Device info checklist for a support ticket

Support asks for your device details, but it can be hard to know what to send. Too little information can mean extra questions, while a long list of unrelated specs can hide the part that matters.

Use this checklist to describe the problem and add only the device details that help explain it. The System Info tool can show processor, graphics, screen, battery, and network information in your browser.

Build your support-ticket checklist

Open System Info on the device that has the problem. Note the processor, graphics, screen, battery, or network details that relate to your issue. You do not need to include every value.
Write down the device make and model, plus the operating system and version. On Windows 11, find Windows and device details under Settings › System › About. On a Mac, open System Settings › General › About.
Record the app or browser name and version if the problem happens in a particular program or website. You can usually find the version on the app's or browser's About page.
Describe what happens, when it started, and how often it happens. Include the exact error message if you see one, and the steps that make the problem appear.
Review your notes before sending. Remove passwords, account details, and unrelated personal or network information. Add screenshots or logs only if support requests them and you have checked them for private data.

Keep the report focused on one issue. If you have several unrelated problems, separate tickets make it easier for support to investigate each one.

What to put in the checklist

You can copy this outline into the ticket and fill in the details you know. Use “not sure” rather than guessing.

Device: Manufacturer and model, such as the laptop or phone name shown in its system settings.
Operating system: The system name and version. Include an update or build number if support asks for it.
App or browser: Name and version, plus whether the issue happens in one app, one browser, or several.
Problem: What you expected to happen, what happened instead, and the exact error text.
When it happens: The date it began, whether it happens every time, and any recent update, repair, or device change.
Steps to reproduce: A short numbered list of actions that reliably bring the problem back.
Relevant device details: Processor, graphics, screen, battery, or network information from System Info, included only when it relates to the problem.
What you tried: Fixes already attempted and whether each one changed anything.

For example, instead of writing “my computer is slow,” describe the task that feels slow and when it happens: “Opening a large spreadsheet takes about 40 seconds, but small files open normally. This started after the last system update.” That gives support a symptom they can try to reproduce.

Choose details that match the problem

For graphics or display problems

Include the screen resolution and graphics information shown by System Info if the issue involves a blank display, flickering, poor performance, or a particular monitor. Say whether you use an external screen and whether the problem appears on the built-in display, external display, or both. For a single pixel or color problem, describe where it appears and whether it stays visible on different backgrounds.

For battery or power problems

If a laptop's battery drains quickly or does not charge, include battery details if they are available, and say whether the device was plugged in. Note what you were doing when the change occurred, such as video calls, gaming, or leaving the laptop asleep. Battery information can vary by device and browser, so report what you can see rather than filling in missing values yourself.

For network problems

Include relevant network information, whether you were using Wi-Fi or Ethernet, and what the connection was doing at the time. Say whether websites failed to load, a call disconnected, or only one service was affected. Do not send a Wi-Fi password. A router name or network address is usually unnecessary unless support specifically asks for it through a trusted channel.

For an app or website problem

Device specifications may not be the main clue. Include the app or browser version, the operating system, and the exact steps that lead to the error. Mention whether the issue also happens in another browser or on another device, if you have checked. Avoid adding processor or graphics details just to make the ticket look more technical.

Keep private details out of the ticket

Share enough information to identify the device and reproduce the problem, but do not include passwords, sign-in codes, payment details, or private files. A serial number or device identifier may help with warranty support, but provide it only through the support provider's official channel when requested.

System Info runs in your browser on the device you are checking. Read each value before copying it into a ticket, and share only the details that are relevant to the problem.