How to Get Your Computer’s Serial Number Using PowerShell

by | Nov 21, 2023 | Windows

A computer’s serial number is used to identify the hardware components individually, such as a keyboard, SSD, or motherboard. A serial number provides additional information about the computer part for replacement or helps in finding compatible parts. Checking your computer’s serial number is very useful when you want to list down the devices that are connected to the computer network.

A computer’s serial number is usually found on the sticker that is located on the back or bottom of the computer. In case the sticker is not available on the computer’s back or bottom then you can use built-in applications to check the serial number such as PowerShell or Command Prompt. BIOS (Basic Input/Output System) also contains the serial number information. Furthermore, users can utilize third-party apps to find the computer’s serial number.

How to Get Your Computer’s Serial Number Using PowerShell?

A computer’s serial number can be retrieved by using these given methods:

  • Method 1: Use PowerShell’s WMIC Utility to Get Your Computer’s Serial Number
  • Method 2: Use PowerShell’s Get-CimInstance Cmdlet to Get Your Computer’s Serial Number
  • Method 3: Use PowerShell’s Get-WmiObject Cmdlet to Get Your Computer’s Serial Number

Method 1: Use PowerShell’s WMIC Utility to Get Computer Serial Number

The computer’s serial number in Windows can be checked using PowerShell’s WMIC utility. The WMIC (Windows Management Instrumentation Command Line) can retrieve the information on local and remote computers. Check the mentioned instructions to retrieve the computer’s serial number with the help of PowerShell’s WMIC utility.

Step 1: Launch PowerShell as an administrator from the Start menu:

Step 2: Execute the mentioned command below to get your computer’s serial number:

wmic bios get Serialnumber

The computer’s serial number can be exported or saved into a text file for later use. Type the given code in the PowerShell console and press Enter:

wmic bios get SerialNumber > C:\SerialNumber.txt

Let’s confirm whether the exported serial number is the same or not by executing the mentioned command:

Get-Content C:\SerialNumber.txt

The exported serial number was exported and it was correct.

Method 2: Use PowerShell’s Get-CimInstance Cmdlet to Get Your Computer’s Serial Number

PowerShell’s Get-CimInstance cmdlet can also get the computer’s serial number in Windows. The Get-CimInstance cmdlet gets the instances of the CIM class from a CIM server. Check the mentioned steps to get your computer’s serial using PowerShell’s Get-CimInstance cmdlet.

Step 1: Press the Windows + X shortcut keys and select Windows PowerShell (Admin) to open PowerShell as an administrator:

Step 2: Type the below code in the console and press Enter:

?Get-CimInstance Win32_BIOS | Format-List SerialNumber

Method 3: Use PowerShell’s Get-WmiObject Cmdlet to Get Your Computer’s Serial Number

Another cmdlet that can get your computer’s serial number is the Get-WmiObject. The Get-WmiObject cmdlet gets the available instances of the WMI objects. Steps to check your computer’s serial number are provided below using PowerShell’s Get-WmiObject cmdlet.

Step 1: Press the Windows + R shortcut keys to open Run. 

Step 2: Type PowerShell and press Ctrl + Shift + Enter shortcut keys to open PowerShell as an administrator:

Step 3: Type the below code in the console and press Enter:

Get-WmiObject -Class Win32_BIOS | Select-Object -Property SerialNumber

Bonus Tip: How to Get Your Computer’s Serial Number Using Command Prompt(CMD)?

Just like PowerShell, Command Prompt is another Windows administrator tool that is used to perform elevated-level operations. A Command Prompt (CMD) can also be used to check the serial number of the computer. Check the mentioned steps below to get your computer’s serial number.

Step 1: Click on the Windows button to open the Start menu.

Step 2: Type Command Prompt and open it as an administrator:

Step 3: Execute the mentioned command in the console and press Enter:

wmic bios get Serialnumber

Conclusion

Press the Windows + X shortcut keys and select Windows PowerShell (Admin). Type this command wmic bios get Serialnumber command in the console and press Enter to get your computer’s serial number using PowerShell. Additionally, the ?Get-CimInstance and Get-WmiObject cmdlets can be used to check the computer’s serial number. A computer’s serial number is used to find or identify the computer’s components individually. It helps when it comes to replacing the computer component or when seeking help regarding that component online. Read the above guide to know the practical way of checking the computer’s serial number.