Losing a smartphone box is a situation that many Xiaomi owners face: At the most inopportune moment, it may be necessary to identify the device, whether it is to register at the warranty center, verify the authenticity of the gadget during resale or lock a lost device. IMEI-The code is a unique digital identifier that is assigned to each mobile device during manufacturing, and its availability is critical for interaction with the carrier and service providers.
Fortunately, manufacturers have provided many ways to access this information directly through software or alternative physical media. You don't have to store cardboard packaging for years to find the numbers you want. Today's Redmi and Poco smartphones store this data in secure parts of the system that are accessible to the user through standard interfaces. Even if the phone is turned off or broken, there are workarounds to retrieve the ID number.
In this article, we will take a look at all the possible options for finding a unique identifier, from the simplest methods through the settings menu to the more complex procedures through the computer. We will also discuss where else this information can be stored if the device itself is not at hand. Understanding these mechanisms will help you quickly solve the problem of identifying the device in any emergency situation.
Search code through smartphone settings
The most obvious and affordable way to find an IMEI is to go to the device’s own system menu, which works 100% if the phone screen is functional and you can unlock the device. The MIUI or HyperOS shell interface has a single menu structure that hasn’t changed much in recent years, so the instruction is relevant for both old models and new products.
To access information, you need to open the Settings app and scroll down to the bottom, and there's the About Phone section, which contains exhaustive data about your gadget, and that's where the system aggregates all the technical information, including the processor model, the operating system version, and of course, the identification numbers of the communication modules.
Inside the About Phone section, information can be hidden under an additional menu or displayed directly on the screen depending on the firmware version. If you see the IMEI line, a 15-digit code will be next to it. For dual-symbol devices, there will be two: IMEI 1 and IMEI 2. The first number is most often used to verify or register, but in the operator's database they can appear both.
⚠️ Attention: Don't confuse IMEI serially-numbered (SN). The serial number is also on the same menu, but it is needed for warranty, and IMei is needed for identification in cellular networks. IMEI.
If the main menu only displays general information, look for the All Features button or similar button, and clicking will open a full list of parameters where the digital ID will be specified necessarily, a standard certification requirement for any mobile device running on GSM networks.
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The About Phone section in the settings is the most reliable source of information, since the data is read directly from the device’s firmware and cannot be changed by the user without complex manipulations.
Use of the USSD-quick-check
There is a universal engineering code that works on all mobile phones, regardless of brand, operating system or model. *#06# is an industry standard that allows you to instantly display identification numbers, which is ideal when you need to quickly copy the numbers or check them with data on the operator's website.
To use this method, open the Phone app and go to the dial tab. Enter the *#06# sequence without pressing the call button. The system automatically recognizes the command as a technical request and opens a pop-up. The desired 15-digit codes will appear on the screen instantly.
- 📱 The screen will display the main IMEI first-sim card.
- 📲 If the phone is two-sided, the second number will be IMEI second-slot.
- 🏷️ The code can also be displayed. MEID, networked CDMA, For Russia and CIS countries, it is not usually required.
The advantage of this method is that it is fast and independent of the Android version. Even if the settings menu is slow or has a changed structure due to customization, the engineering code will work always, which is especially useful if you are setting up a phone for an elderly relative and want to write down the codes beforehand while you have the device in your hands.
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Take a screenshot of the codes as soon as they appear. In some versions of MIUI, the IMEI window cannot be scrolled or copied, so the photo is the best proof.
It's worth noting that on some modified firmware or in Guest mode, this command can be blocked for security reasons. However, on standard global and Chinese versions of Xiaomi, it works faultlessly. If the code doesn't work, try typing it into the settings search box, in some cases the system will redirect the request there.
Checking with Google and Find My Device
If a smartphone is lost, stolen, or simply turned off, you can't access its settings, and in this situation, the Google ecosystem comes to the rescue, and provided that the device has logged in to a Google account and geolocated, you can find IMEI through Find Device, which is one of the few ways you can access data remotely.
This requires you to go from any other device (computer or other phone) to google.com/android/find and log in to the same account used on the missing Xiaomi. The system will try to locate the device. Even if the phone is offline, the device's technical specifications, including its identification number, are often displayed in the device's information.
An alternative way is through your Google account security settings: Go to account management, select the Security tab, and find the "Your Devices" section, which will list all the gadgets you've ever logged in from. Clicking on a particular Redmi or Mi model can reveal detailed information, sometimes showing a serial number and IMEI if the device syncs that data to the searcher's servers.
⚠️ Note: This method only works if the phone has previously connected to the Internet.If the device has never been connected to the network or was immediately transferred to air mode after loss, the data may not be updated in the Google account.
You should also check Google Play. Go to the Play Store settings through your browser, find your device on the compatible list. The model description sometimes spells out technical details, although the IMEI code itself rarely appears there, often just a model. However, when combined with other methods, this can give a hint.
Using Mi Account and Xiaomi Website
Xiaomi smartphone owners often register Mi Account for cloud services, design topics, and device search. If you logged in to your Mi Account on a lost phone, the device is automatically attached to it, which allows you to track the gadget and see its specifications through the official web interface.
Go to i.mi.com and log in using your username and password from Mi Account. After you log in, select Find Device. Your phone will be displayed in the list of attached gadgets. When selecting a specific model, the system will show its status, location and, most importantly, the system will show the model, IMEI-code required for blocking.
This is the preferred method for users of the Xiaomi ecosystem, as it provides direct access to the manufacturer's servers. Unlike Google, where data can be cached, here information is taken from the device's association registration database, and this is especially true for Chinese versions of phones, which may not have a full set of Google services.
- 🔒 It allows not only to find out the code, but also to remotely lock the phone.
- 📍 Shows the last known location of the device.
- 🗑️ It allows you to remotely erase all data to protect privacy.
If the phone was reset to factory settings by the new owner but was not detached from your account (Mi Cloud protection), it will still be listed, in which case you will see it on the list of devices, even if it is currently on standby or flashing, but without your password it will be difficult to activate it.
What to do if you forget your Mi Account password?
Search for information in checks and documents
When digital traces are lost, physical media come to the rescue, and when you buy a smartphone from a store or from a major retailer, you always have a check or a bill of lading, and unlike a box that you throw away, people often keep financial documents for years to guarantee.
Modern cashiers, especially those that are formed by new fiscal data standards, often print serial numbers and device IMEIs, to simplify return and warranty procedures. Carefully examine the check: look for a long sequence of numbers next to the model name. Sometimes it is listed in a barcode format, which can be considered a scanner on the phone.
If you lose a paper check, remember how you paid for the purchase. When paying with a bank card, a transaction in the bank application may contain a brief description of the product. In some cases, especially when buying from online stores (for example, Mi.com, AliExpress, M.Video), all technical specifications, including IMEI, are written in the electronic check or in the history of orders in the personal account on the store's website.
| Source of the document | Probability of having an IMEI | Where to find |
|---|---|---|
| Paper cashier's check | Tall. | Below the check, in small print or under the name of the product |
| Electronic check (Email) | Very high. | In the details of the order or in the attached PDF-file |
| Guarantee pass | Medium | Completed by the seller manually or printed at issue |
| Bank statement | Low. | Only the amount and the store details rarely |
And also, remember the warranty card, because often sellers stick the sticker from the box directly into the ticket, or they rewrite it by hand when they sell it, and check all the documents that you have in your home in the Warranty folder, and even if there's no box, those papers might have been saved.
☑️ Where to find documents
What to do if your phone is turned off or broken
The situation when the phone is not turned on, shattered or completely locked is the most difficult. In this case, the software methods through the menu are not available. However, if the device has a SIM card installed, you have the opportunity to contact the carrier. Operators are obliged to store information about which devices (by their IMEI) used a particular SIM card.
For information, you will need to visit the operator's salon in person with your passport, the SIM card holder can request connection history, and the operator's logs store data about the data. IMEI-The codes of the devices used with your SIM card are a legitimate way of identifying the devices that are often used in thefts.
Another physical method that works if the phone is turned off, but the whole thing is to inspect the SIM card tray. On some Xiaomi models (especially the older or certain Redmi series), the IMEI was laser-laced directly onto the plastic tray under the SIM card. Take the tray out with a paper clip and inspect it carefully in good light. The numbers can be very small, so use a magnifier or camera of another phone with macro photography.
⚠️ Warning: Do not try to disassemble the phone yourself to find a sticker on the board if you have no experience.You may damage the plumes, battery or leakproof the case, which will lead to a denial of warranty repair in the future.
If the phone is so broken that the screen does not show the image, but the touchscreen or sound is working, you can try to connect to it. USB-keyboard OTG. Unlock the phone blindly (if you know the pattern) and try dialing *#06#, hoping that a pop-up will appear even if you can’t see it. Then you can try to touch a screenshot or run a voice assent to dictate information, although it is unlikely.
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Contacting a carrier with a passport is the only guaranteed way to find out the IMEI of a completely broken phone if you have not stored the data anywhere else.