Can Apple block a lost iPhone using IMEI or serial number?

No, Apple cannot block or blacklist your iPhone using its IMEI or serial number. Apple does not manage cell network blacklists and will not block a device from being used based on a user report. 

While Apple cannot block the hardware, your mobile network provider (carrier) can. 

• Call your carrier immediately and explain that the device was stolen.
• Provide them with your IMEI number.
• The carrier will add your IMEI to a shared central blacklist database. This stops the phone from registering or making calls/using data on their network, as well as most other major cellular networks worldwide. 

Bob Timmons wrote:

Otherwise, the only way that anyone could reset your phone would be if responded to scam message that instructed you to remove your iPhone from the list of devices using your Apple Account.

Or worse, if the OP responded to a scam message that asked them to enter the ID and password for their Apple Account. That would give the thieves the ability to remove the iPhone from the list of devices … and also let the thieves access data in iCloud.

If the OP has provided their Apple Account credentials to a scammer, in response to a "phishing" message - or even thinks this is a possibility – they should take immediate steps to secure future access to their account.

If you think your Apple Account has been compromised - Apple Support

Do you or anyone else understand the features that were introduced into the Apple ecosystem in June 2026. There are newspaper reports (Metro) that state

The technology giant has made a deal with the Metropolitan Police, ensuring phones cannot be reactivated once they are marked as stolen. Samsung and Google have also agreed to make changes to tackle the issue.

I thought that might allow the police to pass on IMEI numbers for blocking but I'm struggling to find the details on how this works. It may only be implemented in the UK.

The Daily Mail: Phone 'kill switch' to end trade in stolen mobiles makes me think Apple have done nothing bar share information with relevant authorities when someone uses icloud.com/find to mark the device as lost. That is predicated on having access to the relevant Apple Account which may have become inaccessible if a thief has guessed the passcode on a found phone or stolen a phone after observing the passcode.

I was able to see the device on my list a few weeks ago

Got that.

Now, I cannot see the device. Someone already reset the phone.

How do you know this? No one reset your phone unless they knew the Passcode for your device, your Apple Account name and Password.

Otherwise, the only way that anyone could reset your phone would be if responded to scam message that instructed you to remove your iPhone from the list of devices using your Apple Account.

I understand that it is not it possible to wipe the iphone

That's true if you are seeing that the phone is "Offline". If the phone does come back online, you can erase the phone.

Again.....Hopefully, you did not respond to a scam message that instructed you to remove the phone from your list of devices using your Apple Account.

Please confirm.

LoserKevin wrote:

The Daily Mail: Phone 'kill switch' to end trade in stolen mobiles makes me think Apple have done nothing bar share information with relevant authorities when someone uses icloud.com/find to mark the device as lost.

That, and the article also noted that Apple is now enabling Stolen Device Protection as the default.

That is predicated on having access to the relevant Apple Account which may have become inaccessible if a thief has guessed the passcode on a found phone or stolen a phone after observing the passcode.

About Stolen Device Protection for iPhone - Apple Support

"With Stolen Device Protection, some features and actions have additional security requirements when your iPhone is away from familiar locations such as home or work. These requirements help prevent someone who has stolen your iPhone and knows your passcode from making critical changes to your account or device.

• Face ID or Touch ID biometric authentication: Some actions such as accessing stored passwords and credit cards require a biometric authentication with Face ID or Touch ID — with no passcode alternative or fallback — so that only you can access these features. 
• Security Delay: Some security actions such as changing your Apple Account password also require you to wait an hour and then perform an additional Face ID or Touch ID authentication."

My phone was stolen last week along with my account which I am unable to access. I've been through the usual Apple will not help you farce so I've lost the account forever and potentially have a lot of high quality identity theft to look forward to. I think smartphone users do not appreciate that phone + passcode = total control of your account and devastating consequences. I'm about to survey my friends about this.

I had to create a new account on a new phone. Stolen Device Protection is off. This appears to contradict the newspaper's statement about it being on by default. The phone is running iOS 27.0.1.

My phone was stolen last week along with my account which I am unable to access.

It is unfortunate, but understandable that your iPhone was stolen. Thousands of iPhones are stolen each day.

But, it is not understandable that your Apple Account was "stolen".

No one can access your iPhone using your Apple account unless have provided your account details to them. Surely, you did not give out your Passcode and also your Apple Account and Password......correct?

So, tell us the whole story. Did you receive an email from a scammer who tricked you into changing some of the settings on your iPhone via iCloud?

I actually don't care about the phone in terms of the hardware, mine had low value. The theft of the account and the data are far more concerning and I could do without the small chance of being stabbed in pursuit.

I believe I was videoed entering my passcode to break my screen lock in a dark location next to a quiet bus stop in the late evening. One person asked for help and about a minute later another person appeared out of nowhere and snatched my iPhone and ran. Bus stops always seem to feature in these tales. This pair may have an additional ruse to get victims to do something which requires passcode entry.

It's counter-intuitive that a thief can steal your account with the shortest, lowest entropy credential and that recovery keys are useless for recovering access to your account in this situation. I hadn't see the Wall Street Journal’s Apple’s iPhone passcode Problem: How Thieves Can Take Over in Minutes which was what embarrassed Apple into creating Stolen Device Protection. I had never heard of that and I believe it was off on my device. I'm currently reading about it to evaluate its effectiveness.