Where Do I Find My Appliance Model Number?

Quick answer: the model number is usually printed on a permanent model-and-serial label attached to the appliance. The exact location varies by appliance, brand, and model, but the easiest places to check are usually inside a door or lid opening, along the appliance frame, or on an interior wall. Start with areas you can see without moving the appliance or removing a service panel.

The model number matters because the brand name alone is rarely specific enough to identify the correct owner's manual, replacement part, water filter, maintenance procedure, warranty information, or safety recall. If you have just moved into a home, photographing the model-and-serial label on each major appliance is one of the simplest records you can create before something breaks.

Where to look first

Use this table as a starting point. These are common locations, not universal rules. Manufacturers may place the label somewhere different on a particular model, so use the manufacturer's model-number locator or owner's manual if you do not find it in the expected place.

For example, Whirlpool identifies the left side of the tub frame as a common location on many built-in dishwashers, the inside refrigerator compartment for its refrigerators, and the door opening for many washers and dryers. GE lists several possible locations for some products, which is a good reminder that even appliances of the same type can use different label locations.

What does the model-number label look like?

The label is usually a sticker or metal rating plate containing several pieces of information. Look for terms such as:

• Model
• Model No.
• MOD
• Serial
• Serial No.
• S/N

The same label may also contain electrical ratings, certification marks, manufacturing information, barcodes, or a QR code. Do not assume the largest number on the sticker is the model number. Read the field labels carefully.

Some newer appliances include a QR code that links to product information, but the printed model and serial information is still worth photographing and recording.

Model number vs. serial number: what is the difference?

The model number identifies the appliance model or product configuration. It is usually the number you need when searching for an owner's manual, compatible replacement part, filter, accessory, troubleshooting document, or maintenance instruction.

The serial number identifies your individual appliance or a narrower production run. Manufacturers may use it to determine manufacturing information, warranty eligibility, service history, or whether a particular unit falls within a recall range.

When you find the label, record both numbers. A recall, for example, may apply only to certain model numbers and certain serial-number ranges rather than every appliance with the same brand name.

Copy the number exactly

Model numbers often contain a mixture of letters, numbers, dashes, periods, or suffixes. Those details can matter.

Common mistakes include:

• Typing the letter O instead of the number 0.
• Typing the letter I instead of the number 1.
• Leaving off letters at the beginning or end.
• Ignoring a suffix after a dash or period.
• Copying a part number, certification number, or warning-label number instead of the model number.

The easiest approach is to take a clear photograph of the entire label before typing anything. Zoom in on the photo rather than trying to read tiny characters while leaning into the appliance.

Where is the refrigerator model number?

Open the refrigerator and begin in the fresh-food compartment, not the freezer. Check the left and right interior walls, the area near the crisper drawers, behind removable crisper drawers if they come out normally, and the upper interior or ceiling.

Whirlpool and GE both identify interior fresh-food locations for many of their refrigerator models, although the exact side and position vary.

You generally should not need to pull a full-size refrigerator away from the wall just to find the model label. Check the manufacturer's locator before moving a heavy appliance.

Where is the dishwasher model number?

Open the dishwasher door and inspect the tub frame and door edges. Common locations include:

• Left side of the tub frame.
• Right side of the tub frame.
• Inside edge of the door.
• Underside or nearby area of the control panel on some designs.

The sticker can be surprisingly narrow and may blend into a stainless-steel or dark-colored frame. A phone flashlight helps.

You should not need to pull a built-in dishwasher out of the cabinet to perform a normal model-number lookup.

Where is the washer model number?

For a front-load washer, open the door and inspect the frame or rim around the opening.

For a top-load washer, lift the lid and inspect the tub rim and areas immediately beneath the lid. Some models also place information on an accessible portion of the rear cabinet.

If the label appears to be behind the machine, check the manufacturer's locator before trying to move the washer. Washing machines can be heavy and connected to water-supply and drain hoses.

Where is the dryer model number?

Open the dryer door first. Many dryers place the model-and-serial label on the inside of the door, the door frame, or the rim of the opening.

This is preferable to immediately pulling the dryer away from the wall, especially with a gas dryer. Do not disconnect a gas line or disturb the exhaust connection just to search for the model number.

Where is the range or oven model number?

For a freestanding range, start by opening the oven door and looking at the exposed front frame. Also inspect the frame around a storage drawer if your model has one.

Wall ovens commonly place the label on a frame surface that becomes visible when the oven door is open.

Ranges vary more than some other appliances. Manufacturers may use additional locations depending on whether the appliance is gas or electric and how it is constructed. Do not remove panels, lift a cooktop, or reach near gas or electrical components unless the manufacturer's instructions specifically identify that as normal owner access.

Where is the microwave model number?

Open the microwave door and inspect the frame and interior edges first. Depending on the model, the label may also be on an interior side wall.

Countertop microwave labels may be located on the back. Some over-the-range models may have a label underneath or on the front frame visible when the door is open.

Do not remove the microwave's outer cabinet. Microwave ovens contain high-voltage components that are not homeowner-serviceable simply because the appliance is unplugged.

What if I cannot find the label?

Before moving or disassembling anything, try these steps:

1. Search the manufacturer's official model-number locator. Choose your appliance type and compare the illustrated locations with your appliance.
2. Use your phone camera. Photograph narrow spaces that are difficult to see directly.
3. Use a flashlight. Labels can blend into stainless steel, dark plastic, or shadowed door frames.
4. Check normal removable items. A crisper drawer or storage drawer may hide a label if it is designed to be removed during ordinary use.
5. Check your paperwork. Purchase receipts, delivery records, warranty registrations, service invoices, or an existing manual may contain the model number.
6. Check a connected-appliance app. Some manufacturers expose model or serial information for appliances already registered to an account.

If finding the label would require moving a gas appliance, disconnecting plumbing, defeating an anti-tip device, removing an installed cooktop, or opening a service cabinet, stop. Ask the manufacturer or have a qualified service professional identify the appliance during service.

What if the label is faded or unreadable?

Take several photographs with different lighting angles. Avoid relying on one blurry image. Sometimes side lighting makes faded printing easier to see than a direct flash.

Then check:

• Your original purchase or delivery receipt.
• Warranty-registration emails.
• Previous repair invoices.
• Manufacturer accounts or connected-appliance apps.
• Paper or PDF manuals saved by a previous homeowner.

If only part of the number is readable, do not guess the missing characters when ordering a safety-related or fit-specific part. Contact the manufacturer or an authorized service provider and provide photographs plus any information you can read.

Why won't the model number work on the manufacturer's website?

If an official support site says the model does not exist, check the label again before assuming the appliance is unsupported.

Common reasons include:

• A zero was entered as the letter O, or vice versa.
• A prefix or suffix was omitted.
• You copied the serial number instead of the model number.
• You copied a component or warning-label number.
• The appliance belongs to another regional version of the manufacturer's website.
• The product is old enough that its documentation is stored in a legacy support system.

Compare the product image and specifications with your appliance before downloading a manual or ordering a part. Two appliances that look almost identical may use different components.

Why you need the model number before ordering a replacement part

A description such as “Whirlpool refrigerator” or “GE dishwasher” is not precise enough for most replacement parts. Manufacturers can sell many visually similar models with different filters, racks, pumps, heating elements, control boards, belts, hoses, shelves, or seals.

Use the exact model number first, then confirm that the part listing specifically includes your model. For parts where a model revision or serial range matters, follow the manufacturer's compatibility information rather than relying only on a marketplace listing.

Use the model and serial number when checking recalls

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission publishes appliance recalls and safety warnings. Recall notices frequently identify affected products using model numbers, serial numbers, date codes, or a combination of those identifiers.

That means seeing your appliance brand in a recall headline is not enough to determine whether your exact unit is affected. Compare the identifiers on your appliance with the identifiers in the official recall notice.

If an official recall tells owners to stop using the product, follow that instruction and the stated remedy rather than continuing to operate it while waiting for a convenient repair date.

What should a new homeowner record?

If you have recently bought a home, spend a few minutes creating a basic record for each major appliance. You do not need special software. A secure folder or household spreadsheet is enough.

Record:

• Appliance type.
• Brand.
• Model number.
• Serial number.
• A photo of the entire rating label.
• Where the label is physically located.
• Approximate purchase or installation date, if known.
• Warranty information.
• Owner's manual link or PDF.
• Common consumable sizes or part numbers, such as a refrigerator water filter.
• Previous service information, if available.

Do not publish appliance serial numbers unnecessarily. Keep the record for your household and provide the number through a manufacturer's or service provider's normal support channel when needed.

Frequently asked questions

Is the model number the same as the serial number?

No. The model number identifies the model or product configuration, while the serial number identifies the individual appliance or a narrower manufacturing record. Save both.

Can I find the model number from the brand name and a photo?

Sometimes you can narrow down the product family, but appearance alone is not reliable enough for ordering parts, checking a recall, or selecting model-specific maintenance instructions. Use the physical label whenever possible.

Can I use the number on my owner's manual?

Use the appliance label as the primary reference. One manual can sometimes cover several related models, so a number printed on a manual cover may not identify your exact appliance.

Should I remove the appliance to look behind it?

Usually not as your first step. Check normal-access label locations and the manufacturer's official locator first. Do not move a gas appliance, disconnect utilities, or create a tip-over risk just to find a label.

Is a QR code the same as the model number?

Not necessarily. A QR code may link to product information, registration, or support. Record the printed model and serial fields as well.

Do I need the serial number to buy parts?

Often the model number is enough, but some parts, recalls, or service procedures apply only to particular revisions or serial ranges. If the manufacturer asks for the serial number, provide it exactly as printed.

The simple rule to remember

Open the appliance before you move it. The model-and-serial label on many household appliances is placed inside a door opening, lid opening, tub frame, or interior compartment where the owner can read it during normal access.

Once you find it, photograph the whole label and record both the model and serial number. Those few minutes can save a surprising amount of confusion later when you need the correct manual, replacement part, warranty service, or recall information.