diff --git a/src/gui/main_window.py b/src/gui/main_window.py
index 32e2e21..901d41b 100644
--- a/src/gui/main_window.py
+++ b/src/gui/main_window.py
@@ -441,6 +441,15 @@ class MainWindow(ctk.CTk):
         )
         read_btn.grid(row=2, column=0, padx=PADDING, pady=PADDING_SMALL)
 
+        # Test version button
+        self._test_version_btn = ctk.CTkButton(
+            panel,
+            text="Test Version",
+            font=FONT_BODY,
+            command=self._test_serial_version,
+        )
+        self._test_version_btn.grid(row=3, column=0, padx=PADDING, pady=PADDING_SMALL)
+
     def _build_status_panel(self, parent: ctk.CTkFrame) -> None:
         """Build the status display panel."""
         panel = ctk.CTkFrame(parent, corner_radius=CORNER_RADIUS)
@@ -972,6 +981,46 @@ class MainWindow(ctk.CTk):
         except Exception as e:
             self._log_message(f"  Error: {e}")
 
+    def _test_serial_version(self) -> None:
+        """Test serial port by sending 'ver()' command and parsing response."""
+        port = self._port_var.get()
+        if not port:
+            self._log_message("No serial port selected")
+            return
+
+        self._log_message(f"Testing version on {port}...")
+        self._test_version_btn.configure(state="disabled", text="Testing...")
+
+        # Run in background thread
+        def test_version_thread():
+            try:
+                from serial_monitor import test_serial_version
+
+                success, message, version = test_serial_version(
+                    port,
+                    self._config.serial_baudrate if self._config else 115200,
+                )
+
+                if success:
+                    if version:
+                        self._log_message(f"  ✓ {message}")
+                        self._log_message(f"  ✓ Version detected: {version}")
+                        self._status.set_status(f"Version: {version}", "success")
+                    else:
+                        self._log_message(f"  ✓ {message}")
+                        self._status.set_status("Port responded", "info")
+                else:
+                    self._log_message(f"  ✗ {message}")
+                    self._status.set_status(message, "error")
+            except Exception as e:
+                self._log_message(f"  ✗ Error: {e}")
+                self._status.set_status(f"Error: {e}", "error")
+            finally:
+                # Re-enable button
+                self.after(0, lambda: self._test_version_btn.configure(state="normal", text="Test Version"))
+
+        threading.Thread(target=test_version_thread, daemon=True).start()
+
     # ── Vitis Check ────────────────────────────────────────────
 
     def _check_vitis(self) -> None:
diff --git a/src/serial_monitor.py b/src/serial_monitor.py
index a553ae0..b27db01 100644
--- a/src/serial_monitor.py
+++ b/src/serial_monitor.py
@@ -192,3 +192,96 @@ def read_serial_stream(
                 if line_callback:
                     line_callback(line)
     return lines
+
+
+def test_serial_version(
+    port: str,
+    baudrate: int = 115200,
+    timeout: float = 5.0,
+) -> tuple[bool, str, str]:
+    """Test serial port by sending 'ver()' command and parsing response.
+
+    Sends 'ver\\r\\n' to the serial port and reads the response.
+    Attempts to parse version string from the response.
+
+    Args:
+        port: Serial port device path (e.g., '/dev/ttyUSB0').
+        baudrate: Baud rate for serial communication.
+        timeout: Read timeout in seconds.
+
+    Returns:
+        Tuple of (success, message, version_string).
+        - (True, "Version: x.y.z", "x.y.z") — version detected
+        - (True, "Port responded", "") — port responded but no version
+        - (False, "Error message", "") — error occurred
+    """
+    import serial
+
+    try:
+        with serial.Serial(port, baudrate, timeout=timeout) as ser:
+            # Clear buffers
+            ser.reset_input_buffer()
+            ser.reset_output_buffer()
+
+            # Send ver() command
+            ser.write(b"ver()\r\n")
+
+            # Read response
+            response = b""
+            start_time = __import__("time").time()
+            while __import__("time").time() - start_time < timeout:
+                if ser.in_waiting:
+                    data = ser.read(ser.in_waiting)
+                    response += data
+                    # Check if we have a complete response
+                    if b"\n" in data or b"\r" in data:
+                        break
+                __import__("time").sleep(0.1)
+
+            # Decode response
+            response_str = response.decode("utf-8", errors="replace").strip()
+
+            if not response_str:
+                return False, "Port responded but no data received", ""
+
+            # Parse version from response
+            version = _parse_version_from_response(response_str)
+
+            if version:
+                return True, f"Version: {version}", version
+            else:
+                return True, f"Port responded: {response_str[:100]}", ""
+
+    except serial.SerialException as e:
+        return False, f"Serial error: {e}", ""
+    except Exception as e:
+        return False, f"Error: {e}", ""
+
+
+def _parse_version_from_response(response: str) -> str:
+    """Parse version string from serial response.
+
+    Args:
+        response: Response string from serial port.
+
+    Returns:
+        Version string if found, empty string otherwise.
+    """
+    # Common version patterns
+    version_patterns = [
+        re.compile(r"([Vv]ersion[:\s]+)?([^\s;,\n]+v\d+\.\d+\.\d+[^\s;,\n]*)", re.IGNORECASE),
+        re.compile(r"(?:^|[\s:=])(v\d+\.\d+\.\d+)(?:\s|$)", re.IGNORECASE),
+        re.compile(r"(\d+\.\d+\.\d+)", re.IGNORECASE),
+    ]
+
+    for pattern in version_patterns:
+        match = pattern.search(response)
+        if match:
+            # Return the version part (group 1 or group 2)
+            version = match.group(1) if match.lastindex and match.lastindex >= 1 else match.group(0)
+            # Clean up version string
+            version = version.strip().strip("';\"")
+            if version and len(version) > 2:  # Basic validation
+                return version
+
+    return ""