How to find out when you first turned on the Xiaomi phone: all ways with explanations

Have you bought a used Xiaomi smartphone and want to make sure the seller hasn’t hidden the real age of the device? Or just wondering how long it’s been since the first launch of your Redmi Note 12 or POCO X5 Pro? The first turn-on date is a key parameter that helps you assess battery wear, check warranty period and even detect fraud when buying.

Unfortunately, the manufacturer doesn't display this information on the home screen, but it can be found in a number of ways, from standard settings to hidden engineering menus. In this article, we'll look at 5 working methods, including those that work even on locked phones, where exactly the activation date is stored, how to decrypt it, and what to do if data is not available.

Why it’s important to know the date of Xiaomi’s first incorporation

The date of the first launch is not just numbers, it directly affects:

• 🔋 Battery status: Manufacturers expect battery life to be 500-800 charge cycles, and by knowing the activation date, you can estimate how many cycles have already been eaten (e.g., 2 years of daily charging). ~700 cycles).
• 📅 In Russia and CIS countries, the official warranty on Xiaomi is 12 months from the date of sale, but some stores tie it to the first inclusion.
• 🛒 If the date of first turn on does not coincide with the declared age of the device when buying a used phone, this is a reason to be wary.
• 🔧 Diagnosis of malfunctions: For example, if a phone suddenly overheats a year after activation, it may indicate wear of the thermopaste or battery.

Moreover, some service centers refuse to repair devices older than 3-5 years, citing “moral wear” and the date of first switching on becomes the official argument.

Method 1: Using standard MIUI settings (the simplest)

If your Xiaomi, Redmi or POCO is running on MIUI 12 or later, the first turn on date can be found in 30 seconds:

1. Open the Settings app (cog icon).
2. Go to the About Phone section (usually at the bottom of the menu).
3. Put on the item All characteristics or General information.
4. Scroll down to the Date of First Use block (First Use Date in English).

If this is not the case, try an alternative route:

• In Settings, select System and Device → Additional → Date of First Use.

Important! On some models (e.g. Xiaomi 13T or POCO F5), the date can be displayed in YYYY-MM-DD format, while on older versions of MIUI (up to 11th), this item is missing.

⚠️ Note: On phones with root rights or custom firmware (such as LineageOS), the first turn-on date can be reset or tampered with.

Method 2: Engineering menu (for advanced users)

If the standard settings didn’t show a date, try the engineering menu, which works on most Xiaomi models, including the Redmi 9A, POCO X3 Pro, and older devices.

Instructions:

1. Open the phone app and enter the code: ##4636##
2. In the menu that appears, select Phone Information (or Phone Information).
3. Scroll down to the Battery Information block.
4. Find the first use time or Bootloader unlock date, and the first launch date may be listed here.

If the code doesn’t work, try alternative combinations:

• #284## - Equipment test (on some models shows the date of production).
• #36446337## - Extended information about the firmware.

On some phones (such as the Xiaomi 12 Pro), the engineering menu may be blocked by the manufacturer, in which case use method 3 or 4.

Method 3: Using the Mi Account app (if the phone is linked to an account)

If your Xiaomi is linked to your Mi Account, the date of first activation can be found through the official app, which is suitable even for locked phones (if you know the username / password from the account).

Step-by-step:

1. Install the Mi Account app from Google Play (or the App Store for iPhone).
2. Sign in with the same account as on your phone.
3. Go to the Devices (or Devices) section.
4. Select your smartphone from the list, and the date of the first connection will be indicated here.

If the phone doesn’t appear on the list, check:

• 🔄 Internet connection (data synchronized only online).
• 📱 Account binding in phone settings (Settings) → Accounts. → Mi Account).
• ⏳ Synchronization time (sometimes data is updated with a delay of up to 24 hours).

💡

If you buy a used phone, ask the seller to show the date of the first turn on through his Mi Account, which is the most reliable way to check if the data has been reset.

Method 4: Through ADB-Teams (for technically savvy people)

If previous methods have failed, you can try extracting the date of the first turn on via ADB (Android Debug Bridge), which requires a computer and minimal command line knowledge, but works even on phones without root rights.

What you need:

• 💻 Computer with Windows/macOS/Linux.
• 🔌 Cable USB (preferably original).
• 📱 Included debugging by USB on the phone (Settings) → The phone. → Version. MIUI — Tap 7 times, then return to the additional → For developers → Debugging by USB).

Instructions:

1. Download and install ADB Tools.
2. Connect the phone to your computer and allow debugging (a request will appear on the phone screen).
3. Open the command line (Windows) or terminal (macOS/Linux) and type in: adb shell dumpsys battery
4. Find the line in the conclusion first_use_time — here's a date in the format YYYY-MM-DD HH:MM:SS.

If the team doesn’t work, try an alternative:

adb shell getprop ro.boot.firstboot

⚠️ Note: On some firmware (for example, MIUI Global for Redmi Note 11) The dumpsys battery command can return the empty value, in which case try to get the data through the adb shell su. -c "cat /proc/first_use", But it's gonna take root rights.

Method 5: By serial number (if the phone is not turned on)

If the smartphone is not turned on or locked, you can try to find out the date of the first turn on by the serial number (IMEI or SN), this method does not give a 100% result, but helps to approximately determine the age of the device.

How it works:

1. Find the serial number on the box, under the battery (if removable) or via the command *#06# (IMEI).
2. Go to IMEI.info or SNDeepInfo.
3. Enter the serial number or IMEI in the search box.
4. In the results, find the Date of Manufacture block, and add 1-3 months to it, which is the approximate date of first inclusion (taking into account logistics and sales).

Please note:

• 📦 The production date is not equal to the date of the first inclusion, but usually differs by no more than 6 months.
• 🔍 Not all Xiaomi models are supported by these services (especially newer ones like Xiaomi 14).
• 🚫 If the serial number is faked (which happens on grey phones), the data will be incorrect.

💡

The serial number can be found not only on the box, but also in the phone settings: Settings → About the phone → General information → Serial number.

What to do if the date of the first inclusion is not known

If none of these things worked, don't despair. Here are the alternatives.

• 📊 Check battery life. Install the AccuBattery app (from Google Play) to show the number of charging cycles and the approximate "age" of the battery.
• 📄 Ask for checks or a warranty card. Even if the seller does not have them, you can try to restore it through the store (for example, Svyaznoy or M. Video stores data for 2-3 years).
• 🔧 Official SC Xiaomi can issue a certificate with the date of activation by serial number (service paid, ~500–1000 ₽).
• 🔍 Look for indirect signs, such as the date of the first photo in the gallery or the first login to a Google account (if the phone was not reset).

If you buy a used phone and the seller refuses to provide a date for the first turn on, this is an occasion to think about the fairness of the deal.

• Ask for a discount (at least 10-15% of the market price).
• Check your phone through services like CheckMend (paid check for theft/blocking).
• Refuse to purchase if there is doubt.

FAQ: Frequent questions about the date of the first inclusion of Xiaomi