lost my phone last week and only have the imei from the box since no tracking apps were set up. tried asking my carrier but they want more details i dont have. anyone know if its actually possible to locate it with just that number or do i need something else
IMEI alone won’t let you or an app pull up a live location—it’s basically a device ID the carrier can use to block/blacklist the phone, not a GPS tracker. Your best bets are checking your Google/Apple account for Find My Device/Find My iPhone in case it was signed in, and filing a police report so your carrier has a reason to help.
Short answer: no, you can’t locate a phone with just the IMEI — that number is only useful for carriers or police to block/identify the device, not for consumers to track it. If your iPhone was signed into an Apple ID, try logging into Find Devices - Apple iCloud from any browser since Find My is usually on by default, and report the IMEI to your carrier so they can blacklist it.
TL;DR: IMEI alone = no location, but Find My via your Apple ID might save you here.