How to Find iPhone with IMEI Number
The primary way to find a lost iPhone is by using the Find My feature. However, you may not enable Find My iPhone before it gets lost and hear about locating an iPhone with an IMEI number. Hence, you will learn here how to find lost iPhones, especially when you only know the IMEI.
This post will also enlighten you on precautions to take when you lose your phone. Furthermore, it explores precautions to ensure your iPhone and its data are not stolen.
Can I Find My iPhone with Only the IMEI/MEID Number?
No, you cannot find your iPhone with only the IMEI/MEID number.
It is a unique 15-digit number assigned to every mobile device, including the iPhone. However, the online IMEI tracker can't get the current location of your device since they don't have the permissions. We even tried lots of them, but none worked.
In other words, you need the help of law enforcement or a carrier to use the number alone to track your iPhone. In addition, this number can be used to block the device or prevent it from being used on networks.
However, if you have enabled Find My iPhone, the best way is to use the feature to locate your iPhone. There are many other apps with a location sharing or GPS tracking feature; if you have installed them on the lost iPhone, it will be easy to find the iPhone.
Best Practice to Find Lost iPhone If You Only Have IMEI Number
If you have enabled Find My iPhone, the easiest way to find your iPhone is using iCloud Find Devices. Otherwise, you'll need to seek help from the police or carrier.
1If You Have Enabled Find My iPhone
Find My is Apple's custom feature for users to access the location of their lost iPhone. If you have activated the feature, you can use iCloud Find Devices to access the location of your misplaced or pinched iPhone from any device. However, you would also need your Apple ID details.
- Visit iCloud Find Devices www.icloud.com/find and sign in with your Apple ID.
- Select All Devices and choose your lost iPhone.
- If the iPhone is online, the website will display its current location. Otherwise, you will see the device's last known location on the map.
It also has several features to help find your iPhone. For instance, you can ring the iPhone to find it if it is in the vicinity easily. You can even remotely erase all your data on the device. Likewise, you can remotely lock the iPhone with the Lost Mode and display a message on the screen in case someone finds it.
2If You Didn't Enable Find My iPhone
Even if you did not have Find My enabled on your iPhone before it was taken or lost, you can still take action with the IMEI. Here are two ways to consider.
Report to the Local Law Enforcement as Stolen
Law enforcement agents have more sophisticated solutions for finding lost iPhones. Hence, when you report your iPhone as stolen at the nearest police station, you will be asked to provide your IMEI Number and other details about the phone. The process may be long or not. If it is the former, you have to keep in contact to know the progress of the search.
Contact the Carrier
Unlike local law enforcers, Carriers can't locate iPhones with IMEI numbers. But when the SIM is inserted into an iPhone, and it is connected to the internet, the IMEI number is sent to the carrier's database. So, the notice on their database or the preliminary search for the SIM is enough to track the approximate location of an iPhone based on cell tower triangulation.
In many instances, Carriers will request a court order or police involvement. Once granted legal rights, they can suspend the phone's service and blocklist the device to prevent others from using it.
However, this approach may still not work if the iPhone is not connected to the internet, put on airplane mode, turned off, or the SIM is removed.
2 Other Effective Ways to Track an iPhone Location
If you seek more options to track iPhone location aside from using Find My and IMEI, below are two more methods you can use.
1Via Location Sharing Features
Direct location sharing is available on iPhone with friends and family. Hence, you can track an iPhone location if they share the location with Find My. It allows constant location sharing.
Furthermore, you can share your location via Google Maps, iMessage or other social apps. If the sharing is still active, you can use it to track the location of the iPhone in real time.
2Via iPhone GPS Tracking Apps
You can install GPS tracking apps on your device before it is stolen to keep track of it from other devices. These third-party alternatives have more tracking features and even more. They require that the iPhone is connected to the internet or permission from the target device before establishing a connection. One of the top picks is AirDroid Parental Control.
AirDroid Parental Control has sophisticated features like real-time location tracking, location history, set safe zones & get instant alerts and notifications when the iPhone has low power.
Additional Measures If You Lost Your iPhone
If you lost your iPhone, you can still gain access to it via iCloud. Hence, this section identifies some of the measures you should take about such a device.
Change Your Passwords: Log in to your Apple ID, email accounts, and social media profiles from other devices and change the passwords. You can also log out of the lost one to prevent unauthorized access.
Remove Payment Methods: Remove payment methods linked to Apple Pay or any shopping apps. That way, you can prevent fraudulent transactions from taking place.
Consider Remote Data Erasure: You can use the Find My app to erase all your data from the phone. It will ensure that all personal information is kept safe.
Protect Your iPhone from Being Stolen in the First Place
Having a lost or stolen phone situation is the worst-case scenario. You can put some conditions in place to help you protect your iPhone from being stolen. These security measures are discussed below.
Enable Find My iPhone: It is the most important feature for tracking or locating a stolen iPhone. Since the feature cannot work unless enabled before it was stolen, ensure it is enabled on your device. You can sync your iPhone with your other Apple devices, too, to make it easy to find.
Use Strong Passcodes and Biometrics: Set a strong passcode and enable biometric authentication like Face/Touch ID. It reinforces your iPhone security and prevents unauthorized access.
Be Aware of Your Surroundings: Always be cautious of where you place your iPhone, especially leaving it unattended in public spaces. It would also include noticing suspicious people around you.
Regularly Back Up Your Data: Regular backups ensure that even if you lose your iPhone, your data is still accessible. You can back up your iPhone through iCloud or iTunes to keep it safe.
Final Take
Using just the IMEI number to find your iPhone is not feasible. However, you can use Apple's Find My app with features like Lost Mode to safeguard it. To use IMEI, you would have to file a complaint with the local law enforcement or Carrier.
Instead, you can also use GPS tracking apps like AirDroid Parental Control or the location sharing features on social apps like iMessage, WhatsApp, Facebook, etc.
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