How to Check the SAR Value of Your Mobile Phone (Radiation Guide)

How do you check SAR value of your mobile phone? SAR tells you how much radio frequency energy your body absorbs from a phone while it transmits. I first looked into it in 2013 when my new Nokia Lumia 720 came with a “SAR tick” sticker I had never seen before. In 2026 the quickest way is still a simple dialer code or a menu in Settings. Here is how to find your phone’s SAR, what the limits mean and what the latest research says.

Quick answer: On most Android phones, open the dialer and type *#07# to see the SAR value (this is mandatory for phones sold in India). On an iPhone, go to Settings, then General, then Legal & Regulatory, then RF Exposure. You can also check the manufacturer’s SAR page or the phone’s safety leaflet. Phones sold in India and the US must stay under 1.6 W/kg for the head.

What is SAR?

SAR stands for specific absorption rate, measured in watts per kilogram (W/kg). It is tested in a lab with the phone transmitting at full power against the head and body. In normal use, phones usually transmit at far lower power, especially with a good signal, so real exposure is lower than the tested maximum.

How to check SAR value of your phone

Android phones

1. Open the Phone app and dial *#07#. Samsung, Xiaomi, Realme, OnePlus, Vivo and others show head and body SAR values.
2. If the code does nothing, look in Settings, then About phone, then Legal or Safety information, or search Settings for “SAR”.

iPhone

Go to Settings > General > Legal & Regulatory > RF Exposure. Apple also publishes SAR figures for every model on its RF exposure page (external site).

Manufacturer websites and the box

Every manufacturer lists SAR in the safety leaflet or on its website. Enter your country and model to find it. This is how I found the Lumia’s figures back in 2013.

SAR limits around the world

The FCC (external site) notes that every approved phone meets its limit, and that SAR is a compliance test, not a ranking of which phone is “safer”. A phone with 0.9 W/kg is not meaningfully safer than one with 1.3 W/kg.

What is the SAR tick?

The SAR tick was a label created by the Mobile Manufacturers Forum to show a phone met international SAR standards. It appeared on some phones around 2013 but never became common, and today you will rarely see it. The *#07# code and the Settings menu are now the standard way to check.

Are mobile phones safe? What the research says

When we first wrote this, the WHO had classified radio frequency fields as “possibly carcinogenic” and called for more research. Since then, large studies have been reassuring. A 2024 systematic review commissioned by the World Health Organization (external site) found no link between mobile phone use and brain cancer, even with long-term use. Research continues, but current evidence does not show harm at exposure levels within the limits.

Simple ways to reduce exposure anyway

• Use the speakerphone or wired or Bluetooth earphones for long calls.
• Text or message instead of calling when you can.
• Avoid long calls when the signal is weak, because the phone transmits at higher power.
• Do not keep the phone pressed against your body all day.

FAQ

What is a good SAR value for a phone?

Any value under your country’s legal limit (1.6 W/kg in India and the US) is compliant. Lower numbers do not mean a phone is safer in practice.

Why does *#07# not work on my phone?

Some brands and carriers disable it. Check the Legal or Safety section in Settings, or the manufacturer’s website.

Is SAR higher with 5G?

5G phones must meet the same SAR limits. Actual exposure depends more on signal strength and how you hold the phone.