If you’re trying to figure out an issue with your PC hardware on Windows 11, you might need to locate your PC’s serial number. Whether it’s to reach out to tech support, download drivers, or check the warranty, the serial number is essential for you to know about.
Below, we’ll provide a step-by-step guide on identifying your PC’s serial number so that you can find it, make note of it, and use it when you need to.
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What is a PC Serial Number?
For PCs, a serial number is inside pre-built computers to help manufacturers identify them in case something goes wrong or someone reaches out for help.
If you have a computer you built yourself, you won’t have this for the PC as a whole, but for the individual parts you used. The number gives the manufacturer the ability to understand where and when the PC was made to see if there are any known issues with the model or batch, as well as information on warranty.
How To Find Your PC’s Serial Number
There are a few ways a serial number can be located on a computer.
Serial Number on a Functional Computer
If your computer is working and powered on, you can find your serial number by looking in your System Settings.
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Press the Windows Key + I on your keyboard to open your settings.
- Select System from the left-hand menu.
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At the very bottom of the System menu, select About.
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In the About menu, there is a bar that says Device Specifications. Click it to expand it, and your Serial Number will be listed in this information.
You Can Also Use the Command Prompt
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Press the Windows Key and search ‘cmd’ to find Command Prompt.
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This pulls up the Command Prompt black box with white text. Type in wmic bios get serialnumber and push Enter. This should reveal your serial number on the next line.
If you’re submitting a form that requires your serial number, you can copy and paste it from Command Prompt to your form.
Serial Number on a Nonfunctional Computer
In the case that your computer doesn’t turn on and you can’t access the settings, there should still be a serial number sticker somewhere on the PC. For a desktop computer, you will typically find this on a sticker on the back panel, top, or side of the tower.
On a laptop, this sticker would typically be found on the underside of the computer. If you turn it over and don’t see one, it may be under the battery, meaning you’d have to remove it to find it.
On the sticker, it may be labeled as S/N or Service Tag instead of Serial Number.
Serial Number on Packaging
If you still have the box your computer came in, there may be a sticker on or in the box that has a Serial Number listed on it as well.
Looking for more hardware guides across consoles and PCs? Check out some of these guides that might help improve your tech:
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