iPhone IMEI Check: What 5,686 Lookups Show
Start with the IMEI, then use the numbers from our own checks to see how common a lock is on the model in your hand.
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What 5,686 iPhone lookups looked like
Counts are distinct handsets seen between 12 August and 10 November 2026. Apple is by far our biggest brand: two of every three phones checked here are iPhones. The shares below are of those handsets, not of all iPhones in the world.
| iPhone lock reading | Devices | Share of 5,686 |
|---|---|---|
| Locked to a carrier we read | 1,473 | 26 % |
| Unlocked | 617 | 11 % |
| Unknown (lock not readable for free) | 3,596 | 63 % |
The large unknown block is a limit of the free lookup, not a verdict on the phones. If you are buying, the useful move is to ask the seller which carrier the phone last ran on and then see the carrier lock page for that carrier's unlock rule.
The ten iPhones people check most
Each A-number below is one regional build. Where a model has its own page, it links to the lock split for that model.
| Model (A-number) | Devices | Read locked | Our page |
|---|---|---|---|
| iPhone 13 (A2482) | 524 | 24 % | iPhone 13 |
| iPhone 15 Pro Max (A2849) | 333 | 22 % | 15 Pro Max |
| iPhone 16 Pro Max (A3084) | 249 | 26 % | 16 Pro Max |
| iPhone 11 (A2111) | 239 | 28 % | iPhone 11 |
| iPhone 14 (A2649) | 238 | 27 % | iPhone 14 |
| iPhone 14 Pro Max (A2651) | 238 | 26 % | 14 Pro Max |
| iPhone 13 Pro Max (A2484) | 221 | 25 % | 13 Pro Max |
| iPhone 15 (A2846) | 217 | 27 % | iPhone 15 |
| iPhone 16 (A3081) | 182 | 29 % | iPhone 16 |
| iPhone 12 (A2172) | 163 | 26 % | iPhone 12 |
The locked share barely moves between generations, from 22 % to 29 %. Models released this year behave differently: the iPhone 17 Pro Max is almost always a US lookup and nearly two in three read locked, a sign of recent carrier-financed sales. Newer pages: 17 Pro, iPhone Air, 16e, SE (2022).
Where the lookups come from
| Country of lookup | iPhones | Share |
|---|---|---|
| United States | 1,661 | 29 % |
| Pakistan | 1,141 | 20 % |
| Mexico | 260 | 5 % |
| Nigeria | 222 | 4 % |
| Indonesia | 201 | 4 % |
The mix matters because an iPhone sold for a US carrier and one bought grey-market in another country differ in band support and lock history. Our compatibility page shows which bands a given IMEI prefix supports on a carrier.
Apple-only things worth checking
- Activation Lock. Tied to the Apple Account. Have the seller erase the phone in front of you until the setup screen appears.
- Two IMEIs on eSIM models. The tray and the About screen should agree with the box. See the eSIM guide.
- A-number against country. Compare the A-number in Settings with Apple's list; a US phone and a Chinese-market phone have different codes.
- Blacklist. Run the blacklist check before you pay.
The Apple facts are from Apple's support pages; the counts are ours and cover only phones checked on this site.
Questions people ask
Where do I find the IMEI on an iPhone?
Open <strong>Settings, General, About</strong> and scroll to IMEI, or dial <strong>*#06#</strong>. Newer iPhones with an eSIM show a second number, so a screen can list two IMEIs. Our <a href="/guides/find-imei/iphone">iPhone IMEI guide</a> covers the SIM tray and the case where the screen will not open.
What is the A-number and why does it matter?
It is the four-digit model number such as A2482 that Apple publishes for each regional build. In Settings, General, About the Model Number first shows a part number; tap it to reveal the A-number. Apple lists the A-numbers on <a href="https://support.apple.com/en-us/108044" rel="noopener">its model identification page</a>. A seller who cannot show it is hiding a regional difference.
Why do most iPhone results say unknown?
The free lookup reads the carrier lock reliably only for phones tied to T-Mobile or Metro. Of the 5,686 iPhones we saw in 90 days, 1,473 read locked, 617 unlocked and 3,596 unknown. Unknown is not good or bad news; it means the free check cannot see that carrier.
Does a clean IMEI mean the iPhone is free of Activation Lock?
No. Activation Lock is tied to an Apple Account, not to the IMEI. Ask the seller to sign out of the account and erase the phone while you watch. See the <a href="/check/icloud">iCloud lock page</a> for what a free check can and cannot tell you.
Which iPhone is checked most on this site?
The iPhone 13 (A2482) with 524 devices in the window, ahead of the iPhone 15 Pro Max (A2849, 333) and the iPhone 16 Pro Max (A3084, 249). The table above ranks the ten most seen.
Why is Pakistan second after the United States?
Of 5,686 iPhones, 1,661 were looked up from the United States and 1,141 from Pakistan, then Mexico with 260. It reflects who uses this site, not where iPhones are sold, so treat it as a sample of our visitors.