Sharing IMEI with Google Account for Warranty Claim

frustrated_android

The camera module for my Pixel 7 Pro was damaged and I'm attempting to submit a warranty claim. Something very interesting (and awesome) happened when I was chatting with Google support, they were not able to match my phone's IMEI with my Google account.

For context I'm running the lastest graphene with sandboxed Google play services installed and logged into said Google account. I also run various logged in Google apps. I have never booted or logged into my Google account on stock android on this device.

So normally this would be great news, Google has no connection between my device IMEI and my Google account. But in this case I actually need that connection because they refuse to proceed with the claim unless my Google account reflects my device IMEI. So this leads me to a very un-grapheneos question:

How can I reveal my IMEI to Google using grapheneos?

I'm sure the easy answer is "install stock android and login" but I'm trying to avoid that hassle when I'm not even certain if Google will accept my claim...and I'm looking at this as an educational experience. So any suggestions or advice here would be much appreciated. Thanks community!

Titan_M2

frustrated_android when I was chatting with Google support, they were not able to match my phone's IMEI with my Google account.

Why would they even need to have an account linked to a phone to get warrant support? What if the screen is broken and I can't login?

frustrated_android How can I reveal my IMEI to Google using grapheneos?

You may try to enable privileged eSIM management and start the procedure, even if you do not have an eSIM. It requires access to IMEI and IMSI so maybe that would link those to the account.

GrapheneOS

frustrated_android Regular apps can't access hardware identifiers. On GrapheneOS, Google Play is a regular sandboxed app. There's no way to grant hardware identifier access to regular apps. You'll just need to tell them your IMEI. Since you need to return the device anyway, you could just install the stock OS for this if you need to.

frustrated_android

You may try to enable privileged eSIM management and start the procedure, even if you do not have an eSIM.

Good idea. But I'm actually using esim now and have gone through the privileged esim setup on this device. So I'm not sure that's a solve.

I wonder if it's a sandboxed play services permission thing...I just couldn't figure out what permissions would do it.

Titan_M2

frustrated_android I wonder if it's a sandboxed play services permission thing...I just couldn't figure out what permissions would do it.

Yeah of course, with sandboxed google play, google services can't access hardware identifiers. The permission you would need to grand is READ_PRIVILEGED_PHONE_STATE, but only system apps can request it. You could try convincing support to get warrant without linked account.

frustrated_android

Thanks both for the helpful reply! And yes understood that is the permission needed, I did not know if it could be granted. Sounds like no, which is good. And yes, I provided support with my IMEI already but they refused the warranty claim because they could not confirm that IMEI was associated with my Google Account.

I was able to convince support by enabling "Find my device" and "registering" my phone with the find my device feature, in case someone ends up in the same situation this seemed to be the simplest workaround to avoid OS swapping.

This can be considered "solved"

de0u

frustrated_android I was able to convince support by enabling "Find my device" and "registering" my phone with the find my device feature, in case someone ends up in the same situation this seemed to be the simplest workaround to avoid OS swapping.

Thanks for reporting back! This information may be useful to other users.

drtweakllc

Sorry to dredge up an old post, but I'm dealing with this same issue right now. I have a Pixel 5A and it crashed, can't boot into GrapheneOS, can't factory reset etc. I've tried everything. I came to the conclusion it's a hardware issue. Haven't used the phone in months because I thought it was a lost cause, but I kept the phone. So I decided to see what Google would cover, all I wanted was a refurbished replacement. Contacted their support and initially they said they would give me a refurbished 7A, great. Then they hemmed and hawed stating that the phone isn't tied to my Google account, I explained I used GrapheneOS and never connected it to my account. Then they wanted proof I purchased the phone, which I bought used on FB Marketplace, the guy I bought it from only used it for a few weeks and sold it to me. I have emailed them a reciept of the purchase and waiting to hear back on what they will do, if anything. I guess the moral of the story is prior to installing GrapheneOS you should login once with your Google account, which I hate doing, giving them any more information about me than they need. But if it solves the warranty issue I guess it may be worth it. Has anyone else experienced this? If so how did you resolve the issue? I'm buying a used Pixel 7 Pro tomorrow so I guess I will login once with Google. In all my years being an IT Professional I have delt with so many computer companies i.e. Dell, HP, ASUS, Linksys, Netgear and have never had this much grief, every other company wants to keep you happy and issues you a replacement. For a comapny as big as Google you would think this would be a no-brainer.

nat

I wish there was a way to somehow forward IMEI to GMS, like a permission toggle. I have few devices at home which are eligible for a full refund under Pixel 6a Battery Performance Program, but ofc that one unit with GrapheneOS is problematic because Google won't process it because the IMEI isn't visible to Google.
Reflashing it to Stock just to do it is going to be a huge pain in the ass.
Since the device isn't meant to be sent to Google "Since you need to return the device anyway, you could just install the stock OS for this if you need to." argument doesn't really work in this case.

mitex

nat Did you buy the device from the Google Store?

hydraraptor81

nat
same here, this is their latest reply to me thus far,
"There is still no device activity on this account. We would need you to log into the device so we can see the device activity in DI for the IMEI on this email/account. This is still rejected until that happens.

If the battery is swollen and/or the phone cannot be started, please have a picture of the phone with the sim tray pulled out showing the IMEI on the tray in the picture."

They seem pretty insistent on having a google account logged in on stock OS, so far they are not aware that I am on GrapheneOS, I didn't want to complicate things and simply said I use my device without google accounts.

nat

mitex I bought it used, no idea what the previous owner did.

fph

Are you in the EU? If so, consider going full Karen on them. They can't refuse you a warranty claim or ask you to jump through extra hoops. The EU has a consumer dispute resolution platform that you can unleash on them.

Oggyo

Related to Pixel 6a’s battery discussion here, I would like to share my recent experience.

I decided to process via Determine if your device qualifies for the Pixel 6a Battery Performance Program (which requires G. sign-in) to find their claim they can't link my IMEI to the G. account I used to purchase my device. The procedure demanded to continue with more info and probably proof of purchase, but I didn't go forward.

Initially, I thought that was because they replaced my defective device in the 1st week, so the IMEI on the device differs from the IMEI on the order.google.com, and honestly, I expected this to reflect the purchase order. Anyway, now my device IMEI is different from the one on order.google.com, and I'll leave it this way. :)

Even more - my friend bought a P6a at the same time I did, also from G. store using the account logged in Play store - the same one used now in Pixel stock OS, never installed GrapheneOS. As expected in that case, the device IMEI matches the order in G. store. Following the same procedure above, G. again said "more information is required" because that IMEI is not connected with the G. account.

nat

I can confirm that on new GrapheneOS releases it's enough to set Google Messages as primary SMS app and then it's possible to go thru Pixel 6a Battery Performance Program.
Unfortunately in my case I have already tried to do it through support and after confirming IMEI it says that a support case is open and Google support wants me to send them payment proof which I don't have as the device was bought used. Once I'll have time I'll try to send them payment proof from auctions portal instead, maybe it'll work 😉