As an IT professional with over 10 years of experience, I often get asked by friends and family to help set up and troubleshoot their Fire TV Sticks. A key piece of information I always need is the model number and serial ID, which allows me to identify the specific hardware version and properly diagnose any issues. Finding this information is easy once you know where to look.
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Check the Back of the Fire TV Stick
The quickest way to find the model number is to physically look on the back of the Fire TV Stick. Simply unplug it from the TV and turn it over – the model number will be printed directly on the back. For example, you may see something like “Model No. LY73PR”. Write this number down so you have it handy for future reference.
The serial ID is typically not printed on the device itself. You’ll need to find that through the software, which I’ll cover next.
Find the Model Number and Serial ID Through Software
If your Fire TV Stick is currently plugged into a TV, you can easily retrieve both the model number and unique serial ID through the Fire TV interface.
- From the Home screen, go to Settings (the cog icon)
- Select “My Fire TV”
- Select “About”
- Here you will see the model name, such as “Fire TV Stick (3rd Gen)”, and the serial number listed as “Serial”
Write down or take a photo of both the model name and serial number for future reference.
Check Your Order History
If you purchased your Fire TV Stick from Amazon, the easiest way to find the model is by checking your order history. Both the item name and model number will be listed there for any Fire TV Stick you’ve purchased.
Simply go to www.amazon.com, click “Accounts & Lists” near the top right, and select “Order history”. Locate the Fire TV Stick in your orders and you’ll see the model details.
Use a Fire TV Information App
There are several apps available on the Fire TV Appstore that can give you detailed information on the hardware and software versions of your device.
The aptly named “Device Info HW & SW” app shows hardware details like the CPU, operating system version, WiFi MAC address, and more. The “Informer” app by AFTVnews displays very comprehensive system information, including the model name, hardware specs, Android version, and much more.
Searching for “device info” or “system info” on the Appstore will reveal more options you can try as well.
Why Does the Model Number Matter?
You might be wondering why it even matters what Fire TV model you have. There are a few reasons:
- Troubleshooting – Support teams will often first ask for the model number and serial ID to assist with technical issues and properly diagnose problems.
- Features – Different models have different hardware specifications that affect video quality, internet connectivity, storage capacity, and other features.
- Updates – Amazon releases software updates tailored specifically to each Fire TV Stick model. Knowing yours ensures compatibility.
- Purchasing – If you want to buy a newer or different Fire TV model, you need to know what you currently have to make an appropriate upgrade choice.
So in summary, keeping track of the model number and serial ID allows you to get accurate troubleshooting assistance, understand your device capabilities, maintain proper software updates, and make informed purchase decisions when the time comes. Hopefully this guide has made it simple to find that critical information! Let me know if you have any other questions.
