Real vs. Fake Apple MacBook Air: 4 Ways to Tell the Difference

From checking serial numbers to packaging, there’s more than one way to know if the MacBook Air is genuine or fake.

What to Know

• The easiest way to spot a fake MacBook Air is to verify its serial number in Apple’s coverage checking tool. If it shows up there, the MacBook Air is authentic.
• Carefully look at the packaging of the MacBook Air box, and if you notice spelling mistakes, double spaces, printing issues, and pixelation in photos, the MacBook Air isn’t genuine.
• Before buying the laptop, open it in front of the seller and check whether the data shown in the About section (such as serial number and Model number) matches what’s printed on the box.

For years, the MacBook Air remaines one of the top-rated, bestselling laptops on the consumer market. Though, lately, scammers have been actively selling 1:1 MacBook Air replicas on all sorts of platforms. While it’s becoming more challenging to tell these clones apart, there are still some effective ways to identify fake MacBook Air, and we’ve detailed them below.

How to spot a fake MacBook Air

How to identify a fake MacBook Air: Check the color

While the color alone is not typically a definitive indicator of a fake MacBook Air, it’s worth noting that MacBook Airs have been produced in various colors over the years. If you come across a MacBook Air in a color that Apple has never officially offered, it’s definitely a fake. Here our MacBook Air models and their corresponding colors:

MacBook Air (15-inch, M2, 2023)
Colors: Silver, starlight, space gray, midnight

MacBook Air (M2, 2022)
Colors: Silver, starlight, space gray, midnight

MacBook Air (M1, 2020)
Colors: Space gray, gold, silver

MacBook Air (Retina, 13-inch, 2020)
Colors: Space gray, gold, silver

MacBook Air (Retina, 13-inch, 2019)
Colors: Space gray, gold, silver

MacBook Air (Retina, 13-inch, 2018)
Colors: Space gray, gold, silver

How to Know a Fake MacBook Air: Check the Model Number

If you are still in doubt, check the device Model number and ensure it matches the information provided below.

Flip your MacBook over; the model number is in the fine print at the top of the case.

If the Mac is already set up, follow the steps below to find the model number:

1. On your MacBook, click on the Apple menu located in the upper-left corner.
2. Now, click About This Mac from the dropdown menu.
3. Here, you’ll find your Mac’s model number and year.

Note the model identifier, and cross-check it below:

MacBook Air (15-inch, M2, 2023)
Model Identifier: Mac14,15

MacBook Air (M2, 2022)
Model Identifier: Mac14,2

MacBook Air (M1, 2020)
Model Identifier: MacBookAir10,1

MacBook Air (Retina, 13-inch, 2020)
Model Identifier: MacBookAir9,1

MacBook Air (Retina, 13-inch, 2019)
Model Identifier: MacBookAir8,2

MacBook Air (Retina, 13-inch, 2018)
Model Identifier: MacBookAir8,1

MacBook Air (13-inch, 2017)
Model Identifier: MacBookAir7,2

MacBook Air (13-inch, Early 2015)
Model Identifier: MacBookAir7,2

MacBook Air (11-inch, Early 2015)
Model Identifier: MacBookAir7,1

How to Tell If MacBook Air is Fake: Check the Serial Number

You don’t necessarily need to have access to your Mac to check its authenticity. If you have the serial number, you can check if it’s original or fake using that instead. And if you don’t have your Mac’s serial number, check its purchase invoice or the box it arrived in.

The serial number is also printed on the back of your MacBook, where all the FCC markings are present.

Alternatively, if you have access to your Mac and it’s in a working state, you can find its serial number by clicking on the Apple logo in the top-left corner and clicking About This Mac. The Mac’s serial number is displayed in the window that pops up. Double-click to highlight and then proceed to copy it.

Follow these steps to spot a fake MacBook Air using this trick:

1. Once you have your MacBook Air’s serial number, head over to Apple’s Check Coverage page.
2. Proceed to paste or type your MacBook Air’s serial number into the text box. Then enter the CAPTCHA code and click Continue.
3. If the MacBook Air is genuine, the tool will show the model and year of the device. It will also show other important information about the Mac, like whether it is still under warranty, its AppleCare coverage status, and more.

How to Spot Fake MacBook Air: Packaging, Manufacturing, and More

Checking the serial number and MacBook Air-only features is the most reliable way to spot fake MacBook Air, but you can use some other methods. These options include some guessing, so we recommend the options from earlier in the article, but you can try these, too:

• Check the Apple logo: Genuine MacBook Airs have a well-crafted, centered Apple logo on the back of the screen lid. Ensure the logo is clean, with precise lines and no imperfections.
• Price: Apple computers aren’t cheap. Here are the starting prices of Apple’s current MacBook Air lineup:
  • 13-inch M1 MacBook Air: $999.
  • 13-inch M2 MacBook Air: $1,099.
  • 15-inch M2 MacBook Air: $1,299.
    If you are being sold MacBook Air for much less than that, it’s definitely a fake.
• Build Quality: Apple is famous for the very high quality of its devices. You shouldn’t see rough edges, the ports and connectors are tight and sturdy, and the color of the device is clean and bright. If your MacBook Air seem a little low quality, the parts are loose, the edges are rough, or the color isn’t perfect, you might have knock-off MacBook Air.
• Packaging: Just like the build quality of Apple products is high, so is the packaging quality. The boxes’ fit is tight, the quality of the printing high, the placement of stickers perfect. Apple’s quality control for its products is exacting, so if the MacBook Air doesn’t meet that mark, it could be fake.
• Boot up the system: Turn on the MacBook Air and check the operating system. Ensure that it runs macOS, and use the "About This Mac" option in the Apple menu to verify the hardware details.
• Inspect the ports and connectors: Make sure that all ports and connectors match the official specifications for the MacBook Air model in question. Counterfeit products may have irregular or incorrect ports.
• Compare the weight and dimensions: Genuine MacBook Airs have specific weight and dimensions. If the laptop feels significantly lighter or heavier, it might be a fake.

Conclusion

If you’re ordering your MacBook Air online, you won’t get your hands on it until it is delivered. So use this guide to check if the MacBook Air is original or fake before placing the order. Remember to read seller reviews, read user reviews on the listing, and avoid suspiciously good deals. It’s also always better to buy from the Apple Online Store or reputed sellers from Amazon and other popular e-commerce websites.