[GH-ISSUE #5509] Provide a unique device identifier for Android and iOS clients #10687

New Issue

saavagebueno · 2026-08-05T01:26:54-04:00

saavagebueno commented

2026-08-05 01:26:54 -04:00

Originally created by @reickbao on GitHub (Mar 5, 2026).
Original GitHub issue: https://github.com/netbirdio/netbird/issues/5509

Currently, the NetBird client on Windows and macOS reports device information such as the device serial number, which allows administrators to uniquely identify and manage devices.

However, on Android and iOS, the client does not seem to report a comparable identifier. As a result, it is difficult to uniquely distinguish or track mobile devices in environments where device-level management is required.

It would be very helpful if the mobile clients could report a stable and unique device identifier, similar to what is available on desktop platforms. This could be something like:
• a device UUID
• a system-provided unique device identifier
• another stable identifier that uniquely represents the device

The goal is to allow administrators to identify and manage devices more reliably, for example:
• distinguishing between multiple devices belonging to the same user
• applying device-specific policies
• auditing or tracking device access

Ideally, this identifier should remain stable across client restarts and reconnections, while still respecting the privacy and security constraints of the Android and iOS platforms.

This feature would significantly improve device management capabilities for mobile clients.

Originally created by @reickbao on GitHub (Mar 5, 2026). Original GitHub issue: https://github.com/netbirdio/netbird/issues/5509 Currently, the NetBird client on Windows and macOS reports device information such as the device serial number, which allows administrators to uniquely identify and manage devices. However, on Android and iOS, the client does not seem to report a comparable identifier. As a result, it is difficult to uniquely distinguish or track mobile devices in environments where device-level management is required. It would be very helpful if the mobile clients could report a stable and unique device identifier, similar to what is available on desktop platforms. This could be something like: • a device UUID • a system-provided unique device identifier • another stable identifier that uniquely represents the device The goal is to allow administrators to identify and manage devices more reliably, for example: • distinguishing between multiple devices belonging to the same user • applying device-specific policies • auditing or tracking device access Ideally, this identifier should remain stable across client restarts and reconnections, while still respecting the privacy and security constraints of the Android and iOS platforms. This feature would significantly improve device management capabilities for mobile clients.

saavagebueno added the feature-request label 2026-08-05 01:26:54 -04:00

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Reference: DYNR/netbird#10687