Is it possible to change the imei and if so how?
Regain your privacy! Adopt /e/ the unGoogled mobile OS and online services
2 Likes
It is made to be “not possible”, I would count it as an expert and not without risk job.
To learn how to do it you would need to know how to backup an IMEI on a good phone. The IMEI text is written in far from plain text, so you would then need to learn how to read it, then edit it ( you might practice on a copy of your backup).
That is how I would crash and learn, but cannot walk you through it further! 
Why would you want to change your IMEI?
Since /e/ is privacy focused, I would recommend you to keep it as it is.
Both IMEI and IMSI numbers are transmitted to mobile phone companies.
Your mobile carrier can always see both of your IMSI and IMEI. So any adversary (like NSA and etc) that wants to track you and already knew your IMEI would always can track you.
The moment sim card is inserted it begins broadcasting the IMEI to the carrier in association with itself. That carrier now knows that that exact SIM was in that phone and always will. They are forever connected in a database of everyone who ever used that SIM or that IMEI.
1 Like
Yes could be interesting in some circumstances.
Try a search on xda forum…
2 Likes
plz. post here if you get any material or way to do it.
Thanks
1 Like
working in a “wireless modules” R&D company, I have to discourage in this case.
It is dependent on the chipset / its manufacturer’s base software, how the IMEI is stored in the memory and also related to hardware components (e.g. serial number of memory or processor)
The result of these measures is: you can’t alter IMEI on a running system. Only way is booting a “factory image” and subsequently perform a complete production test. BUT: if the IMEI is written also in the “OTP” (one-time programmable) range of the memory, function of a device can only be restored with that specific IMEI.
In all cases of tampering, the software will only start up to the point where it checks the IMEI and then abort.
3 Likes
hello,
I know that there are apps that change IMEI number,but the phone
has to be rooted(that’s very pitty) for that.
Don’t know if it’s possible to bring to non-rooted devices,but I think
when one off smart “compu-people)believes it can to be done and when that guy has some spare time and is enthusiastic about it,he can!
one time, i changed IMEI and serial number by accident, restoring a complete TWRP backup on an other device, same model
no need to root if you use TWRP’s file manager to export files and a computer to edit.
1 Like
For example, You can change IMEI on Nokia 8110 4G with GerdaOS, I know its not android based rom, but shows its possible to do!
This topic was automatically closed after 30 days. New replies are no longer allowed.