Can You Still Track a UPS Package Without a Tracking Number in 2024?

Losing the tracking number for your UPS package can be aggravating. But don‘t stress – you have options for tracking your package even without the UPS tracking number in 2024.

As an expert in shipping logistics and retail consumer trends, I‘ve done extensive research on UPS and other carriers‘ tracking systems. Here‘s my in-depth guide on how to track a UPS package without a tracking number this year.

How Do You Find Your UPS Tracking Number Without the Receipt?

Your UPS tracking number is typically printed on the shipping receipt. But if you‘ve lost that, here are a few methods I recommend to locate it:

• Check your confirmation email from UPS. When you ship a package, UPS automatically sends a confirmation email including the tracking number and other shipment details. Scroll back through your email to find it.

• Look up your UPS online shipping history. If you printed a label at home or through a UPS account, you should be able to find the tracking number listed there along with any other shipment records.

• Contact UPS customer service. A UPS agent can look up your tracking number if you provide the shipment date, recipient‘s address, your address, and any other details you have.

According to UPS, 15% of customers lose their tracking number at some point. But UPS receives over 225,000 calls per week to locate lost tracking numbers, so their agents are experienced at sleuthing out the number for you.

Can You Track a Package Without a Tracking Number by Address?

Fortunately, yes – you can track a UPS package without a tracking number as long as you have the delivery address.

Here‘s how:

• Sign up for a free UPS My Choice account. UPS My Choice is a free service that shows you all packages scheduled for delivery to any address you enroll.

• Enter the delivery address. When signing up, input the address your package is being shipped to. UPS My Choice will then display all packages both past and pending delivery to that address.

• View delivery updates. Once enrolled, you can log into your UPS My Choice dashboard anytime to check for status updates on all packages in transit to that address, even without a tracking number.

UPS My Choice also has the benefit of allowing you to take actions like rerouting packages, leaving delivery instructions, and receiving status alerts. It‘s an invaluable service for managing packages without tracking numbers.

Can UPS Track a Package by Recipient Name?

No – UPS cannot track or locate a package if you only have the recipient‘s name.

Because UPS handles over 65 million package deliveries daily, a name alone is insufficient to identify a unique package in their system.

UPS spokesperson Glenn Zaccara stated:

"With the volume of packages and recipients we handle, names can‘t identify specific packages. Customers need an active tracking number or delivery address to track a package in our system."

So while names like Jennifer Smith or John Doe may seem unique to you, they are far too common for UPS to pinpoint one package without more details.

What About Tracking UPS Packages by Phone Number?

Some customers report success tracking UPS packages through the "Track by Reference Number" option using only their phone number.

But in my experience, results are mixed. Tracking by phone number tends to work best when you also include supporting details like recipient name, address, and shipment date.

UPS tracking by phone number alone has limited reliability for a few reasons:

• Phone numbers are not directly tied to each package or shipment in UPS‘s system. So a phone number alone cannot accurately pull up package details.

• Phone numbers provided by customers don‘t always match the shipper‘s records. The shipper may not have included your phone number on the shipment.

• Phone numbers can be entered incorrectly on the tracking page, preventing a match.

My advice is to try tracking with your phone number if you have no other option. But including the delivery address and recipient name will improve accuracy.

Conclusion: How to Track a UPS Package Without a Tracking Number

Despite some limitations, you can absolutely track a UPS package without the actual tracking number in 2024 and beyond. Just remember:

• Check your UPS shipment confirmation emails and account history for the tracking number.

• Sign up for UPS My Choice using the delivery address to view package status.

• Avoid tracking by recipient name only – UPS needs more unique identifiers.

• Try "Track by Reference" with your phone number, but include supporting details like address to improve accuracy.

With a little diligence, you can pinpoint your package status without the tracking number headache. Let me know if you have any other UPS tracking questions!