How to find the serial number of your iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch, Apple Pencil, and Vision Pro – even if it’s lost

Learn why you have the serial numbers of your Apple devices handy, and how to find them—even if your iPhone, iPad or another device is stolen or not powering on.

Why you might need your serial number

Whether you’re looking to get warranty service or keep track of your devices, knowing the serial number of your iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch, Apple Pencil, and Apple Vision Pro is essential.

Getting help: Your device’s serial number is required before starting a chat with Apple, calling Apple Support or scheduling a repair at an Apple store.

Check warranty: An iPhone or iPad’s serial number is needed to check whether the device has valid purchase data, warranty, and other repair coverage.

Insurance claim: If your device is stolen or damaged, you may need the serial number for insurance claims.

Keep inventory: People with multiple devices should document all serial numbers in an Excel sheet or their company’s HR software for inventory purposes.

Find the serial number if your iPhone or iPad is with you

You have four easy ways to do that.

1. From the Settings app

1. Open the Settings app.
2. Navigate to General > About.
3. You’ll see the Serial Number. Copy it by touching and holding this field.

2. Use the Finder or the Apple Devices app

1. Connect your iPhone or iPad to a Mac or Windows PC.
2. Open the Finder on your Mac or the Apple Devices app on your PC and select your iPhone or iPad by clicking its name.
3. Click the tiny model name at the top to reveal the serial number.

3. Use recovery mode to find the serial number

If your iPhone or iPad is frozen and doesn’t respond, put it in recovery mode to show its serial number.

4. On the back of the device or the SIM tray

On iPhone 4S and older, the serial number is engraved on the SIM tray. On the original iPhone, the serial number is also etched on the back of the device. This doesn’t apply to newer iPhones.

Find the serial number if your iPhone or iPad is not in your possession

The following tips will help you find out serial numbers of your other Apple devices like Apple Watch and Vision Pro.

1. On your other Apple device

1. Open the Settings app on your iPhone or iPad.
2. Select your Apple Account name at the top, then choose your misplaced iPhone or iPad from the list of devices.
3. You’ll see the serial number on the next screen. Touch and hold the serial number to copy it to the clipboard.

2. Look for it in the iPhone backup on your computer

If you still have an old backup of your stolen iPhone or iPad saved on your computer , you can use it to view its serial number using another iOS or iPadOS device.

1. Connect another iPhone or iPad to your Mac.
2. Select the device in the Finder’s sidebar.
3. Click Manage Backups in the General section to show all backups, including backups of your other devices.
4. Select the backup file and hover the pointer over it until the serial number appears in a tiny popup.

3. On Apple’s website

Sign in on the Apple Account website and click the Devices section on the left, then select your iPhone, iPad, or Apple Watch on the right to view its serial number.

4. On the box

The serial number of your iPhone, iPad, or Apple Pencil is printed on original packaging.

5. In your purchase email

Find the original purchase receipt from Apple in your email inbox. The serial number may be printed in the message body or the attached PDF invoice.

6. In your AppleCare+ or iPhone Upgrade Program receipt

Folks with an active AppleCare+ insurance and those who have used the iPhone Upgrade Program may see their device’s serial number printed on the receipt or confirmation email.

Can’t find the serial number?

If you can’t find the serial number of your Apple device, you can use its IMEI number to get support from Apple, file for insurance, or report theft to law enforcement.

Find the serial number of your Apple Watch

You have three quick ways to do that.

1. Use the Watch app

1. Open the Watch app on your paired iPhone.
2. Go to My Watch > General > About.
3. You’ll see the Serial Number of your Apple Watch here.

2. Have multiple Apple Watches paired with your iPhone?

1. Open the Watch app on your iPhone, select the My Watch tab and choose All Watches in the top-left corner.
2. Hit the info button ⓘ next to a paired Apple Watch to see its Serial Number and other details.

3. In Apple Watch Settings

1. Open the Settings app on your watch.
2. Go to General > About, and you’ll find the Serial Number there.

Know the serial number of your Apple Pencil

1. Make sure the Apple Pencil is either charging on your iPad or connected (and you can use it on the iPad’s screen).
2. Navigate to Settings app > General > About > Apple Pencil, and you’ll find the Serial Number there.

Find the serial number of your Vision Pro

To view the serial number of your Vision Pro headset, open the Settings app on the device and navigate to General > About. You’ll see a field for Serial Number there.

Vision Pro not powering on? No problem! Take off the light seal and look for a 10-digit serial number on the left side.

If you optionally use ZEISS Optical Inserts with your Vision Pro for eyesight correction, you can view their serial number in the following places:

• The tiny print at the back of the frame
• Settings > Eyes and Hands > your ZEISS Optical Inserts
• In the Browse > Body Measurements > Vision Prescription > All Prescriptions > ZEISS Optical Inserts prescription section of the iPhone’s Health app
• The email received when enrolling your ZEISS Optical Inserts

On a related note:

• How to find your iPhone IMEI number
• Find the serial numbers for your Apple TV and Siri Remote
• Find the model and serial numbers of your AirPods
• Find the serial number of an AirTag
• Find your HomePod serial number and software version