TL;DR:
- Need to know what Mac you have got? Click on the Apple icon > About This Mac to see the mannequin, chip, and launch 12 months. Alternatively, use the MacBook serial quantity lookup software.
- For deeper particulars, go to Extra Information > System Report.
- Want much more specs? Use your serial quantity with instruments like EveryMac or PowerbookMedic.
- On the point of promote? Don’t overlook to again up your information, clear your Mac, and signal out of your Apple ID.
- Apps like CleanMyMac, iStat Menus, and Get Backup Professional (all in Setapp) will help you prep your Mac in just some clicks.
Everybody loves Macs as a result of they’re aesthetically pleasing and constructed to final. Apple retains its designs fairly constant 12 months after 12 months. That’s nice for timeless model, however not so nice if you’re making an attempt to determine which Mac you even have.
So, you could be your gadget and pondering, “What MacBook do I’ve?” or “How outdated is my Mac actually?” On this publish, I will clarify learn how to discover out precisely what Mac you have got and why it issues.
The right way to discover your Mac’s mannequin quantity
Discovering your Mac’s mannequin quantity is just not that huge of a problem. It’s essential to click on on the Apple icon in your menu bar (top-left nook) and select About This Mac.
Within the window that seems, you’ll see your Mac’s identify (e.g., MacBook Air), the chip kind (e.g., Apple M1), and the discharge 12 months (e.g., 2020).

One other approach to see an in depth image of your Mac is to:
- Open Finder.
- Go to Purposes > Utilities.
- Double-click System Info.

Whereas System Info doesn’t summarize your Mac’s standing as successfully because the About This Mac menu, it dives a lot deeper into each single facet of your Mac (simply navigate the tabs within the sidebar).
The right way to discover your Mac mannequin when it is turned off
In uncommon circumstances, you won’t be capable to get into your macOS and open About This Mac or System Info. Perhaps you haven’t any energy, you are coping with boot points, otherwise you merely wish to shortly test your Mac mannequin with out turning it on.
Apple has in all probability predicted this state of affairs as a result of they’ve printed a backup serial quantity in your Mac. The precise location of the serial quantity will depend on the particular gadget:
- All MacBook fashions have their serial numbers printed on the underside of the laptop computer.
- iMacs and iMac Execs have their numbers printed on the underside of the bottom.
- The serial numbers of Mac minis and cylinder-shaped Mac Execs are situated on the backside of the our bodies. For tower-like ones, test the again panel first.
As a faster resolution, enter the serial quantity into the Setapp serial quantity lookup software for mannequin particulars:

The right way to discover your Mac’s mannequin when promoting or buying and selling it
If you happen to’re planning to promote or commerce your Mac, step one is determining precisely which mannequin you have got. You are able to do that by checking the serial quantity or the mannequin quantity ( as I discussed earlier).
The serial quantity may give you a primary abstract of your Mac. However if you’d like extra detailed data, you should utilize that quantity with third-party instruments like EveryMac or PowerbookMedic to dig just a little deeper. These instruments let you know issues like the discharge 12 months, product household, and the way your Mac compares to related fashions.
Why ought to you already know your MacBook mannequin quantity?
There are a number of good causes to know your MacBook’s mannequin quantity. For starters, should you’re planning to promote your Mac, you’ll want that data to inform patrons the precise kind, 12 months, and specs of your gadget.
Or perhaps you’re occupied with shopping for a brand new Mac. In that case, it helps to match your present mannequin to the brand new one so you’ll be able to see what’s truly modified.
Even one thing so simple as updating your software program or putting in a brand new app can rely upon realizing your Mac’s age and mannequin. In any case, why pay for one thing which may not even run in your gadget?
Learn additionally:
What are all of the Mac fashions?
It could be helpful to point out all sorts of Apple computer systems:
- MacBook is the lightest laptop computer Apple has ever produced (aside from the 11-inch MacBook Air). It was discontinued in 2019.
- MacBook Air is a mainstream consumer-oriented mannequin, which was made in 11 and 13-inch variations, however now 13-inch and 15-inch M2 and M3 variations can be found. The 2022+ fashions transitioned to Apple Silicon.
- MacBook Professional is probably the most highly effective Apple laptop computer mannequin, historically supplied in 13 and 15-inch sizes. The present fashions are available 14- and 16-inch sizes with highly effective M-series chips inside.
- iMac has been a staple desktop in Apple’s lineups for many years (first launched in 1998). Its processor is merged along with its display screen, which is available in 21 or 27-inch sizes.
- Mac Professional has all the time been Apple’s top-of-the-line desktop. The 2019 Intel-based mannequin supported as much as 28-core Xeon processors and was extremely customizable. In 2023, Apple launched a brand new model powered by the M2 Extremely chip.
Instruments to establish Mac fashions past the fundamentals
If you happen to want extra mannequin particulars about your Mac, you should utilize different on-line instruments by coming into your serial quantity or mannequin quantity.
One such software is EveryMac.com. This website exhibits a variety of Mac merchandise related to the mannequin quantity you enter, together with every product’s core specs and choices, like RAM, storage dimension, CPU, and VRAM. It additionally gives particulars similar to introduction and discontinuation dates, mannequin household, order quantity, ID, and optical drive data.
You possibly can click on on every product to get deeper particulars on {hardware}, similar to webcam decision, keyboard and trackpad kind, connectivity, casing shade choices, extra show, contact bar, CPU, and GPU particulars.
One other cool website is PowerbookMedic.com. This website can take a serial quantity and return particulars just like the mannequin identify, gross sales quantity, and shade, in addition to a breakdown of particular person components with their names, half numbers, and value estimates. It additionally contains customary specs similar to weight, dimensions, battery, processor, base reminiscence, and manufacturing particulars, together with the manufacturing week, 12 months, and manufacturing quantity.
Important software program for sustaining and optimizing your Mac
Know-how evolves quickly, which suggests even your Mac cannot keep the identical. Over time, chances are you’ll set up extra apps, fill extra space for storing with recordsdata, and slowly lose battery life. So, whether or not you propose on promoting your Mac or holding on to it, it is essential to take excellent care of it and preserve it working properly.
Fortunately, there are many instruments you should utilize to keep up and optimize your Mac.
Monitor your Mac’s system simply
iStat Menus is by far the perfect system monitor for Mac that lives quietly in your menu bar. This utility will aid you get much-needed readability about your Mac like by no means earlier than. You can see the state of your sensors, arduous drives, CPU, GPU, RAM, and networks suddenly.

Enhance your Mac’s efficiency in a number of clicks
CleanMyMac is one other of these apps you don’t understand you want till you utilize it. It digs up all of the hidden junk, outdated caches, leftover recordsdata, random muddle, and clears it out in seconds. It additionally retains an eye fixed out for outdated apps or issues which may sluggish you down.

Entry your Mac’s options from the menu bar
One Change is just a bit menu bar helper, however as soon as you utilize it, you’ll get hooked. With one click on, you’ll be able to activate Darkish Mode, disguise desktop mess, or cease your Mac from sleeping. It’s a small factor that saves a whole lot of clicks.

Prolong your Mac’s battery life
After which there’s Endurance, a quiet app that helps your battery last more with out making a fuss. It tones issues down simply sufficient to save lots of power with out messing along with your work. Excellent for lengthy days if you’re nowhere close to a charger.

If you need a full walkthrough, take a look at this information on learn how to clear up and optimize your Mac. It covers the steps in additional element and offers you a clearer image of what to take away and why it issues.
The right way to put together your Mac for promoting
Earlier than you listing your Mac on the market, there are some things you’ll wish to handle first. Give it a correct clear, each the inside and outside. Meaning wiping down the {hardware}, deleting any private recordsdata, logging out of your accounts, and operating a cleanup software to eliminate muddle. And most significantly, ensure you again all the things up.
Get Backup Professional gives one of many quickest and best backup options available on the market. It can save you chosen folders or clone your complete Mac on an exterior arduous drive very quickly. And if in case you have a storage quantity related to your Wi-Fi community, you’ll be able to schedule incremental backups to ensure you don’t ever lose any information, it doesn’t matter what occurs to your Mac.
What Mac do I’ve? Ultimate phrases
Realizing your Mac’s mannequin quantity turns out to be useful extra typically than you’d assume. Whether or not you’re making an attempt to put in new software program, examine specs earlier than an improve, or get your Mac able to promote, having that data can prevent time, effort, and some complications.
There are additionally some superior apps you’ll be able to obtain that can assist you out, like CleanMyMac for clearing out muddle, Utilization and iStat Menus for maintaining a tally of efficiency, One Change and Endurance for saving battery and streamlining duties, and Get Backup Professional for ensuring your recordsdata keep protected.
And right here’s the perfect half: all these apps are included in a single subscription with Setapp, and you may strive them free for seven days. Setapp offers you entry to over 260 Mac and iOS apps, multi functional place. Positively price a spin if you wish to get probably the most out of your Mac.
FAQs
How do I discover out what Mac pc I’ve?
To search out out what Mac pc you have got, click on the Apple icon within the top-left nook of your display screen. Then click on About This Mac. A window will pop up exhibiting the identify of your Mac, its display screen dimension, and the 12 months it was made. If you happen to’re curious in regards to the technical stuff, click on Extra Information, then scroll right down to System Report.
How do I do know what Mac model I’ve?
To test your Mac model, simply open the Apple menu and select About This Mac. Proper on the prime, you’ll see the mannequin, the display screen dimension, and the discharge 12 months.
How do I discover particulars of my MacBook?
To see extra particulars about your MacBook, begin with About This Mac underneath the Apple menu. You may as well go to System Settings, then Common, and click on on About. If you need the complete listing of {hardware} and software program data, scroll down and click on System Report.
Is my Mac M1 or M2?
To know in case your Mac has an M1 or M2 chip, open the Apple menu and select About This Mac. There’s a line labeled Chip, it’ll let you know precisely which one you have got, whether or not it’s an M1, M2, M3, or M4.