What Is IMEI Blacklist Removal and How Can You Do It?

If you try different SIM cards on your phone but get the same prompts like   “No Service”, “Emergency Calls Only”  or “SOS Only”, it often points to a blacklisted IMEI. Still, that isn’t the only sign. So, we’ll first show you how to confirm the actual IMEI status of your iPhone or Android. If the result shows as “Blacklisted”, don’t worry. We’ll walk you through reliable IMEI blacklist removal methods. These will help make your IMEI clean again, so your phone can work on calls and mobile data normally.

What Is IMEI Blacklist Removal?

Before we discuss IMEI blacklist removal, it’s important to understand why an IMEI might be blacklisted.

Why Is Your Phone IMEI Blacklisted?

An iPhone or Android usually ends up on the blacklist when it is flagged, which can happen for different reasons:

• It’s reported as lost or stolen to Apple or the carrier.
• It’s filed as stolen at a police station.
• Breaking a contract with your carrier or leaving unpaid bills can also cause a blacklist.
• If someone claims insurance on the phone, the insurance company may blacklist the IMEI.

The Meaning of IMEI Blacklist Removal

IMEI blacklist removal simply means taking your phone’s IMEI number off the carrier’s blacklist. When an IMEI is blacklisted, no SIM will connect on your iPhone or Android.

So, once it’s removed, the phone can register to a mobile network again. In simple words, it will make your device usable with a SIM card and thus you can make calls, send texts, and use data like normal.

How to Check If Your Phone IMEI Is Clean or Blacklisted

Blacklisting isn’t something you can check inside iPhone or Android Settings. You will need other’s help: either your carrier or a third-party service. Here’s the process.

Prep: Get Your IMEI Number

Both carriers and online services will ask for IMEI to identify the IMEI’s current status. And here’s how you can get your IMEI:

• Pull up the dialer and type *#06#. You’ll see a pop-up showing the IMEI with other details.

You can even find the IMEI by going to Settings menu > General > About.

Way 1. Through Carrier

The most reliable way to find the real-time blacklist status is through your carrier, because they maintain the central Equipment Identity Register (EIR). You can call your carrier or visit the carrier site to check your IMEI status.

Here are the official U.S. carrier support numbers:

Way 2. Via Online IMEI Checker

There are plenty of online IMEI services that generally work reliably and most of them charges. Here are two free options you can trust:

One reliable option is Verizon’s trade-in checker, which lets even non-customers verify the current status. Just enter the IMEI and they will share necessary details, like the blacklist status and carrier-lock status.

Another solid option is the Stolen Phone Checker (SPC). It’s run by the CTIA and gives an immediate yet accurate answer on whether a device is reported lost, stolen or blacklisted.

How to Perform IMEI Blacklist Removal for iPhone/Android

Here are multiple methods to remove your IMEI from the blacklist status. Whether you use iPhone or Android, you can follow the method that suits your best.

Method 1. Remove IMEI from Blacklist for Free via Carrier

Once again, the carrier itself can unblock your IMEI and they will even do it for free. However, there are some requirements.

Preps:

• Keep documents that can verify as you the original owner of the device (proof of purchase, account details and valid ID).
• Know the reason why the IMEI was blacklisted, such as reported as stolen, unpaid bills or a mistake on the carrier’s part.
• IMEI number and other account details.

Steps to Follow:

• Call your carrier’s customer support (numbers already shared above).
• Tell them your device has been blacklisted and explain the reason.
• They will ask you to submit proof of identity on their website or via email.
• Upload the documents they request and wait for confirmation.
• Within 24–48 hours, you will receive an email.

If approved, your IMEI will be removed from the blacklist and your phone will be able to connect to the network again.

Method 2. Unblacklist IMEI Online [Paid]

There are online services that charge you money and claim to unblacklist the device by contacting your carrier through their own means. The problem is these services are highly unreliable and often fail to work.

Still, if you cannot contact your carrier directly, this way becomes the other option. Just be cautious, because most of them charge hidden fees and will ask for more money later.

Preps:

• Decide which service you’ll use (UnlockBase, SafeUnlocks and others)— to make sure the service has some record of working with your carrier.
• Keep your IMEI number ready.
• Know how much risk you are willing to take with money, since success is not guaranteed.

Steps to Follow:

• Head over to the website you chose.
• Select the IMEI blacklist removal service.
• Enter your IMEI number, email, device brand and model.
• Pay the fee, ranging from US$40 to hundreds of dollars.
• Wait for the result, usually 1–7 days. They’ll confirm by email whether the IMEI was successfully removed from the blacklist or not.

Method 3. Clean Your IMEI via Seller

If you bought a second-hand iPhone, the previous seller is often the best point of contact. They help you to remove the blacklist status and request removal on your behalf. If you are not the original owner, the carrier or Apple will usually deny your request, but the seller still has a better chance to resolve it.

Preps:

• Contact the seller directly.
• Share the IMEI number with them if they don’t already have it.

Steps to Follow:

• Use the same medium you bought it from (eBay, Facebook Marketplace, local store, etc.) to contact the seller, like via the site’s messaging system.
• Tell them the phone has a blacklist status and ask them to resolve it with the carrier.

If they refuse or cannot fix it, you can request a refund, such as by filing a claim like “item not as described”.

Either way, you’ll end up with a working iPhone or your money back, instead of being stuck with a bad IMEI.

How to Unlock iPhone After IMEI Blacklist Removal

Even after the IMEI is removed from the blacklist, many iPhones remain tied to the same carrier. That leaves you stuck with their SIM and their plans.

With Passixer iPhone Unlocker, you can remove carrier lock from iPhone in about 30 minutes. The process is straightforward: install Passixer on your computer, connect your iPhone with a USB cable and follow the on-screen instructions to perform the SIM unlock. You don’t need to prepare for proof of purchase, IMEI number, carrier account or other info for unlocking your iPhone carrier. Furthermore, no matter which carrier your iPhone is locked to, Passixer can unlock your device without data loss and with a high success rate.

Steps to Unlock iPhone Carrier with Passixer

How to Unlock Blacklisted Phone Without IMEI Blacklist Removal

If you don’t want to perform the IMEI blacklist removal, you can turn to ESN Doctor. It’s a web-based tool that claims to directly unblock your phones. Some of these users say it works, while others on Reddit say it was unsuccessful in unblacklist phones.

Preps:

• Keep your IMEI number ready.
• Have a valid email address, since that’s where they send confirmation.

Steps to Follow:

• Head over to the ESN Doctor website.
• Click on Unlock Your Phone to launch the blacklist removal web app.



• Fill out the online form with your name, email, manufacturer and IMEI.



• Submit the request. The site will claim to process the blacklist removal and later send you a confirmation email once “unlocked”.

Risks

• Results are never guaranteed and unlocks are not always instant.
• Services like ESNDoctor.com work by tampering with the IMEI number, which is illegal.
• Most sites in this category are scams. Reddit users repeatedly warn that ESN Doctor is not reliable.
• After submitting the usual details, you will suddenly be asked for a “verification fee” — a hidden charge in the name of Membership fee.

External Tip: How to Add Your Lost Phone to Blacklist

The first thing you should do when your phone is marked lost or stolen in iCloud (Find My iPhone) or Google’s Find My Device is to file a police report. At the station, they’ll note down your phone’s serial number and IMEI. This step is also important if you want to make any insurance claim.

After that, contact your carrier immediately. A thief could still pop your SIM card into another phone and start using it. By reporting the loss, the carrier can blacklist the IMEI so no SIM works on that phone. They’ll also temporarily deactivate your line to protect your account.

Conclusion

If your iPhone’s IMEI or Android’s IMEI is blacklisted, now you know how to clean it. And if the IMEI blacklist is cleared but the phone still carries a SIM lock, you’ve got two options. You can call the carrier directly and request them to lift the lock. Or, if you’re on an iPhone,  you can do it yourself with Passixer iPhone Unlocker. It’s a software-based tool that takes around 30–40 minutes to strip away the SIM lock. Once done, your iPhone will work with the SIM and plan you prefer.