Where to find your serial number.

Two reasons.

It tells me which device you have. Apple sells several versions of the same phone in the same year, and they don’t take the same parts. People tell me “iPhone 15” all the time when it’s really a 15 Plus, or a Pro. The serial number removes the guessing, so I order the right part the first time instead of ordering twice and billing you for the wait.

It keeps your device fully working after the repair. Apple pairs certain parts to the specific device they ship in, including screens, batteries and cameras. Genuine parts have to be matched to your serial number so everything keeps working the way it should: True Tone, Face ID, battery health, and no nagging warnings in Settings. Skip that step and you end up with a repair that works but loses features.

On Android phones, laptops and consoles the pairing is less strict, but the first reason still stands: the serial number tells me which model and version you have, so the right part arrives the first time.

Your serial number is safe to send me. It only tells me the model, the configuration and the warranty status. It gives nobody access to your device, your Apple Account, or anything on it. That said, don’t post it publicly.

Settings → General → About.

Open Settings, tap General, then tap About. Scroll down a few lines and you’ll see Serial Number. Touch and hold it to copy, then paste it into the quote form or a text to me.

This is the same on every version of iOS for the last several years, so it doesn’t matter how old your software is. On much older versions the line might sit a little further down the list, but it’s on that same About screen.

If the phone won’t turn on: check the barcode label on the original box, or sign in at account.apple.com and look under Devices. Many older iPhones also have the IMEI printed on the SIM tray or engraved on the back. The IMEI works just as well for identifying the model, so send whichever you can find.

Settings → General → About.

Same path as an iPhone. Open Settings, tap General, then About, and look for Serial Number. Touch and hold to copy it.

If it won’t turn on: most iPads have the serial number engraved in small text on the back near the bottom. It’s also on the original box, or in your device list at account.apple.com.

Apple menu → About This Mac.

Click the Apple logo in the top-left corner of the screen, then About This Mac. What you see next depends on how old your macOS is:

macOS Ventura (2022) and newer: the window that opens lists the chip, the memory and the serial number right there. You can also go to System Settings → General → About.

macOS Monterey (2021) and older: the same About This Mac window opens on an Overview tab, with the serial number on the last line under the model name.

If it won’t boot: on a laptop, close it and look at the small text on the underside near the hinge. On a desktop it’s on the bottom or the back. It’s also on the original box and in your device list at account.apple.com.

Easiest from your iPhone.

On your iPhone: open the Watch app, tap My Watch at the bottom, then General, then About. Scroll to Serial Number.

On the watch itself: open Settings on the watch, tap General, then About, and scroll down. The screen is small, so scroll slowly.

If it won’t turn on: slide the band off and look in the band slot, or check the back of the case. On most models it’s engraved in one of those two places, in very small text. A phone camera in macro mode helps.

Through the Home app.

Open the Home app on your iPhone or iPad, press and hold the HomePod, then tap the settings gear at the bottom of the screen. Scroll to the bottom and the serial number is listed with the software version.

On the speaker itself: lift it up and look at the bottom. It’s printed in small text underneath, near the regulatory markings. It’s also on the original box.

Settings → About phone.

Open Settings and tap About phone (on a tablet, About tablet). Every brand words the next step a little differently. On a Samsung it is under Status information. On a Pixel it is under Model. On most others, look for Status or Hardware information.

The quick way: open the phone app and dial *#06#. Your IMEI shows up straight away, and that works just as well. It also works on an iPhone.

If it won’t turn on: check the label on the original box, or the SIM tray, where some phones print the IMEI.

A sticker on the bottom, or one line in PowerShell.

Turn the laptop over. Almost every manufacturer prints the serial number on a label on the underside. Dell calls it the Service Tag. On a desktop, look on the back or the side of the case.

If the label has worn off and the computer still turns on, open PowerShell from the Start menu, paste this line, and press Enter:

Get-CimInstance Win32_BIOS | Select-Object SerialNumber

In the settings, or on a sticker.

PlayStation 5: Settings → System → System Software → Console Information.

Xbox: Settings → System → Console info.

Nintendo Switch: System Settings → System → Serial Information.

If it won’t turn on: every console has the serial number on a sticker, usually on the back or the bottom, and on the original box.