Which Chromebook Do I Have? How to Find Your Exact Model
You can find out which Chromebook you have by checking the sticker on the bottom of the device, which lists the exact model number next to the serial number. If the label is worn away or the Chromebook does not have one, ChromeOS itself will tell you: open chrome://system in the browser and search for “model_name,” or press Ctrl, Search, and Esc together to open the Diagnostics app. A third route, the recovery extension, reads the same information straight from the hardware when neither the sticker nor the browser pages give a clean answer. Each method below takes a few minutes at most, and together they cover just about every Chromebook still in use, from a home laptop to one managed by a school.
Which Chromebook Do I Have? Check the Label First
The bottom panel of the Chromebook carries a sticker with the model number, the serial number, and sometimes a part number, and checking it is the fastest way to answer the question. Manufacturers including Acer, Samsung, Lenovo, and other Chromebook makers all print this label somewhere on the case, though the exact wording varies by brand.
Some earlier Chromebook models built with a removable battery hide the label under the battery instead of on the outer case. Pop the battery out, and the model and serial numbers sit printed on the compartment underneath. Newer Chromebooks with sealed cases skip this step entirely, since the sticker sits on the visible bottom panel.
A Chromebook still in its original box carries the same information printed on the packaging. That box lists the product name, model number, and serial number, which makes it a backup source when the physical device is out of reach or the sticker has rubbed off from years of use.
The sticker groups several numbers together, and reading the right one avoids confusion later. Each model number identifies the specific configuration of Chromebook, the serial number identifies that one physical unit, and a part number, when printed, identifies a component variant used for warranty claims. Manufacturer support teams and accessory listings ask for the model number specifically, so that is the value worth writing down.
What if the Sticker Is Missing or Worn?
Losing the sticker, or finding it worn past reading, does not leave you stuck, since three separate digital methods further down this page pull the same model information straight from the hardware. Try chrome://system, the Diagnostics app, or the Chromebook Recovery Utility extension instead, and skip to whichever fits the tools already open in the browser.
How Do I Find My Model Using the Chrome System Page?
Typing chrome://system into the address bar opens a page built for exactly this kind of lookup, and it works on any Chromebook without installing anything. Press Ctrl+F once the page loads, search for “model_name” with the underscore included, and the value sits right next to that entry.
- Open the page: type chrome://system in the address bar and press Enter.
- Search: press Ctrl+F and type model_name, underscore included.
- Check the value: the model name appears next to the entry Ctrl+F highlights.
- Try the backup field: if model_name is not listed, search hardware_class instead.
Scroll through the rest of the page and more turns up than just the model. RAM installed, the processor and graphics chip, remaining storage space, and the ChromeOS version currently running all sit on that same screen.
hardware_class serves the same purpose as model_name on Chromebooks where the system page lists specifications slightly differently, so checking both fields covers the handful of devices where one entry sits blank. Either value, once found, is a string a manufacturer’s support line will recognize.
How Does the Diagnostics App Show My Chromebook’s Model?
The Diagnostics app displays a code name, the unique identifier Google assigns a Chromebook during development, rather than the marketing name printed on the box. Press Ctrl, the Search or Launcher key, and Esc at the same time, and the Diagnostics window opens with that code name and the ChromeOS version listed at the top.
Typing diagnostics into the launcher search box opens the same app when the keyboard shortcut does not register, and it doubles as a quick check on battery health, CPU load, and memory use. A “Save test details” button near the bottom exports everything to a text file, useful for a support ticket that asks for hardware specifics.
Exporting that file before contacting support saves a back-and-forth conversation, since the text already lists the code name, the ChromeOS version, and the battery and memory statistics a technician would otherwise request one at a time.
Code names will not match anything printed on a retail box, since they are internal engineering labels rather than marketing names. Cross-referencing one against the public list Google maintains on chromium.org reveals the manufacturer and the retail model it corresponds to.
How Do I Find My Model Through ChromeOS Settings?
ChromeOS settings surface the same model number without touching an internal page address, through a menu built for anyone who would rather click than type a URL. Open ChromeOS Settings, select “About ChromeOS,” then select “Diagnostics.”
A second built-in page, chrome://diagnostics, lays out hardware details including the serial number and broader specifications in one dashboard. Either page works without an extension, which makes this route the simplest for anyone uneasy about installing anything from the Chrome Web Store.
chrome://diagnostics leans harder on hardware specifications, while the settings menu keeps to the single model number a typical reader is looking for. Pick the settings path for a quick answer, and reach for chrome://diagnostics when the serial number or broader specifications matter too.
How Do I Use the Chromebook Recovery Utility?
This Google-built extension reads the model directly off the device and spells out the marketing name in plain text. Install it from the Chrome Web Store, and the model shows up within a few clicks, no code names or internal pages to decode.
- Install: add the extension from the Chrome Web Store.
- Start: open the extension and click “Get Started.”
- Select the device: click the device’s serial number or code name link on the identification page.
- Read the result: the model name appears in the results.
A standalone Recovery Utility app existed in the past, and Google has since retired it in favor of this extension, so search results pointing to a separate app download lead nowhere useful today.
How Do I Identify My Model with the Cog Extension?
Cog does not show a marketing model name at all, but it lists the processor and the amount of RAM installed, which is enough to track down the model through a search. Install Cog from the Chrome Web Store, note the CPU name it reports, then search “[Manufacturer] Chromebook [CPU name]” to match the result against a specific model.
Browsing a manufacturer’s own website works the same way when neither extension is installed. Acer, Samsung, and Lenovo each list their Chromebook lineups by processor, and matching the chip against a family such as Intel Celeron, Intel Core, MediaTek MT8173C, or an ARM-based Exynos or Rockchip chip narrows the search fast. Acer’s lineup tends to sit at the budget end, Samsung’s toward higher-end hardware, and Lenovo spans both.
Pairing a CPU name with a manufacturer works because most Chromebook lines ship only a handful of chip options, so results narrow to one or two models quickly, occasionally separated only by the amount of RAM or the screen size.
Which Identification Method Is Fastest?
The physical sticker and the original retail box answer the question in under a minute, while extensions and account lookups take longer because they need an install or a sign-in first. This comparison lines up every method against how long it takes and what it requires.
| Method | Location | Difficulty | Requires | Time to Find |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Physical sticker | Bottom of device | Very easy | Flashlight (optional) | Under 1 minute |
| Retail box | Original packaging | Very easy | Access to the box | Under 1 minute |
| chrome://system | Browser | Easy | Computer access | 1 to 2 minutes |
| Diagnostics app | Launcher | Easy | ChromeOS startup | 1 to 2 minutes |
| ChromeOS settings | Browser settings | Easy | Computer access | 1 to 2 minutes |
| Chromebook Recovery Utility | Chrome Web Store extension | Moderate | Extension installation | 2 to 3 minutes |
| Cog extension | Chrome Web Store | Moderate | Extension plus a Google search | 3 to 5 minutes |
| chrome://diagnostics | Browser | Easy | Computer access | 1 to 2 minutes |
| Google Account security | Google Account page | Moderate | Google sign-in | 2 to 3 minutes |
| Admin Console | School or business account | Hard | Administrator access | 1 to 2 minutes |
Reach for the sticker or the box first. Save the extensions for a Chromebook that already lost its label, and save the Admin Console for a device a school or employer manages rather than one owned outright.
Used bookstores appeal to me because the useful information is often on the spine, not buried in a system that assumes I enjoy a scavenger hunt. For Chromebook identification, I start with the bottom label because it is the shelf label of the device, plain and usually decisive; chrome://diagnostics is the sensible next stop when that little sticker has aged into an unreadable antique.
How Do I Find the Model on a School or Work Chromebook?
A personal Google Account and an administrator each reach the same model information through a different door. Sign into the Google Account tied to the Chromebook, open the security settings, and the devices section lists identification details for the hardware attached to that account.
Chromebooks issued by a school or employer usually report to an administrator instead, and that changes who can pull the details. Administrators reach the Chrome Devices section inside the Admin Console, where serial numbers and full device information sit logged for every managed Chromebook on the account. Students or employees without admin rights should ask the IT contact for the model rather than digging through account settings that will not show it.
Schools and businesses enroll Chromebooks in management specifically so a lost sticker or a swapped device never stalls a repair ticket, since the Admin Console keeps its own record independent of the physical device sitting in front of a student or employee.
Why Does the Exact Chromebook Model Matter?
Knowing the exact model matters because software updates, accessories, and support all get matched to it, not to the Chromebook brand or generation in general terms. Google ties security updates to the specific model, so the exact name determines how much longer a device keeps receiving them. When choosing accessories, Amazon lets you compare Chromebook docking stations for compatibility with your exact model.
A Chromebook docking station connects accessories to your Chromebook through a single connection. Having your exact model number in hand helps you choose a dock that works with your hardware, rather than relying on the brand or generation alone. A general Chromebook compatibility label does not confirm a fit for every model. Use the full model name when checking compatibility before choosing a dock.
Look for a compatibility statement that names your exact Chromebook model.
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Buying a compatible keyboard, a dock, or a replacement charger goes faster with the model number in hand, since generic Chromebook listings do not guarantee a fit the way a stated model number does. That same number saves time when troubleshooting online or contacting support, because a forum thread or a help desk both need to know precisely which hardware is misbehaving before pointing to a fix.
A Chromebook replacement charger supplies power to your laptop and recharges its battery. Choosing one starts with the exact model number, rather than the Chromebook brand or generation alone. Keep that number handy so you can match the charger to your hardware. A general Chromebook compatibility claim does not confirm that it will work with your particular model.
Look for a charger that explicitly names your exact Chromebook model as compatible.
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An update-lifespan lookup on a manufacturer’s site or Google’s own device list needs that same model number as its starting point, so having it on hand answers a question about remaining support before it turns urgent.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where Do I Find the Model Number Without Turning the Chromebook Over?
Type chrome://system into the address bar, press Ctrl+F, and search for model_name. The Diagnostics app, opened with Ctrl, Search, and Esc, shows the same information without flipping the device.
Does the Serial Number Tell Me the Same Thing as the Model Number?
No, they are different values printed side by side on the same sticker. The serial number identifies one specific unit, while the model number identifies the product line and configuration, and that is what accessories and update schedules get matched against.
Can I Find My Chromebook Model Without Signing In?
Yes. chrome://system, chrome://diagnostics, and the physical sticker all work before or without a full sign-in, since they read information stored on the device rather than an online account. Signing into a Google Account is only needed for the account-based method.
What Do I Do if Two Methods Show Different Names?
Trust the marketing name from the sticker, the retail box, or the extension over an internal code name from the Diagnostics app. A code name and a retail model name refer to the same device through different naming systems, and cross-referencing the code name on chromium.org resolves the mismatch.
Is the Cog Extension Still Useful if It Does Not Show a Model Name?
Yes, indirectly. Cog reports the processor and RAM, and pairing that CPU name with the manufacturer in a search engine usually surfaces the matching model within a few results, even though Cog itself never states the marketing name.
Start with the sticker on the bottom of the Chromebook or the original box, since both name the model in seconds with nothing to install. When neither is available, chrome://system and the Diagnostics app pull the same answer from the hardware itself, and the extension stands ready as a backup that spells out the marketing name in full.
References
- How to Find Out Which Chromebook You Have, Chrome Story
- How to Identify Your Chromebook Model and ChromeOS Version, Plugable Knowledge Base
- 3 Ways to Find Out Your Chromebook’s Model Number, TechWiser
- what Chromebook do i have – Chromebook Community, Google Chromebook Community
- 7 Easy Methods to Find Out Which Chromebook Model You Own, Gadget Bridge
- How to Tell Which Chromebook You Have (Model, Specs, and More), Platypus Platypus
- Find Your Chromebook Serial Number and Model Number Info, Tech Tips Now
- How to find your model number? – Chromebook Community, Google Chromebook Community
Sources read in September 2026.