All mobile phones have the so-called IMEI number, something like the “DNI of smartphones” that allows them to be identified as unique devices. But do you know where this identification number is? What is it for apart from what we have told you about? Can it be changed? Is it the same on iPhone and Android? We explain everything to you in this small (but very complete) guide.
What is the IMEI of a Mobile?
He IMEI (International Mobile Equipment Identity) is one of the most characteristic data of mobile phones, since it is the number that serves to identify a section in a unique and exclusive way in the world, being very relevant for different aspects related to the electronic device that most used today.
That is why it is common to hear about it, although it is not always known exactly what its use is and how one can benefit from this code at different times for what purposes.
What is it for?
As mentioned, the IMEI is a important number for mobile phone owners Since it is likely that you will have to use it at some point, it can be used for tasks such as unlocking the terminal, filing a report with the police for theft or requesting the telephone company to block that terminal in the event that it is stolen. have lost
All these are actions that it would not be possible to carry out without having this number, so it is important to know what it is beforehand in order to avoid possible problems and unpleasantness in the future.
See Android IMEI
Checking the IMEI is a very simple task that will require little time on the part of the interested person, with different options to achieve it and thus find out the IMEI, in this case, of an Android phone.
One of the questions that is repeated the most is the one that refers to how to find out the IMEI of a stolen or lost mobile, since there is a tendency to think that it can only be known if you have the device physically. Fortunately, it is not.
Dialing the code *#06#
The easiest way to find out the IMEI number of any phone is by dialing the code *#06# in the terminal’s call application and making a call to that number, after which the expected sequence of digits will appear on the screen.
If you learn the code to dial and have the phone for which you want to know the IMEI at hand, it is the most direct way to obtain that number quickly without complications.
Settings Menu
The other simple option, how could it be otherwise, is accessing the IMEI from the Phone Settings, where it can be found in the part dedicated to terminal information. There, in the Status section, the IMEI number is registered and, again, it is accessible if the device is nearby and can be used.
Can IMEI be Changed?
Change IMEI on Android It is one of the questions that many ask themselves and that does not have a simple and applicable answer to all cases. It is true that at present you can find certain applications to change the IMEI of the phone and get a new one from PC and without the need for rootfor example, but the reality is that the laws in force in most countries do not cover this type of change and it is not advisable to make them except for reasons of force majeure.
This number is a guarantee to the owner and any modification may end up causing more problems than good in the long run.
How to Check iPhone IMEI?
It is the turn to know how you can find out the IMEI on iPhone, one of the best-selling devices and where it is just as necessary to know how to access this code to be able to carry out the aforementioned functions that this makes possible. In the same way that it happened with Android, this is easy, simple and will not require much time.
From Phone Settings
How could it be otherwise, the phone Settings are once again one of the areas where the IMEI can be found without major impediments. You only have to go to the section General and About phonewhere a section dedicated to this numerical code will be displayed.
With iTunes
itunes It is the quintessential tool that Apple uses to carry out many of the user’s transcendental actions with their devices, so finding out the IMEI could not be missing from its options either.
The number is in the connected device information section and there is no intermediate step to take other than connecting the iPhone to the computer where you want to consult the data
SIM Tray
One of the strangest ways of check the IMEI number of the iPhone It is through the tray where the SIM card of the terminal is housed. If this tray is opened, this number can be found engraved on one of its sides for those cases in which the phone does not turn on, for example.
With Phone Case
A tradition at Apple is to include the IMEI on the phone’s box itself, where it can be found on the sticker that accompanies all the packaging of the company’s terminals on the back of these.
In the lower area there is a series of data among which the IMEI number is clearly indicated, also serving, as mentioned above, to know when the smartphone has been lost or stolen.
Can it be Changed?
Changing the IMEI code on the iPhone is just as inadvisable as doing it on Android, despite the fact that some options may allow it through a more or less complex method. Having the support of the IMEI is essential to guarantee the maximum rights in case of having to request services from the seller or other organizations.
Block iPhone by IMEI: anti-theft measure
Locate an iPhone by IMEIas already mentioned, is one of the potential uses that can be given to this code and that can be extremely useful.
This will be possible thanks to dedicated applications such as “Find my iPhone”, in addition to the fact that in the event of reporting a robbery to the police, for example, it will be easier to identify it if you have the specific number.
How to know if my iPhone is Locked by IMEI
One step that must be carried out before buying a second-hand mobile and that is directly related to the IMEI is to check if it is blocked or on a blacklist that prevents its use.
To do this, you will only have to use tools IMEI checker as IMEI Check Free, which will give the user the possibility to check if a phone has been blocked by IMEI. This would most likely mean that it has been stolen and the original owner has proceeded to block and, therefore, partially disable the device.
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