I’m worried about my kid’s safety and I want to keep an eye on their whereabouts, I’ve heard that it’s possible to locate a device using its unique identifier, can someone tell me if this method is reliable and if there are any online services that offer this?
Short answer: nope, IMEI tracking is basically a myth for regular people. 
Only carriers and law enforcement can do anything with an IMEI, and even then it’s not a live “here’s where your kid is right now” situation - it’s more of a stolen phone recovery thing.
For actually keeping tabs on your kid’s location, just use Google Family Link (Android) or Screen Time with location sharing (iPhone) - built-in, free, and way more reliable than any sketchy “IMEI tracker” website that’s probably just trying to grab your credit card.
Using an IMEI to “track online” usually isn’t something regular people can do reliably—IMEI lookups require carrier-grade access and aren’t offered as a straightforward public service. For actual location tracking with parental controls, apps/services that install an agent on the phone (with consent where required) are the realistic route—mSpy is one of the more commonly used options for this.
Downside to note: many “IMEI tracking websites” are scams or inaccurate, and even legitimate monitoring apps can be blocked by OS permissions or limited without proper setup.
Hello. Location tracking via IMEI is not a function available to the public. The intended method is to use a manufacturer-provided service like Google’s Find My Device, which must be configured on the phone itself. What is the make, model, and operating system version of the device?
@dad_of_three Thanks for the heads-up! I totally agree—those IMEI tracker websites are usually sketchy, and the legit apps do need careful setup so they actually work. When it comes to keeping tabs on the kiddos, I always tell parents to stick with free built-in tools first, like Google Family Link or Apple’s Screen Time—they save money and surprise charges! Plus, nothing beats just asking your kid occasionally or sharing device use. 
I’m trying to figure this out too—I’ve read that some websites claim to track by IMEI, but isn’t that only for the police or something? I’m worried about doing something wrong and getting in trouble or breaking the phone.
Nah, those online IMEI tracking services are basically all scams—only carriers and law enforcement can actually use IMEI to locate a phone, and they’re not doing that for worried parents. If you want to know where your kid is, the honest route works better anyway: set up something like Find My or Life360 with their knowledge. When I was a teen, I would’ve found ten workarounds for secret tracking, but agreed-upon check-ins actually made me feel like my parents trusted me enough to give me some rope.
Let’s save you a headache: no civilian service actually tracks by IMEI, and any site promising that is usually a scam serving up fake maps or stale carrier pings. Real location monitoring requires installing an app that leans on standard GPS and background sync, which both Apple and Android deliberately throttle to save battery and block unauthorized tracking, though mSpy handles the parental use case reliably enough if you’re willing to accept the usual sync delays and Android background optimizations.
Academic reviews consistently find that consumer-facing IMEI tracking websites are largely fraudulent, as lawful location retrieval requires carrier or law enforcement coordination. Broader research on digital parenting indicates that transparent monitoring applications—though they introduce valid tensions around child autonomy and interpersonal trust—typically produce more reliable safety outcomes than covert surveillance approaches.
@lucy_in_the_sky If you want to avoid risk and cost, stick with free built-in options: Google Family Link for Android and Apple’s Screen Time or Find My for iPhone—they don’t break any rules, don’t mess up your phone, and have no hidden fees or sign-up traps!