How to know exactly the year of release of the Xiaomi Redmi phone: a step-by-step guide

When buying a used Xiaomi Redmi smartphone or checking your device for authenticity, it is important to know its real age. The year of release affects the residual battery life, the availability of MIUI updates and the market value of the gadget. The manufacturer does not always specify the date of production on the case, but there are hidden ways to determine it, from analyzing the serial number to checking factory tags.

Many users mistakenly believe that the date is in the phone settings (Settings) → The phone. → The date of first activation) reflects the year of release. In fact, this is only the moment of activation of the device, which can vary by months or even years. 5 reliable methods, including factory code decoding, packaging verification and system utilities. 10/11/12, where the serial encryption algorithm has changed.

———

1. Serial number check (IMEI/SN)

The most universal way is to decrypt the serial number (SN) or IMEI, which contains coded information about the production date. Xiaomi uses the YYWW standard, where:

• 📅 YY — last two digits of the year, for example, 21 = 2021 year)
• 📆 WW — week of production (01 to 52)

To find SN/IMEI:

1. Go to Settings → About the phone → General information.
2. Scroll down to Serial Number and IMEI blocks.
3. Or dial *#06# in the phone app and a window with IMEI will appear.

An example of SN decoding is D4F92235ABCD. Here is 22 – 2022, 35 – 35th week (late August). For Redmi 9/10 models and the newer format may differ – sometimes the date is hidden in 3-4 characters SN.

⚠️ Warning: On fake phones, serial numbers are often forged. SN indicates a future year (for example, 25 in the current 2026) – the device is guaranteed to be unoriginal.

Analysis of factory packaging and stickers

The original Xiaomi Redmi box contains three key tags with a production date:

• 🏭 Sticker on the end of the box - white sticker with barcode and code MFD DATE (for example, 2021.08.15).
• 📦 Printing at the bottom of the box – often duplicates the date in format YYMMDD (for example, 210815).
• 🔖 Sticker under the battery (if the box is opened) - contains a full SN and date WYY (week-year).

The photo below shows an example of a sticker from the Redmi Note 11 Pro+ 5G box (production date is 2022.03.22):

If there is no box, check the sticker under the back cover of the phone (you have to remove it with a mediator or suction cup). 8/9 and older date may be indicated next to QR-code YYYY-MM-DD.

⚠️ Warning: Phones sold through unofficial channels (e.g. AliExpress marked "Global Version") often have faked stickers!

3.Use of system codes and MIUI

MIUI firmware stores hidden production date data that can be extracted using engineering codes or third-party applications.

Method 1. Code for equipment testing

Enter in the telephone application:

##4636##

Go to the Phone Information tab → scroll to the Time of Service block. This can show the date of first activation (not to be confused with the date of production!).

Method 2. Appendix CPU-Z

• Download CPU-Z from Google Play.
• Open the About tab (About the program).
• Find the Manufacture Date line – the build date may be listed here.

Method 3: Hidden MIUI Menu (not working on all models)

##284##

In the menu that opens, find Manufacture Info, which sometimes displays a date in YYMMDD format.

💡

If none of the code worked, try connecting your phone to your PC and using the Mi PC Suite. The Device Information section sometimes displays a production date hidden in the normal settings.

4. Check by model and batch (batch number)

Each batch of Xiaomi smartphones has a unique batch number, which can be used to determine the approximate release period.

• 📋 On the sticker under the battery (format: BXXXXXX).
• 🖥️ In the information on the guarantee on the website mi.com/verify (require input SN/IMEI).

Transcript for Batch Number for Redmi:

For the exact year determination by batch number:

1. Find the batch number on the sticker or in the warranty information.
2. The first two digits after B will indicate a year (e.g. B2108 – August 2021).
3. The last numbers are a month or a week (depending on the model).

⚠️ Note: On phones released for the Indian market (Redmi Note) 10S India, the prefix of the party can begin with IN (for example, IN2103 — March 2021. This is not a mistake, but a marking feature.

5. Online services for checking the release date

If manual methods do not help, use specialized services:

• 🌐 IMEI.info - enter IMEI, The service will show the date of production (free for 1 inspection per day).
• 🔍 SNDeepInfo – decrypts Xiaomi serial numbers with the year and week.
• 📱 Xiaomi’s official vetting officer requires SN/IMEI, The activation date and warranty status.

Example of the report with IMEI.info for Redmi Note 10 Pro:

Note that some services may show an activation date rather than a production date to distinguish them:

• 📅 Production date – usually 1-6 months before the date of first activation.
• 🔄 Activation Date – coincides with the moment of the first phone turn on.

Compare the date from SN and the stickers on the box | Make sure the year in SN is no more than the current | Check the batch number for model compliance | Use 2–3 online services for cross-checking-->

6. Features for new models (2023–2026)

Starting with the Redmi Note 12 and Redmi 12, Xiaomi has changed the format of the date marking in serial numbers.

• 🔢 3-4 characters SN (for example, XM2305 — May 2023).
• 📌 QR-code on a sticker – it can be scanned using Google Lens for full information.
• 🔋 Battery data – enter the code ##3644633## to see the battery production date (often coincides with the phone assembly date).

For Redmi Note 13 (2026) models, there are additional rules:

• The serial number begins with H (e.g. H4A2401... – January 2026).
• The date on the box is in YYYY.MM.DD format (previously used by YY.MM.DD).
• In the settings, a new section Production Information (Settings → About the phone → Additional) appeared.

Important: On 2026 phones, the serial number date can be encrypted using a +1 year shift (e.g. 23 in SN stands for 2026).

💡

For Xiaomi phones from 2023 to 2026, scanning is the priority method of verification QR-It's a code on a sticker under the lid, and it contains encrypted data that you can't forge without accessing the manufacturer's database.

7. Frequent mistakes and how to avoid them

When determining the release year of Xiaomi Redmi users often make the following mistakes:

• 🔄 Confuse the activation date with the production date – the first can be years later than the second (for example, the phone was in stock).
• 📦 Only the box is trusted – stickers are easy to fake, especially in used tech markets.
• 🔢 Don’t take into account regional features – phones for China (Redmi) K50) The Redmi Note 11 Pro (Service)+ 5G) labeled differently.
• 🔋 Ignoring the battery date – it often coincides with the date of the phone’s assembly (checked by code ##3644633##).

How to avoid mistakes:

1. Always check data from 3 independent sources (SN, box, system settings).
2. For phones older than 2 years, use IMEI.info, which stores archival data.
3. If the dates contradict each other, check the phone for authenticity through the official Xiaomi service.

An example of a contradiction: the serial number indicates 2022, and the sticker on the box indicates 2021.

• If the phone is purchased in an official store, trust the SN (the sticker could be re-adhesive).
• If you buy from hand, there is a high probability that the phone is restored after repair (the date on the box is original, the SN has been changed).

FAQ: Answers to Frequent Questions