How to tell if you have Intel or Apple Silicon Mac
Information
Recent Apple systems use one of two processor designs; Intel and Apple Silicon. For some procedures and problem-solving activities it may be necessary to know which type to take the apropriate steps.
Steps
- Click Apple symbol menu at the top left of the screen.
- Then click About This Mac.
- On the next screen a window will show with details of the Mac. Check the line that starts “Processor” or “Chip” for details:
If you see “Intel” somewhere on that line then the unit is an Intel system.
If you see “Apple M1” the unit is Apple Silicon machine.
Below an example screen for Intel system:
Below an example for Apple Silicon system:
Related Articles
Mac OS - Boot a Mac or MacBook into recovery mode
Problem A Mac computer does not properly boot into Mac OS normally, and you need to boot the machine into recovery mode to fix the problem. Detail Recovery mode is a state that you can boot into that allows maintenance to be carried out to restore ...
Microsoft Office performance issues on Apple M1 silicon Mac
Problem: When using Microsoft Office 365 apps installed on an Apple M1 silicon Mac the app appears to be operating excessively slowly. Explanation: If the Office apps have not been updated recently they may not properly support the M1 silicon ...
Macbook - Checking battery health
Problem A Macbook laptop is experiencing reduced battery uptime or is draining abnormally quickly. Note The internal rechargeable Macbook battery is covered under Apple's warranty for the first year. Rechargeable batteries are subject to ageing ...
Reset the SMC on Mac
Problem You need to reset the SMC on your Macbook because it is not turning on or has other malfunction. Resolution Important! It is not possible to reset the SMC or PRAM on Apple Silicon Macs using the steps below. No known method exists as it is ...
Apple - Run Apple hardware diagnostics for Macs
Problem You need to run a hardware diagnostic to check for hardware faults. Applies to Macbook Resolution Most Mac models purchased from late 2020 onwards will be Apple Silicon based hardware. If the Mac has been purchased before this time it might ...