What a serial number really tells you, what it no longer tells you, and the reliable ways to identify an Apple model.
On Macs built between 2010 and 2019, the serial number has 12 characters and encodes the place and date of manufacture. Enter it below: everything is worked out in your browser, nothing is sent or stored.
Since 2021, Apple has issued random 10-character serial numbers. They no longer contain a date, a factory or a model code - that was the whole point of the change. No tool can guess the model of a recent Mac from its serial number alone, and those that claim to rely on private databases that are often out of date.
On older 12-character numbers, the last four characters do identify the model, but Apple does not publish that mapping. We would rather show nothing than an approximate model: when ordering a part, a mistake is expensive.
Apple menu > About This Mac. The model and year are shown directly. For full details, click "More Info" or open the System Report.
From the command line, in Terminal:
system_profiler SPHardwareDataTypeThe serial number is engraved on the underside of laptops, on the back of the stand on iMacs, or under the base of Mac minis. On recent MacBooks it is in very small type along the bottom edge.
You have the serial number but not the model, and you need to order a part or get a quote? Send it to us. We identify the machine, its generation and what it can be upgraded to, and reply to you directly.
Several sites do identify a Mac from its serial number, and they succeed: they apply no calculation, they query a database. The model is often given free, while the detail - warranty, purchase date, lock status - is paid for, one lookup at a time. Two caveats: these feeds depend on Apple and are regularly cut off, and showing the MDM lock along with the owning company mainly serves those reselling stolen hardware. A serial number identifies a machine and its owner: do not post it anywhere.
Our dedicated Mac site sets out repairs by model, turnaround times and prices. We work on MacBook, iMac and Mac mini, in Lyon and the Rhône.
Automatic assistant: it can make mistakes. Never share a password or a card number.