How to Find Your PC Serial Number in Windows 11 or 10

To find your PC’s serial number in Windows 11 or 10, open PowerShell or Terminal and run Get-CimInstance Win32_BIOS | Select-Object SerialNumber. The number under SerialNumber is the one the manufacturer stored in the PC’s firmware, and on a Dell it’s the Service Tag. If that comes back blank, the sticker on the device, the maker’s support app, or the firmware setup screen will have it.

These steps cover laptops, desktops and all-in-ones from any manufacturer, including Microsoft Surface, running currently supported versions of Windows 11 and Windows 10. The older wmic command no longer works on current Windows 11.

You usually need the serial number for warranty checks, repairs, driver downloads, and insurance or theft reports. Here is every way to find it, including when the PC won’t turn on.

Which method should you use?

Your situation	Fastest method
Any PC that starts normally	PowerShell command
Surface device	Settings or the Surface app
You’d rather not type commands	The maker’s support app, or Fn + Esc on many HP laptops
The command shows a blank or “To be filled by O.E.M.”	The sticker, the box, or the motherboard serial
The PC won’t start	The sticker, the firmware setup screen, or your purchase records

Find the Serial Number With PowerShell

This works on any brand of PC and doesn’t need administrator rights. It reads the Win32_BIOS SerialNumber property, a hardware ID the PC maker writes into the firmware. It is not your Windows product key.

1. Right-click the Start button and select Terminal. A window opens with a PowerShell prompt.
2. Type or paste Get-CimInstance Win32_BIOS | Select-Object SerialNumber and press Enter.
3. Read the value under the SerialNumber heading. That’s the serial number for the whole computer.

On Windows 10, search Start for Windows PowerShell and open it instead of Terminal in step 1.

To copy the number without typos, run (Get-CimInstance Win32_BIOS).SerialNumber | Set-Clipboard, then paste it into a support form or note with Ctrl + V. Nothing appears on screen when this command runs; the number is now on your clipboard.

Dell documents this same Win32_BIOS command for finding a Dell Service Tag, so the value you see on a Dell is the Service Tag that Dell support asks for.

The same Win32_BIOS class also reports the firmware version, so you can check your BIOS version in Windows 11 with a similar command.

The same serial number or service tag lets you look up your PC’s original parts, which is one way to check which power supply your PC has.

From Command Prompt

If you’re already in Command Prompt, run this to print just the number:

powershell -command "(Get-CimInstance Win32_BIOS).SerialNumber"

Check a second firmware field

Some manufacturers also store the serial number in another place. If you want to confirm the first result, run Get-CimInstance Win32_ComputerSystemProduct | Select-Object Vendor, Name, IdentifyingNumber. IdentifyingNumber is a product identifier such as a serial number, and on many brand-name PCs it shows the same value as SerialNumber. The same output shows the maker and model name, which you’ll need on a support site.

Find a custom-built PC’s motherboard serial

A PC you or a local shop assembled usually has no system serial number, because no PC maker wrote one into the firmware. The motherboard has its own. Run Get-CimInstance Win32_BaseBoard | Select-Object Manufacturer, Product, SerialNumber to see the board’s maker, model and serial number. Use those on the motherboard maker’s site for warranty or BIOS downloads.

Check another PC on your network

IT staff can read a serial number remotely with Get-CimInstance Win32_BIOS -ComputerName PC01 | Select-Object SerialNumber, replacing PC01 with the computer’s name. Microsoft’s Get-CimInstance reference notes that this uses a remote WS-Management session, so the other PC needs Windows Remote Management turned on and you need an administrator account on it. This is mostly for work networks; a home user should run the command on the PC itself.

Why the Old WMIC Command Doesn’t Work

Older guides use wmic bios get serialnumber. Microsoft has removed the WMIC tool from currently supported versions of Windows 11, and it can no longer be added back as an optional feature. If you try the old command, you’ll see an error saying wmic is not recognized. The PowerShell command above gets the same information.

Windows 10 still includes WMIC, but Microsoft deprecated it there too, so the PowerShell command is the better habit on both versions.

Find a Surface Serial Number in Settings or the Surface App

Surface devices have two quick routes, both in the Surface serial-number guide.

In Settings:

1. Right-click Start and select Settings.
2. Select System, then About.
3. Look under Windows specifications for Serial number.

In the Surface app:

1. Select Start, type Surface, and open the Surface app.
2. Expand Device information.
3. Read the value next to Serial number. Select a connected Surface pen, keyboard or dock to see its own serial number.

Microsoft’s Settings instructions are written for Surface. On other brands, the About page shows your device name and model, but don’t count on a serial number appearing there. Use PowerShell or the maker’s app instead.

Use the Maker’s Support App

If you’d rather not type a command, the support app that came with most brand-name PCs shows the serial number, usually on its home screen or a device or system information page, along with the model and warranty status.

• Dell: SupportAssist shows the Service Tag.
• HP: HP Support Assistant shows the serial number and product number. On many HP laptops, pressing Fn + Esc together opens a System Information window that lists the serial number, according to HP’s guide to finding your model number.
• Lenovo: Lenovo Vantage shows the serial number with your device details.
• ASUS: MyASUS shows it with the system information.
• Microsoft Surface: the Surface app, as shown above.

If the app isn’t installed, don’t download one from a third-party site just for this. The PowerShell command gives you the same number.

Find the Serial Number on the Device

Look for a sticker or printed text that says S/N, Serial, SN or Service Tag:

• Laptops: the bottom of the case. On older laptops with a removable battery, shut down, unplug the charger and remove the battery, then check the battery bay.
• Desktops: the back, side or top of the case. Small desktops may have it on the bottom.
• All-in-ones: the back of the screen or under the stand.
• Surface Laptop: under the keyboard, near the hinge.
• Surface Pro and Surface Go: flip out the kickstand and look near its base.

Labels often also show a model number or product number. Those identify the product line, not your individual PC, so use the one marked as the serial number or Service Tag. If the print is faded, shine a phone flashlight across it at an angle or take a close photo and zoom in.

Find It in the BIOS or UEFI Setup Screen

The firmware setup screen shows the serial number on most PCs, and it works even when Windows won’t load. Look but don’t change anything.

1. Save your work and open Settings > System > Recovery.
2. Next to Advanced startup, select Restart now.
3. On the blue screen, select Troubleshoot > Advanced options > UEFI Firmware Settings, then select Restart.
4. Open the Main, Information or System Information page and find Serial Number or Service Tag. On a Surface, look under PC information.

5. Exit without saving changes. The PC restarts into Windows.

If you don’t see UEFI Firmware Settings, or Windows won’t start, restart the PC and press its setup key on the logo screen instead, often F2, F10, F1, Esc or Delete. For the documented key for each major brand, check these steps for entering BIOS or UEFI settings in Windows 11.

If the PC Won’t Turn On

You can still find the serial number without Windows:

• Check the label on the device, as described above.
• Look on the barcode label of the original box, the receipt, or the order confirmation email.
• Sign in to the maker’s support site if you registered the PC. For a Surface, the Microsoft Device Service & Repair page lists registered devices with their serial numbers.

Troubleshooting

“wmic is not recognized as an internal or external command.” WMIC has been removed from current Windows 11. Use the PowerShell command.

The result is blank, “To be filled by O.E.M.”, “Default string” or “System Serial Number”. The maker didn’t store a serial number in the firmware. This is common on custom-built desktops. Use the motherboard command above, the label or the box.

The command shows an error in red text. Make sure you’re at a PowerShell prompt, not Command Prompt, and that you pasted the whole command on one line. In Command Prompt, use the powershell -command version.

The number doesn’t match the sticker. A repair shop may have replaced the motherboard and not written the original serial number to the new board. For warranty, give the maker the number on the label and mention the repair.

The support site says the number is invalid. Check for look-alike characters such as the letter O and zero, or the letter I and one. Copying with the Set-Clipboard command avoids this.

Frequently Asked Questions