How to find out the year of release of Xiaomi Redmi Note 5: 5 proven ways

Xiaomi Redmi Note 5 (codenamed whyred) remains popular even years after its release. But how do you know when your device was released? This is critical when buying a used device, checking warranty or evaluating battery wear. Unlike new models, where the production date is often specified in the settings, the Redmi Note 5 has this information hidden.

In this article, you will find all the official and informal methods to learn the year of release of your Xiaomi Redmi Note 5 — from checking the box to decrypting IMEI. We will also discuss why the date on the box and the real year of production may not coincide, and what to do if the serial number is erased. No complicated manipulations: only working methods with step-by-step instructions and visual examples.

1. Check of the year of release by box and stickers

The easiest way is to inspect the original smartphone packaging. On the Xiaomi Redmi Note 5 box, the production date is listed in two places:

• 📦 On the sticker with the serial number (usually on the end of the box) - look for a line MFD DATE Date of Manufacture: YYYY-MM-DD or MM/YYYY.
• 🏷️ On the factory film (if not filmed) - sometimes the date is printed in small print next to the IMEI.
• 📄 In the warranty card (if saved) – the date of sale is not equal to the date of production, but usually differs by 1-3 months.

⚠️ Warning: If the box looks suspicious (blurred font, mismatches) IMEI If you have a phone, no hologram, it's highly likely that it's a reseller, and then the date on the box is irrelevant to the actual age of the device.

If there is no box or the date on it is in doubt, proceed to the next method - IMEI or serial number check.

2. IMEI Date Definition: Code decoding

Each Xiaomi Redmi Note 5 has a unique IMEI (15 digits), which encrypts information about the manufacturer, model and build date.

1. Find it. IMEI your phone: 📱 Enter the phone keyboard *#06# - a window will appear with IMEI. 🔧 Go to Settings. → The phone. → General information. 📄 Look at the sticker under the battery (if you removed the back cover).
2. Decipher 7-8 digits IMEI — They indicate the date of production: 📅 1805 → May 2018. 📅 1712 → December 2017.

Example: If your IMEI is 863547031805123456, then the phone is released in May 2018.

Make sure that IMEI The box and the phone match.|Use only official services for verification|Don’t trust websites that require payment for decryption|Compare the date with other methods (e.g. serial number)-->

⚠️ Note: Some re-energized or re-repaired phones may have a replacement IMEI. If the date is IMEI It is very different from other methods (for example, the 2018 box, and the IMEI 2017 is a good time to check your phone for originality.

3. Serial number (S/N): Where to find and how to decode

Serial number (S/N) is another source of information about the production date, and on the Xiaomi Redmi Note 5 you can find it:

• 📱 In settings: Settings → The phone. → General information → Serial number.
• 🔋 Under the battery (if the back cover was removed).
• 📦 On the sticker of the box next to IMEI.

Serial number format: XXXXXXYYWWXXXXXXXX, where:

• YY is the last two digits of the year (e.g. 18 = 2018).
• WW is the week of the year (01 to 52).

Example: If the serial number is ABC1231825DEF456, then the phone is released in the 25th week of 2018 (June 2018).

4. Check through the engineering menu (for advanced)

If standard methods don't work, you can try extracting the production date through the engineering menu, which requires caution, because wrong actions can lead to failures.

Instructions:

1. Open the Phone app and type ##4636##.
2. Go to the tab Information about the phone.
3. Scroll down to Hardware info – look for lines with manufacture date or build date.

⚠️ Note: Some firmware may not have an engineering menu or contain incomplete data if you only see the firmware assembly date (e.g., the firmware assembly date, 2023-10-15), This is not the date of production of the phone, but the version of the software!

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If the engineering menu isn't available, try installing the MTK Engineering Mode app (for MediaTek processors) or Qualcomm Mode (for Snapdragon). But beware - changing the settings in these menus can make the phone crash.

5. Online services for verification: which are working in 2026

There are several online tools that claim to be able to determine the date of production by IMEI or serial number, but most of them are either outdated or require payment, and we tested the services and made a list of reliable ones:

• 🌍 IMEI.info – free to show basic information, but the production date determines only for a part of the models.
• 🔍 SNDeeP.info – decrypts Xiaomi serial numbers, including date (works for Redmi Note 5).
• 📱 Xiaomi official website – if the phone is tied to Mi-account, the activation date can be displayed in the personal account (not to be confused with the production date!).

⚠️ Note: Avoid sites that ask for entry IMEI They promise to show the phone's "complete history" for a fee, often a scam. Xiaomi doesn't provide public access to the database with the dates of production on the phone. IMEI — All online services use indirect decryption methods.

Physical examination of the phone: indirect signs of age

If no digital methods have helped, look for physical signs that may indicate the age of the device:

• 🔋 Battery wear: If the phone is less than 4-5 hours old, it is likely to be more than 3-4 years old.
• 📱 Screen state: Old Redmi Note 5 often features burn-in navigation buttons or yellow matrix.
• 🔌 Charging port: if the connector USB-C shattered or poorly held cable, the phone has been in active use for several years.
• 📦 Complete: the original charging unit from Redmi Note 5 markable MDY-08-EQ (5V/2A). Fakes often come with other adapters.

Of course, these signs don’t give an exact date, but they help to estimate how much the phone was used. For example, if the battery was inflated and the screen was scratched, even at a production date of 2018, the phone could last the previous owner only a year (until 2019), but with a high load.

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Even if you have a year of release, pay attention to the condition of the phone. The two devices in 2018 can differ in wear by 2-3 times depending on the operating conditions.

FAQ: Frequent questions about the production date of Xiaomi Redmi Note 5