You have an iPad serial number and need the iPad type without guessing from the characters. Apple gives you direct places to check: Check Coverage, Settings, your Apple Account, the model number, and connected-computer tools.
Start with Apple’s coverage page
Use this first when you already have the serial number. Apple now brands this page View Coverage – AppleCare & Warranty; it is the same checkcoverage.apple.com tool called Apple Check Coverage throughout this guide.
- 1.Go to View Coverage – AppleCare & Warranty.
- 2.Enter the iPad serial number in Enter a serial number.
- 3.Select Submit.
- 4.Read the product name, model, and coverage details on the result page.
- 5.Use the product name or model shown there as the iPad type, and repeat the lookup for each serial number when comparing multiple devices.
Find the serial number in Settings
When the iPad is unlocked, the cleanest path is the About screen. Open Settings, choose General, then open About.
Read Model name and Serial Number. Touch and hold Serial Number to copy it, then paste it into Apple Check Coverage when you want the lookup result.
Tap the part number next to Model or Model Number to show the A-number for Apple’s iPad model list.
If this method fails because you cannot unlock the iPad or the screen is unusable, use the back engraving, Setup Assistant, original box, or a connected computer.
Read the iPad body or box
This fixes the case where the iPad is in front of you but Settings is out of reach.
Look on the back of the iPad for the serial number.
On an iPad (Wi-Fi + cellular model), check the back for the IMEI as well.
Enter the serial number at Apple Check Coverage.
Use the result’s product name, model, and coverage details to identify the iPad type.
For a new, erased, or not-yet-set-up iPad, press and hold the power button until the Apple logo appears.
On the Hello screen, tap the Info button in the bottom-right corner.
Read or copy the serial number.
Enter that serial number at Apple Check Coverage.
When the original box is available, find the barcode label on the packaging.
Enter the serial number from the label at Apple Check Coverage.
Confirm the exact model number
The most common cause of a vague lookup is a broad product name when you need the exact iPad family and generation.
Use the model number next. On the iPad, open Settings, choose General, then open About.
Tap the part number next to Model Number to reveal the A-number.
Open Apple’s Identify your iPad model page and match that A-number under the correct iPad family.
When the iPad will not open but the markings are readable, use Apple’s model-number placement details for the back or connector area, then match the A-number on the model page.
Do not decode the iPad type from the serial-number characters. Older fixed-position serial tricks are unreliable for current iPads because Apple moved future products to randomized serial numbers in 2021.
Check your Apple Account device list
Your Apple Account identifies an iPad already associated with that account.
- 1.On an iPhone or iPad signed in to the same Apple Account, open Settings, tap [your name], scroll to the device list, then tap the iPad name.
- 2.On a Mac signed in to the same Apple Account, open Apple menu, choose System Settings, click [your name], scroll to the device list, then click the iPad name.
- 3.On the web, go to account.apple.com, sign in, select Devices, select View Details when prompted, then choose the iPad.
- 4.Review the device model, serial number, and software version shown for the iPad.
- 5.Use Remove from Account only when you no longer use or recognize the device; removing it is not part of checking the iPad type.
Connect the iPad to a computer
Use a computer when the iPad connects and the device is recognized. This gives you the displayed model name and serial number together.
On a Mac running macOS Catalina 10.15 or later, connect the iPad, open Finder, select the iPad, and open the General tab.
Click the model name under the device name to reveal the serial number, then use the displayed model name or enter the serial number at Apple Check Coverage.
On Windows, install Apple’s current Apple Devices app before checking the iPad. Open Microsoft Store, search for Apple Devices, select Apple Devices, then choose Get.
Connect the iPad to the Windows PC, open Apple Devices, select the iPad, and click the model name under the device name to reveal the serial number.
Use Finder on macOS Catalina 10.15 or later; iTunes is not part of that workflow. On Windows, use Apple Devices, or iTunes, which Apple still supports for this lookup.
Handle managed school or work iPads
For a personal iPad, skip administrative tools. For a school, business, or managed fleet, Apple Configurator for Mac shows connected-device information such as serial number, hardware IDs, operating system version, available capacity, and product type.
In Apple Configurator, connect the iPad, select the device, then choose File > Get Info, press Command-I, or Control-click the device and choose Get Info. Use List view from the View pop-up menu when you need to sort connected devices by product type.
In Apple Business, formerly Apple Business Manager, sign in with a role allowed to view device management services, choose Devices > Inventory, search the serial number, and select the device to view model, serial number, part number, and storage size.
In Apple School Manager, sign in as Administrator, Site Manager, or Device Enrollment Manager, select Devices in the sidebar, search the serial number, and select the device to view model, serial number, part number, and storage size.
If this method fails because the iPad is not managed by your organization or your role cannot view device inventory, use Apple Check Coverage, Settings, Apple Account, or the model-number list.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Apple Check Coverage use the IMEI?
Use the serial number in Apple Check Coverage. On Wi-Fi + cellular iPad models, the IMEI appears on the back, but the Apple lookup step here uses the serial number.
How do schools or businesses check several iPads at once?
Apple Business, formerly Apple Business Manager, and Apple School Manager inventory searches accept up to 1024 serial numbers separated by commas. Select a device from the results to see details such as model, serial number, part number, and storage size.
Does iCloud for Windows help identify an iPad?
It works as a supporting check. Open iCloud for Windows, choose Account Details, and review the device list, then confirm the model with Apple Check Coverage or the model number.
Are third-party Apple serial lookup sites official?
No. Apple does not control or test independent websites and makes no representations about their accuracy or reliability. Verify results with Apple Check Coverage, Apple Account details, Settings, or Apple’s model-number list.