You’re staring at the bottom of your laptop. It’s aluminum, it’s cold, and the font is so incredibly small you basically need a jeweler’s loupe to read it. Why are we doing this? Usually, it’s because something broke, you’re trying to sell the thing on eBay, or you’re wondering if that "new" MacBook Air you bought refurbished is actually from 2020 or 2022. Understanding how to identify Mac by model number is the only way to cut through the marketing fluff and get to the cold, hard specs.
Apple is notoriously vague with names. They’ll sell a "MacBook Pro 13-inch" for five years straight, but under the hood, the internals are shifting like tectonic plates. One year you have a butterfly keyboard that's destined to fail; the next, you have the M1 chip that changed everything. The model number is your DNA test.
The Alphanumeric Code: Decoding the A-Series
Every single Mac has a model number that starts with the letter 'A' followed by four digits. You’ll find it printed right there on the chassis. For example, the A2337 is the M1 MacBook Air. If you see A1466, you’re looking at a classic MacBook Air from the mid-2010s.
It’s a bit of a mess, honestly. These "A" numbers represent the physical enclosure or the "family" of the device. This is where people get tripped up. An A1708 could be a 2016 MacBook Pro or a 2017 model. They look identical. They feel identical. But the 2017 version has a slightly improved processor architecture.
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If you’re buying parts—say, a replacement battery or a screen—the A-number is your golden ticket. Don't ever buy a battery based on the year of the laptop. Use the model number. If you get it wrong, the connector won't fit, or worse, you'll short out the logic board. It's a high-stakes game of "Match the Digits."
Where to look if the text is rubbed off
Sometimes the bottom of a Mac gets scratched up. If the laser-etched text is gone, you’ve got to go digital. Click that Apple icon in the top left. Select "About This Mac."
Now, this screen gives you the "Marketing Name," like "MacBook Air (M2, 2022)." That’s helpful for most people, but for the pro-level detail, you need the System Report. Click that button, and look for the Model Identifier. This is a different string entirely, something like Mac14,2 or MacBookAir10,1. This is what the software sees. It’s even more specific than the "A" number on the bottom of the case. Developers use these identifiers to gatekeep software updates. When Apple says "macOS 16 is dropping support for older Macs," they aren't looking at the year you bought it; they're looking at that identifier.
The "Order Number" Confusion
There is a third type of number that people often confuse with the model number. It usually looks like MGN63LL/A. This is technically the "Part Number" or "Order Number."
If you have the original box, this is what’s printed on the sticker. It’s the most specific identifier of all. It tells you not just the model, but the color, the RAM capacity, and the storage size.
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- Model Number (A2337): Tells you it’s an M1 MacBook Air.
- Order Number (MGN63LL/A): Tells you it’s a Space Gray M1 MacBook Air with 8GB of RAM and a 256GB SSD.
Why does this matter? Resale value. If you're listing your Mac on Swappa or Back Market, providing the order number proves exactly what’s inside the machine without you having to take fifty screenshots of the system settings.
Why 2026 is a weird year for identifying Macs
We’ve reached a point where Apple’s silicon transitions have made older model numbers almost obsolete in terms of performance. Identifying a Mac by model number today is mostly about checking for "The Great Divide"—the split between Intel and Apple Silicon.
If your model number corresponds to an Intel chip, your resale value is likely plummeting as we speak. Software support is thinning out. On the flip side, the early Apple Silicon models (like the A2337 or A2338) are holding their value remarkably well. Even in 2026, an M1 Mac is a beast for basic office work, which is wild considering it's over five years old.
The Serial Number: The Final Boss
If the model number gives you the "make and model," the serial number is the VIN. It’s unique to your specific machine. If you take that 12-digit string to Apple’s "Check Coverage" website, it will spit back every detail about your warranty, your exact ship date, and your model name.
Interestingly, Apple moved to randomized serial numbers a few years ago. Old serial numbers used to have "date codes" hidden in them—you could literally tell which week of the year your Mac was built just by looking at the fourth and fifth characters. Now? It’s just gibberish. This was a deliberate move by Apple to make it harder for third-party refurbishers to track supply chain data.
Practical Steps for Identification
Stop guessing. If you’re trying to figure out what you have, follow this sequence.
First, flip the Mac over. Use your phone camera to zoom in on the text near the hinge. Look for the "A" followed by four numbers. That is your primary hardware ID.
Second, if the Mac turns on, hold the Option key and click the Apple Menu -> System Information. Check the "Model Identifier." Write it down. If it says something like "MacBookPro18,3," you’ve got a 14-inch M1 Pro.
Third, if you’re looking for a case or a screen protector, search for the "A" number specifically on Amazon or specialized parts sites like iFixit. Don't search for "2021 MacBook Pro case." Search for "A2442 case." It saves you the headache of a return.
What your model number says about your Mac's lifespan
Hardware longevity is tied directly to these numbers. We're seeing a trend where certain "Model Identifiers" are being cut off from macOS updates sooner than others.
- Intel Macs (A1989, A1990, A2141): You are in the "Legacy" zone. These machines are increasingly difficult to support as Apple optimizes everything for ARM architecture.
- First Gen Silicon (A2337, A2338): These are the "Modern Classics." They are the baseline for current software development.
- The New Guard (A2941 and beyond): These include the 15-inch Airs and the M3/M4 iterations. These have years of headroom.
Identifying your Mac is more than just a technical chore; it's about knowing exactly where you stand in the ecosystem. It prevents you from overpaying for old tech and ensures that when you go to fix something, you actually have the right screwdriver and the right parts.
Keep a note of your Model Identifier and your A-number in a password manager or a physical file. When the screen eventually flickers or the battery gives up the ghost, you'll be glad you don't have to squint at the bottom of the case ever again.
Check your Mac’s current trade-in value by plugging that specific model number into a site like Gazelle or Apple’s own trade-in portal. You might find that the "old" machine on your desk is worth more—or significantly less—than you thought based on that one tiny string of digits.