One of the best parts of modern shipping services like UPS is the tracking feature, which allows you to keep an eye on your package while it makes its way to its final destination.
But what happens if you lose your UPS tracking number- can you still track your package? If you’d like to find out, continue reading to see what I learned!
Can You Track a UPS Package Without a Tracking Number In 2024?
You can track a UPS package without a tracking number by making a free UPS My Choice account with the receiving address of the package you want to track, or you can use the ‘Track by Reference’ feature. However, you cannot track a package by using only the name of the recipient in 2024.
If you’ve lost your tracking number and need to find it or find an alternative way to track your UPS package, be sure to check out the rest of the article for more useful facts!
How Do You Find Your UPS Tracking Number Without a Receipt?
The easiest way to track your UPS package is by using the tracking number.
Your tracking number is typically located on the receipt you receive from UPS when you ship a package- but if you’ve lost your receipt, there are other ways to locate your tracking number as well.
One way you can find your tracking number is by looking at the confirmation email UPS sends when you ship a package.
The confirmation email you’ve received should list your tracking number along with all of the other pertinent information, such as the recipient and their address as well as the shipping method selected.
Another way you can find your tracking number without the paper receipt is by using the online label record.
If you printed out your label online, you should have access to a copy of it through the UPS website or your email.
If you’re still unable to find your tracking number for your UPS package, or just don’t seem to have one, there are still other tracking options available as long as you have enough information!
Can You Track a UPS Package Just By Address?
You can track a UPS package just by the address, as long as you’re the recipient of the package and not the sender, because it involves creating a UPS My Choice account using the address the package is destined to arrive at.
You can make a free UPS My Choice account by visiting the UPS My Choice site here and filling out all of the required information.
UPS My Choice will then create a list of all past and current packages that are set to arrive at the address you signed up under and allow you to track them individually.
UPS My Choice also comes with other great benefits for tracking packages, such as delivery alerts and the ability to request that your packages be rerouted or held if you’re not home or on vacation.
Can You Track a UPS Package Just By Name?
While there are plenty of ways to track your package without a tracking number, UPS does not allow for packages to be tracked only by name.
One reason for this rule is because a name alone is not enough information- UPS handles, on average, 15.8 million packages a day, and there’s no way to differentiate between all of the John Smiths of the world without more information.
Another reason UPS doesn’t track packages by name alone is for security reasons.
If anyone on the internet could call UPS requesting information on a package intended for anyone, there would likely be a lot more issues involving stolen packages or wrongfully rerouted packages.
Can You Track a UPS Package Just By Phone Number?
While it’s possible to track a UPS package by phone number, it doesn’t always work.
This method tends to have mixed reviews depending on who you ask, however, there are some people who swear by it.
In theory, to track a package by phone number alone, you would first have to visit the tracking page on the UPS website, which can be found here.
Once you’ve found the tracking site, click on the “Track By Reference Number” link, which can be found on the left-hand side of the page.
In the “shipment reference” space, type in your phone number and then fill out the rest of the information as accurately as possible.
Once all of your information is entered and the form is submitted, you should receive a tracking update on your package.
As mentioned earlier, this method has some mixed reviews, so be sure to check out the reviews underneath the article on this site to see if this method will work for you.
To learn more, you can also see our posts on what does “destination scan” mean in UPS, UPS jewelry shipping, and what does “in transit” mean in UPS.
Conclusion
UPS offers several alternative tracking methods if you’ve lost or cannot access your tracking numbers, such as creating a free UPS My Choice account, which shows you all past and current packages associated with the address attached to your account.
However, you cannot track your package by name alone for security and clarity reasons, and there are mixed reviews about tracking your package via phone number using the “Track By Reference Number” feature on the UPS website.
