How to Check Warranty Status for Your IT Equipment

A warranty claim made on time can save hundreds of pounds on a repair or replacement. Here is how to find the expiry date for every major manufacturer — and how to make sure you never miss one again.

Warranties on IT equipment are one of those things that only matter when something goes wrong — which is exactly when you do not have time to go hunting for the paperwork. A laptop screen dies, a server drive fails, a printer stops working, and the first question is always: is this still under warranty?

If the answer is yes and you act on it, you get a free repair or replacement. If the answer is yes but you do not know it — or you know it but cannot find the serial number — you end up paying out of pocket for something the manufacturer would have covered.

Why warranty dates get missed

Most organisations purchase equipment in batches. Twenty laptops arrive in March, the invoices go into a finance folder, and the warranty start date is the delivery date — not the date someone eventually unboxed and deployed the device.

By the time a device fails, the person dealing with it may not be the person who bought it. The serial number might be on a sticker that has peeled off, or on a spreadsheet that has not been updated since the original purchase. The warranty may have lapsed six months ago with nobody noticing.

The fix is straightforward: record the serial number and warranty expiry date in your asset register at the point of purchase, and make sure that information stays attached to the device record for its entire life.

Checking warranty status by manufacturer

Every major manufacturer has an online warranty checker. You will need the device's serial number — usually printed on the underside of laptops, on the back of monitors, or accessible through system settings.

Apple — checkcoverage.apple.com — enter the serial number to see AppleCare coverage and hardware warranty status
Dell — dell.com/support — enter the Service Tag (Dell's name for the serial number) for full warranty and support entitlements
Lenovo — pcsupport.lenovo.com — enter the serial number for warranty details and support options
HP — support.hp.com/checkwarranty — enter the product number and serial number
Microsoft (Surface) — account.microsoft.com/devices — sign in to see all registered Surface devices and their warranty status
Samsung — samsung.com/support/warranty — enter the serial number on the warranty support page
Acer — acer.com/support — enter the serial number to retrieve warranty information
Asus — asus.com/support/warranty-status-inquiry — enter the serial number for warranty status

Finding the serial number

Before you can check the warranty, you need the serial number. Where to find it depends on the device type:

Laptops — printed on the underside, often on a white or silver sticker; also available under Settings → System → About on Windows, or Apple menu → About This Mac → System Report on macOS
Desktops — on the rear panel or side of the chassis; or under System Information in the OS
Monitors — on a label on the back or underside of the stand
Smartphones and tablets — under Settings → General → About; or printed on the original box
Servers and networking equipment — on a label on the chassis; also accessible via the management console
Printers — on a label on the underside or rear; or printed via the printer's information page

What to do when a warranty claim is needed

When a device fails and is still under warranty, the process is broadly the same across manufacturers: contact support, provide the serial number, describe the fault, and follow the return or repair instructions.

Most manufacturers offer a few options: a carry-in repair at an authorised service centre, a mail-in repair where you ship the device, or an on-site engineer visit for higher-tier business warranties. The tier of cover you have depends on the plan purchased — standard consumer warranty, business warranty, or an extended cover plan.

Act quickly. Many manufacturers have a claims process that starts with a diagnostic call or online submission, and some have time limits on how quickly you must report a fault after discovering it. Do not delay because you are busy.

Building a proactive warranty process

Record the serial number and warranty expiry at the point of purchase — not six months later when a device fails
Set a reminder 30 days before each warranty expires so you can decide whether to renew or plan a replacement
For business-critical devices, consider extended warranty cover — the cost is usually small relative to the cost of an out-of-warranty repair or emergency replacement
Keep purchase receipts and proof-of-purchase attached to the asset record; some manufacturers require these when making a claim
Run a warranty report quarterly to flag devices expiring in the next 90 days before the issue becomes urgent

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IT Trackr stores warranty expiry dates on every hardware asset and alerts you before they lapse. The asset form includes a direct Lookup link that opens the manufacturer's warranty checker with the serial number pre-filled — so checking coverage takes seconds rather than minutes.