After unwrapping it on my birthday, as soon as I was done squealing with joy, one of my first questions was how to tell what iPhone I have. The simple package didn’t really help, so it occurred to me that I might not be the only one wondering, “Which iPhone do I have?”. I considered, of course, searching for online images of different iPhones. However, Apple doesn’t make significant design changes every time it releases a new device, so it’s challenging to tell apart the forty-two iPhone models launched so far based solely on their physical appearance. Luckily, I found three other easy ways to answer questions like “What iPhone do I have?” or “What model is my iPhone?”. Read this guide to learn all about them:
NOTE: Some of the steps illustrated in this tutorial are only available if your iPhone is on and running iOS 10.3 or newer. If you want to know what iPhone you have without turning it on, scroll down to the last chapter of this guide.
1. Which iPhone do I have? Find out from the list of devices under your Apple ID
After some research on how to tell which iPhone I have, I found that the fastest way is from its Settings. On your iPhone’s Home screen, tap on the Settings app. Its icon is a gray gear, as seen below.
Next, tap on your Apple ID profile at the top of the Settings screen.
TIP: For increased security, you may want to activate two-step verification for your Apple ID on an iPhone or iPad.
At the bottom of the next screen, there’s a list of all the devices connected to your Apple account. The first is the iPhone you’re using, and its model is displayed in a smaller font, as seen below.
Tapping on your iPhone’s name takes you to its Device Info screen, where there are two ways to tell which iPhone you have, together with other useful data, like its iOS version.
Your iPhone model is displayed under its image at the top, as well as in the Model field in the Device Info section.
2. What iPhone do I have? Find out from its About Settings
The Settings app also offers another way to tell the model of your iPhone. Open Settings and go to General.
On the General screen, tap the first entry, called About.
This opens the About screen, where you can find your iPhone’s Model Name.
NOTE: The Model Name entry is only available if your iPhone is running iOS 12.2 or newer. If you’re using an older iPhone, tap once on the Model Number, and you can see the value next to it change. The new value displayed next to the Model Number should start with the letter A, as seen below.
Use the list at the end of this guide to find the new Model Number value and figure out which iPhone you have.
3. How to tell what iPhone I have without turning it on: Check the number printed on the device
The previous two methods are only useful if you can access an iPhone’s Settings. Luckily, there is a way to find out which iPhone you have without turning it on or unlocking it. You just need to check the Model number printed on your device. The Model number starts with the letter A, as discussed in the previous chapter.
First, examine your iPhone’s back cover. On older devices, you can find the Model printed in a very small font on the back of your iPhone.
If you don’t see a Model stamped on the back, you must have an iPhone 8 or newer. In that case, remove your iPhone’s SIM card tray and look inside the opening - use a bright light and a magnifying glass if necessary. You should see a number printed on the upper inner edge of the slot, as shown in the image below.
Once you have the Model number, find it in the following list to know which iPhone you have:
- A2849, A3105, A3106, A3108 - iPhone 15 Pro Max
- A2848, A3101, A3102, A3104 - iPhone 15 Pro
- A2847, A3093, A3094, A3096 - iPhone 15 Plus
- A2846, A3089, A3090, A3092 - iPhone 15
- A2651, A2893, A2894, A2895, A2896 - iPhone 14 Pro Max
- A2650, A2889, A2890, A2891, A2892 - iPhone 14 Pro
- A2632, A2885, A2886, A2887, A2888 - iPhone 14 Plus
- A2649, A2881, A2882, A2883, A2884 - iPhone 14
- A2595, A2782, A2783, A2784, A2785 - iPhone SE (3rd generation)
- A2484, A2641, A2643, A2644, A2645 - iPhone 13 Pro Max
- A2483, A2636, A2638, A2639, A2640 - iPhone 13 Pro
- A2482, A2631, A2633, A2634, A2635 - iPhone 13
- A2481, A2626, A2628, A2629, A2630 - iPhone 13 mini
- A2342, A2410, A2411, A2412 – iPhone 12 Pro Max
- A2341, A2406, A2407, A2408 – iPhone 12 Pro
- A2172, A2402, A2403, A2404 – iPhone 12
- A2176, A2398, A2399, A2400 – iPhone 12 mini
- A2275, A2296, A2298 – iPhone SE (2nd generation)
- A2160, A2215, A2217 – iPhone 11 Pro
- A2161, A2218, A2220 – iPhone 11 Pro Max
- A2111, A2221, A2223 – iPhone 11
- A1920, A2097, A2098, A2099, A2100 – iPhone XS
- A1921, A2101, A2102, A2103, A2104 – iPhone XS Max
- A1984, A2105, A2106, A2107, A2108 – iPhone XR
- A1865, A1901, A1902 – iPhone X
- A1863, A1905, A1906 – iPhone 8
- A1864, A1897, A1898 – iPhone 8 Plus
- A1660, A1778, A1779 – iPhone 7
- A1661, A1784, A1785 – iPhone 7 Plus
- A1633, A1688, A1700 – iPhone 6s
- A1634, A1687, A1699 – iPhone 6s Plus
- A1549, A1586, A1589 – iPhone 6
- A1522, A1524, A1593 – iPhone 6 Plus
- A1662, A1723, A1724 – iPhone SE (1st generation)
- A1453, A1457, A1518, A1528, A1530, A1533 – iPhone 5s
- A1456, A1507, A1516, A1529, A1532 – iPhone 5c
- A1428, A1429, A1442 – iPhone 5
- A1387, A1431 – iPhone 4s
- A1332, A1349 – iPhone 4
- A1325, A1303 – iPhone 3GS
- A1241, A1324 – iPhone 3G
- A1203 – iPhone
Do you think Apple should provide an easier way to tell which iPhone you have?
While it’s easy to find out what iPhone you have from the Settings app, things become more complicated if you cannot start it. Even experienced users have difficulties telling certain models apart based solely on their appearance, and finding the Model number etched on your device can be a challenge. Did you manage to tell what iPhone you have? Was it complicated to find the small letters etched on your iPhone? Let me know in the comments section if you think Apple should provide a simpler alternative.