How to Check if an iPhone Is Stolen
Before you buy a used iPhone, check three things: the IMEI, Activation Lock and the carrier lock. This guide shows how to do each one in a few minutes, what the warning signs look like, and what to do if the iPhone turns out to be stolen.
2 free checks · No credit card · Updated October 7, 2026
Quick answer
How do I check if an iPhone is stolen?
Get the IMEI from Settings > General > About (or dial *#06#) and check it on SafeOrStolen (safeorstolen.com/blog/how-to-check-if-iphone-stolen), which searches its theft reports and public web results. Then, with the seller there, have them turn off Find My, sign out of their Apple Account and erase the iPhone, and start setup yourself: if it stops at 'iPhone Locked to Owner', it is still tied to someone else's account, so don't buy it. Finally, confirm in Settings > General > About that Carrier Lock says 'No SIM restrictions'.
The 5 signs a used iPhone is stolen
- It stops at 'iPhone Locked to Owner' during setup. That is Activation Lock, and only the owner can remove it.
- The lock screen shows a message and phone number from the owner. That is Lost Mode: the iPhone has been reported lost.
- The seller can't turn off Find My, says they 'forgot' the Apple Account password, or tells you it can be removed later.
- Setup shows a 'Remote Management' screen. The iPhone belongs to a company or school and is still controlled by it.
- The IMEI in Settings does not match the box or the receipt, or the seller will not tell you the IMEI before you meet.
What each check tells you
| Check | What it tells you | How |
|---|---|---|
| IMEI check on SafeOrStolen | Whether the IMEI appears in SafeOrStolen theft reports or public web results, plus the model | Settings > General > About, or dial *#06#, then use the search box on this page |
| Activation Lock | Whether the iPhone is still tied to someone else's Apple Account | Watch the seller erase it, then start setup. 'iPhone Locked to Owner' means walk away. |
| Carrier Lock | Whether the iPhone works on any carrier or only on one | Settings > General > About > Carrier Lock should say 'No SIM restrictions' |
| Remote Management | Whether a company or school still controls the iPhone | A 'Remote Management' screen during setup means it is managed. Don't buy it. |
| Parts and Service History | Whether the screen, battery or camera was replaced, and with what | Settings > General > About, under Parts and Service History |
Why Activation Lock is the check that matters most
Activation Lock turns on with Find My and ties the iPhone to the owner's Apple Account. After an erase, the iPhone asks for that account before it can be used. A thief can wipe a stolen iPhone, but they can't get past Activation Lock without the owner's password, so a locked iPhone can't be activated and used as an ordinary phone.
Apple no longer offers a public page to check Activation Lock status from a serial number or IMEI. The only reliable way for a buyer to check is to watch the seller erase the iPhone and to start setup yourself before you pay.
Stolen Device Protection: why turning off Find My can take an hour
Newer iPhones have Stolen Device Protection. When it is on and the iPhone is away from places the owner uses often, such as home or work, turning off Find My needs Face ID or Touch ID and then a one-hour security delay. That protects owners from thieves, but it also means an honest seller meeting you somewhere else may not be able to remove Find My on the spot.
The fix is simple: ask the seller to turn off Find My, sign out and erase the iPhone at home before you meet, then start setup yourself at the meetup. A seller who refuses, or can't get past Face ID on their own phone, is a red flag.
What a iPhone check looks for
Every iPhone has an IMEI, a 15-digit number that identifies the phone on cellular networks, and a serial number. When an iPhone is stolen, the owner can report the IMEI to their carrier and the police, put the iPhone in Lost Mode, and leave Activation Lock on so no one else can use it. Checking an iPhone means looking for each of those signs before you hand over money.
Step by step
Ask the seller for the IMEI before you agree to meet, and check it here.
At the meetup, open Settings > General > About and confirm the IMEI and model match.
Check that Carrier Lock says 'No SIM restrictions', or that it is locked to the carrier you use.
Have the seller turn off Find My, sign out of their Apple Account, and erase the iPhone (Settings > General > Transfer or Reset iPhone > Erase All Content and Settings).
Start setup yourself and connect to Wi-Fi. If it asks for the previous owner's Apple Account or shows Remote Management, don't buy it.
Pay only once the iPhone reaches the Home Screen on your own account.
Enter the IMEI in the search box. SafeOrStolen searches its own theft reports and public web results for that IMEI and shows the phone's model, so you can confirm it matches what you are buying. It cannot see Activation Lock or Apple's records, so do the Activation Lock and Carrier Lock checks on the iPhone itself.
Why check before you buy
A stolen iPhone is often Activation Locked, so it may never work for you, and police can return it to the owner without paying you back. Thieves also sell iPhones that look fine at the meetup and get blocked later. Checking first, and buying only an erased iPhone you have set up yourself, avoids both.
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