Check which macOS version, Mac model and serial number you have

Why it happens

Apps, repair shops and update guides often ask which macOS or Mac you have, and the answer isn't printed anywhere you'd see day to day. Your Mac keeps it all on one About page. macOS 26 is called Tahoe, so if it says macOS Tahoe 26 you're on 26.

How to fix it

1. Click the Apple menu in the top-left corner of the screen and choose About This Mac. A small window opens.

   Apple menu›About This Mac

2. Read the details. At the top you'll see your Mac's model with its size and year, for example MacBook Air, 13-inch, M2, 2022. Below are the chip, memory, serial number and the macOS line with the version number.

3. For the same details in more depth, open System Settings, click General, then About. The macOS line shows your exact version, and you can select the serial number to copy it.

   General›About

4. Need every detail, such as what's connected or the exact build? Click System Report… at the bottom of the About page.

   General›About›System Report…

Still not fixed?

1. To see if a newer macOS or a fix update is ready for your Mac, open General > Software Update. Click Update Now or Upgrade Now if one is listed.

   General›Software Update

2. If you're wondering whether macOS 27 will run on your Mac, look at the Chip line on the About page. macOS 27 needs Apple silicon (M1 or later). Macs with an Intel processor stay on macOS 26 Tahoe and keep getting its security updates.

   General›About

3. If your Mac won't start up far enough to check, the serial number is also printed on the underside of a MacBook, or on the bottom or back of a desktop Mac, and on the original box.

4. If the About page shows no serial number or the wrong model, contact Apple Support or an Apple Authorized Service Provider. That's unusual and worth getting checked.