How to read the model on the back of your TV
Stock note (2026-09-11 recheck): Amazon links below were live at publish recheck. OOS ASINs were removed from CTAs.
To buy the right replacement remote you need the TV model number from the set (or from Settings)—not the code printed in the remote’s battery bay, and not the serial number. This how-to covers Samsung, LG, Sony, and Vizio paths manufacturers publish, plus wall-mount tricks so you do not unmount the TV on day one.
Three numbers people mix up
| Identifier | Where you find it | Use it for |
|---|---|---|
| TV model number / model code | Rear regulatory sticker; Settings “About / System Information” | Primary key for “which remote fits this TV” |
| Serial number | Same sticker / About screen | Warranty and support only—never for remote shopping |
Remote part number (e.g. Samsung BN59-… / AA59-…) |
Label in the remote battery compartment or on the remote shell | Useful when buying an exact OEM remote; not the TV model |
Do not type a BN59/AA59 string into a TV-model finder. Do not paste the serial where a site asks for the model. Fire TV Stick remotes are a different product family—do not conflate Stick packaging codes with the TV’s back-label model (Stick vs Edition trap).
Fastest method if the TV turns on
Samsung
US path: Settings (All Settings) → Support → About This TV (some sets say About This Projector / Contact Samsung). You should see Model Code and Serial Number.
Year matrix (Samsung AU support; wording may say “About the TV” vs “About This TV”):
- 2023–2026: Settings → All Settings → Support → About the TV
- 2022: Menu → Settings → All Settings → Support → About this TV
- 2017–2021: Settings → Support → About this TV
- 2016: Settings → Support → Contact Samsung
- 2013–2015: Menu → Support → Contact Samsung
Service caveat: If the main board was replaced, on-screen serial/model may be missing—use the physical sticker.
LG
- Mute shortcut: Press Mute three times in succession. LG USA documents an on-screen model name, serial number, and webOS version.
- Older menu path: Home → Settings (or Setup) → Support Menu → Product/Service Info → OK.
- User Guide path (webOS): Settings → All Settings → Support → User Guide (paths vary by webOS year; model name itself is still Mute×3 or the rear label).
Sony
Menu paths for System information vary by Android TV / Google TV software version and year. Sony’s support article asks you to pick your TV type—do not invent a single universal Sony menu path. Use Sony’s article for the on-screen route; use the sticker methods below when the set is wall-mounted or the menus differ.
Vizio
Power on → Menu → All Settings / System / Help → Admin & Privacy / System Information / TV information → find the model and serial (serial often next to TV SN). Newer sets may show info on the Help page itself. The VIZIO mobile app can also show product info via the (i) icon.
(Soft evidence note: Vizio’s support page is a Salesforce JS shell for simple fetch tools—steps above paraphrase the official URL; open Vizio: Where is my Serial Number? for the live article.)
Reading the rear sticker
When Settings are unreachable—or you want ground truth after a board swap—read the label on the back panel.
- Samsung: Model code and serial on a sticker on the back (AU docs often describe a silver sticker). Samsung CA suggests photographing the label before wall-mounting.
- LG: Information label on the back panel; LG states it can be on the right or left side of the back.
- Sony: Model name normally on a sticker at the back, on a label near side input terminals, or engraved on the front panel. Model ≠ serial. Stickers are often toward the right bottom corner or bottom center of the back.
- Vizio: Serial (and model) on the back of the display; also on the side of the original packaging.
What to copy: the line labeled Model, Model No., or Model Code. Skip Serial / S/N / manufacturing dates.
Wall-mounted sets (don’t tear the mount down first)
- Try Settings / Mute×3 / Help paths above while the set is still on the wall.
- Sony’s official tip: use a small hand or inspection mirror behind the set; take a phone photo of the mirror image; flip horizontally in the phone editor.
- Samsung tip: photo the label before mounting whenever you can.
- Flashlight + phone zoom often beats guessing. Any small mirror works—no special SKU required for this how-to.
Optional decode (Samsung example only)
Samsung’s US decode page walks strings like QN65Q800TAFXZA (type / region / size / series / country suffix; ZA = USA). Useful curiosity once you have the string; you do not need to decode it to look up a remote—just copy the full model code accurately.
Still can’t find it
- Original shipping box and user manual (Sony and others print the model there).
- Purchase receipt or manufacturer account registration.
- After a main-board service swap, trust the physical sticker over a blank About screen (Samsung AU caveat).
- Brands outside this Week-1 set (TCL, Hisense, Roku TV, Fire TV Edition panels, etc.) follow the same idea—rear sticker + Settings/Help—but exact menu names differ; expand later if needed.
What to do with the model string next
- Samsung remote shoppers → BN59 / AA59 remote finder (then samsungparts.com by TV model).
- LG Magic vs cheap IR → Magic Remote vs IR replacement.
- Fire TV Stick vs Edition TV → compatibility trap.
- Tempted by a “one code for all brands” universal → what series codes miss.
Manufacturer citations
- Samsung US About / model decode: ANS10005222 · ANS10006944
- Samsung AU year menus: Find serial number in TV menu
- Samsung CA label tip: Find serial or model code
- LG Mute×3 / rear label: LG help library
- Sony sticker + mirror: Sony article 00121074
- Vizio: Where is my Serial Number?
No Amazon product links on this page (how-to only; no accessory ASINs fetched in research).
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