This can be tricky with some laptop brands and model lines. Usually you’d find this information beneath the laptop on a label or sticker. You may also find this information on a display sticker located on the laptop’s palmrest area. You will always find it on a sticker located on the outside of the laptop box with a specification, but most people tend to throw the box away.

If you are struggling to find this information, don’t panic – we have a Plan B! Take pictures of all the labels beneath the laptop and also beneath the laptop battery after removing it, and email/Whatsapp them all to us.

Otherwise, keep reading for assistance on where to find the information.

Here are some guidelines for the most common brands:

Acer: You will find a model name and number on a display sticker (with other specification information) to the right hand side of the touchpad below the keyboard, e.g. ‘Aspire E1-571’. Otherwise, it’ll definitely be beneath the laptop on a white sticker. If both are worn out or lost, turn the laptop on and enter the BIOS by pressing F2 repeatedly on the Acer logo before Windows boots, and the first page will have the model information.

Asus: You will find model information on a display sticker (with other specification information) to the right hand side of the touchpad below the keyboard. An Asus part number will be between 4 and 6 characters, and will start with a capital letter, e.g. ‘X5DC, or K52F’. It’ll definitely be beneath the laptop on a white, dark, or even a transparent sticker. If no sticker is present, it may be beneath the battery. You will find this information in the BIOS as well. Usually it’s the DEL key that’ll give you BIOS access and you need to start hitting this key as soon as you turn the laptop on, before the Asus logo shows. Keep hitting the key after the logo appears too. If this doesn’t work, restart and try the F1 and F2 keys.

Dell: You will find a model name and number engraved or printed on the laptop plastic, somewhere on the keyboard/palmrest area. Likely to be above the keyboard on the left, e.g. ‘Inspiron XXXX’, or ‘Latitude XXXXX’. Otherwise, it’ll definitely be beneath the laptop on a white or more commonly a dark sticker. An easier method is to find the Service Tag for your laptop (beneath the laptop on a white sticker, or find it within the BIOS by pressing F2 on the Dell boot logo), go to the Dell Support website and you can find your laptop model and configuration by entering the Service Tag in. This is also all that we require too.

HP/Compaq: You will find the laptop model series on the screen bezel usually, e.g. ‘Pavilion G6’, but this is too general. To find your part number, look beneath the laptop for a sticker containing part number information. HP have also been hiding this sticker away underneath the battery (along with many other stickers) on many of their product lines. So, for a ‘Pavilion G6’, the part number is going to look something like this: ‘G6-XXXXxx’ where the four X’s are a 4-digit code, and the ‘xx’ will be two lowercase letters. They use this numbering convention (or a very similar convention) on the majority of their lines so that is what you’re looking for. As with most laptops, you can find this model information within the BIOS. Hit F10 after firing the laptop up on the HP/Compaq logo screen before Windows boots, and the first page should show the model details.

Sony: Sony use a confusing part numbering system. On their older laptops pre-2009, you can find a part number usually starting with ‘VGN-xxxxxxx’ on the screen bezel in the bottom right corner, and a different part number beneath the laptop beginning with ‘PCG-xxxxxx’. The ‘PCG’ code is simply a chassis code. The part number on the screen bezel is the one that you require. For Sony laptops 2010 onwards, the same applies – your full laptop part number will be on the screen bezel in the bottom right. It will also be beneath the laptop on a white sticker, and on some newer Sony laptops you’ll find this white sticker hidden beneath the battery because the part number on the screen bezel is a shortened version. Common models begin with ‘SV’ or ‘VPC’ and are proceeded with more letters and numbers, but more obscure models will begin with other letters too.

Toshiba: The model information will be beneath the laptop on a sticker, for example, ‘Satellite Pro L450’, or ‘Equium A200’. This may be proceeded by a dash, and a few letters and/or numbers. Along with this model range you also require a 6 character code beneath this, which is also a sub-model number that indicates the precise specification/build of your laptop. It’ll usually begin with ‘P’. There may be other characters proceeding this but all that’s required is the 6-digit ‘PSXXXX’ code. As with the above, this information is also available within the laptop’s BIOS. Hit F2 after firing the laptop up on the Toshiba logo screen before Windows boots, and the first page should also show the above model details.

And remember, you only need to endure this task once. If you’re struggling, don’t remember Plan B!