If you have lost your mobile phone in India, open Google Find Hub (findmydevice.google.com) on Android or Find My Phone (icloud.com/find) on iPhone immediately, these show your phone’s live location if it still has battery and internet.
If the phone is switched off or you still cannot find it, file a police complaint and block its IMEI on the CEIR portal (ceir.sancharsaathi.gov.in) so the phone stops working on every Indian network within 24 hours, even if the SIM card is changed.
How to Track Lost Mobile Phone
Find a Lost Android Phone
The moment you realise your Android phone is missing, open a browser on any other device and go to findmydevice.google.com. Sign in with the same Google account linked to your phone.
Use Google Find Hub
Google Find Hub (previously called Find My Device) shows your phone’s last known location on a map. If the phone is on and connected to the internet, the location updates in real time.
From Find Hub you can do three things without touching the phone:
Play Sound – Makes the phone ring at full volume for 5 minutes, even if it is on silent. Useful if the phone is nearby in a sofa cushion, left in a cab, or in another room.
Secure Device – Locks the phone with your Google account PIN and displays a message on the screen (for example, your alternate number). The thief cannot use the phone without your Google credentials.
Erase Device – Permanently wipes all data. Do this only as a last resort because once erased, Find Hub can no longer track the phone’s location.
Find a Lost iPhone
On an iPhone, open a browser and go to icloud.com/find. Sign in with your Apple ID. If you have another Apple device iPad, Mac, or a friend’s iPhone, you can also open the Find My app directly.
Use Apple Find My
Find My shows your iPhone’s current location on a map if it is switched on and connected to the internet. Your options:
Play Sound – Plays a loud sound for 2 minutes. Works even when the phone is on silent.
Lost Mode – Locks the iPhone with your passcode, suspends Apple Pay, and displays a custom message (such as your alternate phone number) on the lock screen. The phone continues to update its location while Lost Mode is active, even after the SIM is removed.
Erase iPhone – Wipes the device completely. Same caution as Android, once erased, live tracking stops.
iPhones with an eSIM or no physical SIM can still be tracked via Wi-Fi in Lost Mode. This gives iPhones a slight advantage over Android when the SIM card has been removed.
If the phone is offline, Find My shows the last known location and will send you a notification the next time the device comes online automatically, without you doing anything.
Can You Track a Lost Phone Using IMEI?
Many people search for ways to track a lost phone using its IMEI number. The honest answer: you cannot track a phone’s GPS location using IMEI on your own.
No app, website, or portal gives civilians real time GPS location based on IMEI alone.
IMEI can do is help you block the phone across all networks through the CEIR portal, and help police trace it through official channels.
👉 Read full guide: Ways to Check IMEI Using KYM
What to Do If You Cannot Find Your Phone
If Google Find Hub or Find My iPhone did not help, the phone is off, the battery is dead, or it has been stolen, take these three steps immediately. Do not wait.
Block Your SIM
Call your telecom operator right away and request a temporary SIM block. This stops anyone from making calls, sending OTPs, or accessing UPI and banking apps using your number.
| Operator | Helpline |
|---|---|
| Jio | 198 or 1800-889-9999 |
| Airtel | 121 |
| Vi (Vodafone Idea) | 199 |
| BSNL | 1503 |
Once you are ready, the same operator will issue you a duplicate SIM for the same number, which you will need for the CEIR block request later.
File a Police Complaint
Go to your nearest police station and file an FIR (First Information Report) or a written complaint about the lost or stolen phone. Mention the phone’s IMEI number, model, and approximate time and place of loss.
Keep the complaint copy or acknowledgement number safe. You will need to upload it on the CEIR portal. Without a police complaint, CEIR will not accept your block request.
You can also file an e-FIR online through your state police portal if available in your state, this saves time and gives you the complaint document faster.
Block the Phone Using CEIR
After filing the police complaint and getting a duplicate SIM, go to the CEIR portal (ceir.sancharsaathi.gov.in) and submit a block request. Full steps are in the next section.
How to Block a Lost or Stolen Phone Using CEIR
The CEIR portal is run by the Department of Telecommunications (DoT), Government of India. Blocking your phone on CEIR adds its IMEI to a national blacklist the phone stops working on every Indian network (Jio, Airtel, Vi, BSNL) within 24 hours, regardless of which SIM card is inserted.
Step 1 : File a Police Complaint
Go to your nearest police station and file an FIR or complaint about the lost or stolen phone. Keep the complaint copy safe, you will need to upload it.
Step 2 : Get a Duplicate SIM
Visit your telecom operator’s store (Jio, Airtel, Vi, BSNL) and get a duplicate SIM for the number that was in the lost phone. Wait at least 24 hours before the next step.
Step 3 : Open the CEIR Block Request Form
Go to ceir.sancharsaathi.gov.in and click on “Block Stolen/Lost Mobile”.
Step 4 : Fill in Device Information
- Enter the mobile number (that was in the lost phone) : OTP will come here
- Enter your phone’s IMEI number (15 digits)
- Select device brand and enter the model name
- Enter the approximate price of the phone
- Upload the purchase invoice if available
Step 5 : Fill in Lost/Stolen Details
- Enter the place where you lost the phone
- Select the date of loss
- Select your State, District, and Police Station
- Enter the police complaint number
- Upload a copy of the police complaint
Step 6 : Fill in Personal Details
- Enter your name and address
- Select identity proof type and upload the document
- Enter your email ID (optional but useful for updates)
Step 7 : OTP Verification and Submit
- Enter the captcha shown on screen
- Enter your mobile number for OTP and click Get OTP
- Enter the OTP received and click Verify OTP
- Accept the declaration and click Proceed
After submission, a Request ID will be generated. Save it carefully, you will need it to check status or unblock the phone later.
Your phone will be blocked within 24 hours of submitting the request.
👉 Read detailed guide: Chakshu Portal: How to Report Fraud Calls, SMS & WhatsApp
How to Check CEIR Block Request Status
- Go to ceir.sancharsaathi.gov.in
- Click on CEIR Services → Check Request Status
- Enter your Request ID and submit
- The current status of your blocking request will appear
👉 Read this guide on: TAFCOP Portal – Check How Many SIM Cards Are Active on Your Name
How to Unblock Found Phone Through CEIR
If you found your lost phone and want to unblock it, do this:
- Visit ceir web link. Now on home page menu, click on “CEIR Services” option.
- Choose “Un-Block found mobile” option from drop down list.
- After this, a new form page will appears, fill the details here like block phone request ID, Mobile number you had blocked, a valid reason to unblock the device and mobile number to get OTP.
- Click on ‘Get OTP’ button and verify it. Then submit the form request.
Conclusion
When you lose your phone, the order of action matters. Try GPS tracking first, Google Find Hub for Android, Find My for iPhone, while the phone may still have battery. If that does not work, block your SIM immediately through your operator, file a police complaint, and then block the IMEI on the CEIR portal. The CEIR block is permanent until you reverse it yourself, costs nothing, and stops the phone from working on any Indian network within 24 hours.
Save your CEIR Request ID after submission, you will need it to track progress and unblock the phone if you recover it.
FAQs
Yes. The CEIR service is now available pan-India
Within 24 hours of your request, your phone’s IMEI gets added to the national blacklist. The device will not work on any mobile network in India, regardless of which SIM is inserted.
Yes. Blocking does not stop police from tracking the lost or stolen phone. They can still trace the device through IMEI.
Go to ceir.sancharsaathi.gov.in → CEIR Services → Forgot Request ID and recover it using your mobile number.
No. A police complaint copy is mandatory to submit a block request on CEIR portal.
You cannot track GPS location using IMEI on your own.
Use Google Find My Device (Android) or Find My iPhone (Apple) to make your phone ring remotely.
No. Blocking the IMEI only stops the phone from connecting to mobile networks.