MacBook Pro: How to find the serial number

To find the serial number using software

On most computers with Mac OS X you can find the serial number in the About This Mac window. See article the article "Mac OS X: About This Mac Window Provides Computer Serial Number."

To find the serial number located on the computer

MacBook Pro (17-Inch, Early 2009), MacBook Pro (17-inch, Mid 2009), MacBook Pro (15-inch, 2.53GHz, Mid 2009), MacBook Pro (15-inch, Mid 2009), MacBook Pro (13-inch, Mid 2009)

The serial number is laser etched on the back of the computer, just below the agency approval icons.

MacBook Pro (15-inch, Late 2008)

If the MacBook Pro is not turned on, you can open the computer's battery bay to find the serial number. For instructions on how to remove the computer's battery please see article "How to remove or install the battery."

The MacBook Pro (15-inch, Late 2008) serial number and Ethernet ID (also called a MAC address) are located on the front wall of the battery bay, as shown below in Figure 2.

Figure 2: MacBook Pro (15-inch, Late 2008)

MacBook Pro (original), MacBook Pro (17-inch), MacBook Pro (15-inch, Glossy), MacBook Pro (15-inch, Core 2 Duo), MacBook Pro (17-inch, Core 2 Duo), MacBook Pro (15-inch, 2.4/2.2GHz) or MacBook Pro (17-inch 2.4GHz), MacBook Pro (17-inch, Late 2008)

If the MacBook Pro is not turned on, you can open the computer's battery bay to find the serial number. For instructions on how to remove the computer's battery please see article "How to remove or install the battery."

The MacBook Pro's serial number and Ethernet ID (also called a MAC address) are located on the bottom of the computer, underneath the battery, in the battery bay, as shown below in Figure 1.

Figure 1: MacBook Pro (15-inch) example

Note: A limited number of MacBook Pro computers shipped with a different serial number on the computer label than the one which appears in the About This Mac window. MacBook Pro computers of model MA463LL/A with serial numbers W8612xxxxxx may be affected. If your computer is in this range and in About this Mac it says that the computer's serial number is something like 23456VJ0LL, check the serial number in the battery bay—if the two differ, use the serial number in the battery bay instead of the one in About This Mac.