Apple serial number check

In short: enter the serial number of an iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple Watch or AirPods. For an old-format serial (11–12 characters, devices made before 2021) we show the model, the year and week of manufacture and the factory. For a new one (10 characters) we explain why it cannot be decoded and show how to find the model by its A#### number and where to check coverage with Apple.

The number is decoded in your browser and is not sent anywhere. You can also enter a model number (A2849) or the part number from Settings (MLPF3LL/A).

If your serial is in the new format (10 characters)

1. Find the model by its A#### number. Settings → General → About, tap the Model Number row: instead of MLPF3LL/A you will see a number like A2849. Enter it above and we will show the model and the year it came out.
2. Check coverage and authenticity with Apple. checkcoverage.apple.com shows the model, the purchase date (if the device is activated) and the warranty status for a serial number. It is the only check you can trust: third-party sites do not get Apple’s data.
3. Match the IMEI. Cellular iPhones and iPads also have an IMEI: our IMEI check decodes the model from it. The model from the IMEI, from the A#### number and in the listing should all match.

How to use it

1. Find the serial number in Settings or on the box (see the hint under the field).
2. Type it in: case, spaces and dashes do not matter.
3. Press Check. An old serial shows the model, date and factory; a new one shows what to do next.
4. To identify a newer device, enter the A#### model number from Settings → General → About.
5. Compare the result with the listing and the box.

How an old Apple serial number is built

Until 2021 an Apple serial number was assembled from meaningful parts. In a 12-character serial (devices made in 2010–2021) the first three characters are the factory, the fourth is the year and half-year, the fifth is the week within that half, the next three are the unit number and the last four are the configuration code: model, colour and storage.

The year is a letter: C and D mean 2010 (first and second half), F and G mean 2011, H and J mean 2012, and so on up to Y and Z for 2019. After ten years the letters started over, so C and D also mean 2020. We tell 2010 from 2020 by the model’s release year; if the model is not in our database, we show both options.

In 11-character serials (roughly 2003–2012) the factory takes two characters, the year one digit, the week two digits and the model code the last three characters.

Why a new serial cannot be decoded

Since 2021 Apple has given new devices random 10-character serial numbers. It is a measure against resellers and fraudsters who used serials to work out the model and date. A new serial contains no date, factory or model: that data lives only in Apple’s database. Any site that “decodes” such a number either makes the data up or repeats what Apple returned.

Products that launched earlier and stayed in production after 2021 sometimes kept the old format, so you can still see 12-character serials on an iPhone 12 or a 2020 Intel Mac.

What the check shows and what it does not

A consistent model, date and factory mean the serial is plausible. If the manufacturing date is before the model’s release, or the model behind the serial is not the one on sale, the number has probably been altered, the box belongs to another device, or there is a typo.

What the check does not do: it cannot see whether the device is locked to someone’s Apple ID, under warranty or reported stolen. Activation Lock and coverage are shown only by Apple, at checkcoverage.apple.com and in the owner’s Find My.

How to check a used iPhone before you buy

1. Match the serial number in three places: Settings, the box and checkcoverage.apple.com. The model and colour must agree everywhere.
2. Check the IMEI with our IMEI check and dial *#06#: the number on screen must match Settings and the box.
3. Ask the seller to sign out of their Apple ID and turn off Find My iPhone in front of you (Settings → your name → Find My). Otherwise the phone will ask for the previous owner’s password after a reset.
4. Open Settings → General → About → Parts and Service History (iOS 15.2 and later): it shows whether the screen, battery or camera were replaced with non-genuine parts.
5. Check Battery → Battery Health: below 80% the battery will need replacing soon.
6. Test the screen with our dead pixel test and the mic with the microphone test, right in the phone’s browser.

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Frequently asked questions