Remember that scene in War Games once the socially broken code monkeys were explaining to aspiring hacker Matthew Broderick all regarding "back doors" (i.e. secret pathways planted by programmers)? Well, that is truly a issue.
Coders have a storied tradition of baking on the Q.T. passageways (or generally, simply fun very little Easter eggs) that may solely be accessed by inputting a special "key." so that tradition continues within the mobile age.
Unstructured Supplementary Service knowledge (USSD)—sometimes referred to as "quick codes" or "feature codes"—is associate degree extra-UI protocol, that permits folks to access hidden options. This protocol was originally created for GSM phones, however will be found on CDMA devices yet (if that is a bunch of form meaninglessness to you, here's a fast primer).
READ: fifteen Cool Tricks You did not grasp Your Phone's Camera may Do
These in public offered backchannels enable users to directly communicate with their service provider's computers and/or access back-end options in their device. they're accessed by inputting them into the phone's dialer (the screen you employ to start out a phone call) and typically begin and finish with the * or # keys with a sequence of numbers in between (there's close-to-zero likelihood that anyone would accidentally access them).
They're not really sensible. the general public do not actually need to grasp however their native cell towers area unit acting or what their IMEI range is (more thereon later). Still, it will be fun to manipulate and see what sudden practicality your phone is concealing at a lower place the surface.
We would like to give you with a comprehensive list of the handfuls of codes out there, however that will be associate degree exercise in inutility. These codes rarely work across totally different carriers, OSes, or phone models (or even on generations of identical model).
If you actually wish to undertake them out, your best bet could also be to Google your phone's create and carrier + "USSD" for a tailored, comprehensive list. I tried variety of codes mistreatment associate degree iPhone SE (while commercialism out varied carrier SIM cards) additionally to a Galaxy S5 and Galaxy S7 Edge running on AT&T. a number of them worked! check up on the list below for thirteen codes that I will ensure worked on a minimum of one device. smart luck and have fun!
1. Field Mode: *3001#12345#*
Type *3001#12345#* into your phone's dialer so press the inexperienced decision button to access "Field Mode," which may provide you with access to data regarding native networks and cell towers.
You'll probably ne'er ever have to be compelled to fathom your native cell tower's "Measured RSSi," however it's fun to appear around for a touch.
2. General check Mode: *#0*#
I may solely get this to figure on robot. however this prompts a library of various phone operations, that can be operated with one push (e.g. Sleep, Front Cam, Vibration).
3. show your IMEI: *#06#
Here's a code that I noted doesn't work with Verizon on associate degree iPhone, however I may create it work when shift to a T-Mobile SIM. It additionally worked on my robot AT&T device yet. To access it, sort within the on top of code, so the inexperienced decision button to prompt your IMEI range (or your International Mobile Station instrumentation Identity range, however you already knew that).
The IMEI is exclusive to your device. Among alternative things, the amount will facilitate "blacklist" taken devices or facilitate with client support.
4. Check Your decision Forwarding: *#67#
This code permits you to ascertain that range your phone is presently forwarding decisions to once you are busy or reject a call.
By default, this is often in all probability your carrier's voicemail service, however you'll modification it to forward to a special range (a home range, workplace range, or third-party responsive service for example). On associate degree iPhone, you'll modification this range by about to Settings > Phone > telephone. On robot (varies from system to system), faucet the Phone app > hamburger icon > Settings > decision > a lot of Settings > telephone
5. Get Even a lot of data on decision Forwarding: *#61#
On my Galaxy phone, this code prompted a pop-up that permit ME shrewdness long till a decision is forwarded to the message center. On the iPhone, despite carrier, this code simply showed ME identical data as *#67# .
6. Check Your offered Minutes: *646#
Apparently this one solely works on prepaid plans. i used to be ineffective to induce it to figure on my check iPhone (regardless of carrier; i attempted three), however I did savvy to figure on my Galaxy phone (which happens to possess a vast texting arrange from AT&T). rather than showing the data on a brand new screen, it sent my phone a text message.
7. Check Your Bill Balance: *225#
Once again, i could not get this one to figure on the iPhone, however on robot I did savvy to prompt a SMS message with my current balance due.
8. Hide Your Phone From Caller ID: #31#
I may solely get this to figure on robot. however getting into this code prompted a pop-up stating that my caller ID had been disabled. so as to re-instate caller ID, enter *31# .
9. Check Your asking Cycle: *3282#
Once again, I may solely get this to figure on robot. It prompted associate degree SMS message with my asking data.
10. SMS Message Center: *5005*7672#
This code can tell you your SMS message center range. I even have no plan why you'd want that data, however there ya go.
11. Activate decision Waiting: *43#
This code can activate decision waiting; you'll deactivate it by getting into #43#
12. fast check Menu (Samsung Galaxy Only) *#7353#
As so much as I will tell, this code solely works on Samsung Galaxy models
