How Do I Identify a LEGO Set?
To identify an unknown LEGO set, match what you can see — its dominant colours, rough piece count, era, and any distinctive parts or minifigures — against the LEGO catalog until only a few candidates remain. If you have the box or instructions, the set number is printed on them and identifies the set instantly; if you bought a used or bulk lot with neither, you narrow the catalog by attributes instead.
Here are the usual ways people do it.
Where is the LEGO set number?
This is the fastest route when you have the packaging. The set number — a 4 to 7 digit number — is printed on the front corner of the box and on the front of the instruction booklet. Search that number anywhere and you have your set.
Falls down when: you bought a used or bulk lot with no box, no instructions, and a built or part-built model.
Can I identify a LEGO set from a photo?
Take a photo of the built model and run it through a reverse-image search.
- Good for: well-known, distinctive sets and unusual silhouettes.
- Falls down on: generic-looking builds, partial builds, MOCs, and the many sets that share parts and colours. You often get "similar" results that aren't the set.
Search a catalog by hand
Browse a LEGO database site, filter by theme and year, and scroll through pictures until you spot it.
- Good for: when you already know the theme and roughly when it came out.
- Falls down on: slow going if all you know is "it's mostly grey, has a few hundred pieces, and came with a pilot minifig." There's no easy way to combine those clues into one search.
The easy way: Afolio's Identify Set tool PRO
Afolio turns those scattered clues into a single search. Open Identify Set:
- On iPhone: tap Identify Set under Tools on the home screen. It opens full screen, so you can use it at the table next to the pile.
- On iPad: tap Identify Set under Tools at the bottom of the sidebar.
- On the Mac: choose Tools → Identify Set… (⌘⇧I).
Then add whatever you can see about the set. Every filter you add tightens the list, and a set only qualifies when it matches all of them:
- Dominant colours — pick the colours that make up the bulk of the model.
- Piece count — a rough range, not an exact number.
- Year — a minimum and maximum release year if you can guess the era.
- Minifigures — none, one or more, or five or more.
- Stickers or animals — whether the set has sticker sheets or animal/creature parts.
- A specific part or minifigure — if one piece is distinctive, add it and only sets that contain it remain.
The header shows a live count as you go. Once 100 or fewer sets match, a grid of candidate cards appears with images, names, years, and piece counts. Tap or click one to preview it, then choose Reveal in Catalog to open that set and add it to your collection. On iPhone and iPad your filters are kept if you close the tool and come back, and Clear filters starts again.
Identifying a single loose brick instead of a whole set? See how to identify a LEGO part. Once you've named the set, you can check it for missing pieces or see what it's worth.
Try it yourself
Afolio tracks your LEGO collection on Mac, iPhone and iPad, with free iCloud sync between them. It's free for up to 25 sets, and Pro is a one-time upgrade with no subscription.
Prefer not to use the Mac App Store? Download the Mac version directly.
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LEGO is a trademark of the LEGO Group, which does not sponsor or endorse this app.