AllTroubleshoot

How to Track a Package Without a Tracking Number

Tracking numbers can get lost — buried in email threads, accidentally deleted, or simply never written down. But the tracking number is almost always retrievable from the account or platform where the label was purchased. Here's how to find it for each carrier and each common purchase method so you can get back to tracking your package.

Step-by-step

1
Check your email for the shipment confirmation
Search your inbox for 'shipping confirmation,' 'tracking number,' the carrier name (USPS, UPS, FedEx, DHL), or the recipient's name. Most shipping platforms send an email with the tracking number embedded. Check spam/junk folders too — carrier emails sometimes filter there.
2
Log into the account where you bought the label
USPS Click-N-Ship: usps.com/ship/online → Shipping History. UPS.com: Shipping → My Recent Shipments. FedEx Ship Manager: Ship → Ship History. Pirate Ship: Shipments tab. Etsy/eBay/Amazon: Order detail page → Shipping section. The tracking number is always stored with the label.
3
For USPS: use Informed Delivery
USPS Informed Delivery (informeddelivery.usps.com) shows all mail and packages headed to your address with tracking info — useful if you're the recipient expecting a package and the sender didn't share a tracking number.
4
For UPS: use My UPS account or reference number
If the shipper gave you a reference number (order number, invoice number), track at ups.com/track using 'Reference Number' instead of tracking number. This works if the sender included a reference during label creation.
5
Contact the shipping platform or marketplace
If you sold on eBay, Etsy, Amazon, or another marketplace, the tracking number is recorded in the order. The buyer or seller can look it up in order history. For business accounts, ask the account manager — shipping platforms retain complete shipment records.

Good to know

•USPS tracking numbers are always 20–22 digits and start with specific prefixes (94, 92, 420, etc.). If someone gives you one of these numbers verbally, that's a valid USPS tracking number.
•UPS tracking numbers are 18 digits and start with '1Z'. FedEx tracking numbers are 12 or 15 digits. DHL tracking numbers are 10 digits starting with specific prefixes.
•Third-party shipping platforms (Pirate Ship, ShipStation, Shippo) retain your entire shipping history — even if you've lost the original email, you can recover tracking numbers from their dashboard.

Frequently asked questions

Can I track USPS with just a name and address?

Not via the public tracking tool — USPS requires a tracking number. However, USPS Informed Delivery subscribers can see all packages incoming to their address. If you're the recipient, sign up for Informed Delivery.

What if the label was created by someone else and they don't have the tracking number?

Ask them to check their email, their shipping platform account (Pirate Ship, eBay, etc.), or the original purchase receipt. Most shipping platforms retain tracking numbers in account history for months.

Is it possible the package has no tracking?

USPS First Class Package and Retail Ground include tracking at no extra cost. However, very old letters or packages sent without a tracking-included service may not have tracking. If postage was bought at a physical counter without a label, a receipt may have the tracking number.

Can I call the carrier to track by address?

Carriers generally won't release package information by address alone for privacy reasons. They need the tracking number or the account under which the label was purchased. Exception: UPS My Choice members can see incoming packages to their address.