Where to find the serial number on your appliances and devices

Model number vs serial number

The model number identifies the product line: every unit of that fridge or laptop shares it. It tells a technician or parts site exactly which design you have, so it is what you need to order a filter, a door seal or the right manual. GE Appliances, for example, notes that its model numbers always begin and end with a letter.

The serial number identifies your one unit. It is unique, often encodes the production date, and is what a manufacturer uses to confirm warranty coverage or check whether a specific batch is affected by a recall. HP puts it simply: many units share a model number, but a serial number belongs to one device.

Both usually sit on the same label, often called the rating plate, data plate or nameplate. Look for “Model” or “M/N” and “Serial” or “S/N”. Some labels also show a product code, date code or service tag, which brands use alongside or instead of a serial.

Why you need them

Writing the numbers down once saves you from pulling a fridge out from the wall later. They come up more often than you might expect.

• Warranty claims and product registration: support teams ask for model and serial before anything else
• Recalls: notices often name specific model numbers and serial ranges
• Repairs and parts: the model number makes sure the part fits
• Insurance: a list of belongings with makes, models and serials helps describe what you owned
• Theft reports: police can only match recovered property to you if you can identify it, and a serial number does that best
• Selling or handing over a home: buyers and new owners can register and look up the appliances

Kitchen appliances

Open doors and drawers first. Most kitchen appliances keep the label just inside the frame so it stays readable without moving the unit.

• Refrigerator: inside the fresh food section, on a side wall near the top or above the crisper drawers. Whirlpool lists the top left of the food compartment; LG says the right side of the liner on most models and the left on newer ones; Samsung lists inside on the left, plus outside at the bottom left.
• Dishwasher: open the door and check the edge of the door or the tub frame. Whirlpool lists the upper left corner of the frame or the underside of the control panel; LG the right side of the door; Samsung the top or side of the inner door rim.
• Oven or range: open the oven door and look at the frame around the opening, or pull out the storage drawer and check its frame. Some ranges have it behind the top panel or inside the burner box under the cooktop.
• Microwave: open the door and check the frame or the inside walls; otherwise look on the back. Over-the-range models often have it on the front of the base frame with the door open.
• Coffee machine: usually on the underside or the back. Empty the water tank and drip tray before turning it over, and check the water tank cavity on espresso machines.

Washer and dryer

Laundry machines hide their labels around the door or lid, so you can usually read them without moving the machine.

• Front-load washer: on a label around the door opening, usually near the top of the frame. LG and Samsung both put it here.
• Top-load washer: under the lid, on the back panel near the top, or on the back of the control console. Whirlpool also lists the back of the base frame.
• Dryer: inside the door opening on the frame, or on the inside of the door itself. Whirlpool also lists the upper back of the cabinet and, on gas dryers, behind the access panel.
• Stacked or tower units: check inside each door, since the washer and dryer have separate labels.

Water heater, furnace, air conditioner and dehumidifier

Home systems tend to have larger metal rating plates. Turn off power at the switch before removing any panel, and leave anything that needs tools to a technician.

• Water heater: a rating plate on the side of the tank, usually in the upper third. Tankless units have a data label on the front or behind the front cover.
• Furnace: on the rating plate inside the front access panel. Carrier says to turn the panel knobs and pull the panel toward you.
• Central AC or heat pump (outdoor unit): on the rating plate on the back or side, near the service valves where the refrigerant lines connect. The indoor coil or air handler has its own label.
• Window or portable air conditioner: on the side of the unit; LG lists the right side as you face it. Window units may need the front grille removed.
• Dehumidifier: usually on the back or side panel, or inside the opening for the water bucket. Check the manual for your model if it is not obvious.

TV, laptop, phone, game console and camera

Electronics usually show the serial in a settings menu as well as on a label, which saves you from turning a wall-mounted TV around.

• TV: a sticker on the back panel. On recent Samsung TVs, go to Settings, Support, About This TV. On LG TVs from 2018 onward, press Mute three times on the remote.
• Laptop: a label or engraving on the bottom cover, sometimes inside the battery compartment. On HP laptops, press Fn and Esc together to open the system information window. On a Mac, open the Apple menu and choose About This Mac.
• Phone or tablet: in Settings, then About phone (Android) or General, then About (iPhone and iPad). The original box also has a label. Apple notes its serials use the digits 0 and 1, never the letters O or I.
• Game console: on a PS5, on the bottom of the console when upright (remove the base), or in Settings, System, System Software, Console Information. On a Nintendo Switch, under the kickstand on the back, or in System Settings, System, Serial Numbers. Xbox consoles have a sticker on the back or bottom.
• Camera: on the bottom of the body for most brands; Canon also lists behind the LCD screen. Lenses have their own serial, often on the barrel or the mount.

Vacuum, lawn mower, bike and power tools

Tools and outdoor equipment take a beating, so their labels wear off faster. Photograph them while they are still readable.

• Vacuum: Dyson cordless models have it on the battery pack, inside the handle once the battery is out, or behind the clear bin; uprights behind the bin or underneath between the wheels. Samsung and LG stick vacuums use the battery compartment; robot vacuums the underside.
• Lawn mower: on a decal on the deck or housing, often at the back or on the underside of the handle controls. Toro lists the top rear or sides of the housing on walk-behind mowers, and under the seat or on the frame on riding mowers. The engine has its own separate code.
• Bike: stamped into the frame, usually on the underside of the bottom bracket shell where the cranks meet. Turn the bike over to read it. Some older frames have it on the rear dropout or the seat tube.
• Power tools: on the rating label on the tool housing, or inside the battery compartment. DEWALT says model numbers start with D and the date code shows the year and week. Chargers and batteries have their own labels.

If you still can’t find it

Some labels are behind panels, under built-in units or simply worn away. These steps usually turn up the numbers.

1. Check the manual

   The safety or specifications page usually shows where the label is. Most manuals are on the manufacturer’s site.

2. Use the brand’s finder page

   GE, Whirlpool, Samsung, LG and others have model and serial finders with diagrams by appliance type.

3. Look at the paperwork

   Delivery notes, installation records, registration emails and the original box often show both numbers.

4. Photograph it before installation

   Cooktops and some built-in appliances hide the label once installed. Samsung advises photographing a cooktop label before it goes in.

5. Photograph faded labels in good light

   Use the phone flash at an angle, and zoom in on the photo to read small print.

Check for recalls with the model number

In the US, the Consumer Product Safety Commission publishes recalls at cpsc.gov/Recalls, and its SaferProducts.gov database lets you search by product name or brand. Recall notices usually list affected model numbers and sometimes serial or date ranges, which is where having the numbers written down pays off. The notice also describes the remedy, such as a repair, replacement or refund.

U.S. PIRG notes that the CPSC lets you subscribe to recall emails by type, but not for one specific product. Registering a product with its manufacturer is the most direct way to be contacted if that model is recalled.

How Allventory keeps your serial numbers handy

Once you have found a label, record it so you never need to look again. Allventory keeps the numbers with the item, its photos and its paperwork.

1. Read the serial from a photo

   Photograph the label and serial number scanning suggests the number for you to check before saving.

2. Brand and model as attributes

   Categories can have attributes such as brand and model, so every appliance has the same fields to fill in.

3. Keep the label photo and the manual

   Attach up to 20 files to each item and mark them as receipt, warranty, manual or other.

4. Know where each appliance is

   Assign items to locations such as “Kitchen” or “Garage / Workbench”, and filter by location.

5. Search by serial

   Search finds items by name or serial number, which helps when a recall notice lists numbers.

6. Warranty dates and reminders

   Record warranty end dates and turn on reminders 30, 7 and 1 day before coverage ends.