About This Mac, in the Apple menu, tells you which MacBook you have: the model name, its screen size and year (for example, MacBook Pro, 16-inch, 2021) and its chip. That’s enough for most Macs, but some MacBooks share a year, a look or a bottom-case number, and Swappa lists them by year, screen size and chip. This guide covers About This Mac, System Information, Macs that won’t turn on, the common traps, and a lookup table that matches every Apple silicon MacBook to its Swappa page.
Quick Answer
Choose Apple menu > About This Mac. The name and the line under it (for example, MacBook Air, 15-inch, M3, 2024) identify the model, and a Chip line confirms Apple silicon, while Intel Macs show Processor instead. For an exact match, hold Option, choose Apple menu > System Information, and look up the Model Identifier in the table below. Swappa names MacBooks by year, size and chip, so those three details lead you to the right listing page.
Browse MacBooks by Model on Swappa
The Fastest Way: About This Mac
Click the Apple menu in the top-left corner of the screen and choose About This Mac. Apple’s own example window shows these lines:
- Model name and subtitle: For example, MacBook Pro over “16-inch, 2021.” Together they make Apple’s full model name, MacBook Pro (16-inch, 2021), the same name Apple uses on its identification pages.
- Chip: The Apple silicon chip, such as Apple M1 Pro. An Intel MacBook shows a Processor line instead, according to Apple.
- Memory: Such as 16 GB. Memory is set when the Mac is built, so list it exactly.
- Serial number: Unique to your Mac. Apple’s coverage lookup uses it, and it proves which Mac you’re selling.
- macOS: The installed version. macOS 27 Golden Gate runs only on Mac computers with Apple silicon, per Apple’s compatibility list.
About This Mac doesn’t show storage capacity, so check System Settings > General > Storage for that. System Settings > General > About repeats the same details and adds warranty and coverage information, according to Apple’s Mac User Guide.
Swappa’s product names lead with the year instead of following Apple’s wording, so a MacBook Air (15-inch, M3, 2024) is listed as MacBook Air 2024 (M3) – 15 inch.
Find the Model Identifier and Part Number in System Information
Hold the Option key, then choose Apple menu > System Information (or open System Settings > General > About and click System Report). Select Hardware in the sidebar. The Hardware Overview shows, among other lines:
- Model Identifier: Apple’s internal code for the model, such as MacBookPro18,1 or Mac15,12. It’s the most precise way to identify a Mac, and the lookup table below lists it for every Apple silicon MacBook.
- Model Number: Despite the label, this is Apple’s part number for the exact configuration, written like MRX33xx/A, where the two letters before the slash vary by region, according to Apple.
- Serial Number (system): The same serial number About This Mac shows.
- Activation Lock Status: On a Mac you’re buying, you want this to say Disabled. If it says Enabled, Find My is still on, and the seller needs to turn it off before the sale. How to Factory Reset Your MacBook Before Selling (2026) walks sellers through it.
Apple’s Identify your MacBook Air model and Identify your MacBook Pro model pages list both the Model Identifier and the part numbers for each model, so either code will find your Mac.
How to Identify a MacBook That Won’t Turn On
A MacBook that won’t boot still carries its identity. Try these:
- Turn it over. The serial number is printed on the underside near the regulatory markings, according to Apple, along with a model number that starts with A. Enter the serial number on Apple’s Check Coverage site, checkcoverage.apple.com, to see the model name. One catch: if the logic board was replaced in a repair, the printed serial number may no longer be active.
- Check your Apple Account. Sign in at account.apple.com and select Devices. If the Mac is listed, click it to see its model name and serial number.
- Find the box. The serial number is on the packaging next to the barcode, and the part number may be there too.
- If it turns on but won’t finish starting up, start up from macOS Recovery, open Terminal from the Utilities menu, and run
ioreg -l | grep IOPlatformSerialNumberto read the serial number, per Apple. - Check the finish. Blush, citrus and indigo are MacBook Neo colors that no MacBook Air or MacBook Pro has come in, though the Neo also comes in silver.
A MacBook that won’t power on can’t be listed on Swappa, because listings must be fully functional. If a repair doesn’t make sense, shop used MacBooks for a replacement.
Watch for These MacBook Identification Traps
These are the mix-ups that most often put a MacBook on the wrong Swappa page or at the wrong price.
The 2020 MacBook Air came with Intel or M1. Apple sold two 2020 Airs with the same design: MacBook Air (Retina, 13-inch, 2020) with an Intel processor (MacBookAir9,1) and MacBook Air (M1, 2020) (MacBookAir10,1). About This Mac settles it, and so does the keyboard: the M1 model’s F4, F5 and F6 keys show Spotlight, Dictation and Do Not Disturb, while the Intel model has Launchpad on F4 and keyboard brightness on F5 and F6.
Swappa lists both under MacBook Air 2020 – 13 inch, so use the Processor filter for M1 models or Intel Core i5 models. Swappa sale data from early October 2026 shows why it matters: 256GB M1 models averaged about $387, while 256GB Intel models averaged about $294 to $330 (MacBook Air 2020 prices).
The 13-inch MacBook Pro looked the same from 2020 to 2022. Apple sold four 13-inch MacBook Pros in that stretch: two Intel models from 2020 (one with two Thunderbolt 3 ports, MacBookPro16,3, and one with four, MacBookPro16,2), the M1 model (MacBookPro17,1) and the M2 model from 2022 (Mac14,7). On Swappa, the Intel and M1 versions share MacBook Pro 2020 – 13 inch (M1 models only), and the M2 has its own MacBook Pro 2022 – 13 inch page.
The A-number on the bottom isn’t unique. Repair references such as EveryMac and iFixit list A2338 for both the M1 (2020) and M2 (2022) 13-inch MacBook Pro, even though Apple gives them different Model Identifiers. Trust the Model Identifier or the serial number over the A-number.
There are two 2023 MacBook Pros in each size. MacBook Pro (14-inch, 2023) has an M2 Pro or M2 Max chip, and MacBook Pro (14-inch, Nov 2023) has an M3, M3 Pro or M3 Max. Swappa splits them the same way, into MacBook Pro 2023 – 14 inch and MacBook Pro Late 2023 (M3) – 14 inch, with matching 16-inch pages. Within the November 2023 14-inch models, Apple’s list shows the M3 version with two Thunderbolt / USB 4 ports and the M3 Pro and M3 Max versions with three.
The newest names drop the year. Apple’s names for the 2026 models, such as MacBook Air (13-inch, M5) and MacBook Pro (14-inch, M5 Pro or M5 Max), carry no year, while Swappa’s pages call them 2026 models. The base M5 14-inch MacBook Pro is the exception: Apple introduced it in 2025 (Mac17,2) and still sells it, so on Swappa you’ll find base M5 units on MacBook Pro 2025 – 14 inch and on the 2026 14-inch page under its Apple M5 filter. Check both when you shop.
An F at the start of the part number usually means refurbished. That’s widely reported rather than documented by Apple, and the rest of the number still identifies the model. Apple’s own MacBook Pro list includes F-prefixed part numbers next to the standard ones, such as FRX33xx/A beside MRX33xx/A for the 14-inch M3 Pro and M3 Max. Refurbished isn’t a red flag by itself; Refurbished vs. Used: Which Is the Better Deal? explains the difference.
Check MacBook Prices on Swappa
MacBook Model Lookup Table: Apple Silicon Air, Pro and Neo
Find your Model Identifier (from System Information) or Apple’s model name (from About This Mac) below, then click through to the matching Swappa page. Names and identifiers come from Apple’s MacBook Air and MacBook Pro identification pages, updated September 14, 2026. Where one Swappa page covers more than one chip, the link applies the Processor filter, and every page has a Processor menu to narrow it further.
MacBook Air and MacBook Neo
| Apple’s Model Name | Model Identifier | Chip | Swappa Product Page |
|---|---|---|---|
| MacBook Neo (13-inch, A18 Pro) | Not on Apple’s list yet (iFixit lists Mac17,5) | A18 Pro | MacBook Neo 2026 |
| MacBook Air (15-inch, M5) | Mac17,4 | M5 | MacBook Air 2026 (M5) – 15 inch |
| MacBook Air (13-inch, M5) | Mac17,3 | M5 | MacBook Air 2026 (M5) – 13 inch |
| MacBook Air (15-inch, M4, 2025) | Mac16,13 | M4 | MacBook Air 2025 (M4) – 15 inch |
| MacBook Air (13-inch, M4, 2025) | Mac16,12 | M4 | MacBook Air 2025 (M4) – 13 inch |
| MacBook Air (15-inch, M3, 2024) | Mac15,13 | M3 | MacBook Air 2024 (M3) – 15 inch |
| MacBook Air (13-inch, M3, 2024) | Mac15,12 | M3 | MacBook Air 2024 (M3) – 13 inch |
| MacBook Air (15-inch, M2, 2023) | Mac14,15 | M2 | MacBook Air 2023 (M2) – 15 inch |
| MacBook Air (M2, 2022) | Mac14,2 | M2 | MacBook Air 2022 (M2) – 13 inch |
| MacBook Air (M1, 2020) | MacBookAir10,1 | M1 | MacBook Air 2020 – 13 inch, M1 models |
Apple’s identification pages don’t list the MacBook Neo yet. Apple’s macOS 27 compatibility list calls it MacBook Neo (13-inch, A18 Pro), and iFixit lists its bottom-case model number as A3404. Per Apple’s MacBook Neo tech specs, the 256GB model has no Touch ID, while the 512GB model does.
MacBook Pro
| Apple’s Model Name | Model Identifier | Chip | Swappa Product Page |
|---|---|---|---|
| MacBook Pro (16-inch, M5 Pro or M5 Max) | Mac17,6, Mac17,8 | M5 Pro or M5 Max | MacBook Pro 2026 – 16 inch (M5) |
| MacBook Pro (14-inch, M5 Pro or M5 Max) | Mac17,7, Mac17,9 | M5 Pro or M5 Max | MacBook Pro 2026 – 14 inch (M5) |
| MacBook Pro (14-inch, M5) | Mac17,2 | M5 | MacBook Pro 2025 – 14 inch |
| MacBook Pro (16-inch, 2024) | Mac16,5, Mac16,7 | M4 Pro or M4 Max | MacBook Pro 2024 – 16 inch |
| MacBook Pro (14-inch, 2024) | Mac16,6, Mac16,8 | M4 Pro or M4 Max | MacBook Pro 2024 – 14 inch |
| MacBook Pro (14-inch, 2024) | Mac16,1 | M4 | MacBook Pro 2024 – 14 inch, M4 models |
| MacBook Pro (16-inch, Nov 2023) | Mac15,7, Mac15,9, Mac15,11 | M3 Pro or M3 Max | MacBook Pro Late 2023 (M3) – 16 inch |
| MacBook Pro (14-inch, Nov 2023) | Mac15,6, Mac15,8, Mac15,10 | M3 Pro or M3 Max | MacBook Pro Late 2023 (M3) – 14 inch |
| MacBook Pro (14-inch, Nov 2023) | Mac15,3 | M3 | MacBook Pro Late 2023 (M3) – 14 inch, M3 models |
| MacBook Pro (16-inch, 2023) | Mac14,6, Mac14,10 | M2 Pro or M2 Max | MacBook Pro 2023 – 16 inch |
| MacBook Pro (14-inch, 2023) | Mac14,5, Mac14,9 | M2 Pro or M2 Max | MacBook Pro 2023 – 14 inch |
| MacBook Pro (13-inch, M2, 2022) | Mac14,7 | M2 | MacBook Pro 2022 – 13 inch |
| MacBook Pro (16-inch, 2021) | MacBookPro18,1, MacBookPro18,2 | M1 Pro or M1 Max | MacBook Pro 2021 – 16 inch |
| MacBook Pro (14-inch, 2021) | MacBookPro18,3, MacBookPro18,4 | M1 Pro or M1 Max | MacBook Pro 2021 – 14 inch |
| MacBook Pro (13-inch, M1, 2020) | MacBookPro17,1 | M1 | MacBook Pro 2020 – 13 inch, M1 models |
Older Intel MacBooks
If About This Mac shows a Processor line, you have an Intel MacBook from 2020 or earlier; Apple’s move to its own chips started with the M1 models in late 2020. Apple’s identification pages above cover the older Intel MacBook Air and MacBook Pro models too, and the 12-inch MacBook (2015 to 2017) has its own Identify your MacBook model page.
Swappa lists Intel MacBooks the same way, by year and size, and 2016 and 2017 MacBook Pro pages also split models with and without a Touch Bar. Examples include MacBook Pro 2019 – 16 inch and the 12-inch MacBook (2017); the MacBook Air and MacBook Pro series pages list the rest.
No Intel Mac can run macOS 27. For how long each Intel model will keep getting security updates, and whether one is still worth buying, see Intel vs. Apple Silicon: Which Used MacBook to Buy.
What to Do Next: Check Prices, Sell, or Verify a Listing
If you’re selling, use the table to find your Swappa page, then choose the matching chip, memory, storage and color when you list. Check what that configuration has actually sold for on Swappa’s price pages before you set your Ask Price. MacBook Neo owners can start from the MacBook Neo sell page.
Erase the Mac first with How to Factory Reset Your MacBook Before Selling (2026), and see How to sell your MacBook: Wipe, prepare, sell, get paid for the rest. Listing is free, and selling fees are lower than other auction-site fees: a 3% seller fee on your Ask Price, plus payment processing.
If you’re buying, ask the seller for the Model Identifier, chip, memory and storage from About This Mac or System Information, and compare them with the listing. Check that Activation Lock Status shows Disabled. Real people approve Swappa listings before they go live, and if a Mac arrives as something other than what was advertised, you’re entitled to a refund. How to Inspect a Used Laptop Before You Buy covers the hands-on checks, and Swappa: Understanding Apple’s Battery Health explains the battery numbers.
Still choosing a model? Used MacBook Buyer’s Guide: Air vs. Pro, M1 to M5 (2026) compares them, Best Cheap MacBook in 2026: Used Air, Pro and MacBook Neo covers the budget end, and History of the MacBook: Every Generation Explained fills in the backstory. For desktops, see Used Mac Desktop Buyer’s Guide: iMac, Mac mini & Mac Studio, and for everything else, Used Laptops: The Complete Guide to Buying and Selling (2026).
FAQ
How do I find out what year my MacBook is?
Choose Apple menu > About This Mac. The line under the model name shows the screen size and year, such as 16-inch, 2021. Apple’s newest names leave the year out: the MacBook Pro (14-inch, M5) came out in 2025, and the M5 MacBook Air, the M5 Pro and M5 Max MacBook Pro and the MacBook Neo came out in 2026.
What is a Model Identifier on a MacBook?
It’s Apple’s internal code for a Mac model, such as MacBookPro18,1 or Mac15,12. Hold Option and choose Apple menu > System Information, then select Hardware to see it. It’s more precise than the year, because Apple has sold different MacBooks with the same size and year, such as the two 14-inch MacBook Pros from 2023.
Is my MacBook Intel or Apple silicon?
Open About This Mac. Apple silicon Macs show a Chip line, such as Apple M2, while Intel Macs show a Processor line with an Intel chip. Every MacBook Air from 2022 on, every MacBook Pro from 2021 on, the two M1 models from 2020 and the MacBook Neo use Apple silicon.
Where is the model number on a MacBook?
The number printed on the bottom case starts with A and sits near the serial number and regulatory text. It identifies a design rather than one exact model, and some A-numbers cover more than one generation, so the Model Identifier in System Information or the serial number is the more reliable match.
How can I identify a MacBook that won’t turn on?
Turn it over: the serial number is printed on the bottom case, and entering it at checkcoverage.apple.com shows the model name. You can also check the Devices list at account.apple.com or the label on the original box. If the Mac starts but won’t finish booting, Terminal in macOS Recovery can read the serial number.
Can I sell a dead MacBook on Swappa?
No. Swappa listings must be fully functional, so a MacBook that doesn’t power on can’t be listed. If a repair doesn’t make sense, the better move is to replace it with a used MacBook on Swappa, where real people approve listings before they go live.
Conclusion
About This Mac identifies most MacBooks in one click, and the Model Identifier in System Information settles the close calls, from Intel versus M1 2020 Airs to the two 2023 MacBook Pros. Once you know the exact model, chip, memory and storage, you can find the right Swappa page, check real sale prices and list it, or confirm that a listing is the Mac you’re paying for.
Sell Your MacBook Air on Swappa
