Xiaomi Redmi Note 8 Pro is one of the most popular smartphones of the brand, released in 2019, but still actively used. Whether you bought the device from hand, found it in the deposits of home appliances or just want to verify the authenticity before selling – determining the exact age of the phone will help to avoid fraud, predict battery wear and understand whether to update the firmware. Unlike the iPhone, where the date of production is easily readable by serial number, Xiaomi devices this process requires knowledge of nuances.
In this article, we’ll look at 5 working ways to know the age of the Redmi Note 8 Pro, from factory labeling analysis to hidden system data, which methods give 100% accurate results and which can be misleading (for example, the date of first activation in MIUI does not always coincide with the date of production), and we’ll also explain why some methods stopped working after the MIUI 12+ updates and how to circumvent these restrictions.
1. Serial number check (S/N) — most reliable
The serial number (S/N) is your Redmi Note 8 Pro's unique identifier, which contains encrypted production date information. Unlike IMEI, which is tied to a communication module, the serial number is assigned at the factory and does not change when components are replaced.
- 📱 In the phone settings: go to Settings → The phone. → General information → Serial number.
- 📦 On the box: look for a barcode sticker – the serial number is listed next to the S/N.
- 🔋 Under the battery: if you disassemble the phone, the number is duplicated on the motherboard sticker.
The Xiaomi serial number has the format XXXXXXXXXYYWW, where the last 4 characters encode the date:
- YY is the last two digits of the year (e.g. 19 = 2019).
- WW is the week of production (01 to 52).
Example: If the serial number ends in 1935, the phone is released in Week 35 of 2019 (end of August).
⚠️ Warning: On the fake Redmi Note 8 Pro serial numbers are often forged. S/N Does not match the date in the settings → The phone. → Production date (if any), this is an occasion to check the phone for authenticity through the official service Xiaomi.
💡
If the serial number is erased or unreadable, try scanning the barcode on the box using the Barcode Scanner app – sometimes the same information is encoded in it.
2.IMEI Analysis: What You Can Learn and Why It’s Not Always Exactly
IMEI (International Mobile Equipment Identity) is a 15-digit code that identifies your phone in carrier networks, and although it doesn't contain direct production date information, it can indirectly determine the age of the device:
- Checking through services: 🌍 IMEI.info – shows the date of activation (not production!) and the country of first use. 📡 SNDeeP – Xiaomi’s authentication service, which sometimes displays the release date.
Code combination:
*#06#
IMEI
But there are nuances:
- IMEI shows the date of first activation on the network, not the date of production. If the phone was in stock, the difference can be months.
- When the motherboard is replaced, the IMEI changes and the data becomes irrelevant.
- Some services (e.g. IMEI.info) may show incorrect information for the Chinese versions of the Redmi Note 8 Pro.
| Method | precision | Advantages | Deficiencies |
|---|---|---|---|
| Serial number (S/N) | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ | Direct production date, does not change during repair | It requires decryption, it can be fake. |
| IMEI | ⭐⭐⭐ | Quick check with code *#06# | Shows the date of activation, not production |
| Date in MIUI | ⭐⭐ | No need for additional action | Often reset after firmware, may be absent |
3. Production date on the box and stickers - where to look?
If you still have the original Redmi Note 8 Pro box, it should have a sticker with the date of production.
- 📅 Made in China/India: Next to the country of manufacture inscription is usually the year and month in format YYYY-MM or MM/YYYY.
- 🔖 Barcode: Under the main barcode may be a small text with a date (e.g. 1910) = October 2019).
- 📦 Sticker on the end of the box: Sometimes the date is duplicated on the side sticker with the serial number.
Important: On the European market boxes (Global version), the production date is often indicated in the week format, as in the serial number (for example, W35/2019 = 35th week of 2019). If the box is from the Chinese version (China ROM), the date can only be in Chinese - look for characters (production date).
⚠️ Warning: Fraudsters often fake boxes, especially for popular models like the Redmi Note 8 Pro. If the box looks new, but the phone is clearly used (patterns, battery wear), check the serial number on the official Xiaomi website through the authentication service.
How to distinguish the original box from a fake?
MIUI System Data: Where is the Date Hidden?
MIUI has hidden menus in the firmware, which sometimes displays the production date or first activation, but after upgrading to MIUI 12 and above, some of this data has been removed.
- Test menu: Open the Phone app and dial ##4636##. Go to the Phone Information tab - look for the lines Date of manufacture or First activation date.
Hidden menu of engineering settings:
Call on your phone: ##284###
Select Version info → Hardware version
Sometimes it indicates the date of collection of the fee.If these items are not available, try installing the CPU-Z app from Google Play. The About section sometimes displays the motherboard's date, but this method doesn't work on all versions of the Redmi Note 8 Pro.
Enter the code ##4636##| Check the tab "Phone Information" | Install CPU-Z| View "Board date" in the app-->
5. Checking through Mi Account: activation history
If the phone was linked to a Mi Account, the device history may store the date of first activation, which is suitable if you buy the phone with your hands and the seller is ready to provide access to the account (or you are the first owner).
Instructions:
- Go to the Mi Account website and log in.
- Select the Devices section.
- Find the Redmi Note 8 Pro list – the date of the first binding will be indicated next to it.
These methods don't give an exact date, but they do help you estimate how much the phone has been used, for example, if the battery is less than 50% charged and the firmware has never been updated, it's likely that the device is 3+ years old.