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Instructions on how to find the serial number for several computer models.
Getting the serial number of a computer.
Dell:
- Device label:
- Laptop: On the bottom of the device, look for 'Service Tag'.
- Desktop: On the top of the device, look for 'Service Tag'.
- On the box for the device, look for 'Service Tag'.
- Via a command prompt:
- Open a command prompt by using the Windows Search bar. Type into the search bar 'cmd' without quotes.
- Type in the command: 'wmic bios get serialnumber' without the quotes.
Mac:
- Apple Logo:
- Click on the Apple logo in the upper left corner.
- Click on "About This Mac".
- Look for "Serial Number".
- Via Terminal window:
- Open a "Finder" Window.
- Click on "Applications" under "Favorites" on the left.
- Click on "Utilities" on the right.
- Look for and click on "Terminal".
- Type in the command: 'ioreg -l | grep IOPlatformSerialNumber' without the quotes.
- On the box for the device, look for a label with the 'Serial Number'.
- Should have a bar code underneath.
- WiFi and Bluetooth MAC addresses will be listed on the label as well.
Hewlett Packard (HP):
- Laptop: On the bottom of the device, look for 'SN#'.
- Desktop: On the bottom of the device, look for 'SN#'. May not have 'SN#' listed.
- On the box for the device, look for 'SN#'.
- Open a command prompt by using the Windows Search bar. Type in 'cmd'.
- Type in the command: 'wmic bios get serialnumber' without the quotes.
- Please note that most HP desktops and laptop serial numbers start with '5CG' or 'MXL'.
Lenovo
- Laptop: On the bottom of the device, look for 'S/N' or 'SN'.
- Desktop: On the bottom of the device, look for 'S/N' or 'SN'.
- Open a command prompt by using the Windows Search bar. Type in 'cmd'.
- Type in the command: 'wmic bios get serialnumber' without the quotes.
Misc - For any PCs like MSI or Asus
- Open a command prompt by using the Windows Search bar. Type in 'cmd'.
- Type in the command: wmic bios get serialnumber' without the quotes.
- Please note that custom-built systems may not have a serial number. Most will not have one.
Linux
- Via Terminal window:
- Look for the "Terminal" application in the list of applications. Different between Linux distributions.
- Type in the command: 'sudo dmidecode -t system | grep Serial' without the quotes.
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