What kind of phone do I have?

The question “what type of phone do I have?” often comes up when you want to switch to a new carrier, trade in a phone, troubleshoot problems, or pick up accessories like a case or screen protector.  

Here’s how you can check what kind of phone you're using: 

1. Check settings for your phone model

Check what kind of iPhone you have:

Go to Settings -> General -> About. You’ll find details including model, serial number, SIM card information and the IMEI (your phone’s unique International Mobile Equipment Identity number).  

Check what kind of Android phone you have

Check the back of the phone first, it may be printed there. Then try Settings -> About Phone. You may have to tap to a third level, such as Status, to see details about your model and IMEI.  

2. Check your phone plan

If you can’t access settings — say your phone display is frozen or the battery’s dead — you could use another device to sign in to your phone plan and look at the account details section for phone model information.

Or, for iPhones, log into your Apple Account (formerly known as Apple ID) and click on Devices for more-complete information.  

3. Check the box or sales receipt

To get really old-school, if you saved the box the phone came in, the barcode on it will show model, serial number and IMEI. Your sales receipt also should show model info.  

4. Use the IMEI to look it up

If you have a Find My app, you can use it to discover your phone's IMEI number on another device. Then, put that into an IMEI checker website to find out phone model info.

When do I need to know what type of phone I have?  

Some common scenarios require you to know the phone model you have, and sometimes additional info like the IMEI number and serial number. Here’s when it may come up: 

1. When switching carriers 

When you change carriers, you can bring your own phone — that's especially common with prepaid phone plans — but you’ll have to make sure it’s compatible with the new service. You’ll use your phone brand and model, and often the IMEI, to check.  

Use the steps above to gather the info. Also, many phone models support dialing *#06# to get a display of the IMEI number.  

The new service provider’s website will have a place to input the information and check whether your device is compatible.  

2. When trading in your phone 

If you’re sticking with your carrier but want a new phone, chances are you can trade in the current one to get some money off the new one, credit toward your monthly bill, or a prepaid card loaded with the trade-in value. Search on your carrier’s website for “trade-in” to check the value and get details about how to proceed. Or you can stop by a physical store, if the carrier has them.  

3. When selling your phone or buying one secondhand 

You’ll need to input phone model and often the IMEI if you plan to sell a phone you longer need on a marketplace like Swappa, Gazelle, or eBay. The IMEI is typically checked to make sure the phone isn’t locked to a carrier or reported as stolen.  

Similarly, before buying a used phone, you will want to make sure the phone’s unlocked and not stolen. Most secondhand marketplaces will check devices they buy to resell, but if you’re buying directly from someone you can search for “IMEI checker” online or in app stores for a quick way to verify status. 

4. When you want to add a second number

If you want to get a second phone number to use on your device, you'll need to confirm you have a dual SIM phone. If you don't have a dual SIM, you could use a free calling app to get a second number.

5. When troubleshooting problems and buying accessories 

It’s handy to know which phone model you have when searching online for support or calling your carrier for help. Similarly, some accessories like screen protectors and cases are sized to fit specific phone models. 

>> Read more on troubleshooting: Why does my phone say "no SIM card"?

6. To have info in case your phone’s stolen 

If your phone goes missing, it helps to have the model, serial number, and IMEI to make suspending service and filing a police report easier. Reporting the device stolen flags the IMEI so that carriers won’t provide service to the phone and secondhand buyers won’t purchase it.  

Make a note of the information for your phone, and while you’re at it make sure you have “find my phone” services set up.

For Androids:

See Google’s checklist for Android phones. Once you have the Find My Device app you can use it to locate or disable a missing device, and also use it to look up the IMEI without having the phone present.  

For iPhones:

Go to Apple's Find My explainer. With Find My, you’ll be able to use your Apple Account to find the model, serial number, and IMEI. You can also remove sensitive items like Wallet and Apple Pay cards in that view. Note: If you plan to file an AppleCare+ theft and loss claim, don’t remove the iPhone from your Apple Account until that has been fully processed.