Which iPhone Do I Have? Identify Your Model (And Which Cases Fit)
We cut every case we make to fit an exact body and camera layout. So when someone orders a case for the wrong model, it comes back to us as an exchange request, and that happens more often than you'd think. Apple has released more than 40 iPhones, several of them nearly identical twins, and "it looks like my friend's iPhone 13" is not a reliable sizing method.
This guide gets you to a definitive answer in under a minute, then explains which models actually share case dimensions, and why "same size" almost never means "same case."
The 30-second method: check Settings
If the phone powers on, don't bother with visual detective work.
- Open Settings
- Tap General, then About
- Look at Model Name
That's it. It will say something like "iPhone 14 Pro" in plain English. This works on any iPhone running iOS 12.2 or later, which covers every model back to the iPhone 5s.
If you're on very old software and only see a model number (a code starting with A, like A2650), tap it once to toggle between the part number and the A-number, then look that A-number up on Apple's "Identify your iPhone model" support page. Every iPhone ever made has a unique A-number.
Phone won't turn on, or you're buying a case for someone else? Keep reading. The camera layout will tell you almost everything.
Identify your iPhone by camera layout
The rear camera is the fastest visual fingerprint an iPhone has. Start by counting lenses, then check the arrangement.
Two terms come up constantly below, so here's what they mean. The notch is the black tab that hangs down from the top edge of the screen; it touches the border of the display. The Dynamic Island is its replacement on newer iPhones: a black pill-shaped cutout that floats just below the top edge, with screen visible all the way around it. Quick test: if the black area touches the top of the screen, it's a notch. If it floats, it's the Dynamic Island.
Three rear cameras
| Arrangement | Models |
|---|---|
| Triangle in a raised plateau spanning the full width of the phone | iPhone 17 Pro, 17 Pro Max |
| Triangle inside a square bump | iPhone 11 Pro, 11 Pro Max, 12 Pro, 12 Pro Max, 13 Pro, 13 Pro Max, 14 Pro, 14 Pro Max, 15 Pro, 15 Pro Max, 16 Pro, 16 Pro Max |
To narrow the square-bump Pro models: notch plus a Lightning port (Apple's older charging connector with the small rounded plug) means 11 Pro through 13 Pro. Dynamic Island plus Lightning means 14 Pro. Dynamic Island plus USB-C plus an Action button (replacing the mute switch) means 15 Pro or 16 Pro; the 16 Pro adds the Camera Control button.
Two rear cameras
| Arrangement | Models |
|---|---|
| Stacked vertically in a rounded vertical pill | iPhone 16, 16 Plus, 17 |
| Diagonal inside a square bump | iPhone 13, 13 mini, 14, 14 Plus, 15, 15 Plus |
| Stacked vertically inside a square bump, flat edges | iPhone 12, 12 mini |
| Stacked vertically inside a square bump, rounded edges | iPhone 11 |
| Stacked vertically, no square bump, stainless steel frame | iPhone X, XS, XS Max |
| Side by side in a horizontal pill | iPhone 7 Plus, 8 Plus |
To split the vertical-pill group: the 16 and 16 Plus have the Camera Control button on the lower right edge. The 17 does too, but has a slightly larger 6.3-inch display and an always-on ProMotion screen. When in doubt, Settings.
To split the diagonal-camera group: the 15 and 15 Plus have the Dynamic Island and a USB-C port. The 14 and 14 Plus have a notch and a Lightning port. The 13 and 13 mini have the notch and Lightning too, but a slightly smaller camera bump.
One rear camera
| What you see | Likely models | Confirm with |
|---|---|---|
| Single lens sitting in a raised bar that spans the full width of the phone, extremely thin body | iPhone Air | Nothing else looks like it |
| Single lens, top corner, notch, USB-C port, Action button on the side | iPhone 16e or 17e | These two look nearly identical from the outside. Check Settings, or check the SIM tray and regulatory text. The 17e supports MagSafe; the 16e does not. |
| Single lens, top corner, notch at top of screen, colorful aluminum body | iPhone XR | Lightning port, no square bump around the lens |
| Single lens, top corner, phone has a Home button | iPhone 5, 5s, SE (2016), 6, 6s, 7, 8, SE (2020), SE (2022) | See "Home button era" below |
Home button era, narrowed down: glass back with a single camera means iPhone 8, SE (2020), or SE (2022); those three share a body, and the two SE models are visually indistinguishable from each other, so use Settings to split them. Curved edges, aluminum back, no headphone jack means iPhone 7. Curved edges with visible antenna lines across the back means iPhone 6 or 6s. Flat squared-off edges and a 4-inch screen means iPhone 5, 5s, or SE (2016).
Other quick tells, newest to oldest
- Camera Control button (small button low on the right edge): iPhone 16 family and 17 family, except the 16e and 17e
- Action button (replaces the ring/silent switch): iPhone 15 Pro models and everything after, including 16e and 17e
- USB-C port: every iPhone 15 and later
- Dynamic Island: iPhone 14 Pro and later, except the 16e and 17e, which kept the notch
- Notch: iPhone X through iPhone 14, plus 16e and 17e
- Home button: iPhone 8, SE models, and everything older
Now the real question: which cases fit which iPhones?
Here's the honest answer most case listings dance around: a handful of iPhone models share a body, but almost none of them share a case. Three things break compatibility even between same-sized phones.
Camera cutouts. An iPhone 12 and 12 Pro have identical bodies, but the 12 Pro's triple camera needs a larger opening. A case cut precisely for the 12's dual camera will not clear the Pro's module.
Buttons and switches. The Camera Control button on the iPhone 16 sits where the iPhone 15's case has solid material. The Action button on newer models sits in a different position than the mute switch it replaced. Any case with machined button openings, rather than one floppy universal channel, is model-specific.
MagSafe. Same-shaped phones don't always have the same magnets. The iPhone 16e has no MagSafe at all, while the otherwise identical 17e does. The shell fits both, but a magnetic case or accessory only does its magnetic job on one of them, so if MagSafe matters to you, the phone underneath matters as much as the fit.
The dividing line is simple: cases interchange only when two models share both the body and the camera position. When Apple reuses both, one case genuinely fits multiple phones. When either changes, it doesn't, no matter how identical the phones look from the front.
Models where cases genuinely interchange
We cut our shells to the body and camera layout, not the marketing name, so where Apple truly reused both, one Keyway shell fits every model in the group. These are the real groups:
| One case fits all of the phones in the same row |
|---|
| iPhone 5, 5s, SE (2016) |
| iPhone 6, 6s |
| iPhone 6 Plus, 6s Plus |
| iPhone 7, 8, SE (2020), SE (2022) |
| iPhone 7 Plus, 8 Plus |
| iPhone X, XS |
| iPhone 16e, 17e |
If your phone is in one of these groups, a case made for any model in the group fits yours. This is also why an SE (2022) owner shopping for cases should search for iPhone 7 and 8 cases too; it's the same shell wearing three names.
Same size, different case: the traps
These pairs share a footprint, which is exactly why they catch people. The bodies match, but the camera module, buttons, or magnets don't, and a precision-cut case will not interchange:
| Group | What breaks it |
|---|---|
| iPhone 12 and 12 Pro | Identical body, but the Pro's triple camera needs a larger opening |
| iPhone 13 and 13 Pro | Same situation as the 12 pair |
| iPhone 13, 14, 16e, 17e | Same footprint across all four, but only the 16e and 17e pair up; the 13 and 14 each need their own case |
| iPhone 15 and 16 | The 16's Camera Control button and rearranged cameras rule out 15 cases |
Everything not listed on this page should be treated as incompatible with every other model.
How Keyway handles fit
A mass-produced silicone case has enough flex and slop that a near-match model sometimes squeezes in. Wood doesn't flex. Neither does a leather shell bonded to a precision liner. Every Keyway shell is cut for an exact body and camera layout: the camera opening, the button reliefs, the port cutout, all of it. Where Apple genuinely reused a design, our one shell covers the whole group. Everywhere else, it's model-specific, and step one of ordering from us is knowing exactly which iPhone you have.
We currently make cases for every iPhone from the iPhone 5 through the iPhone 17 Pro Max, including the Plus, mini, e, Air, and SE variants. Yes, the iPhone 5. If you're still carrying one, we respect the commitment.
Found your model? Shop cases cut exactly for it:
iPhone 17 family: 17e · 17 · Air · 17 Pro · 17 Pro Max
iPhone 16 family: 16e · 16 · 16 Plus · 16 Pro · 16 Pro Max
iPhone 15 family: 15 · 15 Plus · 15 Pro · 15 Pro Max
iPhone 14 family: 14 · 14 Plus · 14 Pro · 14 Pro Max
iPhone 13 family: 13 mini · 13 · 13 Pro · 13 Pro Max
Older models: shop all iPhone cases, then filter by your model. We go all the way back to the iPhone 5.
Frequently asked questions
Will an iPhone 13 case fit an iPhone 14?
Usually not. The bodies are close but the 14 is slightly thicker with a larger camera bump. Flexible cases sometimes stretch over; precision-fit cases won't.
Will an iPhone 15 case fit an iPhone 16?
No. The footprint is similar, but the iPhone 16 added the Camera Control button and moved its cameras into a vertical arrangement. A 15 case blocks the button and misaligns the camera opening.
Is the iPhone 17e the same size as the iPhone 16e?
Same body, same camera position, and one case fits both; the 16e and 17e are one of the few pairs where cases genuinely interchange. Both also share their footprint with the iPhone 13 and 14, but cases don't cross over to those models because the camera layouts differ. One accessory note: the 17e supports MagSafe and the 16e doesn't, so magnetic accessories behave differently even in the same case.
Do the iPhone 12 and 12 Pro use the same case?
Only if the case has one oversized camera opening. The bodies are identical, but the 12 Pro's triple camera needs a larger cutout than the 12's dual camera. Our cases are cut per model, so no.
Is the iPhone SE the same as the iPhone 8?
The 2020 and 2022 SE share the iPhone 8's body and camera position, and in our lineup that group extends to the iPhone 7 as well, so one case covers all four. The original 2016 SE is a much smaller phone that shares its shell with the iPhone 5 and 5s instead.
Will an iPhone X case fit an iPhone XS?
Yes, in our lineup: the bodies are near-identical and one Keyway shell fits both. With other brands it depends; the XS camera bump is marginally larger, so extremely tight cutouts can catch. If the case was made specifically for the X, check with the maker.
Will an iPhone 7 case fit an iPhone 8?
Ours do. The 7 and 8 share their body and camera position closely enough that one shell serves both, along with the SE (2020) and SE (2022). The 7 Plus and 8 Plus pair up the same way.
How do I find my iPhone's model number?
Settings, then General, then About. The Model Name is listed in plain English. If you only see a code, tap it to reveal the A-number and look it up on Apple's support site.
My iPhone won't turn on. How do I identify it?
Count the rear cameras and check the arrangement against the tables above, then use the port (Lightning vs USB-C), the screen cutout (notch vs Dynamic Island), and the buttons to narrow it to one model.