How to check if a Samsung phone is original
Short answer: dial *#06# and match the IMEI with Settings and the box, run Samsung Members, Phone diagnostics, then check the hardware. A real Galaxy S24 Ultra has a Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 for Galaxy, an AMOLED screen and the storage it claims; copies usually have an old MediaTek chip, an LCD screen and much less storage.
Galaxy phones, the Ultra models most of all, are the most copied Android phones. Copies can show "Samsung" everywhere in their software. These checks look past the name.
1. Match the IMEI in three places
Dial *#06#, then compare the numbers with Settings, About phone and with the label on the box. They must match. Remember that a copy can carry a real phone's IMEI, so a match is needed but is not enough.
2. Run Samsung's own tests
- Samsung Members: open the app and find Phone diagnostics. It tests the battery, touch screen, sensors, cameras, buttons and more, and shows the battery status.
- *#0*#: on many Galaxy phones this opens a test menu: Red, Green and Blue for the screen, Touch (the grid turns green where it feels your finger), Receiver, Vibration and Sensor. Some models and carrier versions block it; that alone says nothing about whether the phone is original. Press Back to leave.
3. Do the black screen test
Galaxy S, Note and Z phones and mid-range Galaxy A phones use AMOLED screens; some of the cheapest A models use LCD, so look up the model first. In a dark room, open a full black picture at full brightness. An AMOLED screen is completely black; an LCD glows grey because of its backlight. Most copies of the S Ultra use LCD.
4. Check the processor and graphics chip
| Model | Processor | Graphics |
|---|---|---|
| Galaxy S23 Ultra | Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 for Galaxy | Adreno 740 |
| Galaxy S24 Ultra | Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 for Galaxy | Adreno 750 |
| Galaxy S25 Ultra | Snapdragon 8 Elite for Galaxy | Adreno 830 |
| Galaxy A55 | Exynos 1480 | Xclipse 530 |
| Galaxy A35 | Exynos 1380 | Mali-G68 |
A phone sold as a Galaxy S Ultra that shows a MediaTek or Unisoc chip is not one. Some copies patch the name that apps read, so also look at the number of cores, their speeds and the graphics chip, which are harder to fake.
5. Prove the storage size
Copies sold as 512 GB or 1 TB often hold a small part of that. Data written past the real size is lost. Only writing data and reading it back proves the size (see fake storage check).
6. On an Ultra, pull out the S Pen
The S23, S24 and S25 Ultra keep the S Pen inside the phone. When you pull it out, a real Ultra opens the Air command menu (unless the owner turned it off). Many copies come with a plain stylus that does nothing.
Knowfone does steps 3 to 5 on its own in about 7 minutes: it reads the real processor, graphics chip and memory, compares them with the model the phone claims to be, proves the storage size, measures the real refresh rate and asks the security chip for a signed answer checked up to Google's root. Then it tests every other part and gives a plain answer.
More: original or clone, for any brand and test codes for other brands.
Questions
What is the Samsung code to check if a phone is original?
Dial *#06# to see the IMEI and compare it with Settings and the box. Many Galaxy phones also open a hardware test menu with *#0*#. No code alone proves a phone is original; check the processor, screen and storage too.
Does *#0*# work on every Samsung phone?
No. It opens the test menu on many Galaxy phones, but some models and carrier versions block it. If it does nothing, that alone does not mean the phone is a copy. Samsung Members, Phone diagnostics, is the official alternative.
How can I tell a fake Galaxy S24 Ultra?
A real S24 Ultra has a Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 for Galaxy with an Adreno 750 graphics chip, an AMOLED screen that is fully black in the dark, the storage it claims and a built-in S Pen that opens Air command when pulled out. Copies usually have an old MediaTek chip, an LCD screen and far less storage.
Can a fake Samsung pass an IMEI check?
Yes. Some copies carry the IMEI of a real phone, so the number checks out while the phone does not. Use the IMEI check together with a hardware check.
Real specs of each model: S24 Ultra, S23 Ultra, S24, A15, A05 and more.