How to determine if you take a 32-flake or 64-scrap CPU

Updated: 03/12/2022 by Computer Hope

Computer CPU

The steps to determine whether your computer has a 32-bit or 64-bit processor (CPU) depend on the operating organization installed. Below are the steps to make up one's mind the processor type for Windows, Mac, and Linux.

Windows eight, 10, and 11

See the following steps to decide your CPU type and how many bits the processor has in Windows 8, Windows 10, and Windows 11.

  • Type organization information in the Windows search box and select the System Information icon.

Or, if you practise non have a search box (because you accept disabled it):

  1. Open a File Explorer window by pressing Windows key+Eastward.
  2. On the left, right-click This PC.
  3. In the context menu, select Properties to open the System Backdrop window.

Properties in File Explorer.

  1. In the System Properties window, detect your Organization blazon, which lists your operating system and CPU blazon.

Find your System type.

Tip

To make up one's mind the processor's manufacturer (eastward.m., AMD or Intel) and its model, run across the Processor line.

Earlier versions of Windows

With earlier versions of Windows, follow these steps.

  1. Open the Commencement menu > All Programs. Open the Accessories folder, then the Arrangement Tools folder. In the System Tools folder, select the Organisation Information selection.

System Information - 64-bit CPU

  1. Expect for the Arrangement Blazon option under the Item column on the right side of System Data. In the Value column, the associated value tells y'all which type of CPU the figurer has in it. If the Organisation Type value includes "x86" in it, the CPU is 32-bit. If the System Type value includes "x64" in it, the CPU is 64-flake.

Decide if using 32-fleck or 64-scrap version of Windows

Microsoft Windows is available in 64-bit and 32-bit. 32-bit processors can only run 32-bit versions of Windows. However, 64-bit processors can run either the 64-scrap or 32-bit versions.

To make up one's mind if the version of Windows on your reckoner is 32-bit or 64-chip, cull your version and follow the steps.

  • Windows Vista and later
  • Windows XP
  • Windows 2000 and prior

Determine if Windows Vista and later on is 32-bit or 64-bit

  1. Press and concord the Windows cardinal and the Pause primal.

Tip

Some laptops don't accept a Interruption key. Instead, the Intermission fundamental is a secondary function of a function key, and you need to printing the Fn key and that part primal.

  1. The System window, next to System type, lists 32-bit Operating Arrangement for a 32-fleck version of Windows and 64-bit Operating Organization if yous're running the 64-bit version. Beneath is a picture and an example of this window.

64-bit version of Windows system information

Determine if Windows XP is 32-fleck or 64-fleck

  1. Press and hold the Windows key and the Suspension central, or open the System icon in the Control Panel.
  2. On the General tab of the System Backdrop window, if it has the text Windows XP, the computer runs the 32-bit version of Windows XP. If it has the text Windows XP Professional x64 Edition, the estimator runs the 64-bit version of Windows XP.

Determine if Windows 2000 and prior is 32-bit or 64-bit

Windows operating systems, from Windows 95 to Windows 2000, are all 32-bit. There are no 64-chip versions of these operating systems.

Apple macOS

On a macOS reckoner, follow these steps to make up one's mind if the processor is 32-bit or 64-flake.

  1. Click the Apple icon in the menu bar at the upper-left corner.
  2. Select the About This Mac selection in the Apple menu.
  3. On the Well-nigh This Mac window, click the More than Info pick.
  4. Open the Hardware section and find the Processor Name attribute. In one case listed, perform an Internet search, using the CPU'due south processor name as a keyword, to decide if it's a 32-scrap or 64-bit CPU.
Processor 32-bit or 64-scrap
Intel Core Duo or Solo 32-bit
Intel Core two Duo 64-fleck
Any Intel Xeon processor 64-bit
Intel Core i3 64-bit
Intel Core i5 64-flake
Intel Core i7 64-bit

The table above shows that all the most recent Mac computers are 64-bit processors.

Linux

Access the command line interface on the Linux operating system, and enter the post-obit command.

grep flags /proc/cpuinfo

Expect for "lm" in the command output. If lm is found in the output, then the CPU is 64-fleck. If you don't see lm or run into i386, i486, i586, or i686 in the output, then the CPU is 32-bit. Below is an case output of the control to a higher place with lm in the information.

flags : fpu vme de pse tsc msr pae mce cx8 apic sep mtrr pge mca cmov pat pse36 clflush dts acpi mmx fxsr sse sse2 ss ht tm pbe syscall nx            lm            constant_tsc arch_perfmon pebs bts rep_good pni monitor ds_cpl est tm2 ssse3 cx16 xtpr sse4_1 lahf_lm

Decide if the Linux kernel is 32-chip or 64-bit

Using the uname command, you can decide if your Linux kernel is 32-bit or 64-chip past running the command below.

uname -a

The command in a higher place displays an output like to the example output below.

SMP Tue Feb 12 00:15:43 EST 2008            x86_64            x86_64 GNU/Linux

If you lot see x86_64 in the output, it is x86 and 64-chip.