What Is HWID (Hardware Identification)? | NinjaOne (2024)

  • Endpoint Management
  • August 23, 2024

One such term that often pops up in IT, especially in discussions surrounding system security, is Hardware Identification (HWID). This article aims to provide an in-depth understanding of HWID, its working mechanism, purpose, and detailed steps to find it.

What is HWID?

Hardware Identification, abbreviated as hardware ID or HWID, refers to a unique identifier that every piece of hardware on your computer possesses. This identifier acts as a fingerprint for each hardware component, be it your motherboard, hard drive, graphics card, or even your mouse. This unique identification number distinguishes one piece of hardware from another, ensuring no two devices bear the same HWID.

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How HWID works

The process by which a HWID functions is quite straightforward. When a piece of hardware gets manufactured, it receives a unique identifier embedded within its firmware. This identifier remains constant and does not change throughout the lifespan of the hardware. Upon connecting to a computer, the operating system reads this unique identifier, recognizing and differentiating it from other components.

Purpose of HWID

Hardware Identification serves several crucial purposes. Primarily, it aids in system security by preventing unauthorized hardware changes. Software vendors also use HWIDs for licensing their software, ensuring it gets installed only on authorized machines. Additionally, HWIDs assist in diagnosing and troubleshooting hardware issues, as they help pinpoint which component may be malfunctioning.

3 steps to find your HWID

Finding your HWID involves following a few simple steps:

  1. Launch Command Prompt: Open the Start menu, type in ‘cmd’, and hit Enter.
  2. Input Command: In the command prompt window, type ‘wmic csproduct get UUID’ and press Enter.
  3. Retrieve HWID: The resulting string of characters displayed is your computer’s HWID.

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Takeaway

HWID serves as a unique identifier for your computer’s hardware components, playing a vital role in system security, software licensing, and hardware troubleshooting. With a basic understanding and knowledge of how to retrieve your HWID, you are one step closer to becoming more tech-savvy.

Next Steps

Building an efficient and effective IT team requires a centralized solution that acts as your core service deliver tool. NinjaOne enables IT teams to monitor, manage, secure, and support all their devices, wherever they are, without the need for complex on-premises infrastructure.

Learn more aboutNinjaOne Endpoint Management, check out alive tour, orstart your free trial of the NinjaOne platform.

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What Is HWID (Hardware Identification)? | NinjaOne (2024)

FAQs

What Is HWID (Hardware Identification)? | NinjaOne? ›

Hardware Identification, abbreviated as hardware ID or HWID, refers to a unique identifier that every piece of hardware on your computer possesses. This identifier acts as a fingerprint for each hardware component, be it your motherboard, hard drive, graphics card, or even your mouse.

How do I find out my HWID? ›

Follow the steps below:
  1. Open the Command Prompt by pressing the Windows key + R, typing “cmd,” and hitting the Enter key.
  2. In the Command Prompt window, type the following command and press Enter: “wmic bios get serialnumber”
  3. The hardware ID, also known as the Serial Number, will be displayed on the screen.
May 23, 2024

What can someone do with my HWID? ›

The HWID is used by hackers to “Lock” onto your device and uniquely identify it and offer decryption keys. This is also used by legitimate software to tie licenses keys for software to specific devices.

What is the answer to the question what is computer hardware? ›

Computer Hardware Definition

Hardware refers to the external and internal devices and equipment that enable you to perform major functions such as input, output, storage, communication, processing, and more. There are two types of computer hardware: external and internal.

What is a hardware identification number? ›

The Hardware ID (HWID) is a set of numbers and letters (capital letters only) that uniquely identify your computer to any of our software. The HWID is made out of eighteen (18) characters e.g. 098H52ST479QE053V2 and it is used to unlock (register) our software in a computer.

How do I get hardware ID? ›

To find the list of hardware IDs for a given device, follow these steps:
  1. Open Device Manager.
  2. Find the device in the tree.
  3. Right-select the device and select Properties.
  4. Select the Details tab.
  5. In the Property drop-down, select Hardware Ids or Compatible Ids.
Dec 20, 2023

How do I check my device hardware? ›

To find your phone's specifications, follow these steps:
  1. Open the Settings app on your phone.
  2. Tap System > About phone. You will see: Device name, Android version, Android security patch level, Software build number. ...
  3. Tap Status. ...
  4. Tap Hardware information.
Aug 14, 2024

Why is Hwid banned? ›

If the user engages in activities that violate the terms of service, the system can issue a ban specifically tied to that HWID. Banning Process:When a user is banned, the ban is not just tied to their account credentials (username and password), but also to the unique identifier of their hardware (HWID).

Can someone control your computer? ›

Remote access scammers can take over your computer and cause irreparable damage. Fortunately, you can learn how to spot these attacks and prevent them from happening. Learning to recognize phishing scams is the most important step in this process.

What does HWID mean? ›

Hardware Identification, abbreviated as hardware ID or HWID, refers to a unique identifier that every piece of hardware on your computer possesses. This identifier acts as a fingerprint for each hardware component, be it your motherboard, hard drive, graphics card, or even your mouse.

What are two examples of hardware answer? ›

For example, hardware components such as motherboard, RAM and CPU are internal. Other examples of hardware include output devices such as printer and monitor. Input devices such as the keyboard and mouse. Also, secondary storage devices such as CD, DVD, hard disk, etc.

What are the four main computer hardware? ›

There are four main computer hardware components that this blog post will cover: input devices, processing devices, output devices and memory (storage) devices. Collectively, these hardware components make up the computer system.

Can I change my computer ID? ›

Yes, a computer ID can be changed. The process for changing the computer ID may vary depending on the operating system and network environment, but it is usually a straightforward task that can be done by a user with administrative privileges.

What is HWID activation? ›

The Hardware ID (HWID) is used by Windows for the correct activation of your Windows install. So, if you change your HWID, Windows will automatically deactivate itself, because Windows will consider that you have changed your components.

How do I check my internal hardware? ›

To check your PC hardware specs, click on the Windows Start button, then click on Settings (the gear icon). In the Settings menu, click on System. Scroll down and click on About. On this screen, you should see specs for your processor, Memory (RAM), and other system info, including Windows version.

How do I find my hardware asset ID? ›

On laptops, the sticker will be on the bottom of the laptop; on tablets, this sticker will be on the back of the tablet; on all-in-one computers, this sticker will be on the back of the display; and on standard desktops, this sticker will be on the top of the computer case. Device chargers are NOT asset tagged.

How do I find out my computer hardware details? ›

To find your PC specs using System Information, start typing “system information” into the taskbar search field and click on System Information. In the left navigation menu, click System Summary and an overview of your specs will display to the right, including what version of Windows you're running.

How do I find my hardware profile? ›

Creating hardware profiles allows you to enable and disable different devices depending on the profile you boot up the computer in.
  1. Go into Control Panel > System Click on the Hardware Profiles Tab.
  2. Look in the Available hardware profiles.
  3. Select an existing hardware profile and click Copy.
Oct 19, 2021

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