How to Tell Whether You Have a 32-Bit or 64-Bit Version of Linux

Verified and Tested 10/28/15

Introduction

You might be a new sysadmin with equipment installed by someone else, or you were just given a server with no clue of what is installed.

If your software requires a system that is 32-Bit or 64-Bit you probably are going to need to find out if your system is 32 or 64 bit.

This how-to will show you how to find out if you are using a 32-Bit or 64-Bit installation on Linux.

Find out if your Linux installation is 32 bit or 64 bit

There is a program called uname installed on Linux that can show us if the Linux system is 32 or 64 bit.

To find out if your Linux installation is 32 bit or 64 bit, run the command:

uname -i

If it says x86_64, you are using a 64 bit installation.

If it says i368, you are using a 32 bit installation.

Uname -i gives you the hardware-platform. If you are possibly getting unknown, you can use uname -a to get all the information to find if it is 32-Bit or 64-Bit.

Uname -a

Anything that is x86_64 is 64 bit and anything that i386, i686 or similar is 32 bit.

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