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How to Track Phone Using IMEI Online

Elsa Updated on Jul 31, 2024 Filed to: Parent Control

After losing or misplacing your phone, it can be a challenge to even think of where to start. IMEI trackers on Google promise you can find your phone in 5 minutes, but it all ends in frustration.

This blog post shows you how to track a phone online with or without IMEI number. We also go beyond to highlight what doesn't work. Let's get started.

Part 1: Is It Possible to Track a Phone Using Its IMEI Number?

Yes, it's possible to track your lost or misplaced phone using its International Mobile Equipment Identity (IMEI) number. However, the process isn't as easy as most tracking apps and guides provide. In fact, we tried the suggested methods in most guides and only ended up with a bigger list of mobile apps.

Currently, only network carriers or authorities can track a mobile device using the IMEI number.

This is not an easy task, because they only come in if it is a serious case like a missing person or murder. The complexity of this process makes many victims give up on searching for their phones considering that most are misplacement cases.

So, if you want to learn how to find your phone with their help, keep reading.

Part 2: How to Track Phone Using IMEI Online?

As mentioned in Part 1, using an IMEI number to track a phone is challenging but possible. Here will outline some methods are effective, as well as some hot but fraudulent methods.

1. Mobile Carrier
2. Government Authorities
3. Hot but Ineffective Methods

1. Mobile Carrier

Mobile network operators can use the triangulation technique to estimate the location of your lost phone. Through this method, the mobile carrier uses phone signals to calculate the general location of the phone. This entails measuring the time it takes for a signal to travel back and forth to the cell tower.

The method is challenging for regular citizen because of the legal requirements to obtain a warrant or explicit permission due to privacy concerns. Here are some tips for convincing your mobile network operator to help you track your lost phone with IMEI number:

Provide the IMEI number of your lost phone.
Provide your identification documents, such as an ID card or passport.
Provide the purchase receipt or invoice of the lost phone.
Try to visit the mobile carrier's store and communicate with the staff face-to-face.

Note : This method requires the lost phone to remain powered on and not in airplane mode.

2. Government Authorities

When seeking assistance from your mobile carrier proves unsuccessful, the next step is to immediately seek help from the police. Law enforcers use the device's IMEI number to trace its location. They work in collaboration with mobile carriers to access essential data for tracking.

They receive information from the IMEI number through the Equipment Identity Register (EIR) database. Mobile network operators can't grant regular users access to the location of devices due to privacy laws.

Note : This method also requires the lost phone to remain powered on and not in airplane mode.

3. Hot but Ineffective Methods

There are thousands of "IMEI Trackers" online, frequently recommended in various blogs and videos, but none seems to work. We embarked on testing several of them, and all we did was surrender our personal information and subscription fee without much progress.

After further researching the real reviews of these "IMEI Trackers," we also found that many users have been scammed. That said, you should be cautious about apps or websites that promise to track your phone using an IMEI number.

In the next part, we explore some free and safe methods from Google and Apple that can help you on how to track a phone effectively.

Part 3: Other Effective Ways to Track a Phone

You can use Google Find My Device or Find My iPhone to trace, erase, or secure data from your lost phone remotely. However, the device should be switched on and connected to the internet. Here are step-by-step guides on how to use the two apps:

1. For Android: Google Find My Device
2. For iPhone: Find My iPhone

1For Android: Google Find My Device

To use this method, your phone should be logged in to your Google account, and it should also be visible on Google Play. If you are wondering how to track a lost Android phone using IMEI number, this process also helps you to get the number.

Step 1. Get Google Find My Device App
Use another phone or tablet to access the app. If you don't have the application, you can download it here. You can also access it on your computer through this link.

Step 2.Sign In
Sign in using the email address logged in on the lost device. If you are using a friend's phone, tap "Sign in as a guest."

Step 3.Select the Device to Locate
From the list of devices listed under your account, tap the one you want to find. If you manage a minor's device, it is also in the list of devices. For security purposes, you might be prompted to:
Provide the lock pattern of the lost device (Android 9 and above)
Type your Google password (Android 8 and below)

Step 4.Find the Device
On the map, click the phone location icon to be directed to where the phone is. Google uses cell towers, GPS, and nearby Wi-Fi to show the location of the device, with an accuracy of about 20 meters.
If your device is within 10 meters, you'll see a shape that fills in as you get closer: Tap "Find nearby." It may take a few seconds to update. The radius around your location pin shows Google's confidence in the accuracy. If we can't find your device's current location, you might still see its last known location.

Step 5.Select What to Do
Google provides the following methods to secure your phone:

Play sound: if you have misplaced the phone within a short radius, this is the best option. Even when your device is in silent or vibration mode, it plays the sound at full volume for 5 minutes.
Secure device: You can lock your phone using a PIN or password. If you don't have one, you can set it. Besides, you can leave a message on the home screen to help someone return it.
Factory setting: If you can't find the device and you would like to delete all the data, select the "Factory reset device" option. Remember, this means that:

All data will be permanently erased from the gadget.
After the reset, the device's location will no longer be available in Find My Device.
If the device is offline, the erasure will begin once it goes online again.

2For iPhone: Find My iPhone

Unlike the common notion, you can use an Android or another iPhone to find a lost iPhone. However, for you to find the lost device, the "Find My" feature must be turned on.

You can also turn on the "Find My Network" toggle to track your phone even when offline. "Send Last Location" helps you find the last place your phone was on in case it goes off or is switched off.

Next, let's go through a step-by-step on how to track your lost iPhone:

Step 1.Open iCloud in Another Device
Go to your iCloud and log in. Here is the URL: https://www.icloud.com/find. Because you might be prompted to enter a two-step verification code, click the "Find Devices" option to skip this step.

Step 2.Open Find My App
If you are using another iPhone, open the Find My app and click "All Devices" to select the gadget you want to track.

Step 3.Choose an Option
If you have misplaced the phone, click "Play Sound" to locate the phone. You can activate the "Lost Mode" to activate the location services. Through this option, you can trace the gadget through the map.

In case you suspect your device is compromised, click the "erase iPhone" option. This ensures that all your confidential information is secure. If your iPhone is running on iOS 15 or higher, you can still play the sound after erasing it.

Conclusion

Probably, you have tried to search for how to track mobile using IMEI number online without finding an effective solution. The methods we have listed have proved effective, unlike most IMEI trackers that promise but don't deliver. Google and iPhone apps and websites are the most reliable and authentic methods we could find to locate your lost device.

FAQs about Tracking Phone Using IMEI Tracker

How to Find my IMEI number?

Elsa

You can get your IMEI number by dialing *#06#. If the device is lost, you can get the IMEI number from the Find My Device app once you click the lost phone.

Is It Possible to Track an IMEI Number through Google Earth?

Elsa

No, you cannot track IMEI through Google Earth. While Google Earth can display geographic locations, it cannot track or locate a mobile phone using the IMEI number.

What Is the Police IMEI Tracker?

Elsa

A police IMEI tracker refers to the tool of law enforcement agencies to use the IMEI number of a mobile device in their efforts to locate lost or stolen phones. This typically requires cooperation from the service providers and is subject to local laws and regulations.

How can I track my stolen phone if it's switched off?

Elsa

The only option to track a phone that is switched off is to find its last location when it was switched on. Unfortunately, if it is not in the same location, it is challenging to track it.

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Elsa

Elsa has worked on a number of iOS & Android solutions, she can always find her way around almost any application. She is an accomplished, skilled and versatile writer with more than 7 years of technical article writing experience.