Finding your Mac model number

Twelve inch MacBook Space Grey closeup 001

Not too long ago, we shared how you can find out what version and build of macOS you’re running on your Mac, but another important piece of information you should know is the model number of the Mac you’re using.

This is an important piece of information that is used by Apple to identify exactly when your computer was launched and what hardware it has inside of it.

In this tutorial, we’ll show you how you can find the model number of your Mac.

Why to find your Mac’s model number

There are a number of reasons to know your Mac’s model number, but one of the most important is going to be because when you submit bug reports to Apple, it helps dramatically when they can narrow down problems to a specific machine type. By providing them with your Mac’s model number, they can test your specific type of Mac, rather than others.

Another situation we can think of where your model number will come in handy is when you’re trying to perform hardware upgrades, such as the OWC Aura Pro SSD we recently reviewed, and the third-party manufacturer lists the compatible computer models for the upgrade.

By knowing your Mac’s model number, you’ll be able to easily confirm whether or not your computer is on the supported machines list for upgrades when you look at a chart like the one below:

OWC Aura SSD Supported Mac Model Numbers

There are a few other niche scenarios where knowing your model number would be useful, but let’s just get into the meat and potatoes already, amirite?

Finding your Mac model number

So if you are trying to find your Mac’s model number, you’ll just want to follow these easy steps:

1) Go to the  in the Menu Bar and click on About This Mac.

Find Mac model number - About This Mac

2) In the new window that opens, click on the System Report button.

About This Mac System Report button - Updated

3) The next window that opens shows everything you need to know about your Mac’s hardware, including your Mac’s Model ID (aka model number).

System Report Model Name Identifier

In this case, my model number would be MacBookPro11,4. Yours may vary depending on the type and age of the machine you’re using.

Wrapping up

Knowing your model number is a good idea, and helps a lot in technical or troubleshooting situations. The good news is finding the information is easy; it just takes a little know-how to know exactly where to find it.

Also read:

Have you ever needed your Mac’s model number for any reason? If so, tell us why in the comments below!