How to Find the Serial Number of Your Linux PC

Summary

Use dmidecode command in Terminal to easily find your PC's serial number on Linux.
If dmidecode doesn't work, try updating it using the dnf package manager command.
Alternative commands like hwinfo and cat can also help find the serial number, but may require installation or support for DMI.

Determining your PC's serial number is generally as simple as checking a sticker on the case. Sometimes, you'll need another way of discovering the serial number, and commands like dmidecode can help.

Find Your PC Serial Number With dmidecode

The easiest way to check your PC serial number on Linux is to use dmidecode. After opening the Terminal (Ctrl + Alt + T), you can search for your device's serial number with this command:

 sudo dmidecode -s system-serial-number

Enter your root password and the command will print your serial number:

determining the system serial number with dmidecode in the linux terminal — Screenshot by Hannah Knight -- No attribution required

This command won't work on all devices. RHEL and CentOS users commonly encounter issues. If the Terminal prompts you to say that SMBIOS implementations newer than version 2.8 are not fully supported by this version of dmidecode, you will need to update your dmidecode using the following DNF package manager command:

 dnf update dmidecode

Unfortunately, there aren't any great ways to determine your device's serial number without root permissions.

Use Alternative Commands to Find Your PC Serial Number

There are a few commands beyond dmidecode that can help you find your PC's serial number on Linux. If you're using openSUSE, Arch Linux, CentOS, Debian, or RHEL, you can also try entering the following command in the Terminal:

 hwinfo --bios

Of course, you may need to install hwinfo if your device doesn't already have the utility installed. This command will only succeed if your device has its serial number embedded in its BIOS.

determining a computer's system serial number through a simple cat command in the linux terminal — Screenshot by Hannah Knight -- No attribution required

If your motherboard supports Direct Media Interface (DMI), you can also find your PC's serial number with the following command:

 sudo cat /sys/class/dmi/id/board_serial

How to Use Your Linux PC’s Serial Number

While your PC's serial number isn't a particularly important characteristic, it's important to know for purposes like making warranty claims. If you have identical devices, their serial numbers are also a reliable tool to distinguish between them.

You could use serial numbers to restrict software licenses or to track the repairs on a warrantied device. You can even use the serial number to verify that the new part you're purchasing is the same model if you ever need to replace or upgrade a PC component.