What iPhone Do I Have? Do This To Find Out Quickly…

Michael Grothaus

04/28/20 •  9 min read

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Have you ever wondered, “What iPhone do I have?” If you have, at first you might feel kind of silly. After all, it’s YOUR iPhone – shouldn’t you know which model it is?

But there are plenty of valid reasons you might not know which iPhone model you have. Maybe the iPhone is a used one and was gifted to you.

Or maybe you bought it used online and want to make sure the iPhone is the one the seller said it is.

And then there’s just the fact that plenty of different iPhone models look the same. This is because, while Apple updates the iPhone every year, it only changes the design every 2-3 years.

Either way, it pays to know what iPhone model you’re using. Fortunately, finding out the exact model iPhone you have is really simple. Just follow these steps…

#1 Easiest Way To Tell Which iPhone Model You Have

OK, so what’s the easiest way to find out which iPhone model you have? Just do the following:

1. On the iPhone in question, open the Settings app.
2. Tap General.
3. Tap About.
4. On the About screen you’ll be able to find all the details about which iPhone you have in the top set of boxes.

A few things to keep in mind:

• Do NOT believe what the “Name” box says on the About screen. True, this name defaults to the name of the iPhone model you have, but anyone can change the “name” field to read anything they want. They could change the iPhone 7’s name field to read “iPhone 8” or “Bob’s iPhone” if they want to.
• What they can’t change is the “Model Name” of the device. This name is set by the iPhone hardware and is the true representation of the iPhone you have. If your “Model Name” says “iPhone X” you have an iPhone X.
• The other thing you want to check is the “Capacity” field in the second group of boxes. This will tell you the capacity (hard drive space) of the iPhone you have. It will either say 8 GB, 16 GB, 32 GB, 64 GB, 128 GB, 256 GB, or 512 GB. Whatever it says is the maximum storage space the iPhone you are holding has.

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Beyond this, you have other differences between iPhone models. For example, only a select few iPhones have OLED displays. And all iPhones from the iPhone X onwards DO NOT have a home button. The last iPhone to carry TouchID and a home button was the iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus.

After that came the iPhone X, iPhone XR, iPhone XS, and iPhone 11. The iPhone 11 will be replaced by the iPhone 12 later on in 2020, though it will feature more or less the same type of facial unlocking, which uses FACE ID.

Another thing to keep in mind is colors. Apple sells its iPhones in a range of colors, but it is the iPhone XR and iPhone 11 that come in the most eye-catching hues, so if you have a yellow or red or blue iPhone, and it’s not the iPhone 5c, chances are its either the iPhone XR or the iPhone 11. If so, congrats, you’re rocking a very good phone!

How Can I Tell What Kind Of iPhone I Have If I Can’t Turn The iPhone On?

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If you have an iPhone but can’t turn it on it, it might need a new battery? If this isn’t the issue, your iPhone probably has a hardware issue, such as a dead battery or logic board.

In that case, you may want to get it repaired or sell it for spare parts. But how do you tell which iPhone you have if you can’t turn it on?

The easiest way would be to find the original packaging, which will have the storage capacity and model listed on it. If you don’t have that, you can guesstimate which iPhone you have based on the following:

• Does it have a 3.5in display and an aluminum or plastic body? It’s an original iPhone, and iPhone 3G, or an iPhone 3GS.
• Does it have a 3.5in display and a class body and steel frame? It’s an iPhone 4 or iPhone 4S.
• Does it have a 4in display, aluminum body, and no Touch ID? It’s an iPhone 5.
• Does it have a 4in display, aluminum body, and Touch ID? It’s an iPhone 5s or iPhone SE.
• Does it have a 4in display, a plastic body, and Touch ID? It’s an iPhone 5c.
• Does it have a 4.7in display and Touch ID? It’s on iPhone 6, iPhone 6s, iPhone 7, or iPhone 8.
• Does it have a 5.5in display and Touch ID? It’s on iPhone 6 Plus, iPhone 6s Plus, iPhone 7 Plus, or iPhone 8 Plus.
• Does it have a 5.8in display and Face ID? It’s an iPhone X, iPhone XS, or iPhone 11 Pro.
• Does it have a 6.5in display and Face ID? It’s an iPhone XS Max, or iPhone 11 Pro Max.
• Does it have a 6.1 display and Face ID? It’s an iPhone XR, iPhone 11, iPhone 12, or iPhone 12 Pro.
• Does it have a 6.7 display and Face ID? It’s an iPhone 12 Pro Max.
• Does it have a 5.4in display and Face ID? It’s an iPhone 12 mini.

But simply identifying the model doesn’t tell you what the storage capacity is of the phone. For that, you’ll need to be able to get the phone to turn on – so a repair shop may be your only option. The best way to do this, of course, is through Apple’s official repairs program. Doing it this way ensures your phone gets the best possible treatment. After all, who knows more about the iPhone than Apple?

iPhone Model Numbers

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iPhones can also be identified by their iPhone model number. This is NOT the iPhone’s serial number, which is unique to each iPhone.

An iPhone model number is an iPhone’s device identification number. This number is mainly used by Apple to keep track of every iPhone model they’ve ever made. Model numbers can vary by region, too.

Apple maintains a list of iPhone model numbers. We’ve reproduced the model number list for all iPhones made to date below for easy reference:

iPhone 12 Pro Max

Michael Grothaus

Michael Grothaus is an American author and journalist with a flair for exploring the intersection of technology, creativity, and digital culture. With a background in film, journalism, and creative writing, he brings a unique perspective to the world of mobile technology. His work has been featured in renowned publications like Fast Company, The Guardian, and Engadget. At KnowYourMobile, Michael leverages his extensive knowledge to guide readers through the complexities of mobile devices, helping them make informed choices in the fast-paced tech landscape.