How to read an iPhone part number and A-number
Updated
The part number is easy to copy onto a listing, so it proves little on its own. The A-number is different: Apple documents it and ties it to a model and region.
Two numbers, two jobs
- Part number (looks like MG913LL/A, a part number for an iPhone 12 Pro Max 128 GB, US model A2342, per EveryMac): a long code. Apple does not publish a part-number lookup, and its page only says where to find the number.
- Model number / A-number (looks like A2846): "A" plus four digits. This is what Apple uses to match a phone to a model and a sales region.
What Apple documents
Source: Find the model number of your iPhone, iPad or iPod touch
- In Settings: Settings > General > About. To the right of Model Number you see the part number. Tap it and it switches to the model number (the A-number).
- iPhone 7 or earlier: the model number is printed on the back of the phone.
- iPhone 8 or later with a SIM tray: remove the SIM tray and look in the slot. The number is on the upper side, the side with the display.
- No SIM tray: look in the USB-C or Lightning connector.
Source: Identify your iPhone model. Apple lists each model with its A-numbers and the regions they were sold for.
Examples from that page:
| A-number | Model | Region per Apple |
|---|---|---|
| A2846 | iPhone 15 | United States, Puerto Rico |
| A3089 | iPhone 15 | Canada, Guam, Japan, Mexico, Saudi Arabia, U.S. Virgin Islands |
| A3092 | iPhone 15 | China mainland, Hong Kong, Macao |
| A3090 | iPhone 15 | Other countries and regions |
| A2482 | iPhone 13 | United States |
| A2221 | iPhone 11 | Other countries and regions |
Older models (iPhone X, 8, 7, XR) list several A-numbers with only some tagged by region. For the untagged numbers Apple gives no region, so don't guess.
In practice: if a phone is sold as a US unit but its A-number is on the "China mainland" line for that model, the mismatch is worth a question to the seller. The A-number tells you the region the model was made for, not where the phone is now.
Part number letters and suffix
Apple does not publish what the first letter of a part number or the suffix after the slash (LL/A, B/A, J/A, CH/A and similar) means. Don't rely on either to tell new from refurbished or to tell region. Use the A-number for region.
Quick check for a lot
- Open Settings > General > About on each unit. Record the part number, then tap it and record the A-number.
- Match the A-number to the model and region on Apple's page.
- Flag any unit whose A-number region does not match what the seller told you.
- Check the IMEI separately with a blocklist lookup. A part number is easy to copy onto a listing and says nothing about the phone's lock or blacklist status.
Limits
This reads a code. It does not prove condition, battery health, parts swaps or origin. A third-party refurbisher can leave the original code in place. Always inspect the units and confirm with the seller.
Next step
Buying phones in volume? Pay for inventory with a Shield business credit card, or pay overseas suppliers from a Shield business account.