The phone shows the wrong imei. Restoring IMEI on Android after flashing

Even the most reliable and proven smartphone models can sometimes break down. One of the most unpleasant situations occurs when the phone’s IMEI goes wrong.

How to restore IMEI on your phone

In some cases, users, when a smartphone starts to fail, decide not to take it to a service center, but rather independently update the device’s firmware. It also happens that in some cases the firmware is installed normally, everything works correctly, but you cannot make a call from the device. This means that the phone's IMEI has gone wrong. What is IMEI and how to restore it on Android, we’ll try to figure it out a little later. It is worth considering that everything you are going to do with your device, you do at your own peril and risk.

What is IMEI

IMEI is an abbreviation for the English term International Mobile Equipment Identity. Literally translated, this means International Mobile Equipment Identifier. In other words, this is a special code that is used to detect and identify a phone on a mobile network. We are not talking about the entire phone, but only about the radio module. Without this 15-digit number, the phone simply will not be able to receive or send calls. Finding out IMEI is quite simple. To do this, you need to dial the combination *#06# on your phone keypad. The code will appear on the screen. If instead of the usual numbers you see a combination of strange characters, this means that your IMEI has failed. This could have been caused by crooked firmware or inept user actions. It's OK. In most cases, IMEI can be restored. This article will describe the process of restoring IMEI on Android smartphones of various models. The operating procedure will depend on the processor used in the device and the specific manufacturer.

Root rights

Some IMEI repair software methods on your smartphone may require root access. These rights make it possible to change the system settings of the phone at a deep level, even deleting system applications. Superuser mode is initially disabled in all smartphones. If you decide to get one, you should be aware that your current manufacturer's warranty will no longer be valid.

Devices based on MTK processor

Each manufacturer has in its arsenal devices based on MTK processors. If you use such a device, you can consider yourself very lucky. For MTK, the issue related to IMEI restoration on Android is not relevant. It is enough to use several engineering menu commands. So what needs to be done? Here are step-by-step instructions.

Step #1. Enter the engineering menu code. The default combination is *#*#3646633#*#*. This code allows you to access the phone's engineering menu. Through it, you can delve into previously inaccessible system functions of the device, as well as restore IMEI.

Step #2. Enter the IMEI repair command. With this action, everything is not so simple. Each manufacturer has its own special code. For Samsung these are ##8255## and ##4636##, for HTC smartphones – ##3424##, ##8255##, ##4636##, for Sony Xperia ##7378423##, for Fly, Alcatel, Philips -##3646633##, for Huawei - ##2846579##.

Step 3. When the necessary commands have been entered, you must reboot the device for the changes to take effect. If, after rebooting, the mobile device began to search for a mobile network and was able to successfully register on the network, then you did everything correctly. If not, then this method is not suitable for you.

There are a number of problematic smartphones with which this trick does not work.

How to repair IMEI on Samsung Galaxy S3

There are some “problem” mobile devices that have special protection against changing factory settings. You can't figure out such phones without special tricks. One such device is the Samsung Galaxy S3. It is very difficult to recover the IMEI number on it. Only iPhones cause more problems. First, you need to download and install the EPS Professional program on your computer. This program allows you to create copies of IMEI, as well as restore a lost IMEI number.

However, the program can only restore the IMEI number from a backup copy. If you don't have one, then you'll have to do everything manually. In the system folder of the mobile device firmware, you need to find the EFS folder. To do this, you must have root rights. Next you need to copy the contents of the folder to your computer. The EFS folder should contain the files .nv_data.bak, nv_data.bak.md5, .nv_core.bak.md5, .nv_core.bak. If these files are in place, then you can roll back to the previous version of the firmware installed by default.

After successful flashing, you need to remove the .bak extension from the copied files and move them to the EFS folder on your phone. Next, you need to reboot the device. As a result, IMEI should be restored. If this operation fails, there is only one thing left to do - take the device to a service center. There is nothing more you can do on your own. You can try to find information about restoring IMEI on Android after flashing Samsung Galaxy S3. There may be other ways to repair IMEI.

How to restore IMEI on Lenovo mobile devices

Lenovo devices may also experience problems related to IMEI number recovery, although they are not as serious as Samsung devices. The Chinese are ahead of the Koreans in this matter. First of all, to repair IMEI, you will need a program called Mobile Uncle Tools. This program is distributed free of charge, you can find and download it without much difficulty. You can also use the Maui Meta 3G program. However, Mobile Uncle Tools is more popular, so let's consider the option of using this program. So, how can you restore IMEI on an Android smartphone from Lenovo? First of all, you need to install the Mobile Uncle Tools program and all the drivers required for your device. After that, launch the program and click on the Engineer Mode button, then MTK Engineer Mode.

As a result, you will find yourself in the engineering menu. It is important that while performing all these manipulations, the phone is not disconnected from the computer. You also need to write off the phone's IMEI. To do this, you need to open the back cover of the device and remove the battery. Now connect your phone to your computer and find the CDS Information tab in the program. Click Radio Information and Phone 1. In the command line of the program you need to enter the command AT+EGMR=1.7, “imei”. As “imei” you must enter the IMEI of the phone you wrote off. Now click on the Send AT Command button and wait for a while. After successfully completing this operation, you need to reboot the device and check the IMEI.

As you can see for yourself, you don’t have to rack your brains for a long time over restoring IMEI in Lenovo devices. The fact is that the manufacturer did not block access to the file system on its smartphones. For this it is worth saying a special thank you to them. The Mobile Uncle Tools program is generally suitable for any device based on MTK processors. So, if you did not succeed when using the engineering codes described in the first method, you know how you can restore IMEI on Android after flashing it. The Mobile Uncle Tools program should help resolve this issue. Moreover, it is quite simple to use. The main thing in this matter is to strictly follow all instructions.

Otherwise, you risk getting a “brick” that will be very difficult to revive yourself. If all operations are performed correctly, the device will delight you with stable operation for a long time. If you cannot correct the situation yourself, you will have to contact a service center. However, few service centers today agree to undertake the repair of smartphones whose system has already been tinkered with by someone. Most likely, they will immediately offer you to replace the motherboard, and this is completely different money.

Repairing IMEI on Explay smartphones

This Russian manufacturer has been known in the mobile device market for quite some time. Devices from this manufacturer combine an attractive price and high quality. Everything here is almost like the Chinese. In general, there are some similarities between smartphones from Lenovo and Explay. How can I restore IMEI on Explay devices? Everything here is the same as for a Lenovo smartphone. Both manufacturers use MTK processors. For this reason, you can use the same method as when restoring IMEI on a Lenovo device, namely the Mobile Uncle Tools program.

You can also try using the original Maui Meta 3G program. You need to download and install the Maui meta 3G program. You also need to install the necessary drivers for the device. After that, run the program, and in the Action tab, click on the Open NVRAM Database File button. Select the BPLGUInfoCustomAppSrcP_MT6582 file from the previously downloaded firmware for your mobile device. After this, you need to click on the Disconnect button and turn off the phone. Now connect it to your computer. Click on the Download IMEI button and enter the decommissioned IMEI without the last digit in the window that appears. Then she will appear on her own. Click Download To Flash and wait.

When the process is completed, disconnect the device and start it. Check IMEI. If everything goes well, the program window can be closed. As you can see for yourself, there is nothing complicated in restoring IMEI on smartphones from Explay. In many ways, this process is similar to a similar operation for a Lenovo smartphone. Only Samsung decided to hide its phone system from users. This approach, on the one hand, is quite logical - after all, there is no danger that users who inadvertently accessed the firmware will “kill” the phone. Perhaps this is exactly what Samsung engineers were counting on. It is almost impossible to restore IMEI on such a device on your own. You will have to pay a considerable amount for service at a service center.

Repairing IMEI in Chinese smartphones

To begin with, it would not hurt to figure out which smartphones can be classified as purebred “Chinese”. Typically, this phrase refers to cheap copies of expensive smartphones assembled from cheap components by Chinese workers. Such a smartphone is usually distinguished by a “crooked” translation of the system into Russian, as well as the presence of many unnecessary additional functions. Quite often, such smartphones have a television receiver. As a rule, the screens in such devices are non-capacitive, so in order for them to function normally, you have to poke something thin into them. But despite this, such devices are sometimes equipped with the Android system. This means that the issue of IMEI restoration is also relevant for such counterfeits.

It is also worth noting that restoring IMEI for Chinese phones is a rather complicated process. If there is at least some logic in the construction of system folders of “normal” mobile devices, then in the case of Chinese smartphones it is completely absent. It is much easier to download the required file from the Internet. If the required firmware for a smartphone is found, this does not mean that the difficulties are over. The thing is that cheap Chinese smartphones are connected to the computer using a USB cable, and for firmware you will need a cable with a different pinout. This means that you will have to solder with your own hands. On specialized Internet resources you can find the correct wiring diagrams for certain smartphone models. When the cable is unsoldered and the required firmware is found, the task of IMEI repair will be significantly simplified.

On Android - a serious error due to which the device loses the communication signal, which leads to the inability to make a call, send a message or access the Internet.

Reasons for the failure:

• Incorrect device firmware.
• Error when returning the smartphone to factory settings.

Some models of Chinese smartphones can work without an identifier, but if you have a high-quality device from a well-known brand and your Imei has disappeared, the device will not work correctly.

Manual recovery

Dial *#06# on your Android phone. If the IMEI code does not appear on the screen, then you urgently need to restore it. You can find the identification number on the box, in the instructions, or under the battery. If the smartphone supports dual SIM cards, then two IMEI numbers must be specified.

Manual IMEI repair on Android:

If the number above does not work, try the following options:

If your Android supports two SIM cards, then you need to repeat the procedure for restoring the identification number. For the second SIM card the command will be: AT+EGMR=1.10,“IMEI”.

After recovery, you need to exit the engineering menu and reboot the phone. After turning on, dial *#06# again to check IMEI. If the number is not displayed, then to correct the error you will need an Android IMEI repair program.

Software recovery

If manual recovery did not help solve the problem of missing identifier after flashing, then try using the MTK65xx.zip program.

After rebooting the device, dial *#06#. The device identification number lost after the firmware update will be restored. If the above methods did not help you figure out how to restore IMEI on Android after flashing, then try another option:

Using Root Browser, move the MP0B_001 file to the /data/nvram/md/NVRAM/NVD_IMEI/MP0B_001 directory. After transferring the data, restart your phone and check the identification number again - this time it should be displayed correctly.

Any Android smartphone or tablet has a unique 15-digit radio module identifier (IMEI), which can be verified in several ways. But sometimes the IMEI may go missing, and there may also be a need to replace or restore it.

What is IMEI and how to find it on Android devices

IMEI - individual radio module number, which is found in each Android device or other operating system. IMEI is needed to authorize devices in the operator's mobile network. Without it, the user will not be able to make and receive calls, as well as SMS messages. If the gadget uses two SIM cards at once, then two IMEI codes will be displayed at once.

You can find out the IMEI of your device in several ways:

• dial the combination *#06# in the dialing menu;
• go to the settings menu of your smartphone or tablet in the information section “About the device”;
• find information on the back cover of the gadget, SIM card tray or on the device box.

After which a 15-digit code will be displayed on the screen - this is the IMEI.

How to restore IMEI if it is missing or lost

In rare cases, a system window with the message “Invalid IMEI” may appear on the device screen, due to which the smartphone is not authorized in the mobile operator’s network. If this error occurs, the user cannot work with the network, that is, make calls, receive calls and use the mobile Internet.

The error of incorrect IMEI can be solved by restoring it using programs or the engineering menu

There may be several reasons for the appearance of error information about the loss of the IMEI identifier or the display of an empty window when checking using a USSD request. For example, due to an unsuccessful attempt to flash the gadget’s firmware or a hard-reset (reset to factory settings). It is worth noting that if problems arise with IMEI, all functions in the device are fully functional, in addition to those related to the radio module (network coverage).

If it suddenly happens that your device does not display the IMEI when prompted, there are several ways to restore it.

Repairing IMEI using the engineering menu

To call the engineering menu (Engineer Mode), you need to use a special combination, which may differ for different devices. You can find out which combination will help you call up the engineering menu from the instructions or documentation that comes with the device.

If for some reason the documentation is lost or is not nearby, try using the code *#3646633#. If it doesn't work, you can try to select a code from the options for different manufacturers.

Table: IMEI call commands for various smartphone models

After the engineering menu has been called up, you need to do the following:

Video: how to restore IMEI after unsuccessful firmware using Engineer Mode

How to repair IMEI using IMEI&SN Writer app

One of the frequently used IMEI repair applications is IMEI&SN Writer. Since this program is very easy to use and does not require root rights, every user can use it to restore the IMEI of their device. To restore the IMEI identifier, you will need Android device drivers, database files of the type of processor used by the gadget, and an IMEI&SN Writer.

1. Install device drivers on PC. Next, run the utility, select SMART PHONE in the PlatForm field, USB under it, fill in the IMEI_1 and IMEI_2 fields. Click the Select DB button.

   

   In the IMEI&SN Writer program that opens, select the desired characteristics, click Select DB

2. In the window that appears, first select the modem part database file. Typically it starts with the characters BPLGU.

   

   Select the device database file that starts with BPLGU

3. Then open the processor part file. In most cases, its name begins with APDB.

   

   Open the processor part file starting with APDB

4. In the main window, click Start to begin the recovery.

   

   The last step of IMEI repair using IMEI&SN Writer application is to press the START button

5. After completing these steps, connect your Android device to your computer and wait until the recovery procedure is completed and the IMEI recording success message appears.
6. Turn on your smartphone or tablet, enter the USSD request *#06# and make sure that the IMEI is displayed.

If the user does not have the original factory firmware and is unable to find it, he should try using the firmware of a gadget with a similar processor model.

Video: IMEI repair using IMEI&SN Writer

Changing IMEI ID using applications

There may be several reasons for changing IMEI, for example, if you want:

• disable device tracking;
• change the invalid IMEI code to a new one;
• reset the settings to factory defaults or update the device.

To change the IMEI identifier, you can use special programs, but most of them require root rights. These rights allow you to change the system settings of your Android device, including deleting system applications. Initially, the user does not have root rights and must be obtained. But it should be noted that upon receipt of them, the manufacturer’s warranty of the gadget used becomes invalid, so choosing this method is recommended only for experienced users.

Device Id IMEI Changer Xposed

Using the Device Id IMEI Changer Xposed application, you can not only change the IMEI, but also the ID, MAC address and SSID of the network. Both paid and free versions are available on Google Play Market, but the paid version has the ability to return to previous settings.

Video: how to change IMEI on Android using Device Id Changer Free

Chamelephon

The Chamelephon application is also suitable for changing IMEI, but this requires root rights.

Video: replacing IMEI on Android with Chamelephon

How to use IMEI to find a stolen or lost device

It is worth noting that the chances of finding a lost or stolen gadget on your own are very low for two reasons:

• there is no necessary equipment to search by IMEI: in order to find a stolen or lost device, you must have access to special equipment, as well as databases of all cellular operators in the country where the loss or theft occurred. It is thanks to this that you can determine the location of the lost device and the new mobile number used by the gadget. The problem is that only law enforcement officials have access to equipment and information;
• there is no access to information about the location of the device: absolutely all online services that the user can find on the Internet, as well as applications and programs supposedly for searching smartphones by IMEI, are completely ineffective. Only a cellular operator has the right to provide information about the location of devices at the request of the police, who accepted a statement from the owner about the theft. So you should not turn to online services and various applications to search for stolen or lost devices.

The only sure way to find your gadget is to contact law enforcement agencies to file a theft report. The police, in turn, submit a request to the mobile operator to search for the device. Quite often this method leads to the discovery of smartphones and tablets.

The process of searching for lost devices occurs using the IMEI identifier

Google service "Find my device"

Google provides a service with which you can find a device if it is authorized in your Gmail account.

To quickly find your smartphone if you lose it, it is recommended to follow some tips:

• fill out a business card with contact information on your smartphone or tablet. This will help, in case of loss of the device, the finder to find the owner of the device to contact him;
• install the TheftAlert application on your device, which is designed to send an SMS message when changing the SIM card to a phone number specified in advance;
• If you lose your device, immediately use one of the services (for example LoSToleN), which will allow you to add the IMEI of the gadget to the database of stolen devices. Also, in many similar services you can specify the amount of reward for return.

Is it possible to remove IMEI

Since IMEI is a very important identifier for any device and there is no way to deliberately remove it.

But sometimes the word “complete removal” also means the following:

• force the IMEI not to be displayed on the screen by dialing *#06#, which is possible with certain knowledge in the field of programming;
• prohibit reading or accessing a memory cell. But what cannot be read, for example, via the RS-232 channel (computer port), can be read by a USB-Jig device (used in service centers to restore “bricked” Android devices) or, in extreme cases, by a programmer (a device designed for writing and reading information in ROM - read-only memory);
• forcing you not to release IMEI to the network upon request is problematic, but possible. But in this case, there is a high probability that service will be denied or the phone will never find the network.

Each operator has an IMEI database; requesting an individual radio module number is required when registering on the network, and if the network operator does not receive a 16-digit number upon request, it will not allow the phone to use the network. From all that has been said above, we can conclude that “complete IMEI removal” is impossible.

Due to the fact that IMEI is really important in every Android device, it is recommended to check it on all gadgets, rewrite it and save it in a safe place. If any difficulties arise, you can use methods to restore or replace IMEI.

Friends, hello everyone! In this post I want to continue a little on the topic that was touched upon in. If you remember, there we flashed the Lenovo A319 smartphone, which is quite popular among the people.

So, after such manipulation, the IMEI may disappear, since the device is being formatted. What could be the consequences? Yes, the mobile network will simply be unavailable. But this is not certain! 😉

Of course, this is a mess, so let's understand the issue, how to restore IMEI on Android after flashing. And we will do this through the engineering menu. Although I’m being a little disingenuous here, because I didn’t perform such an operation myself, since the device worked well for me after returning to life and there were no problems.

But to complete the topic, one informative video was found on YouTube, which I now suggest you watch very carefully. It will be very useful to those people who are faced with such a disaster. So, pay attention to the screen:

Some important points and codes will be given below in text form. Look, the first thing you should check is whether there really are no IMEIs in the system. To do this, type the following combination on the keyboard:

If your fears are confirmed, you need to write down the available numbers on a piece of paper so that they are before your eyes. We remember that for each SIM card the IMEI value will be unique and inimitable.

In the Lenovo A319 phone we reviewed, you can find the necessary data on the label under the battery. So let’s take it and quickly rewrite them:

Then you will need the code to enter the engineering menu. We type the following combination on the keyboard:

Then follow the path “Information-Information about CDS”:

At the next step, click on the item « Radio Information « :

Select the desired SIM card, for example, the first one:

Click on the line “AT+”:

And we bring it to this form:

• AT +EGMR=1.7,"12345678"

Only instead of numbers in quotes, the IMEI copied from the label should be indicated, which needs to be restored. And before the “+” sign is mandatory don't forget to put a space. Finally, click « SEND AT COMMAND « :

That's it, the serial number on the first SIM card, lost after the Android firmware, has been restored. To do this on the second card, you should repeat the command in the “AT+“ ​​line. But there will already be some changes here. As they say, find the differences yourself:

• AT +EGMR=1, 10 "12345678"

After confirming the data entry, be sure to restart your smartphone and check using the combination we know (*#06#) whether this instruction on how to restore IMEI on Android after flashing worked.

Well, let’s say thanks to the YouTube channel Hard Reset for the useful video and we'll say goodbye. I really hope that this information will help you quickly bring your electronic pet named Lenovo back to its original form. Bye everyone!

Sometimes when reinstalling the operating system on a smartphone, changing the firmware or disrupting its operation, the user may encounter a problem - incorrect IMEI. How to fix this is described in this article.

IMEI check

To find out if the IMEI has been removed or changed:

1. Open the Phone (or Call) app.
2. Dial *#06#.

After entering the last character, a window will load showing the IMEI code for the SIM cards on the phone. Compare them with the values ​​​​written on the gadgets' packaging boxes. If they do not match, then you need to fix it manually.

To fix IMEI, you must use one of the methods below.

Through the engineering menu

The developers have made an engineering menu on the smartphone, in which it is possible to change many parameters, including IMEI.

To open it, in “Phone” enter the code corresponding to your gadget.

After this, correct the number using one of the steps described below.

Pay attention! Depending on the device, the appearance or arrangement of elements may differ.

CDS Information

Check the codes using the method described above and make a call to check the functionality.

GPRS

If your engineering menu does not include CDS Information, use this method.

1. Go to the “Telephony” → “GPRS” tab.
2. Select SIM1 and SIM2 in turn.
3. Enter the appropriate codes → click “WRITE IMEI”.
4. Reboot your device.

Using a terminal

You can also change the number using a terminal emulator like Termux.

1. Open a terminal.
2. Enter echo "AT+EGMR=1,7,"CODE"" > /dev/pttycmd1 , where CODE is IMEI → Enter. Repeat the entry if you have a second SIM card, replacing 7 with 10.
3. Restart your phone.

This program allows you to generate and record a new number.

Pay attention! The program requires Root rights. How to get them is described in our.

Conclusions

If an “incorrect IMEI” error occurs, you need to restore it via CDS Information or GPRS in the engineering menu, by entering a command in a terminal emulator or by a program to generate a new number.