How to know exactly when Xiaomi phone is made: step-by-step instructions

Have you bought a used Xiaomi and doubt the seller’s honesty? Or want to check if you have been sold a “repainted” restyling under the guise of a new model? The production date of a smartphone is a key parameter that affects warranty life, battery wear and even compatibility with the latest MIUI updates. In this article, we will analyze all the official and hidden ways to find out the age of a Xiaomi, Redmi or POCO phone – from analyzing the box to decrypting the factory code.

The manufacturer doesn't always show a release date in a prominent place, but it's encrypted in the serial number, IMEI, and even the device's service menu. We've tested each method on models from the Redmi Note 10 Pro (2021) to the Xiaomi 14 Ultra (2026) -- and we're willing to share the results. Importantly, some methods require access to the phone, others work even if you only have a box or a check on your hands. Let's start with the simplest.

1.Date check by box and stickers

If you still have the original packaging, 70 percent of the production date information can be obtained without the phone turning on. Xiaomi puts the key data on stickers in three places: on the box itself, on the filling and under the battery (if removable).

• 📦 Date on the box: usually in the format YYYY-MM-DD or MM/YYYY It's the date of packaging, not production, because the phone could have been in storage. 1–3 month.
• 🏭 Serial number (S/N): letter-start MZD, LZD or KZD, And then there's the numbers. 4–6 characters are often coded for week and year of release (more in the next section).
• 🔍 IMEI: The box has the same code as the phone, and you can check it through services like IMEI.info, which show the activation date, but not the production date.

⚠️ Warning: On fake boxes (especially on popular models like the Redmi Note 12), dates are often forged. Check the data from the sticker under the battery - it is more difficult to forge. If the sticker is damaged or missing, go to software methods.

2. Decoding of the serial number (S/N)

Xiaomi serial number is not a random set of characters, but encrypted information about the place and time of assembly.

• 📅 Old format (up to) 2019 for example, LZD712AB12345, where: LZD — Plant code (Lviv, China, India). 712 — 2017 year, 12-I'm a week (7 = 2017, 12 = March).
• 🔢 New format (c) 2020 for example, MZD123456789ABC, where: MZD — manchuria. 1 — 2021 year (0 = 2020, 2 = 2022 etc.). 23 — 23-I'm a week (June).

To find the serial number on the phone:

1. Go to Settings → About the phone → General information.
2. Scroll down to Serial Number (or S/N).
3. Compare the format with the table below.

⚠️ Attention: On models POCO (for example, POCO X5 Pro) the serial number may begin with POC or PCN, But the principle of decryption is the same. REF — This is a reference (test) device not intended for sale.

Redmi (Series Note, K, A)

POCO (F, X, M)

Xiaomi (digital series: 11, 12, 13, 14)

Black Shark (Gaming Smartphones)

Another brand-->

3. Verification through IMEI: Myths and Reality

IMEI (International Mobile Equipment Identity) is a unique phone identifier, but it does not contain direct information about the date of production, but it can indirectly determine the age of the device:

• 🔎 Checking the activation date: services like IMEI24 This is not the date of production, but if activation occurred after 6.+ months after the proposed release is a reason to be wary.
• 📡 Analysis of ranges IMEI: Xiaomi has an internal destination logic IMEI For different parties, for example, IMEI, The 863 phones are often from 2020-2021, and the 869 are from the newer ones.
• ⚠️ Limitations: IMEI You can reflash (on unofficial firmware), and the data of the services are not always accurate for the Chinese markets.

How to find out IMEI:

1. Dial on the phone keyboard *#06# - a window with IMEI will appear.
2. Or look at the settings → About the phone → General information → IMEI.
3. There will be two IMEIs for two-sim models – check both.

💡

If the service shows that the phone is activated before its official release date (for example, Xiaomi 13 activated in November 2022, although the release was in December), this could mean that the IMEI is faked or the phone is an engineering sample.

4. Hidden engineering menus: data from the factory

Xiaomi phones have service menus that store information about the date of production, the time of first charge and even the number of battery cycles, which can not be forged without root rights.

1. Open the Phone app and dial: ##4636## Testing menu will open.
2. Go to the Battery Information or Hardware info tab.
3. Look for the lines: Manufacture date - the date of production of the battery (YYYY-MM-DD format). First use time - the time of first turn on.

For older models (until 2020) the code is:

##284##

It opens the Packet Loopback menu, where the Version info section can specify the firmware build date (not to be confused with the production date!).

⚠️ Note: On custom firmware phones (like LineageOS), these menus may be disabled or show incorrect data. If nothing happens after you enter the code, your model does not support this method.

Make sure your phone is not unlocked (no root)

Enter the code ##4636##

Check the tab "Battery Information"

Verify date with serial number

Do not change other settings in the menu!-->

5. Software Methods: MIUI and Third Party Applications

If you don't have physical access to your phone (like buying from hand), ask the seller to install one of these apps.

• 📱 CPU-Z (Device section: Shows the build date, which is usually close to the production date.
• 🔋 AccuBattery: Health displays Battery Production Date (if supported).
• 🛠️ MIUI Hidden Settings (Xiaomi only): Reveals hidden settings, including factory data.

For models with MIUI 14+, there is a built-in tool:

1. Go to Settings. → The phone.
2. Tap 5 times on the MIUI version – the Developer options menu will open.
3. Back to Settings → Additionally. → For developers.
4. Find Hardware info, where the production date may be.

⚠️ Attention: Apps like AIDA64 Sometimes they show the firmware date, not the production date. 9A The firmware build date may be a year later than the actual release of the phone.

6.Official sources: warranty and support for Xiaomi

If you bought the phone from the official Xiaomi store (or from an authorized reseller), the production date can be specified through:

• 📄 Warranty card: in Russia and CIS, the date of sale is indicated in the check, and the date of production is indicated in the warranty sheet (usually 3-6 months earlier).
• 🌐 Official website: enter on the authentication page IMEI or S/N — The system will show the date of activation of the guarantee.
• 📧 Xiaomi support: write to the chat site asking to check the date by serial number.

🔹 Important: In Southeast Asian markets (e.g. India), phones are often in warehouses for 6-12 months, and if the official date of production is January 2023 and the sale is December 2023, that's fine.

7. Indirect indications of the age of the telephone

If none of the methods worked, look for indirect signs to help you estimate your age:

• 🔋 Battery wear: 0–100 cycles: phone under 1 year old. 300+ cycles: 2-3 years of active use.
• 📱 Version. MIUI: If the phone's on MIUI 12, but the latest official version for the model — MIUI 14, it's definitely not new.
• 🛠️ State of the body: Brushing on the buttons, backlash connector USB-C — active use of 1.5+ year-end.

🔹 Example: Xiaomi 11T Pro with firmware MIUI 13.0.4 (current at release – 13.0.12) and 400 charging cycles clearly older than 2 years, even if the seller claims otherwise.

💡

If the phone is sold as a “new” but the S/N production date is older than 12 months and the battery has 200+ cycles, it is a 100% used device, even if the box has not been opened.

FAQ: Frequent questions about Xiaomi's production date