Restoring IMEI on Google Pixel 6, 6a, and 6 Pro After Android 16 Update: A Comprehensive Guide

Are you one of the Google Pixel 6 series users experiencing the dreaded “000000000000000” IMEI issue after updating your device to Android 16? You’re not alone, and fortunately, there’s a proven solution. This in-depth guide provides a complete, step-by-step methodology for effectively restoring the missing IMEI on your Google Pixel 6, Pixel 6a, or Pixel 6 Pro running Android 16.

Our method meticulously walks you through each critical stage, from unlocking your device’s bootloader to strategically modifying the devinfo.img and, if necessary, downgrading your radio image. This process has undergone rigorous testing on multiple devices and has demonstrated a 100% success rate when all instructions are followed precisely. All indispensable tools and drivers required for this repair are conveniently provided at the conclusion of this article.

Disclaimer: Pixel 6 series IMEI Repair Android 16

This guide is intended strictly for educational and informational purposes. Please be aware that IMEI repair or modification may be subject to legal restrictions in certain jurisdictions. It is imperative that you utilize this tutorial only if you are the legitimate owner of the device and your sole objective is to restore the original IMEI that was factory-assigned to your phone. We explicitly disclaim all responsibility for any unauthorized or illegal misuse of this guide, or for any potential damage incurred to your device during the process. Proceed at your own risk.

Supported Devices: Pixel 6 series IMEI Repair Android 16

• Google Pixel 6 (codenamed: oriole)

• Google Pixel 6a (codenamed: bluejay)

• Google Pixel 6 Pro (codenamed: raven)

Prerequisites:

• A Windows PC or laptop.

• A high-quality USB-C cable for reliable connection.

• A stable internet connection.

• Your device’s original IMEI number (typically found on the retail packaging, the SIM tray, or by dialing *#06# on a working device).

• A basic understanding of using ADB (Android Debug Bridge) and Fastboot commands.

Step-by-Step IMEI Restoration Process

Step 1: Prepare Your Device – Enable Developer Options, OEM Unlocking, and USB Debugging

Before you can interact with your Pixel device at a deeper level, you need to enable specific developer settings:

1. Navigate to your phone’s Settings app.

2. Scroll down and tap on About phone.

3. Locate the Build number entry and tap on it rapidly seven times. A toast message will appear, indicating “You are now a developer!”

4. Go back to the main Settings menu.

5. Tap on System, then select Developer Options.

6. Within Developer Options, ensure that OEM Unlocking is toggled ON. This is crucial for unlocking the bootloader.

7. Also, enable USB Debugging. This allows your computer to send commands to your phone via ADB.

This step is fundamental for establishing communication between your PC and your Pixel device using ADB and Fastboot protocols.

Step 2: Set Up Your PC – Download and Extract Android Platform Tools

The Android Platform Tools package contains essential utilities like ADB and Fastboot, which are indispensable for this process.

1. Download the latest Android Platform Tools from here

2. Once downloaded, extract the contents of the ZIP file to an easily accessible folder on your computer, for instance, C:\platform-tools.

3. Open the extracted platform-tools folder. Hold down the Shift key on your keyboard, then right-click anywhere within the folder’s empty space. From the context menu, select “Open command window here” or “Open PowerShell window here” (the option may vary based on your Windows version). This will open a command prompt or PowerShell window directly in the platform-tools directory.

Step 3: Establish ADB Connection and Authorize Debugging

Now, let’s confirm your computer can communicate with your phone:

1. Connect your Google Pixel phone to your PC using a reliable USB-C cable.

2. In the command window you opened in Step 2, type the following commands, pressing Enter after each Command:
   adb kill-server
adb devices

3. Immediately after typing adb devices, look at your phone’s screen. You should see a prompt asking to “Allow USB debugging.” Tap Allow or Always allow from this computer for future convenience.

4. Check the command window again. If your device’s serial number is listed under “List of devices attached,” your ADB connection is successfully established.

Step 4: Unlock the Bootloader

Unlocking the bootloader is a critical step that allows you to flash custom images and modify system partitions. WARNING: This action will factory reset your device and erase all data. Back up any important information before proceeding.

1. With your phone still connected and USB Debugging enabled, type the following command in the command window to reboot your device into bootloader mode:
   adb reboot bootloader

2. Once your phone is in bootloader mode, type the following command to initiate the bootloader unlock process:
   fastboot flashing unlock

3. Look at your phone’s screen again. You will see a confirmation prompt. Use the Volume keys to navigate and select Unlock the bootloader, then press the Power button to confirm your selection.

4. Your device will now proceed to unlock the bootloader and perform a factory reset. It will then reboot automatically.

Note: Your device will now boot up with an unlocked bootloader. You might see a warning message on startup indicating this.

Step 5: Perform a Data Wipe from Recovery (Optional but Recommended)

While unlocking the bootloader performs a wipe, an additional wipe from recovery ensures no residual data interferes with the repair process.

1. After your device has rebooted from the bootloader unlock, ensure USB Debugging is re-enabled if it was turned off.

2. In the command window, type:
   fastboot reboot recovery

3. Once your phone boots into the Android Recovery menu, use the Volume buttons to navigate to Wipe data/factory reset.

4. Press the Power button to select it. Confirm the action when prompted.

5. After the wipe is complete, select Reboot system now.

Step 6: Temporarily Disable Antivirus/Windows Defender

The IMEI repair tool you are about to use modifies system files, which can sometimes be flagged as a false positive by antivirus software or Windows Defender. To prevent interference:

1. Before downloading or extracting the “Pixel 6 Network Fix Tool,” temporarily disable your antivirus software or Windows Defender. Remember to re-enable it after completing the repair process.

Step 7: Download and Extract the Pixel 6 Network Fix Tool

This specialized tool is crucial for generating the modified devinfo.img file.

1. Download the Pixel 6 Series Network Fix Tool from the provided link: Download From Here

2. Extract the contents of the downloaded ZIP file to a new, easily accessible folder on your desktop (e.g., “PixelFixTool”).

3. Navigate to the extracted folder. Right-click on the tool’s executable file (it might have an .exe extension) and select Run as administrator.

Step 8: Select Device Mode and Replace IMEI Using the Tool

Now, use the Network Fix Tool to prepare the necessary devinfo.img.

1. The Network Fix Tool interface will appear.

2. From the provided list, carefully select your specific device model: Pixel 6, 6a, or 6 Pro.

3. In the designated field, accurately enter your original IMEI number. Double-check for any typos. This IMEI should match the one found on your phone’s box or SIM tray.

4. Click the Replace IMEI button.

5. The tool will process your input and generate a modified devinfo.img file. This file will typically be saved within a subfolder specific to your device model inside the tool’s extracted directory. Make note of its location.

Step 9: Reboot to Bootloader Again

To flash the newly generated devinfo.img, your phone needs to be in bootloader mode once more.

1. Ensure USB Debugging is re-enabled on your phone if it turned off after the previous reboots.

2. Connect your phone to your PC via USB.

3. In your command window (the one opened in Step 2), type:
   adb reboot bootloader

Step 10: Flash the Modified devinfo.img

This step injects the corrected IMEI information into your device’s system.

1. In your command window, navigate to the directory where the modified devinfo.img file was saved by the Network Fix Tool (from Step 8). You can use the cd command (e.g., cd C:\PixelFixTool\Pixel6Pro if the file is in a subfolder). Alternatively, you can drag and drop the devinfo.img file into the command window after typing fastboot flash devinfo (note the space at the end) to automatically get its full path.

2. Execute the following command, replacing devinfo.img with the actual path if you didn’t navigate to the directory:
   fastboot flash devinfo devinfo.img

3. After the flashing process completes successfully, reboot your device:
   fastboot reboot

4. Once your phone has fully booted, open the dialer app and dial *#06#. Your original IMEI should now be displayed correctly. If it is, congratulations, your repair is successful!

Step 11: Contingency Plan – If IMEI Still Shows 000000000000000

In some rare instances, despite flashing the modified devinfo.img, the IMEI might still not appear correctly. This usually indicates that the Android 16 radio firmware is actively interfering with or blocking the devinfo modifications. In such a scenario, a temporary downgrade of the radio image is necessary.

Step 12: Download Android 15 Firmware (Specifically for Radio Image)

You only need the radio.img from an Android 15 factory image.

1. Navigate to the official Google Developers website for factory images:
   https://developers.google.com/android/images

2. Scroll down and locate your specific device model (Pixel 6, 6a, or 6 Pro).

3. Find and download the last stable Android 15 factory image for your device. It’s crucial to select an Android 15 version.

4. Once the factory image ZIP file is downloaded, extract its contents to a new folder on your PC. Within this extracted folder, locate the radio.img file. It will typically be in the main extracted directory or within a subfolder like images.

Step 13: Flash the Android 15 Radio Image

This step will temporarily downgrade your device’s radio firmware to an Android 15 version, allowing the devinfo modification to take effect.

1. Connect your phone to your PC and reboot it into bootloader mode again:
   adb reboot bootloader

2. In your command window, use the following command to flash the extracted Android 15/16 radio.img. Ensure you provide the full path to the radio.img file if it’s not in your current command window directory:
   fastboot flash radio C:\Path\To\Your\radio.img (Replace C:\Path\To\Your\radio.img with the actual path to the radio.img file you extracted in Step 12).

3. After the radio image has been successfully flashed, reboot your phone:
   fastboot reboot

4. Once your device fully boots, open the dialer and dial *#06#. Your IMEI should now be correctly restored and displayed.

Note: After successfully restoring the IMEI with the Android 15 radio, you may eventually be able to update your radio firmware back to Android 16 via a future OTA update or by manually flashing only the Android 16 radio.img from a new factory image. However, verify the IMEI remains stable before doing so.

Final Result: Pixel 6 series IMEI Repair Android 16

Upon successful completion of these steps, your Google Pixel 6, 6a, or 6 Pro should now exhibit the following:

• Normal booting sequence without issues.

• The correct original IMEI displayed when dialing *#06#.

• Full restoration of network connectivity, allowing calls, texts, and mobile data usage.

Essential Downloads:

Pixel 6 Network Fix Tool Specifications

Required Tools Table

Process Summary

Step by step Video Guide:

Troubleshooting Common Issues:

• Phone not detected by ADB/Fastboot:

  • Ensure the USB cable is securely connected and not faulty.
  • Try a different USB port on your PC.
  • Reinstall the Google USB Driver (linked above).
  • Verify USB Debugging is enabled on your phone.

• fastboot commands not working or device showing <waiting for device>:

  • Confirm your phone is truly in bootloader mode.
  • Ensure the platform-tools folder is correctly added to your system’s PATH, or that your command window is opened directly in the platform-tools directory.
  • Check for driver issues in Device Manager (Windows).

• IMEI still missing or incorrect after all steps:

  • Double-check that you entered the original IMEI correctly into the Network Fix Tool.
  • Ensure you selected the correct device model in the tool.
  • Verify that you flashed the modified devinfo.img and, if necessary, the Android 15 radio.img without errors.
  • Try a slightly older or different Android 15 radio image if one is available for your device model.

Conclusion:

The predicament of a missing IMEI on Google Pixel 6 series devices after an Android 16 update is a resolvable issue. By diligently following this comprehensive, step-by-step guide, which involves unlocking the bootloader, utilizing a custom devinfo.img, and potentially downgrading the radio firmware to Android 15, you can successfully restore your device’s functionality. Precision and careful execution of each step are paramount for a successful repair.

We hope this guide has proven invaluable in resolving your IMEI issue. For a visual aid and further clarification, we highly recommend checking out our full video tutorial available on YouTube.

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