they find the device.

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Checking The Status Of Complaints On The CEIR Portal!

Once a blocking request is submitted, individuals can quickly check the status of their complaint on the CEIR portal by following these simple steps:

Step 1: After you have submitted the request for blocking and lost/stolen mobile. Go to the homepage of the CEIR website and click the check request status button. 

Step 2: When you select the “Check Request Status” button on the CEIR website homepage, a new page will appear, asking you to enter the unique request ID provided when the locking request was submitted.

Step 3: After clicking the submit button, you can check the status of your complaint. It will display either Pending, Processed, or Rejected. If your request is processed, you will get further information, such as the date and time of the block, the operator who has blocked your smartphone, and so on.

Google’s Find My Device

Google’s “Find My Device” service is an extremely helpful tool for individuals who want to locate or track their lost or stolen smartphones. You can easily locate your phone if you have connected your Google account to it and enabled the “Find My Device” option to track its most recent locations. Keep in mind that this only works when the smartphone’s internet connection is up and running. One thing to note is that you can also find my device with IMEI.

Also Read: How To Find Lost iPhone Online Easily And Track Its Live Location!

To track your smartphone, simply go to the “Find My Device” webpage. You are then provided with a list of devices that are linked to your Google account. Simply choose the device to track, and by clicking on its name, you can view its location highlighted on a map on the side screen. You will also have a total of three options: play a sound on the device, secure it, or wipe its information.

How To Track Your Phone With Find My Device Network

Google has recently improved its Find My Device service to resemble Apple’s Find My iPhone. This means you can now track your phone even if it’s in aeroplane mode, as it taps into the vast network of nearby Android devices to locate your phone.

This feature works even if your device is offline, meaning you can find your phone’s information if the SIM card is removed or if the mobile data is turned off. To use this feature, just follow these steps:

1. Launch the Find My Device app and log in to your Google account. A pop-up will ask you to register for the new Find My Device Network.
2. Tap the Enter Screen Lock button at the bottom and enter your device’s lock screen PIN.
3. Alternatively, you can also head to into your phone’s Settings ->Google->Find My Device option.
4. Here, you need to tap on the Find your offline devices option. It will be set to Off by default, and you must change it to “With network in all areas”. This will ensure you can locate your device even in areas with less crowd density.

That’s it, you have successfully added and configured device to Google’s Find My Device Network. Now, you just need to follow these steps if your device goes missing:

1. Open the Find My Device app and enter your Google account’s credentials to log in.
2. Select the device that you wish to locate and tap the “Find Nearby” option.
3. It will show you the proximity of whether you are close to your device with a ring.
4. The ring will start filling up once you get closer to your device. You can also ring your device by pressing the “Play Sound” button on the screen.

Samsung SmartThings Find

If you are a Samsung user, you can use the SmartThings Find feature to locate your phone. It works similarly to Google Find My Device and is a better alternative to using an IMEI tracker. This powerful tool allows you to locate your phone, wipe its data or lock it down. To find your Samsung smartphone and check its live location, you will need to enable this feature with the following steps:

1. Navigate to the Settings App on your Samsung device and tap on the Samsung account at the top.
2. Choose the Find My Mobile option from the list.
3. Enable the “Allow this phone to be found” option.
4. You will also need to turn on the “Remote Unlock”, “Send Last Location”, and “Offline Finding” features.

This will allow you to easily locate your Samsung smartphone if it goes missing. You can check its last location, wipe the data or find it even if it’s offline. The best part is that this feature works on all Samsung devices so whether you have a flagship phone or a budget one, you don’t have to worry about it being lost. Furthermore, the Samsung Smarthings Find also works on accessories like Galaxy Buds and Galaxy Watch so you can locate them easily.

To find the live location of your phone using Samsung SmartThings Find, just follow these steps:

1. Visit the official website for Samsung SmartThings Find and log in to your Samsung account.
2. Here you can find the list of Samsung devices that are connected to your account including your phone, tablet and even accessories like Galaxy Buds and Galaxy Tag.
3. It will show you your device’s last location, as well as options to share its last live location, lock it, and ring it.
4. You can even erase the data to prevent it from falling into the wrong hands.

IMEI Tracker By Staunch

The IMEI Tracker by Staunch is a free website that can help you locate your lost phone by finding your lost smartphone. It claims to offer you the exact location of your phone and works in more than 150 countries.

These tools can be a great way to find the last position of your lost smartphone. However, it is worth noting that these services do not have a 100 per cent success rate and depend on various factors, including whether your phone has mobile data and GPS turned on or off.

Here is how you can find your phone with this IMEI tracker by Staunch:

1. Visit the website and press the Track IMEI button.
2. Enter the IMEI number of your smartphone that you can find using the steps mentioned above
3. Choose your country from the list and press the Track IMEI button.

How To Track Your Lost Phone In Real Time?

Various apps on the Google PlayStore can help you track your smartphone’s location in real time. Unlike IMEI tracker, these apps use the phone’s current location using GPS and can also provide other details such as call log, message monitoring and even the ability to monitor social media apps. Let’s take a look at two such apps:

1. AirDroid Parental Control

The AirDroid Parental Control app is designed to track the location of your kids, so you don’t need to use an IMEI tracker to monitor them. This app can trace your phone’s location, manage your screen time, block apps and games, check notifications and provide instant alerts. However, you can also use this app to locate your own smartphone in case it gets lost. Just follow these steps:

1. Download and install the AirDroid Parental Control app on a secondary phone
2. Open the app and sign in by creating an account or logging in with an existing one.
3. Now, install AirDroid Kids on your primary smartphone. To pair the devices, enter the pairing code from your secondary phone.
4. Go through the setup process, and voila, you can now track your phone’s location in real time without an IMEI tracker.

2.mSpy

The second app on our list is mSpy, which can track your phone’s location without the need for an IMEI tracker.While this app has a paid subscription, you can also use the demo version to check it out before opting for the paid version.Similar to AirDroid parental control, it can track the location, call log, text, messages, and even social media apps on your smartphone.

Here is how you can set up this app:

1. Go to the mSpy website and create an account using your email address or Google account.
2. Choose any one of the plans offered by the company that suits your budget and the number of devices that you need to monitor
3. Install the app on your smartphone and set it up. You will be able to monitor it now using the Control panel. Furthermore, this app also works in stealth mode, so the thief won’t be able to detect it

What Are The Benefits of IMEI Number Tracker?

1. IMEI Number Cannot Change

Nobody can change the IMEI number, which precisely helps to track lost mobile phones. Even the thieves who stole your mobile cannot change that number. One can turn off the sim or the location, but the IMEI number is irreplaceable. It is like the identity of the particular device. Therefore, it is essential to store the IMEI number of the phone as . Hence, this makes it easy to track IMEI number.

Also Read: How To Locate Your Lost AirPods Using Find my AirPods Feature

2. You Can Block The IMEI Number

Blocking the IMEI number means the one who is holding the device hostage won’t be able to use it. The phone functions will not operate. Even if the thief holds your device hostage, it is as good as useless, and he will not have control over the IMEI number as well. However, for you to block the IMEI number tracker, you will need assistance from the police.

While we have some excellent tools, such as Find My iPhone or Find My Phone on Android, they are useless if the phone lacks an internet connection. Every third-party or first-party app on the phone fails to work without an active internet connection. This is an essential fact to know when getting your IMEI number tracking done.

What Is CEIR?

The Government of India’s Center for Department of Telematics is working on a pilot project for the Central Equipment Identity Register or CEIR system.

CEIR is a central database with the IMEI numbers of all mobile operators. Since each mobile phone has a unique IMEI number, it is easy to differentiate the device from others. The plan came live all over India on May 17, 2023.

So how does it help us?

This basically allows users to block or track a lost phone and check cloned phones. Even if one removes or replaces the new SIM card. This latest technology will, in turn, efficiently track a lost mobile phone. The Centre for Development of Telematics manages the registry. They work with telecom operators and other regulatory authorities to track lost smartphones.

Additional Strategies and Tips For IMEI Tracker

In addition to the steps mentioned above, you can always take additional steps to enhance your efforts of tracking a lost phone:

1. The sooner you report the loss to your mobile carrier and law enforcement, the higher is the chances of successful recovery. Prompt action can prevent the thief from selling or resetting your device.
2. It is a good idea to keep a note of the IMEI number. You should note it down in some safe place to save time and effort when reporting the loss of the phone.
3. Always make sure that the built-in “Find my device” option given in your phone is enabled.
4. Make sure to add two-factor authentication on all your bank accounts and social media accounts for an additional layer of security.
5. You can also contact the device manufacturer for help. They may have specific tools or advice for locating your device, especially if it is equipped with manufacturer-specific tracking features.

Things To Do After Your Phone Is Lost Or Stolen

After filing a complaint on the CEIR portal to locate your phone using the IMEI tracker, you need to do a couple of things immediately. This will help prevent any potential misuse or fraud in case someone has stolen your phone.

1. Block SIM Card: The most important thing is to block your SIM card by contacting your telecom operator to prevent it from being misused. This will also deter spam or OTP-related fraud. Moreover, your telecom operator can also help you locate the device if you mark it as lost. Just contact the customer care number of your telecom operator, and they will disable any incoming or outgoing calls, although you will still be able to track your phone.
2. File A Police Complaint: Once you file a complaint on the CEIR portal, you must also file a complaint at your nearest police station. This way, the authorities can track your phone using the IMEI tracker. Make sure to carry the bill and box your phone with the IMEI number visible for speedy filing of the complaint. You can also ask your telecom operator for the IMEI number if you don’t know about it. If you know your phone’s location, you can also share it with the authorities so they can nab the thief.
3. Inform Your Friends And Family: The next thing you need to do is immediately inform your friends and family so they don’t become victims of any OTP fraud or financial scam. Furthermore, they can stay on alert if their phone is found and someone calls a number from the contacts list to find the owner.
4. Use Find My Device and Find My iPhone: Last but not least, if you have turned on Find My Device Network or Find My iPhone, you can use these services to locate your lost device. Similar to an IMEI tracker, they can help you get the last location of your phone apart from the ability to wipe it or lock it down remotely.

To Sum It Up

IMEI number tracking is a great way to help you locate your phone. However, to begin with, you must know your IMEI number. Reporting the loss to your mobile service provider and the police is crucial, as it sets the wheels in motion to recover your device. These steps can help ensure your service is suspended in the meantime. Note that the cooperation of law enforcement and mobile carriers is of utmost importance.

The IMEI tracker feature is a powerful tool in the fight against mobile phone loss and theft. Remember, it’s not just a mobile phone; it’s a repository of your memories, work, and personal information. So, safeguard it and use every available resource to ensure its safe return in case it goes missing.

Also Read: How To Locate A Lost Or Stolen Android Smartphone

FAQs

Q1. What is IMEI number tracker?

IMEI number tracker helps uniquely identify and track a mobile phone. It aids in finding lost or stolen phones by blocking the IMEI, making the device useless.

Q2. How to track phone with IMEI Number Tracker?

To track IMEI number, you need to file a police report, contact your service provider for a duplicate SIM card, and visit the CEIR portal to block the IMEI with the necessary documents. Law enforcement and operators will then locate your mobile to help you “find my device with IMEI”.

Q3. What are the benefits of IMEI number tracker for lost phones?

Benefits include an unchangeable IMEI, the ability to block the IMEI, and CEIR’s nationwide tracking. It’s crucial for recovery, especially when the phone lacks an active internet connection.

Q4. What is CEIR, and how does it contribute to tracking IMEI numbers?

CEIR is a central database managed by the government of India that stores IMEI numbers. It efficiently tracks lost smartphones in collaboration with telecom operators, even if the SIM card is replaced.

Q5. What should you do if you can’t find your lost phone using the IMEI number?

You can report the loss to the authorities and provide them with the IMEI number for tracking assistance. You can also contact your network provider to block the phone on their network using the IMEI number. If traditional methods prove unsuccessful, explore professional location-sharing software utilizing GPS and other services for real-time tracking. By following these steps, you improve the chances of recovering your lost or stolen phone, even if the IMEI tracking method doesn’t yield results.

Q6. What should you do if you find someone else’s lost phone?

If you come across someone else’s lost phone, check for any emergency contacts, personal items, or a case with a business card or inscription. If the phone is locked, contact the owner’s network provider with the IMEI number, often found on the box or by dialling *#06# on the phone’s dialer. The network provider can assist in reaching out to the owner and facilitating the return of the phone.

Q7.What Steps Can I Take To Secure My Device Before It Gets Lost Or Stolen?

To secure your device you can activate remote tracking and locking features such as Find My Device on Android and Find My iPhone for iOS users. Furthermore, you can activate two-factor authentication and require a password to power off the feature to prevent someone from shutting down your device. You should also note down your IMEI number so you can track IMEI number in the future.

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