How to Check Your Computer's System Information: PC & Mac (2024)

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  • Computers and Electronics
  • Computers

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Find your PC or Mac's specs, including RAM and processor info, in a few quick steps

Written byNicole Levine, MFA

Last Updated: January 19, 2023Fact Checked

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  • Windows 11
  • |
  • Windows 10 and 8
  • |
  • Windows 7, Vista, and XP
  • |
  • macOS Ventura
  • |
  • macOS Monterey and Earlier
  • |
  • Video
  • |

If you're planning to upgrade your computer or need to find out if a game or application will run on your PC or Mac, it's easy to pull up your hardware specifications. If you're using Windows, you can access the System Information (Windows 10) or About (Windows 11) panel, which provides you with details about RAM, CPUs, GPUs, and even whether your PC is 32- or 64-bit. On a Mac, you can view your specs in the Apple menu under System Settings (Ventura) or About this Mac (earlier versions). This wikiHow article will walk you through checking your computer's full system specifications on any PC or Mac.

Things You Should Know

  • On Windows 11, open your Settings and click "About."
  • On Windows 10 & 8, type "info" into the Search bar and click "System Information."
  • On a Mac, click the Apple menu and select "System Settings" > "General" > "About" (Ventura) or "About This Mac" (earlier versions).

Method 1

Method 1 of 5:

Windows 11

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  1. 1

    Open your Windows Settings. You can do this by pressing Windows key + I on the keyboard, or by clicking the Windows Start menu and selecting the gear icon.

  2. 2

    Scroll down and click About. The System page will be shown at first by default. You'll see it at the bottom of the right panel.

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  3. 3

    View your Windows system information. On this page, you'll see several sections:

    • Device specifications: This tells you your PC's name, processor, RAM installed, device and product ID, and whether your computer is 32- or 64-bit.
    • Windows specifications: Here you'll find your edition of Windows 11 (e.g., Windows 11 Home), version, build number, and experience.
    • Support: This tells you information about your computer's manufacturer (e.g., Dell or HP) and provides a link to your manufacturer's support site.
    • Related: Here you'll find links to other helpful information, including your product key and activation info, remote desktop settings, and a quick link to the device manager.
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Method 2

Method 2 of 5:

Windows 10 and 8

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  1. 1

    Click the Start

    button. It's in the bottom-left corner of the screen; doing so will open the Start menu, which has a built-in search feature.

    • For a quick keyboard shortcut, you can also press the Windows key on your keyboard to open the menu.
    • If a search field doesn't appear at the bottom of the menu, press Windows key + S to open it now.
  2. 2

    Type info into the search bar. It's in the bottom-left corner of the screen. A list of search results will appear.[1]

  3. 3

    Click System Information. This brings up the System Information window. There are four tabs listed in the top-left corner of the window. Click on “+” in front of each tab to select and view a subcategory:

    • System Summary: This tab contains details about your operating system, installed memory, and processor type.
    • Hardware Resources: View a list of all hardware drivers and information associated with devices (e.g., webcams or controllers) associated with your computer.
    • Components: View a list of technical components on your computer such as USB ports, the DVD drive, and speakers.
    • Software Environment: View drivers and running processes on your computer.
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Method 3

Method 3 of 5:

Windows 7, Vista, and XP

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  1. 1

    Hold down Win and press R. Doing so will open Run, which is a program that allows you to run system commands.

  2. 2

    Type msinfo32 and click OK. This opens your Windows computer's system information.

  3. 3

    Review your PC's system information. There are several tabs in the top-left corner of the window that you can use to view different aspects of your system:

    • System Summary: This tab displays details about your operating system, memory, and processor type.
    • Hardware Resources: View a list of all hardware drivers and information associated with devices (e.g., webcams or controllers) associated with your computer.
    • Components: View a list of technical components on your computer such as USB ports, the CD drive, and speakers.
    • Software Environment: View drivers and running processes on your computer, which can be helpful for troubleshooting.
    • Internet Settings: Your computer may not have this option; if it does, you can use this tab to view various pieces of information about your computer's internet connection.
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Method 4

Method 4 of 5:

macOS Ventura

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  1. 1

    Click the Apple menu. It's the apple icon in the top-left corner of your Mac's screen.

  2. 2

    Click System Settings. You'll see this near the top of the menu.

  3. 3

    Click General in the left sidebar. If you don't see this option, you may need to scroll down a little.[2]

  4. 4

    Click About. You'll see this in the right panel. This displays general system information about your Mac.

  5. 5

    Review your system information. Here, you'll find helpful information, including:

    • Your Mac's name.
    • The type of chip (e.g., Apple M1 or Intel).
    • The amount of RAM you have (in the "Memory" section).
    • Your serial number.
    • Warranty coverage information.
    • Version of macOS.
    • Information about your display(s).
  6. 6

    Click System Report… for more detailed information. If you need more information about the hardware connected to your Mac and installed software and updates, you can click this button on the About window to see more details, including:

    • Information about other hardware in your computer, including storage devices, Bluetooth, and more.
    • Details about your network connections.
    • Software information, including app install dates.
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Method 5

Method 5 of 5:

macOS Monterey and Earlier

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  1. 1

    Click the Apple menu. It's the apple icon in the top-left corner of your Mac's screen.

  2. 2

    Click About This Mac. This option is near the top of the menu.

  3. 3

    Review your Mac's system information. This takes you to the Overview tab of About This Mac, where you can find:

    • Your Mac's model number.
    • Your processor/chip type, such as Apple M1 or Intel.
    • Memory (RAM) installed.
    • Your startup disk.
    • Your serial number.
    • You'll also see tabs running along the top of the window, which can provide additional information about connected displays, available storage, and support information.
  4. 4

    Click System Report… for more detailed system information. You'll see this button near the bottom of the window. Here you'll find even more details about your Mac, including:

    • Information about other hardware in your computer, including storage devices, Bluetooth, and more.
    • Details about your network connections.
    • Software information, including app install dates.
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Community Q&A

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  • Question

    How can I print out all the system information?

    How to Check Your Computer's System Information: PC & Mac (28)

    Community Answer

    Highlight the information, copy it, and then paste it into a Google document or word document, then print it out.

    Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.
    Thank you for your feedback.
    If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission.Support wikiHow

    YesNo

    Not Helpful 0Helpful 13

  • Question

    Is Windows part of the software?

    How to Check Your Computer's System Information: PC & Mac (29)

    Joel

    Community Answer

    Yes. The operating system is not a physical component, making it software rather than hardware.

    Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.
    Thank you for your feedback.
    If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission.Support wikiHow

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    Not Helpful 5Helpful 9

  • Question

    What controls the computer's speed?

    How to Check Your Computer's System Information: PC & Mac (30)

    Community Answer

    The overall speed or clock speed of the computer and how fast it is capable of processing data is managed by the computer processor (CPU). However, having a clear RAM will also help speed up your computer.

    Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.
    Thank you for your feedback.
    If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission.Support wikiHow

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    Not Helpful 11Helpful 12

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      About This Article

      How to Check Your Computer's System Information: PC & Mac (45)

      Written by:

      Nicole Levine, MFA

      wikiHow Technology Writer

      This article was co-authored by wikiHow staff writer, Nicole Levine, MFA. Nicole Levine is a Technology Writer and Editor for wikiHow. She has more than 20 years of experience creating technical documentation and leading support teams at major web hosting and software companies. Nicole also holds an MFA in Creative Writing from Portland State University and teaches composition, fiction-writing, and zine-making at various institutions. This article has been viewed 858,823 times.

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      Co-authors: 31

      Updated: January 19, 2023

      Views:858,823

      Categories: Computers

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      How to Check Your Computer's System Information: PC & Mac (2024)

      FAQs

      How to Check Your Computer's System Information: PC & Mac? ›

      On Windows 11, open your Settings and click "About." On Windows 10 & 8, type "info" into the Search bar and click "System Information." On a Mac, click the Apple menu and select "System Settings" > "General" > "About" (Ventura) or "About This Mac" (earlier versions).

      Is My computer a Mac or PC? ›

      Another good way to see whether you are running Windows or Mac is simply to turn the computer on. As the operating system boots up, it will display a logo. A Windows logo means you are running Windows, while an Apple logo means you are running macOS.

      How do I find my system specs on Mac? ›

      On your Mac, choose Apple menu > System Settings, then click General in the sidebar. (You may need to scroll down.) Click About on the right, then click System Report. Tip: You can also press and hold the Option key, then choose Apple menu > System Information to open the system report.

      How do I check my CPU and RAM Mac? ›

      Check Mac performance
      1. To access the Activity Monitor go to Finder, Applications, Utilities. Click Activity Monitor.
      2. Choose the process category you'd like to check on. You can choose from CPU, Memory, Energy, Disk, Network, and Cache.
      3. You can then choose how much information to display and in what format. For example:
      May 19, 2021

      How do I check my CPU specs on my Mac? ›

      Click the Apple icon and choose About This Mac. The Overview tab will provide the operating system version, processor, and memory information.

      How do I tell what operating system I have? ›

      Here's how to learn more:
      1. Select Start > Settings > System > About . Open About settings.
      2. Under Device specifications > System type, see if you're running a 32-bit or 64-bit version of Windows.
      3. Under Windows specifications, check which edition and version of Windows your device is running.

      How to get System Information? ›

      To access system information on a Windows computer, you can use the built-in utility called "system Information." Press the Windows key + R to open the Run dialog box, type "msinfo32," and hit Enter.

      How to check PC specs? ›

      To check your PC hardware specs, click on the Windows Start button, then click on Settings (the gear icon). In the Settings menu, click on System. Scroll down and click on About. On this screen, you should see specs for your processor, Memory (RAM), and other system info, including Windows version.

      How do I check my Mac system? ›

      To see basic information about your Mac, choose Apple menu > About This Mac. You can also find this information in General settings, where you can see more details including warranty and repair coverage and generate a detailed system report.

      How do I check my operating system on Mac? ›

      From the Apple menu  in the upper-left corner of your screen, choose About This Mac. The window that opens might look different from the example shown here, but it always includes the macOS name followed by its version number.

      What processor do I have on my Mac? ›

      To open About This Mac, choose Apple menu  > About This Mac. On Mac computers with an Intel processor, About This Mac shows an item labeled Processor, followed by the name of an Intel processor.

      How do I find out my Mac RAM? ›

      In the Activity Monitor app on your Mac, click Memory (or use the Touch Bar) to see the following in the bottom of the window:
      1. Memory Pressure: Graphically represents how efficiently your memory is serving your processing needs. ...
      2. Physical Memory: The amount of RAM installed.
      3. Memory Used: The amount of RAM being used.

      How do I check my CPU and RAM? ›

      You can also use the keyboard shortcut Ctrl+Shift+Esc. Once the Task Manager is open, you can switch between different tabs to see different aspects of your system. For example, you can use the Performance tab to see your CPU speed, memory usage, disk activity, and network activity.

      What is the current macOS? ›

      The current major version, macOS 14 Sonoma, was announced on June 5, 2023 at WWDC 2023 and released on September 26 of that year.

      Where is the system menu on a Mac? ›

      The Apple menu is located in the top-left corner of your screen. Click it to access System Settings and recently used apps, documents, and other items. View information about your Mac, such as the macOS version, type of processor or chip, and amount of memory.

      How do I check my CPU and GPU on Mac? ›

      How to Check All Your Specs on a Mac. To check all your specs on your Mac, click on the Apple icon in the top-left corner of your screen. Then select About this Mac from the drop-down menu. In the pop-up window, you will see your processor (CPU), memory (RAM), graphics (GPU), and more.

      What is the difference between a Mac and a PC? ›

      In the strictest definition, a Mac is a PC because PC stands for personal computer. However, in everyday use, the term PC typically refers to a computer running the Windows operating system, not the operating system made by Apple.

      What is considered a Mac computer? ›

      The name Macintosh is a reference to a type of apple called McIntosh. The product lineup includes the MacBook Air and MacBook Pro laptops, and the iMac, Mac Mini, Mac Studio, and Mac Pro desktops. Macs are sold with the macOS operating system.

      How do I know if my laptop is a Mac? ›

      Simply click the Apple button in the upper left corner of the screen and then click on “About This Mac” directly underneath it. Seriously, it's the first option.

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