How to Check What Motherboard You Have

You can find out which motherboard is in your PC in a few minutes, without opening the case. On Windows, the quickest route is the built-in System Information tool; if Windows will not start, you can read the model name in the BIOS or on the board itself.

• A Windows PC you can sign in to (for the software methods).
• No downloads or accounts are required for the built-in Windows tools.
• Optional: a free utility such as CPU-Z, if the built-in tools do not show a full model name.
• Optional: a screwdriver, if you plan to open the case and read the board directly.

1. Press Windows + R to open the Run window.
2. Type msinfo32 and press Enter. This opens the System Information window.
3. On the left, make sure System Summary is selected.
4. Look for Baseboard Manufacturer and Baseboard Product. Together these give you the maker and the model name of your motherboard. If you also want your BIOS details, look for BIOS Version/Date in the same window.
5. If you prefer a command line, open PowerShell instead: hit the Start button, type powershell, and press Enter.
6. In PowerShell, type Get-CimInstance -ClassName Win32_BaseBoard | Select-Object Manufacturer, Product, Version and press Enter. For the BIOS version, use Get-CimInstance -ClassName Win32_BIOS | Select-Object SMBIOSBIOSVersion.
7. If you would rather use Command Prompt, hit Start, type cmd, and press Enter. Type wmic baseboard get product, manufacturer and press Enter. For the BIOS version, type wmic bios get smbiosbiosversion. Note that Microsoft has said this method will be deprecated in future Windows 11 releases, so PowerShell is the safer long-term choice.
8. If Windows will not load, restart the PC and press F2 or DEL repeatedly before the operating system starts. Most motherboards open their BIOS or UEFI this way.
9. Once in the BIOS, look at the first page. For most manufacturers it lists the motherboard model, the BIOS version and other hardware details.
10. If you have manufacturer software installed, open it and look for a support or system information section. As one example, MSI Center shows the motherboard name and BIOS version under its Support tab; other brands offer similar utilities.
11. If software gives you nothing useful, power the PC off, unplug everything, open the side panel and look for text printed on the board itself. Check near the CPU socket, between the PCIe slots and near the RAM slots. You can also find a serial number label on the backside of the motherboard.
12. If you still have the original box, check the sticker on it for the model name.

• System Information sometimes shows only the manufacturer and not the full model, or shows placeholders such as To be filled by OEM. This is common on some pre-built and older machines and is not a fault on your part. Try PowerShell, Command Prompt or a free utility such as CPU-Z instead.
• Laptop motherboards are custom designs and often do not report a retail model name. For upgrades on a laptop, use the laptop model number rather than the motherboard name.
• Different tools can report slightly different names for the same board. Focus on the exact model number rather than marketing names.
• It is worth noting your chipset (for example B550, Z690 or X670) and your BIOS version before you plan any upgrade, and to bookmark your motherboard's official support page.
• The exact keys, screens and menu labels vary between manufacturers and software versions, so a screen may not look identical to the examples in a vendor's guide.

Can I check my motherboard without opening my PC? Yes. System Information, PowerShell, Command Prompt and free utilities such as CPU-Z all read the details from Windows, so no case opening is needed.

How do I check what motherboard I have in Windows 11? Use msinfo32, PowerShell or CPU-Z. All of these work on Windows 11, though Microsoft has said the older wmic command will be deprecated in future Windows 11 releases.

What if System Information only shows the brand, not the model? Try PowerShell, Command Prompt or CPU-Z instead. On some systems, especially older ones, System Information reports only the manufacturer.

Can I find my motherboard model if Windows will not boot? Yes. Restart the PC and press F2 or DEL repeatedly to enter the BIOS or UEFI, where the model is usually shown on the first page. You can also read the name printed on the board itself.

Where exactly is the model name printed on the motherboard? Common locations are near the CPU socket, between the PCIe slots and near the RAM slots. There is also usually a serial number label on the backside of the board.