Manufacturer Lookup

Apple Serial Number Lookup - Model & Manufacture Date Decoder

Free Apple Serial Number Decoder - Manufacture Date, Factory & Model Code

The Apple Serial Number Lookup decodes the information Apple embedded in serial numbers manufactured before about March 2021: an 11- or 12-character serial encodes the factory that built the device, the year and week it was manufactured, and a model ("configurator") code that identifies the product — for example a specific MacBook Pro, MacBook Air, iMac, iPad, or iPhone generation. The decoder bundles a reference list of 8,400+ Apple-published model codes and runs entirely in your browser, so the serial is never uploaded anywhere. Devices made from 2021 onward use randomized serials that encode nothing; the tool detects that format and says so plainly. To be clear: this is a serial decoder and device identifier, NOT a warranty checker. Apple provides no public warranty API — coverage status is only available from Apple's own Check Coverage page.

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Apple Serial Number Lookup - Model & Manufacture Date Decoder visualization

Under the Hood

How It Works

Pre-2021 Apple serial numbers follow a documented structure. In a 12-character serial (used from 2010 to early 2021), the first three characters identify the factory, the fourth encodes the manufacture year and half-year, the fifth encodes the production week, characters six through eight are a unique unit identifier, and the last four are the model configurator code. Older 11-character serials (roughly 1999-2012) use a two-character factory code, a single year digit, a two-digit week, and a three-character model code. The decoder validates the format, maps the year and week characters against the documented alphabets, looks the factory code up in a curated list of commonly documented locations, and resolves the model code against a bundled reference list of Apple model codes. Everything happens client-side in JavaScript - no lookup request is sent to our servers or anyone else's. Where the encoding is ambiguous (Apple reused year codes C, D, and F when the cycle wrapped in 2020) the tool shows both candidate years instead of guessing, and unrecognized factory or model codes are labeled as such rather than padded with invented data.

Capabilities

Key Features

Runs 100% in your browser — serials are never sent to our servers
Manufacture year and week decoding for 11- and 12-character serials (pre-2021)
Model identification from a bundled list of 8,400+ Apple model codes
Factory-of-origin lookup for commonly documented factory codes
Detects randomized 2021+ serials and links to Apple's official coverage checker
Shows both candidate years when Apple's year-code reuse makes the date ambiguous
No account or sign-up required

Technology

Tech Stack

Client-side JavaScript Apple Serial Format Decoding Model Code Reference Data

Quick Facts

Runs entirely in your browser

No account required

Works with 11 & 12-character serials

2021+ randomized serials detected

Examples

Example Lookups

12-character serial

Input: C02TM0ABHV2H

Output: Manufactured 2017, week 18 (early May), at Quanta Computer (reported); model code HV2H = MacBook Pro (13-inch, 2017, Two Thunderbolt 3 ports).

Randomized 2021+ serial

Input: Any 10-character serial from a 2021-or-newer device

Output: Detected as a randomized serial: no manufacture or model data is encoded. The tool links you to Apple's official coverage checker instead.

11-character legacy serial

Input: W88010Y0YA4

Output: Manufactured 2008, week 1 (early January), in Shanghai, China (reported); model code YA4 = MacBook (13-inch, Mid 2007).

FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions

Can this tool check my Apple warranty?

No — and be wary of any third-party site that claims it can. Apple provides no public warranty API, so warranty and AppleCare status are only available from Apple's official Check Coverage page at checkcoverage.apple.com. What this tool does is decode the information embedded in the serial number itself: manufacture year and week, factory of origin, and the model code.

Why does my serial number from a 2021 or newer device not decode?

In early 2021 Apple switched to randomized 10-character serial numbers that are just unique identifiers — they no longer encode the manufacture date, factory, or model. The tool detects the randomized format and tells you, rather than inventing an answer. For new-style serials, identify the device and check coverage on Apple's official page.

What is the model (configurator) code?

The last four characters of a 12-character serial (or last three of an 11-character serial) identify the product model and configuration — for example HV2H is a MacBook Pro (13-inch, 2017, Two Thunderbolt 3 ports). The decoder ships with a reference list of more than 8,400 codes sourced from Apple's product-info data. Codes that aren't in the list (common on 2020-2021 units) are shown as unrecognized instead of guessed.

Why does the tool show two possible years for my serial?

Apple's year encoding cycled through a 20-letter alphabet covering 2010-2019 and then wrapped, reusing C and D for 2020 and F for early 2021. A serial with one of those year codes legitimately matches two years, so the decoder shows both — the model code usually settles which one applies.

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