Carrier & SIM-lock check
Find out which network a phone was sold on and whether it is SIM-locked, so you know it will work with your SIM.
*#06#Dial *#06# on the phone to see its IMEI.
How it works
- 01Enter the IMEI.
- 02Choose the Standard or Pro report.
- 03See the carrier and lock status.
Why carrier lock matters
A locked phone only accepts SIM cards from one network. Unlocking can take weeks and isn't possible if the phone is unpaid or blacklisted.
What each result means
The statuses you'll see in a report, and what to do about them before you buy.
No loss, theft or unpaid-bill report on file.
Safe to continue. Re-check just before paying.
Reported lost, stolen or for unpaid bills. Carriers block it.
Don't buy. Only the reporting carrier can remove it.
Works only with the original network.
Ask the seller to unlock it first, or pay less.
Accepts any SIM card.
Good to go.
Still linked to the owner's Apple ID.
Seller must sign out in front of you.
The owner has marked the iPhone as lost.
Walk away. This is a strong theft signal.
Managed by a company or school.
Avoid unless the organisation releases it.
Before you pay for a used phone
Five minutes of checks that prevent most used-phone scams.
- 01Dial *#06# yourself and compare the IMEI with the box and the settings screen.
- 02Run a blacklist check, and run it again on the day you pay.
- 03Insert your own SIM card and make a call.
- 04Make sure Find My / Google account is signed out and the phone is reset in front of you.
- 05Check that the model and storage match the listing.
- 06Pay in a traceable way and get a receipt with the IMEI on it.
Frequently asked questions
How can I tell if a phone is unlocked without an IMEI check?
Insert a SIM from another carrier. If it asks for an unlock code or shows 'SIM not supported', it's locked.
Does the check work outside the US?
Yes for iPhones worldwide. For Android, carrier data depends on the brand and country.
More free tools
- Phone checkIMEI blacklist checkFind out whether a phone has been reported lost or stolen before you pay for it. We check the IMEI against worldwide blacklists in seconds.
- Phone checkiCloud & Find My iPhone checkAn iPhone with Find My turned on can't be set up by anyone except its owner. Check iCloud and lost-mode status by IMEI before buying.
- Phone checkWarranty checkSee whether a phone is still under warranty and where and when it was first sold, so you know its true age.
- Phone checkApple serial number checkCheck an iPhone, iPad or Mac by serial number to confirm the model and configuration, and see warranty and iCloud status.
- FreeIMEI validator & analyzerCheck whether an IMEI is genuine-looking or mistyped. We verify its length and Luhn checksum and break it into its parts: TAC, serial number and check digit.
- FreeIMEI generatorCreate random IMEI numbers that pass the Luhn checksum, for testing apps, forms and databases. Generate up to 1,000 at a time and export them in one click.
- FreeBulk IMEI checkerPaste a list of IMEIs from a spreadsheet, invoice or stock sheet. We validate every number, flag typos and duplicates, identify each model and let you export a clean CSV.
- FreeICCID generator & validatorCheck whether a SIM card's ICCID is valid and where it was issued, or generate valid test ICCIDs for your app or database.
- FreeIMEI ⇄ IMEISV converterIMEISV is the 16-digit version of the IMEI that networks see. Convert between the two formats in either direction.
- FreeIMEI check digit calculatorType the first 14 digits of an IMEI and get the 15th digit, the Luhn check digit, instantly.
- FreeTAC lookupThe first 8 digits of every IMEI, the TAC, identify the device model. Enter a TAC or a full IMEI to see the brand and model.
- FreeMEID converterConvert a CDMA MEID between hexadecimal and decimal, and calculate its pseudo-ESN and check digit.
- FreeHow to find your IMEI numberEvery phone has a unique IMEI. Here are five quick ways to find it, even if the phone is lost or won't turn on.