Learn how to find your iPhone’s Exclusive Chip Identifier (ECID) using a Mac or Windows PC to use firmware downgrades, signing status apps, and more.
Why you may need to know your ECID
Most iPhone owners don’t need to know their device’s ECID. But if you fancy yourself a power user who likes to dabble with firmware downgrades, SHSH blobs, and signing status apps like MobileTSS, you’ll need to know the device’s ECID.
The ECID is a unique identifier of your iPhone’s chip that shouldn’t be confused with its hardware identifier called UDID (Unique Device Identifier) or a unique 32-digit code that identifies your eSIM, also known as EID (Embedded Identity Document).
Follow along with our instructions below to find out your iPhone’s or iPad’s ECID.
Find an iPhone’s ECID on a Mac
You can connect your iPhone to your Mac and click it in the Finder’s sidebar to reveal information such as model number, serial number, UDID, EID, MEID, and IMEI. However, the Finder doesn’t reveal your iPhone’s ECID.
The powerful jailbreak tool checkra1n, however, can display an iPhone’s ECID and other information, such as whether the device can be jailbroken.
1) Download and install checkra1n from the URL provided below.
https://checkra.in/
2) Double-click the checkra1n app in the Launchpad or your Applications folder, and you’ll see a message from Apple’s built-in Gatekeeper feature warning you that the app cannot be opened because it’s from an unidentified developer.
To fix that, go to System Settings > Privacy & Security, scroll down to the Security heading, and click Open Anyway next to “checkra1n” was blocked to protect your Mac.
Click Open Anyway again in the popup and authenticate the action by entering your Mac’s password or scanning your finger with Touch ID.
3) Connect your iPhone to your Mac with a USB cable, then open a new Finder window, select your iPhone under Locations in the sidebar, and make sure to trust your iPhone on your Mac.
4) Return to the checkra1n app window, and your iPhone’s ECID should appear here, as evidenced by the screenshot below. If not, close and reopen the checkra1n app.
See an iPhone’s ECID on a Windows PC
Apple has removed all device management features from iTunes. On Windows, they’re now available in a dedicated Apple Devices app. I couldn’t find a way to see an iPhone’s ECID in the Apple Devices app, but folks on older versions of iTunes for Windows can follow the steps below to find their iPhone’s ECID.
1) Open the iTunes app on your Windows PC.
2) Connect your iPhone to the computer via a USB cable. If prompted, trust your iPhone on your PC, and vice versa.
3) Click your device in the iTunes navigation bar (positioned below the menu bar).
4) Click the Serial Number on the right-hand side.
5) The Serial Number has changed to UDID, so click that now.
6) UDID will change to ECID — there’s your ECID code!
Obtaining an iPhone’s ECID isn’t difficult, but many people have trouble finding it, and Apple doesn’t exactly make our lives any easier by burying this information. Chances are you’ll never even need your iPhone’s ECID. But in case you think you might need it for a cool iPhone hack in the future, better bookmark this tutorial now.
Have you been able to locate your iPhone’s ECID by following the steps outlined above? If so, please let us know in the comments down below.