How to accurately determine the release date of the Xiaomi Redmi phone: from IMEI to factory markings

Buying a Xiaomi Redmi smartphone in the secondary market or even in an official store is often accompanied by the question: “When was this device released?” The date of production affects not only the wear and tear of the device, but also the battery status, warranty obligations and even compatibility with the latest versions of firmware. Unfortunately, the manufacturer does not always indicate the year of release in visible places, and sellers can deliberately hide this information.

In this article, we will discuss all available ways to verify the release date - from analysis to analysis. IMEI-You will learn how to distinguish the Redmi Note 10 2021 from the model 2022, why some methods do not work for all regions, and what to do if none of the methods did not work. And also – reveal the secret code to call the service menu, which works even on locked phones.

1. IMEI check: the most reliable method

IMEI (International Mobile Equipment Identity) is a unique 15-digit code for your smartphone that contains encrypted information about the date of production.

• 📱 Dial on the phone keyboard *#06# — IMEI display.
• 📦 Look at the sticker under the battery (if removable) or on the box.
• 🔧 Go to Settings. → The phone. → General information.

First 8 digits IMEI — it TAC-Type Allocation Code, which identifies the model and the manufacturer, the last 6 digits, the serial number where the date is encrypted:

1. Enter IMEI on IMEI.info or SNDeep Info.
2. In the results, look for the Date of Manufacture or Production Date fields.
3. If the date is not displayed, check the alternative services (see table below).

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If IMEI starts with 86, it indicates Chinese manufacturing. For global versions, the first digits are usually 35 or 36.

⚠️ Note: Some vendors are counterfeiting IMEI If the date on the site is very different from the appearance of the phone (for example, the device looks new, and the date is 2019), check the phone. IMEI Again via *#06# or on the box.

2.Analysis of factory markings on the phone and box

Each Xiaomi Redmi smartphone has a factory sticker that encrypts the date of production.

• 📦 On the box (usually on the side or bottom of the).
• 🔋 Under the battery (for models with removable battery).
• 📱 On the back panel under the lid. SIM-cards (for some models).

Look for lines in the format:

• MFRDATE: YYMMDD or MFG DATE: YY/MM/DD is a date in the format of year/month/day.
• S/N:... is a serial number where the first 4 digits can denote a week and a year (e.g. 2021 = 2021, 3322 = 33rd week of 2022).

Examples of decryption:

• MFRDATE: 210315 → March 15, 2021
• S/N: 9C8D2020 → is likely to be 2020 (but not always exactly).

⚠️ Warning: Box stickers are often forged when resold. If the date on the box and phone doesn't match, trust the labeling on the device itself.

3. Check through the service menu (works even without the Internet)

Xiaomi’s hidden engineering menu contains production date data that is not always available through standard settings.

1. Open the Phone app.
2. Enter the code: ##4636###.
3. Go to the tab Information about the phone.
4. Look for the Date of Manufacture or Hardware Info fields.

For models Redmi Note 8/9/10 and later, the alternative code works:

##284##

It will open a testing menu where the Version section can display the firmware build date (not always the same as the phone's production date!).

Enter the code ##4636##

Check the tab "Phone Information"

Find fields with the reference to "Manufacture" or "Date"

Compare data with IMEI and sticker

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If the menu does not open:

• 🔄 Try restarting your phone.
• 📱 Make sure you enter the code in the standard Phone app, not in instant messengers.
• 🔧 On some firmware (for example, MIUI 14) Engineering menu blocked - use alternative methods.

4. Serial number date determination (S/N)

Serial number (S/N) is another source of release date information.

• In settings: Settings → About phone → General information → Serial number.
• On the box or under the battery (see section 2).

The serial number format of Xiaomi:

• The first 2-4 characters are the factory code.
• The next 2-4 digits are the year and week of production (e.g. 2021 or 2135 = 35th week of 2021).
• The other symbols are the unique identifier of the device.

Examples of decryption:

⚠️ Note: Redmi models for the Chinese market (with the C suffix in the name, for example, Redmi Note 9 Pro C) may have different serial number formats. IMEI.

5. Online services for model and performance verification

If you don't have physical access to your phone (for example, you choose a model to buy from an online store), you can use databases that collect release dates by characteristics.

• 🌍 GSMArena – each Redmi model’s card shows the year of the announcement and the start of sales.
• 📊 Kimovil – shows price history and release dates.
• 🔍 Xiaomi Device – a specialized site with production dates by region.

How to use:

1. Find your model (e.g. Redmi Note 11 Pro+5G).
2. Check the Launch or Release Date section.
3. Compare it to the date on the box/settings – if the difference is more than 6 months, the phone could have been in storage for a long time.

Note that the model’s announcement date and the production date of a particular phone may vary by several months. For example, the Redmi Note 10 Pro was announced in March 2021, but individual batches were produced until January 2022.

6. Indirect signs: how to determine the age of the phone without technical data

If none of the above methods worked, pay attention to indirect signs that will help estimate the age of the device:

• 🔋 Battery status: Go to Settings → Battery. → Battery status: If the capacity has dropped below 85% of its nominal capacity, the phone is likely to be older than 1.5-2 years.
• 📦 Previous articleUntil 2020, Xiaomi used orange boxes, after white with minimalist design.
• 🔧 Version. MIUI: Phones. 2020–2021 The s. often supplied with MIUI 12, 2022–2023 — s MIUI 13/14.
• 📱 Port availability: Models up to 2021 (for example, Redmi Note 9) had a 3.5 mm headphone jack, new (for example, Redmi Note 12) – only USB-C.

Also pay attention to the configuration:

• 5V/2A (10W) chargers are a feature of models up to 2020.
• Charges 33W and above are typical for the Redmi 2021-2023.
• Headphones are included until 2022, then they stopped putting.

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Even if the phone looks new, check the production date – some vendors restore the appearance of old devices (polish the case, glue a new film), but the battery and iron remain worn out.

7 What to do if the release date is not determined?

If none of these methods work, try the following steps:

1. Contact Xiaomi Support: Send IMEI photos, serial number and box stickers to support@xiaomi.com or via official chat.
2. Check it out through the Mi Check app: Download it from Google Play (only working on Xiaomi).

If you buy a phone with your hands and the seller refuses to provide release date information:

• 🚩 This is a reason to be wary – perhaps the phone is restored after a breakage or has hidden defects.
• 💰 Ask for a significant discount (20–30%) or refuse to buy.

⚠️ Note: In some Chinese marketplaces (such as AliExpress or Taobao), vendors may specify a release date of "2023" in the description, even if the phone is manufactured earlier. IMEI!

FAQ: Frequent questions about the release date of Xiaomi Redmi