Serial numbers seem to be boring. That is, until you find that you need the serial number of your laptop or smartphone to file a warranty claim, get help from the manufacturer, report theft, or get your stolen device back. After that, it turns into a terrible pain.
Lucky for us, we can find a serial number by running a simple command, looking at system information, looking for physical labels, or reading other papers.
Use Operating System Tools to find the serial number
Asking your laptop’s operating system for the serial number is the easiest way to find it, as long as your laptop is fully functional and you’re not having any problems with identification.
Windows:
You can easily get the serial number by typing a program into Prompt. Here’s how the process works:
- Now Enter the term “Command Prompt” into the Windows search bar.
- To run the Command Prompt as an administrator, right-click on the app and choose “Run as administrator.
- Type in the next command:
wmic bios get serialnumber- Press Enter
If the Command Prompt tool can’t show the serial number, it can be found in System Information. Keyboard shortcut Win+R, type “msinfo32,” and then press Enter. Then, go to the System Summary pane and look for the serial number among the other details it shows.
macOS
You can find out your Mac’s serial number by running a simple command in Terminal. Now all you have to do is follow these steps:
- Press Command+Space to get to Spotlight search.
- Type “Terminal” and press “Enter.”
- Type the following code into the Terminal:
system_profiler SPHardwareDataType | grep "Serial Number"- Press Enter.
You can also click on the Apple sign in the top left corner and choose “About This Mac.” macOS will show your device’s serial number along with other system details.
Similar to this, if you use the Linux operating system, it’s easy to find the serial number of your Linux gadget.
Please verify the serial number on the physical label.
If you need help from the maker because your laptop’s hardware is broken, you can find the serial number by looking at the labels.
Most of the time, the serial number is written on a label on the bottom of the laptop. Look for a sticker on the laptop’s bottom. Now if you find a serial number, it will be shown.
If there is no sign on the bottom of your laptop, check to see if the battery can be taken out and replaced. If it does, take out the battery. The serial number is probably written inside the battery box.
Find out what the device’s serial number is
Unfortunately, if your device has been stolen and you can’t use any of the above ways, you can still find out the serial number of the stolen device.
If you remember your laptop’s model number, you can go to the maker’s website, type in the number, and the serial number that goes with it will show up. It is important to keep in mind, though, that not all manufacturers offer this option.
You could also look for the bill or ticket from the store where you bought the laptop. Most of the time, the serial number is included. If you can’t find the bill or ticket, look for the plastic wrap that your laptop came in when it was shipped. On the sticker of the package, there is often a serial number written.
If you registered your laptop with the maker, you can log in to your account and find the serial number. Last but not least, guarantee or service plan paperwork may have a serial number on it.
You should be able to find your laptop’s serial number using one of the above ways, even if it’s been stolen. Write down the serial number so that you can find it again if you need it for technical help, warranty coverage, or any other reason, even if you are not checking it for a specific reason.