Apple has a simple product lineup. Unlike other manufacturers, the company doesn't change the name of its Macs with each new release. But then, how do you find out what model your Mac is and what year it originally came out?
A new Mac user can easily get confused. And this dilemma can keep anyone from fully understanding the warranty of their Mac model or getting a good price while reselling it. Thankfully, Apple makes it pretty easy to find out the exact model name and release year of your Mac.
Finding the Age for Your Mac
Tracking down the original receipt or speaking to Apple is the only reliable way to find out how old your Mac is. However, if that isn't possible, you can get an idea of your Mac's age from the model name, which include the year that Mac model was released.
Find Your Mac's Model and Year in the Apple Menu
Apple uses the year and the time period to distinguish between each MacBook, iMac, or Mac mini model. For instance, there are differences between a MacBook Pro (13-inch, Early 2020) and a MacBook Pro (13-inch, Late 2020).
This year won't tell you exactly when your Mac was purchased, but it will tell you what year that model came out.
Here's how to check the model and year for your MacBook:
- On your MacBook, iMac, or Mac mini, click on the Apple menu located in the upper-left corner.
- Then click About This Mac.
- In the Overview tab, you'll find the model number and year of your Mac.
So, for example, from the screenshot above, you can make out the model name of a MacBook Pro (16-inch, 2019), with the year it was first released being 2019. Do note that this year is different from the year you first purchased your Mac.
The same tab will also provide you a key overview of the important specs of your Mac, including the amount of RAM, the CPU and GPU model, and the amount of storage.
You can also find this information on Apple's Support site.
Find Your Mac's Model and Age From Apple's Support Site
You don't necessarily need to have access to your Mac to find its year and model. If you have its serial number, you can find its make and year using that as well.
You can find your Mac's serial number listed on the purchase invoice or on the box that it arrived in. The serial number is also printed on the back of your MacBook, where all the FCC markings are present.
Alternatively, if you do have access to the Mac, you can find its serial number by clicking on the Apple logo in the top-left corner and clicking About This Mac. You'll find the serial number of your Mac in the window that pops up. Double click to highlight it and then proceed to copy it.
Follow these steps to find your Mac model and release year:
- Once you have your Mac's serial number, head over to Apple's Check Coverage page.
- In some cases, you might be prompted to log in with your Apple ID first. You can use any Apple ID; it's not necessary to use the same ID that's logged into your Mac.
- Proceed to paste or type the Mac's serial number into the text box. Then enter the captcha code and click Continue.
- The tool will then show the model and year of your Mac.
It will also show other important information related to your Mac, like whether it is still under warranty, whether it's covered under AppleCare+ coverage, and more.
If none of that helps, Apple also helps you identify your MacBook model with the information on the Apple website.
Always Know Your Mac's Year
It is always good to know the key specifications and model of your Mac. While most MacBook models tend to look similar, they can differ internally in a big way. For example, the 2019 and 2020 13-inch MacBook Pro might look the same, but the latter, with its M1 chip, offers far superior battery life and performance.