Here’s how to restore IMEI number on Android safely: check whether it is actually missing, restore your own device’s original identifier from a backup if you made one, or get authorized repair.
Never a service code, a random “IMEI repair” app, or a number copied from a forum post.
The IMEI (International Mobile Equipment Identity) is a 15-digit identifier tied to your phone’s hardware, and Android treats it as a protected, privileged identifier for good reason — see Google’s own device identifier documentation.
Writing an incorrect or borrowed IMEI can knock the modem offline, break network access permanently, and in many places is against the law.
Most “missing IMEI” cases fall into three buckets: it isn’t actually missing (check Settings first).
You have an EFS backup that can restore your own original IMEI after a custom ROM flash, or the hardware/firmware genuinely needs authorized repair.
There is no safe app or command that invents a new IMEI for you — anything claiming to do that is either fake or something you shouldn’t run.
The IMEI lives in a small, separate partition on the phone (often called EFS or modem storage) alongside radio calibration data, not your regular storage or account settings.
It goes missing or shows as null/0 for a handful of specific reasons.
A failed or interrupted system update, a corrupted EFS partition after flashing a custom ROM without a backup, a motherboard or modem chip fault, or a botched repair that skipped the original modem firmware.
Step 1: Confirm the IMEI Is Really Missing
Open Settings, then look for About phone, Status, or IMEI information — the exact menu name varies by manufacturer.
You can also check the original box, the SIM tray label, your purchase receipt, or your carrier account.
On a dual-SIM phone, confirm whether one or both IMEI entries are affected; losing just one usually points to a software glitch rather than full hardware failure.
If the number appears fine in Settings but you still have no service, the problem is more likely your SIM, eSIM, account status, coverage, or network settings — not the IMEI.
See the FAQ below for that case.
Step 2: Try These Low-Risk Checks
- Restart the phone and install any pending official system update.
- Turn Airplane mode on for 30 seconds, then turn it off.
- Remove and reinsert the physical SIM, if your phone uses one.
- Confirm the carrier account and SIM/eSIM are actually active.
A factory reset clears your data and settings, but the IMEI lives in a separate, protected partition a reset doesn’t touch.
Resetting the phone specifically to fix a missing IMEI just costs you your data for nothing.
How to Restore IMEI Number on Android From an EFS Backup
This is the one legitimate way to restore IMEI number on Android after a custom ROM flash: recovering your own original identifier from a backup you made yourself.
Many custom-ROM users back up the EFS partition (the one storing the IMEI and modem calibration data) before flashing a new ROM or recovery, specifically as insurance against this exact problem.
If you made that backup, restoring it through the same custom recovery you used to create it, such as TWRP, brings back your device’s own original IMEI — you’re writing back your own real identifier, not inventing a new one.
If you never made a backup, this route isn’t available, and authorized repair (below) is the safer next step.
Tools like MTK Engineer Mode, unofficial “IMEI repair” apps, and AT+EGMR-style commands copied from a forum post let you write an arbitrary IMEI into the modem.
That is a different thing from restoring your own backed-up identifier: it can write the wrong value, corrupt modem and radio calibration data entirely, and come bundled with malware.
In many places it’s illegal regardless of intent. Never use another phone’s IMEI or invent a replacement number.
Step 3: Get Authorized Repair
If the identifier is genuinely gone after a failed update, a motherboard issue, or a repair that didn’t go cleanly, contact the phone manufacturer, an authorized service center, or your mobile carrier.
Have the model, serial number, proof of purchase, any evidence of the original IMEI, and repair history ready.
The technician can determine whether it’s a modem firmware issue, a hardware fault, or a carrier registration problem.
Back up what you can before sending a phone in for repair or a reset — this guide covers recovering and backing up files on Android.
If You Need the IMEI for a Lost or Stolen Phone
You may be able to find the original IMEI in the phone box, your purchase receipt, your carrier account, or your Google device information even if you no longer have the phone in hand.
Google also explains how to find and protect a lost Android phone.
Give the IMEI to your carrier or the police when reporting a device lost or stolen.
Share your IMEI with your carrier or the police when reporting a lost or stolen phone, not in a public forum post or on social media.
It isn’t a secret on the level of a password, but there’s no reason to make it easy for someone else to reference or misuse your device’s identifier.
Keeping your phone’s software current lowers the odds of a firmware bug causing this in the first place — here’s how to check your Android security patch level.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I restore an IMEI with a factory reset?
No. A reset erases user data and settings.
It does not recreate a missing device identifier, which lives in a separate partition a reset doesn’t touch.
Is it safe to use an IMEI repair app?
Treat any app claiming to “repair” or “restore” an IMEI as unsafe and unauthorized.
Android restricts write access to persistent device identifiers to privileged system and approved carrier components, so a third-party app doing this legitimately isn’t how the platform works.
What if the IMEI is present but there's no signal?
Check the SIM or eSIM, account status, coverage, and network settings before assuming the IMEI itself is damaged.
A visible, correct IMEI with no service almost always points elsewhere.
What is an EFS backup, and does it actually help?
An EFS backup is a copy of the partition that stores your phone’s real IMEI and modem calibration data, normally made before flashing a custom ROM or recovery.
Restoring it brings back your own original IMEI, but only if you made that backup before the problem happened — it can’t recover an identifier you never backed up.
Will restoring my IMEI void my warranty?
Flashing a custom ROM or recovery typically voids the warranty on its own, regardless of the IMEI. Restoring your own EFS backup doesn’t make that worse.
Authorized repair for a hardware-level IMEI loss is a different situation and normally doesn’t affect the warranty unless the phone was already modified.
