The smartphone is not only its software and its outlook. There are various other things that people who are not into tech might not know about, such as the serial number of the smartphone. The serial number is the unique identification code that distinguishes your phone from other Apple products.
This number is important as it helps the company find which phone you have in case of any need or help. Every iPhone made by the company has its own unique serial number. So, if there are millions of devices out there, you can easily locate your device through its unique serial number.
It’s easy to locate, but figuring out exactly how to find the serial number on your iPhone depends on which model you own and whether you are able to turn on the phone. Note that these instructions in this article work for other iOS devices, including the iPad.
How To Find The Serial Number In Your Device Settings
If your iPhone is in working order, you can quickly find its serial number by following these instructions, which can be done very quickly:
- First, tap Settings
- Then, tap General
- Next, tap About
- In About, you’ll see your iPhone’s Serial Number listed.
Be careful with your serial number, however, as it’s one of the numbers that uniquely identify your device. You’ll want to keep your device’s serial number private.
If you accidentally publish it and it falls into the wrong hands, it could be used to submit a false service claim with Apple or used to fraudulently report your device as stolen, which will cause you a lot of hassles.
If you want to make a copy of your iPhone serial number, just tap and hold your finger on the serial number until you see a “copy” dialog appear.
Then, tap Copy then Paste your iPhone Serial Number where you need to use it, such as the Apple Support website.
How To Check Your iPhone Serial Number With iTunes
You can also check your iPhone serial number via iTunes on your Mac or PC. To check your Serial Number with iTunes, connect the device to your computer with a Lightning or 30-Pin USB cable, open up iTunes, and then select your iPhone from the device list at the top of the window.
Make sure you’re on the “Summary” tab and you’ll see all the basic details of your iPhone, including the serial number.
Then you can copy your iPhone serial number by right-clicking (Control-clicking on a Mac) on the serial number and selecting Copy.
How To Find The Serial Number Engraved On Your Device
Note: Skip this section if you have an iPhone 5 or above, as these devices do not have an engraved serial number.
For the original iPhone 3G, iPhone 3GS, iPhone 4, and iPhone 4S, you can find your device’s serial number engraved on the SIM tray.
Using a SIM tray removal tool or a straightened paper clip, carefully remove your iPhone’s SIM tray from the side of the device. Once removed, you’ll find the serial number engraved on the bottom of the tray.
For the original iPhone and all models of iPad and iPod touch, you can find your serial number engraved directly on the back of the device.
Due to the adoption of the smaller Nano SIM standard starting with the iPhone 5, there’s no room on the SIM tray to engrave the iPhone serial number. For this reason, the iPhone 5 and up do not have an engraved Serial Number.
Find Your iPhone’s Serial Number On The Device Packaging
If you need to access your iPhone serial number without opening the box, or if the device is damaged and you can’t use the other methods listed here, you can always find the serial number of all iPhones, iPads, and iPod touch devices directly on their original retail box.
Each iOS device box has a sticker written on it that is specific to the device itself. Listed on this sticker, among other useful bits of information, is the serial number.
For An iPhone In Recovery Mode
If your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch is in recovery mode, you can still find the serial number if you’re using a Mac.
In macOS, your iPhone serial number will still show up in iTunes using the method described above, even when the device is in recovery mode.
Find Your iPhone’s Serial Number With An iPhone Backup
If you don’t have access to your iPhone, but you’ve been backing up your phone using iTunes, you can see the serial number of the device from the information embedded in the backup. You don’t have to even open the backup itself to recover your device’s serial number.
Access your iPhone device’s backups by first opening iTunes on your Mac or PC, then following these instructions:
- From the iTunes menu, select Preferences
- Then go to Devices.
- Next, locate the most recent backup from the list of backups.
- Finally, hover your mouse or trackpad cursor over the backup name in the Device Backups list.
- After a few moments, a pop-up will appear listing the device’s phone number (if applicable), IMEI number, and serial number.
How to find an iPhone’s serial number if you don’t have your phone or its not turning on
The easiest way to find your phone’s serial number is by looking on the phone itself, but if that’s not an option, there are still a few ways to find it.
If you have your original packaging, the serial number is printed on the barcode sticker on the box. If you don’t have the box, you can find it by going to your Apple ID page in a web browser.
- In a browser, log into appleid.apple.com
- On your Apple ID page, scroll down to Devices and find the iPhone you need the serial number for.
- Click the icon for the device. The serial number will appear in the pop-up window. You can copy and paste this number into an email or text message.
How To Find An iPhone’s Serial Number On Another Apple Device
If you have another Apple device, like a Mac or iPad, that’s linked to the same Apple ID, you can find your iPhone’s serial number using that device as well.
- On the other device, start the Settings app.
- Tap your name at the top of the screen.
- Scroll down to see the list of other devices connected to your Apple ID.
- Tap the entry for the iPhone. You’ll see information about that phone, including the serial number.
Apple’s Official Website
Let’s assume that you don’t have any of the above-given means to find the serial number, Then you can simply go to Apple’s official website and try to log into your Apple ID. Here is how you can log in :
- Visit the official Apple ID website.
- Sign in using your Apple ID credentials.
- Scroll through and select “Devices.”
Here, you’ll find a list of devices associated with your Apple ID or iTunes account. Click on the iPhone, and you will see all the details there, including the serial number.
Serial Number Can Be Found In purchase email
If you have bought your iPhone or iPad online, you may be able to find the serial number of your device in the purchase email itself.
- Launch the Mail app.
- Look for the purchase email you received when you purchased your iPhone or iPad.
- Open the receipt in that email.
- Look for the serial number under the purchase information section.
What do I need a serial number/ IMEI for?
If you have purchased a new device, it’s worth checking and noting down the serial number and IMEI in case of theft or loss. It can be used to identify its make, model, and serial number. It also helps with warranties and customer service. If the product has a problem, you can quickly find all the details through the serial number.
Apart from this, devices that do not have serial numbers are not considered to be original. For instance, a mobile repair shop owner can easily identify a fake device lacking a serial number. Moreover, when selling your device, the serial number serves as evidence of its authenticity.
Here are few Importance Of Serial Number:
- If your iPhone requires repair or replacement, you must provide the serial number to Apple or an authorized service provider.
- The serial number is also used to activate the iPhone’s Activation Lock feature.
- If you sell or transfer ownership of your device, the new owner may require the serial number to verify its authenticity.
- When you contact Apple support for help with your iPhone, the representative may request the serial number to confirm the device’s eligibility for support.
The IMEI number is a 14-digit string, with an additional 15th check digit for verifying the entire string.
Serial numbers may contain numbers, letters and other typographical symbols, or may consist entirely of a character string.
Conclusion
Knowing the serial number of your device is not only useful for troubleshooting and repairs but also for important tasks such as warranty registration and insurance claims. By locating your device’s serial number, you can ensure that you have all of the required information to maintain and protect your iPhone or iPad.