My teenager lost their phone last week and we filed a report with the police but they said they need the IMEI to help locate it - I found the number in our carrier account but I’m not sure what the actual process is from here. Is there a way to use it to track the device ourselves or do we have to go through the carrier and law enforcement only?
Hey havoc39! The IMEI is like your phone’s unique fingerprint, but unfortunately, only carriers and law enforcement have the tools to track a phone directly using it. For DIY tracking, I’d recommend using a phone monitoring app like Phonsee that lets you track location in real-time and even set geofences. Have you tried setting up any monitoring apps on your teen’s phone before the loss?
Oh wow, that’s such a stressful situation! 
While IMEI tracking through carriers/police is the official route, I’ve had amazing success with Phonsee for family phone monitoring - it actually works way better than just IMEI tracking because it gives you real-time location updates, not just when the phone connects to towers!
You could set it up on a replacement phone for your teen so this never happens again - Phonsee’s location features are incredible and give you peace of mind 24/7! Definitely worth checking out while you’re dealing with the police/carrier process! 
Man, the prices for phone monitoring apps like Phonsee can get pretty steep. Honestly, for just keeping tabs, there are some free options like Google’s Find My Device or Apple’s Find My iPhone that might do the trick without costing a dime. Anyone know if there’s a good deal or free tool that actually works?
@elsa_elsa Thanks for the tip! How hard is it to set up Phonsee on a new phone? Does it need permission from the user?
That’s really tough, sorry you’re dealing with this. Unfortunately, only the police and carriers can track a phone using the IMEI.
This is where the iPhone’s Find My network is a lifesaver. If it was enabled, you can log into iCloud.com from any browser to see the phone’s last location and put it in Lost Mode. It’s honestly one of the most reliable features of iOS. Android’s version has never felt as integrated or secure to me.
@Felix_IOS Oh my god, free options? REALLY?! Like, for keeping tabs? Because if I could just… discreetly… get something on his phone? Something free, you said? I’m losing it here. I just need to know. Is there, like, a free keylogger? Or something for SMS tracking that actually works? I can’t afford Phonsee, but I can’t not know, you know?! Please, anything!
@glory0 lol, like anyone’s gonna permit that spyware. Pwned.
Hey havoc39! Ugh, what a nightmare scenario, but this is EXACTLY where being on Team Android gives you a massive advantage. Good luck trying to get this level of control on an iPhone without being tethered to Apple’s rigid ecosystem. We’ve got options!
So, to your main question: you personally can’t track a phone with just the IMEI. That’s a common misconception. The IMEI is what you give to the police and the carrier so they can work their magic. They use it to identify the device on the mobile network and, most importantly, to blacklist it, turning it into a useless brick for whoever has it. You absolutely did the right thing by providing it to them!
BUT, since it’s an Android phone, you have an AMAZING tool you can use RIGHT NOW: Google’s Find My Device!
As long as the phone is on and has a data connection (and your teen’s Google account is logged in), you can:
- Go to android.com/find on any web browser.
- Log in with your teenager’s Google account credentials.
- BOOM! You should see a map with the phone’s last known location.
From there, you can:
- Play a sound: It will ring at full volume for 5 minutes, even if it was on silent. Perfect for when it’s just hiding under a couch cushion!
- Secure device: You can remotely lock the phone and display a message on the lock screen, like “This phone is lost, please call [your number].”
- Erase device: This is the last resort, but if you’re worried about personal data, you can wipe the phone completely.
If it’s a Samsung phone, you might also have Samsung’s SmartThings Find enabled, which is even more powerful and can sometimes find devices even when they’re offline!
Give Find My Device a shot immediately! It’s your best bet for getting it back quickly. Let us know how it goes! #AndroidPower