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Is there a unique Android device ID?

Do Android devices have a unique ID, and if so, what is a simple way to access it using Java?

Answer*

It's a simple question, with no simple answer.

Moreover, all of the existing answers here are either out of date or unreliable. 

So **if you're searching for a solution after 2020**.



Here are a few things to keep in mind:

All the hardware-based identifiers (IMEI, MAC, Serial Number, etc.) are unreliable for non-google devices (except Pixels and Nexuses), which are statistically [most of the android active devices worldwide][1]. Therefore official [Android identifiers best practices][2] clearly states:

>  **Avoid using hardware identifiers**, such as IMEI, MAC address, etc...

Which makes most of the answers here invalid. Also due to different android security updates, some of them require newer and stricter runtime permissions, which can be simply denied by the user.

For example `CVE-2018-9489` affects all the WIFI based techniques mentioned above. 

That makes those identifiers not only unreliable but also inaccessible in many cases.

 
So in simpler words: **don't use those techniques**.



Many other answers here are suggesting to use the `AdvertisingIdClient`, which is also incompatible, as it's by design only for ads profiling. It's also stated in the [official reference][2]     
> **Only use an Advertising ID for user profiling or ads use cases** 

It's not only unreliable for device identification, but you also must follow the [user privacy regarding ad tracking][3] policy, which states clearly that users can reset or block it at any moment.

So **don't use it either**.


Since you cannot have the desired static globally unique and reliable device identifier. Android's official reference suggests: 
> **Use a Firebase installation ID (FID) or a privately stored GUID** whenever possible for all other use cases, except for payment fraud prevention and telephony.

It's unique for the application installation on the device, so when the user uninstalls the app - it's wiped out, so it's not 100% reliable, but it's the next best thing. 

**Note** As of today the `FirebaseInstanceId` is deprecated, you should use `FirebaseInstallations` instead.

To use `FirebaseInstallations` add the [latest firebase-messaging dependency][4] into your gradle

    implementation 'com.google.firebase:firebase-messaging:23.0.0'

 
And use the code below to get the firebase ID:

    
    FirebaseInstallations.getInstance().getId().addOnCompleteListener(task -> {
         if (task.isSuccessful()) {
            String firebaseIdentifier = task.getResult();
            // Do what you need with firebaseIdentifier
         }
    });

If you need to store the device identification on your remote server, then don't store it as is (plain text), but a [hash with salt][5].

Today it's not only a best practice, you actually must do it by law according to [GDPR - identifiers][6] and similar regulations.


  [1]: https://www.appbrain.com/stats/top-manufacturers
  [2]: https://developer.android.com/training/articles/user-data-ids
  [3]: https://play.google.com/about/monetization-ads/ads/#!?zippy_activeEl=ad-id#ad-id
  [4]: https://firebase.google.com/support/release-notes/android#latest_sdk_versions
  [5]: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Salt_(cryptography)
  [6]: https://gdpr.eu/eu-gdpr-personal-data/

Edit Summary*

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Could you specify what section of the GDPR link you posted actually mentions the requirement for hashing IDs?

David Schneider
– David Schneider

2020-07-21 09:55:24 +00:00
Commented Jul 21, 2020 at 9:55
1

@DavidSchneider the web-content is dynamic in its nature and the GDPR is just one of the examples, please note I've written " GDPR and similar regulations ", as there are many local and global regulations which affect your product / system / field. In any case the GDPR sections, that you are looking for are: Identification, Online identifiers and Data protection principles

Nikita Kurtin
– Nikita Kurtin

2020-07-21 10:39:25 +00:00
Commented Jul 21, 2020 at 10:39
1

using com.google.firebase:firebase-messaging:23.0.0 can't find the FirebaseInstanceId method. In 2022 use FirebaseMessaging.getInstance().getToken()

WHOATEMYNOODLES
– WHOATEMYNOODLES

2022-01-20 05:46:06 +00:00
Commented Jan 20, 2022 at 5:46
3

@famfamfam Because tracking devices is a privacy and security threat against users. There are no legitimate cases that call for it, so there is no reason to make it possible. Hw ids turned out to be mistakes and Google is slowly fixing them.

Agent_L
– Agent_L

2022-02-14 13:12:21 +00:00
Commented Feb 14, 2022 at 13:12
1

@esentis This is a separate question. According to the policy of stackoverflow, it should be asked separately. Anyway, keep in mind that managing demos / trial versions can have business impact on your product, so I don't think there is one solution to match all cases.

Nikita Kurtin
– Nikita Kurtin

2024-03-24 07:57:27 +00:00
Commented Mar 24, 2024 at 7:57

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Is there a unique Android device ID?

Answer*