Your IMEI number will tell you everything about your iPhone

Quite recently Apple has stopped printing the unique IMEI number on the back of each device. However, it can be very useful as it bears detailed information about the phone, such as its model, brand, production date and the manufacturer`s site.

Every device produced by Apple has its own, unique, number – the IMEI (abbreviated from the term: International Mobile Station Equipment Identity) number. These digits are used to identify mobile phones. It is also useful for mobile phones companies who make use of them to match a particular device to phone networks – if helps to identify the person who is making calls.  

In the past, getting IMEI was quite a simple thing: one should have had a look at the back side of his or her phone`s case. However, with the launching of iPhone 6s and more recent devices, their manufacturer stopped putting IMEI in that place.

How to find the IMEI number of your iPhone

The simplest way to find the number is to have a look at the back side of the case. If you are using one of the older models, this information should be available at the bottom, together with the manufacturer`s origin. Nonetheless, if you are in possession of iPhone 6s or iPhone 6c Plus, the number is not present there anymore. There are only your FCC ID, IC and the model number.

In case the IMEI number cannot be found on the case, you can also find it on the SIM tray. In order to get it, a user would need to use its SIM removal tool to remove the tray. The SIM card should be taken off too. The IMEI number should be present at the underside of the SIM tray and written with very small letters, which may be inconvenient for those who need to note it down.

Probably a more convenient way will be to check the iPhone`s Settings application as the IMEI can be found also there. How to do it? Just open the Settings tab and find General -> About. Now you just need to scroll down and locate the desired number. In order to save it without wasting too much time on copying on paper, you just have to tap and hold the number and you will be able to bring it to the Copy space. Then tap Copy and paste it to some other applications, Notes, for instance.

If you happen to lose you mobile phone, the number can be checked easily through your iTunes account. Open the app and go to Preferences. Select the Devices tab, which is second from the right, and you will see a list of backups. Now just hold the cursor and you will not only report that your iPhone has been lost or stolen, but you will also get some information about the device, the IMEI number among them.

Why do you need the IMEI number for?

First of all, the number allows a user to check multiple information about the device. Among the data available there are: model, brand, color, memory capacity, production date and the age of the phone. The service can be used for the most recent iPhone series, such as iPhone 8, iPhone 8 Plus and iPhone X. A huge advantage of the check can be visible while buying a device – this way allows to verify whether or not the mobile is original and if all the services are in line with the declaration of the producer. What is more, the number allows to get access to some other features: phone`s blacklist, unlocking the device, etc.

iOS users may also be interested in another Apple functionality that makes use of the IMEI number: Find My Phone. The service is recommended to be used while buying a second-hand mobile phone. For buyers the most important element is the Lock Activation feature which disables stolen or missing iPhone or iPad so that the devices cannot be used. This option is turns automatically on devices using iOS 7 or newer.