If your IMEI is showing as "Unknown" or "000000" after a software update, follow these steps to restore the original:
On Samsung phones (especially Exynos models), flashing unofficial firmware or corrupt EFS partitions (Encrypted File System) can wipe your IMEI. When this happens, your phone shows:
: Attempting to change an IMEI to a different number is illegal in many countries. It is often used to bypass "blacklists" on lost or stolen phones, which can lead to prosecution under fraud or tampering laws. The Best Way Forward
A popular "free" alternative for basic repairs on SPD and MTK chipsets, though it lacks the advanced server-side support of paid tools. How the Process Generally Works Most professional tools follow a similar workflow:
Before proceeding, it is crucial to understand the legal implications. Changing an IMEI number is (including the UK and many European nations) and is typically considered fraud. It is often legal to restore an IMEI to its original factory state if it was corrupted by a software glitch, but changing it to a different number is a criminal offense.
