How to check your computer's specifications

Open your operating system's System or About view to read the core details: processor, memory, storage and the installed OS version. The steps below give concise, OS-specific instructions for Windows, macOS and common Linux distributions, plus ways to export and document the results so you can prepare for upgrades or technical support requests.

What to check and why

Before you start, know the five items most technicians and installers ask for: CPU model, amount and type of RAM, storage capacity and type, graphics adapter, and the operating system version with build details. Recording these clearly prevents confusion when buying components, choosing compatible software, or troubleshooting.

Windows: quick steps and export options

Windows provides several built-in views that show the most common specs. Use Settings for a quick summary and built-in tools for detailed reports.

Quick summary (Settings)

  1. Open Settings > System > About. The Device specifications section lists processor and installed RAM; the Windows specifications section shows the edition and build.
  2. For screen adapters, right-click the desktop, choose Display settings, then Advanced display settings to see the active GPU.

Detailed tools and how to save output

  1. Run System Information: press Windows key, type msinfo32 and open it. Use File > Export to save a full report to a text file.
  2. Run DirectX Diagnostic: press Windows key, type dxdiag and press Enter. Use Save All Information to produce a .txt report that includes sound and display adapter details.
  3. For a compact command-line snapshot, open Command Prompt and run systeminfo. To save it: systeminfo > C:\Users\Public\systeminfo.txt.

These saved files are useful when sending details to tech support or attaching to a support ticket.

macOS: About This Mac and System Report

macOS bundles hardware and software details in About This Mac and a more detailed System Report. The process is intentionally GUI-focused and straightforward.

Find the basics

  1. Choose Apple menu > About This Mac. The window lists the macOS version, processor, memory and a short graphics description.
  2. To see storage usage, click the Storage tab; it shows disk partitions and available space.

Get a full hardware report

  1. Click System Report in the About This Mac window. Browse sections for Hardware > Memory, Storage and Graphics/Displays.
  2. Use File > Save to export the System Information report as a .spx or .txt file for later reference.

When checking disks on macOS, you may also want to verify health via Disk Utility; see guidance on how to check disk health and storage type for details.

Linux: common commands and GUI options

Linux distributions differ, but a few terminal commands provide reliable details on CPU, RAM, and storage. Many distributions also include a Settings > About view with basic info.

Terminal commands to run

  1. CPU summary: lscpu (or cat /proc/cpuinfo for raw details).
  2. Memory and swap: free -h shows total and used memory in human-readable form.
  3. Storage: lsblk -o NAME,SIZE,TYPE,MOUNTPOINT,ROTA lists block devices and whether a disk is rotational (ROTA 1 means HDD).
  4. Kernel and OS version: uname -sr or cat /etc/os-release for distribution identification.
  5. Save outputs: redirect commands to files, for example lscpu > ~/specs/lscpu.txt and lsblk -o NAME,SIZE,TYPE,MOUNTPOINT,ROTA > ~/specs/lsblk.txt.

Graphical options

GNOME, KDE and other desktop environments usually include Settings > About with CPU, memory and OS data. For a full hardware inventory, install lshw and run sudo lshw -short, then save the output to a file.

Exporting and documenting specs: a step-by-step process

Follow this short process to create a tidy record you can share or keep when planning upgrades.

  1. Collect: run the OS-specific tools above and produce at least one exported file (msinfo32, dxdiag, System Report, or lscpu/lsblk outputs).
  2. Summarize: create a one-page summary with lines for CPU model, RAM size, storage devices and types, GPU model, and OS name/version.
  3. Attach: include exported files and the one-page summary together when contacting support or posting in a forum.
  4. Store: save a copy in cloud storage or a dedicated folder named "Computer_Specs" so you can easily find it when you are Prepare for upgrades.

Checklist and decision points before upgrades

This short checklist helps you decide if a hardware change is needed or if a software update is sufficient.

Common mistakes and how to avoid them

Users often misreport specs in ways that mislead support or lead to poor upgrade choices. These short problem/solution pairs help prevent that.

Example: what a minimal support-ready summary looks like

Below is an example of a short summary you can paste into an email or ticket. Replace bracketed items with your outputs.

Attach the exported msinfo32, dxdiag, System Report, or saved terminal outputs for detail. This gives technicians the information they need without back-and-forth questions.

Closing: keep a current snapshot

Checking and documenting your computer specifications takes a few minutes and prevents delays when you need support or plan upgrades. Save a snapshot after any hardware or significant software change so you always have a current baseline.