Windows Commands to Find Your Serial Number and Device Info (2026)
Find your PC’s serial number with Windows commands — wmic, PowerShell Get-CimInstance, Get-ComputerInfo, systeminfo — and read a phone’s IMEI from a PC.
iSerial TeamUpdated · 5 min read
In this article
The serial number on the bottom of a laptop wears off. The sticker on a desktop tower gets painted over or hidden against a wall. But Windows can read the serial straight from the firmware in a second — you just need the right command.
This guide gives you the exact commands for Command Prompt and PowerShell, explains which ones still work on Windows 11, and shows how to read the serial or IMEI of a phone connected to your PC.
Why you’d need the serial from Windows
- Warranty and support: Dell, HP, Lenovo and other makers ask for the serial (sometimes called the Service Tag) to look up warranty and drivers.
- Buying a used laptop: the serial reported by the firmware should match the sticker and the seller’s listing. A mismatch can mean a replaced motherboard.
- Inventory: IT teams and repair shops record serials for every device they handle.
- Insurance and theft reports: police and insurers ask for it.
Command Prompt: the classic wmic commands
Press Windows + R, type cmd and press Enter. Then type:
wmic bios get serialnumber
wmic csproduct get vendor,name,identifyingnumber
wmic baseboard get manufacturer,product,serialnumberwmic bios get serialnumber— the device serial number stored in the firmware. On a Dell, this is the Service Tag.wmic csproduct get vendor,name,identifyingnumber— manufacturer, model name and the serial again.wmic baseboard get manufacturer,product,serialnumber— the motherboard’s own serial, useful for custom-built PCs.
PowerShell: the modern way
Right-click the Start button and choose Terminal (or Windows PowerShell). Then run:
Get-CimInstance Win32_BIOS | Select-Object SerialNumber
Get-CimInstance Win32_ComputerSystemProduct | Select-Object Vendor, Name, IdentifyingNumber
Get-CimInstance Win32_ComputerSystem | Select-Object Manufacturer, Model
Get-CimInstance Win32_BaseBoard | Select-Object Manufacturer, Product, SerialNumber
Get-CimInstance Win32_DiskDrive | Select-Object Model, SerialNumberWhat each command shows
Win32_BIOS— the main device serial number. This is the one manufacturers ask for.Win32_ComputerSystemProduct— vendor, product name and serial (IdentifyingNumber).Win32_ComputerSystem— the manufacturer and exact model, for example a specific ThinkPad or Latitude model.Win32_BaseBoard— motherboard maker, model and serial.Win32_DiskDrive— each drive’s model and serial, handy when checking whether a used laptop’s SSD was swapped.
Get-ComputerInfo and systeminfo: the full picture
For an overview of the whole system, PowerShell’s Get-ComputerInfo and the older systeminfo are very useful.
Get-ComputerInfo
Get-ComputerInfo -Property "Bios*"
Get-ComputerInfo | Select-Object CsManufacturer, CsModel, OsName, OsVersion
systeminfoGet-ComputerInfo— lists hundreds of properties: Windows edition and build, manufacturer, model, BIOS details, memory, time zone and more. It can take several seconds.Get-ComputerInfo -Property "Bios*"— shows only firmware information, including the BIOS version and the serial number field.systeminfo— works in both Command Prompt and PowerShell. It shows the OS version, install date, last boot time, manufacturer, model, BIOS version and installed updates. Note thatsysteminfodoes not show the serial number — use one of the commands above for that.
On a Mac, the equivalent commands are different — see our Mac Terminal commands guide.
Save the results to a file
Repair shops and IT teams often need a record they can attach to a ticket or invoice. PowerShell can write the output straight to a text file on your desktop:
Get-CimInstance Win32_BIOS | Select-Object SerialNumber | Out-File "$env:USERPROFILE\Desktop\serial.txt"
Get-CimInstance Win32_ComputerSystemProduct | Select-Object Vendor, Name, IdentifyingNumber | Format-ListIf your Desktop is synced to OneDrive, the file may appear in the OneDrive Desktop folder instead. The Format-List version prints each value on its own line, which is easier to copy into a form.
No command line? Other places to find the serial
- Firmware setup screen: restart and press the setup key shown at startup (often F2, F10, F1 or Delete, depending on the brand). The main page of the BIOS/UEFI setup usually shows the serial number or Service Tag.
- Manufacturer apps: many laptops ship with a support app — such as Dell SupportAssist, HP Support Assistant or Lenovo Vantage — that shows the serial and warranty on its home screen.
- Labels: under the laptop, inside the battery bay on older models, on the back or side of a desktop, and on the original box.
When buying a used laptop, compare the serial from the firmware with the label. If they differ, ask why: a legitimate motherboard repair is fine, but you want to know about it before you pay.
Reading a phone’s serial or IMEI from a PC
Android with ADB
Install Google’s official Android SDK Platform-Tools, enable Developer options (tap Build number seven times in Settings › About phone) and turn on USB debugging. Connect the phone, accept the prompt on its screen, then run from the platform-tools folder:
adb devices
adb get-serialno
adb shell getprop ro.product.manufacturer
adb shell getprop ro.product.modelThese confirm the phone is connected and show its serial, brand and model code. Reading the IMEI over ADB is a different story: on Android 10 and later, apps and ADB need privileged permission to read it, so old tricks such as service call iphonesubinfo no longer return the IMEI on modern phones. The reliable way is still to dial *#06# on the phone itself or check Settings › About phone. More commands in our ADB commands guide.
iPhone with Windows
Connect the iPhone and open the Apple Devices app (Windows 11) or iTunes. The device summary shows the serial number. In iTunes, clicking the phone number or serial line cycles through other identifiers, including the IMEI. You can also read both in Settings › General › About on the phone.
Once you have the number, a Manufacturer + Model check confirms what the device really is, and a GSMA blacklist check confirms it hasn’t been reported stolen. For iPhones use the All-in-one Basic Info report; for Samsung the Samsung Info report; for Pixel the Google Pixel Info check. Our guide to finding an IMEI number covers every other method.
Try it in the terminal
You can test IMEI and serial numbers right here. Type help to see all commands, then try imei 356938035643809 to validate an IMEI, tac 35693803 to look up the model code, or serial followed by an Apple serial to decode it:
When you’re ready for a full report, run it below or visit the serial number check page:
Frequently asked questions
What is the command to find a serial number in Windows?
In Command Prompt, run wmic bios get serialnumber. If WMIC is not available, open PowerShell and run Get-CimInstance Win32_BIOS | Select-Object SerialNumber.
Does wmic still work on Windows 11?
WMIC is deprecated and may not be installed on recent Windows 11 versions. Use the PowerShell Get-CimInstance commands instead, which return the same information.
Does systeminfo show the serial number?
No. systeminfo shows the OS, manufacturer, model and BIOS version, but not the serial number. Use Get-CimInstance Win32_BIOS or wmic bios get serialnumber.
Why does my serial number say “To be filled by O.E.M.”?
The manufacturer did not program a serial into the firmware. This is common on custom-built PCs and some replacement motherboards. Use the case sticker or invoice instead.
Can I get my phone’s IMEI from my PC?
On modern Android, ADB cannot read the IMEI without privileged access, so dial *#06# on the phone. For iPhones, the Apple Devices app or iTunes on Windows can show the serial and IMEI.
