Guide

How to find your laptop's model and serial number without flipping it

Published 23 October 2026

A dark Windows PowerShell window showing a laptop maker, model and serial number

Short answerRun Get-CimInstance Win32_ComputerSystemProduct to see the maker, model and serial number (IdentifyingNumber), add Version on Lenovo, and Get-CimInstance Win32_BIOS for the BIOS version and date.

Warranty checks, driver downloads and repair shops all ask for your exact model and serial number. The sticker underneath is often worn off. Windows can read both from the laptop itself.

Step 1: Model and serial number

PowerShell

Get-CimInstance Win32_ComputerSystemProduct | select Vendor, Name, IdentifyingNumber

Example output

Vendor  Name              IdentifyingNumber
HP      HP Laptop 15s     5CD0000XYZ

IdentifyingNumber is your serial number. Dell calls it the Service Tag, Lenovo and HP call it the serial number. Paste it on the maker's support or warranty page to get the exact drivers and your warranty date.

Lenovo shows a code instead of a name?

Lenovo puts a machine type like 82XV in Name. Add Version to see the friendly model name:

PowerShell

Get-CimInstance Win32_ComputerSystemProduct | select Vendor, Name, Version, IdentifyingNumber

"To Be Filled By O.E.M."?

That's normal on a PC you built yourself: the motherboard maker never filled it in. Look up the motherboard model instead with Get-CimInstance Win32_BaseBoard | select Manufacturer, Product.

Step 2: BIOS version and date

PowerShell

Get-CimInstance Win32_BIOS | select SMBIOSBIOSVersion, ReleaseDate

Example output

SMBIOSBIOSVersion ReleaseDate
F.21              14-03-2023 05:30:00

BIOS older than about two years? Check the maker's support page. BIOS updates fix security holes and battery or sleep bugs. Only install one from the maker's own site or app, with the laptop plugged in, and never interrupt it.