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Try It Free Via WebHow to Track Phone Using IMEI Online
After losing or misplacing your phone, it can be a challenge to even think of where to start. This blog post shows you how to track a phone online with or without an IMEI number. We also go beyond to highlight what doesn't work. Let's get started.
Is It Possible to Track a Stolen Phone with Its IMEI Number?
Yes, it's possible to track your lost or misplaced phone using its 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. If you want to learn how to find your phone with their help, keep reading.
IMEI trackers on Google promise you can find your phone in minutes, but most of them end in frustration. We have tested lots of hot IMEI tracker and will show you our experience results.
How to Track Phone Using IMEI
As mentioned above, using an IMEI number to track a phone is challenging but possible. Here will outline some effective methods.
Government Websites and Authorities
Some governments, like India, have official websites. If your phone is lost or stolen, you can either submit a form on the website (you need to report to the police, get a new SIM card, prepare documents, etc.) or contact the state police.
It will be blocked within 24 hours after successful submission. Once blocked, the phone can't be used on any network in India, but that won't affect the police tracking it. You can unlock the IMEI when you get your phone back.
Suppose you plan to buy a new phone; you can also check the phone's validity through "Know Your Mobile (KYM)". If the phone's status is abnormal, don't buy it.
However, many governments don't offer official websites like India. You can also seek help from the police immediately. 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.
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 citizens 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 the 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.
Review of Hot IMEI Tracker (Online Websites and Apps)
There are thousands of "IMEI Trackers" online, frequently recommended in various blogs and videos. We have tested lots of them and found that they belong to three types.
- These websites or apps are basically scams, designed to defraud advertising commissions or app subscription fees. Location information cannot be retrieved. Examples: IMEI Tracker, CodeClary IMEI Tracker, Mobile Location, Find my phone - IMEI Tracker, Find My Phone Info.
- You need to install this type of app on the target device. They actually track the location through GPS and can't locate the location by just entering the IMEI number. Examples: IMEI Tracker - Find My Device, Find My Device (IMEI Tracker).
- This type of website or app can check relevant information about the device, such as whether the corresponding device has been reported lost or disabled by GSM, but it can't locate the device's current location. Examples: IMEI Report, IMEI CHECK.NET, IMEI.info, IMEI Tracking.
5 Online IMEI Tracker Websites
1IMEI CHECK.NET
IMEI CHECK.NET "imeicheck.net" is used to look up information related to devices. The free version allows you to look up the manufacturer and the device model. After paying $1.99, you can also look up the warranty status, blacklist status and so on. It doesn't show the location information of the devices.
2IMEI.info
IMEI.info "www.imei.info" is also used to look up information related to devices. The free version allows you to look up the brand and the device model. After paying $3.99, you can also look up if your device is clean or blacklisted.
3IMEI Tracker
The website "imei-tracker.com/track" claims that it can locate any device linked to the identity of a mobile device. After you enter the IMEI number and pick a country, the interface starts showing the progress of the query. It takes about one minute. When the query is done, you have to fill out a survey, and a lot of ads will pop up during the process.
After finishing the questionnaire, you still need to buy something on the shopping site https://www.aliexpress.com/. But it still shows no results or no update after completing the purchase. Also, if there's an error during the query, you have to type in the IMEI number digit by digit again. There's no history save, and no copy option.
4CodeClary IMEI Tracker
CodeClary IMEI Tracker "www.codeclary.com" also claims it can locate a phone's position with the IMEI number. But after we actually enter the IMEI number, it jumps to another site: https://www.istaunch.com/imei-tracker/. On this site, you need to enter the IMEI number again and verify your identity. After several tries, the page just refreshes. It doesn't show any location info.
5Mobile Location - Find lost phone by IMEI code (Web)
Although the title of Mobile Location website "mobile-location.com/find-phone-by-imei" says you can find a lost phone with its IMEI number, actually, the content on its interface is about finding the corresponding IMEI number through a phone number. And it shows that you can't locate a phone by IMEI for free.
6 IMEI Number Tracker Apps
1IMEI Report 
If you want to buy a new cell phone and want to make sure that the mobile is not a stolen device, you can use the app. You can download it on both Android and iOS. It can check for free whether GSM locks the device.
However, there are a lot of ads when you use it. Every time you open a new window, ads will pop up. These ads last from a few seconds to dozens of seconds, and there's no way to skip them.
2IMEI Tracking 
IMEI Tracking can also check for free whether the device has been stolen or lost.
You need to register by entering your mobile phone number and choosing the corresponding network. You can only choose some mobile carriers in Brazil and Norway.
3IMEI Tracker - Find My Device 
The app claims to be an IMEI Tracker, but actually it can't locate your lost phone just by using the IMEI. It works on the same principle as the common GPS Phone Tracker. The relevant app must have been installed and activated before the device was lost.
If you had already completed the setup before losing your phone, even if the person who stole your phone replaces the SIM card, as long as the app isn't deleted, you can still find its location.
It's not free and has an auto-subscription. If you've subscribed to this app to try to locate your phone, be sure to remember to cancel the auto-subscription.
4Find My Device (IMEI Tracker) 
Similar to the previous app, Find My Device (IMEI Tracker) also tracks the location of the phone by GPS instead of only the IMEI Number.
You must have installed the corresponding app on the device before it was lost so that you can log in to the website to check the device's location at any time.
It is not free, so you must pay before using this app.
5Find my phone - IMEI Tracker 
Find my phone - IMEI Tracker is a completely free app and it's very easy to use. After you enter the IMEI number, the result will be shown quickly. However, just like other online tools, when we entered multiple IMEI numbers, it doesn't show the location. Even when we switch to registering on the webpage, the result is no different; we just see more ads.
As can be roughly guessed from its promotional page, only if the person who picked up our lost phone reported its location in the app would we have a chance to locate it. But that's almost impossible.
6Find My Phone Info: IMEI Track 
You have to pay before you can enter the IMEI number to search location in this app. After we subscribed and entered the IMEI numbers of several mobile phones, none of them showed the correct location, just like what the users' reviews on Google Play said. This app is probably a scam, too.
Other Effective Ways to Track a Phone (Totally Free)
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:
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 an 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 numbers 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?
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?
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?
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?
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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