You can find an IMEI in ten seconds. But what does it actually tell you? How to check a used iPhone for theft, Activation Lock, network lock and replaced parts, and what the IMEI alone cannot show you.
Door The Phone Shopper
Gepubliceerd: 2026-10-02
You are about to buy a used iPhone. The price is right, the seller is friendly. Now you want to be sure of two things: it is not stolen, and you will be able to use it normally. The IMEI helps, but less than most people think. This article shows where to find the IMEI, what you can check with it and which checks you have to do on the phone itself.
IMEI stands for International Mobile Equipment Identity. It is a unique 15-digit number that identifies the device on the mobile network. It belongs to the phone, not to the SIM card. When a phone is reported stolen, the police usually record this number.
An iPhone with a SIM tray and eSIM (iPhone XS, XR and later) often has two IMEI numbers. That is normal. Every iPhone also has a serial number. That is the one you need for Apple's coverage check.
Apple lists Settings, the SIM tray and the box, plus the back on older models. On top of that, *#06# works on most phones. Per model it looks like this:
| Model | Settings | SIM tray | Back |
|---|---|---|---|
| iPhone 14 and later (including iPhone 16e, 17 and Air) | Yes | No | No |
| iPhone 13, 12 and 11 series | Yes | Yes | No |
| iPhone SE (2nd and 3rd generation) | Yes | Yes | No |
| iPhone X, XS, XS Max, XR, 8, 7, 6s | Yes | Yes | No |
| iPhone 6, 6 Plus, SE (1st generation), 5s, 5c, 5 | Yes | No | Yes |
Tip from the workshop: compare the IMEI on screen with the number on the box and, if the model has one, on the SIM tray. If they do not match, the box belongs to another phone or the SIM tray was swapped. That does not have to mean theft, but do ask. Not sure which model you are looking at? Read which iPhone do I have first.
This is where people often go wrong. With the IMEI or serial number you can look up a few things online, but the most important lock on an iPhone only shows on the device itself.
| What do you want to know? | Online with the number? | How to check |
|---|---|---|
| Is it registered as stolen? | Depends on the country | In the Netherlands via stopheling.nl or the police app Stop Heling (serial number or IMEI). Elsewhere, ask the local police |
| Is Activation Lock on? | No | Only on the phone itself, see below |
| Which model is it, is Apple warranty still running? | Yes | Enter the serial number at checkcoverage.apple.com |
| Is it network locked? | No | Settings > General > About > Network Provider Lock |
| Have parts been replaced? | No | Settings > General > About > Parts and Service History |
A word of caution about such registers: no match only means the phone is not registered there as stolen. Not every theft is reported with the number. The Dutch police advise watching for other signs too, such as a price that does not fit the product.
You will also find websites that promise an "iCloud status" or "blacklist check" for a few euros. Apple itself offers no public Activation Lock check. You cannot verify how reliable these sites are. A clean result never replaces checking the phone itself.
Activation Lock is tied to Find My. As long as it is on, you need the previous owner's Apple Account password to erase or reactivate the phone. Apple is clear: do not buy an iPhone with Activation Lock turned on. Here is how to check:
Is the previous owner not there? They can remove the phone remotely at iCloud.com/find: sign in, select the device and click Remove This Device. Only the owner with proof of purchase can ask Apple for help. You as the buyer cannot. A seller who says "Apple will sort that out for you" is not telling the whole story.
Some iPhones belong to an organisation and are enrolled in a management system (MDM). Such a phone can show a screen during setup saying it is managed remotely. Also look at Settings > General > VPN & Device Management. If there is a profile from a company or school, that organisation can control settings and apps. A company phone sold without permission is not something you want.
Open Settings > General > About and look for Parts and Service History. This section only appears if something has been replaced. From iPhone 12 onwards, iOS shows the battery, display, logic board and cameras there, among others. Unknown means, according to Apple, that the part is not genuine or does not work as expected. Used means it was previously installed in another iPhone. That does not make a phone bad by definition. A well-fitted screen often works perfectly. But it lowers the trade-in value, and you want to know before you buy, not after.
In Settings > General > About, look at Network Provider Lock. If it says No SIM restrictions, it works with any carrier. Pay extra attention with phones that come from abroad.
The seller will not show the IMEI, will not meet somewhere you can test the phone, or it has to go "today"? The price feels too good? All reasons to wait. Ask for the box and receipt too. They prove nothing, but a seller who has them and shows them makes the picture more convincing. For the differences between private sellers and shops, read private sale vs. refurbished shop.
With a private seller you do all these checks yourself, in a car park, with someone in a hurry. Buy a refurbished iPhones from us and that work is done. Every phone goes through our 50-point check and is erased before it leaves. You get an invoice, a 2-year warranty and 30 days to change your mind. And if anything does come up, you have a real address in Nijverdal.
Already bought a used iPhone and something is off, like a screen that responds strangely or a battery that drains fast? Our can take a look. And if you are selling an iPhone yourself, first read how to reset and wipe it before selling, so the buyer does not run into Activation Lock.
Our refurbished iPhones are checked and erased: 2-year warranty, 30-day returns, insured shipping. You can also trade in your old phone with us.
Refurbished iPhones met 2 jaar garantie. Elk toestel doorloopt ons 50-punts inspectieproces en wordt geleverd met 2 jaar garantie.
Every refurbished phone is sold in one of four conditions:
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