How to accurately determine the production date of the Xiaomi phone: from serial number to hidden menus

Why it is important to know the release date of the smartphone and where to look for it

Did you buy the Xiaomi Redmi Note 13 Pro+ on a promotion but doubt its “freshness”? Or are you planning to buy a used POCO F5, but the seller assures that the phone is “only six months like a factory”? The date of production of a smartphone is not just the numbers on the box. It affects the warranty period, battery status and even the ability to receive MIUI updates. For example, devices older than 2 years are often excluded from the list of supported firmware.

Xiaomi manufacturers don’t always specify a release date openly, but it can be calculated in several ways, from analyzing the serial number to checking hidden system menus. In this article, we will analyze all the current methods, including those that work on models in 2026 (for example, Xiaomi 14 Ultra or Redmi Turbo 3).

Spoiler: The most reliable way is to combine IMEI testing and code analysis on the sticker under the battery, but more on that later.

Method 1: Production date by serial number (S/N) - code decryption

The serial number (S/N) is your Xiaomi’s unique identifier, which contains encrypted build date information. On models up to 2021, the format XXXXXXXXXYYWWW was used, where:

• 🔢 YY — last two digits of the year, for example, 23 = 2023 year)
• 📅 WW — week of production (01 to 52)

Starting in 2022, Xiaomi moved to a new format where the date can be encrypted in the middle of the code, for example, in serial number D4FC32335ABCD, the numbers 2335 represent the 35th week of 2023.

Where to find the serial number:

• 📦 On the box sticker (near the barcode)
• 📱 In settings: Settings → The phone. → General information → Serial number.
• 🔋 Under a removable battery (on older models like Redmi) 4X)

⚠️ Note: On fake Xiaomi (especially popular models like Redmi Note) 12) serial numbers are often forged. S/N and IMEI This is a reason to check the phone for originality through the service Mi Verify.

Method 2: IMEI check – exact year and assembly country

IMEI (International Mobile Equipment Identity) is a 15-digit code that is assigned to each phone, and unlike the serial number, it contains information about the exact release date and even the country of manufacture, to find out the date:

1. Find it. IMEI: 📞 Type *#06# and the code window will appear. 📄 Look at the sticker under the battery or on the box 🔧 In settings: About the phone → All characteristics → IMEI

IMEI

IMEI.info

IMEI-Number

Manufacture Date

Example of the report for Xiaomi 13T Pro:

If the site shows a date 1-2 months later than the real date, don't worry: it's logistics and packaging time, but a difference of six months or more is a sign of a relabeled phone.

By serial number | By IMEI| Through the official Mi Verify |Us official website I compare the date on the box and in the system |I don't check

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Method 3: Date on the box and stickers - where to look and what to believe

On the original Xiaomi box, the production date is listed in three places:

1. 📦 Barcode sticker (usually at the bottom of the box) – a line MFD DATE Manufacture Date in the format YYYY-MM-DD.
2. 🏭 Sticker on the phone itself (under the battery or on the tray) SIM-maps) – type code 230815 (15 August 2023).
3. 📄 Warranty card – the date of the guarantee (sometimes coincides with the date of production).

⚠️ Note: Xiaomi models assembled for the European market (marked) EEA), The date on the box may indicate the date of importation into the EU, not production. IMEI serial number.

Check the box for the presence of the laser logo Xiaomi| Check the serial number on the box and in the phone | Check the integrity of the security stickers | Compare the date on the box and in the system settings

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Method 4: Hidden system menus – engineering menu and ADB

If the box is not available and the serial number is erased, the production date can be found through the engineering menu or ADB. This method works on all Xiaomi models, including Redmi, POCO and Black Shark.

Method 1: Engineering menu (for advanced users)

1. Open the Phone app and dial: ##4636## Testing menu will open.
2. Go to the Device Information tab.
3. Find the Manufacture Date or Build Time line.

Method 2: Through ADB (for tech-savvy)

1. Connect your phone to your PC and enable USB Debugging (Settings → About Phone → MIUI version – tap 7 times, then Additional → For developers → USB debugging).
2. Enter in the command line: adb shell getprop ro.boot.ddr_info The answer will be a line with the date of the view 20231015 (15 October 2023).

These methods show the firmware assembly date, which can be 1-2 weeks different from the phone's production date, but if the difference is more than a month, it's a good idea to be wary.

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If the engineering menu doesn’t open, try the #284## code, which works on some POCO and Black Shark models.

Method 5: Online services to check – which are working in 2026

If you don't want to go through the settings, you can use online services, but not all of them are equally accurate. We tested 5 popular sites and selected those that are relevant for Xiaomi in 2026:

The most reliable Mi Verify is Xiaomi’s official service, which shows the exact date of production and warranty status, but it does not work for all regions (for example, it may not support models for the Chinese market).

Example of the report with SNRimei for Redmi Note 12 Pro+:

Serial Number: H9X4C2312ABCD




Manufacture Date: Week 12, 2023 (March 2023)




Factory: China (Shenzhen)

⚠️ Note: Free services like this IMEI24.com For example, for Xiaomi 14, they can give a date a year earlier than the real one. Always double-check the data through 2-3 sources.

What to do if the dates do not match – analysis of typical cases

You checked the date with IMEI, serial number and box, but you got three different results. Is that OK? Depends on the situation:

• 📅 The difference is up to 3 months, usually between assembling the phone, testing and packaging. For example, the phone is assembled in October and the box is in December (logistics time).
• 🔄 The difference of 3-6 months – two options are possible: the phone was in stock (relevant for models like Xiaomi). 13T, The seller re-marked the box (often on AliExpress or Avito).
• ❌ More than 6 months difference - high probability that the phone: Used and repackaged. IMEI It was repaired with a replacement motherboard (date reset).

If in doubt, do the following:

1. Check the phone for originality through Mi Verify.
2. Run the battery test through the AccuBattery app – if the charging cycles are more than 300, the phone is definitely used.
3. Check the screws on the back cover: on the new Xiaomi they have special seals that break when opened.

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If the IMEI date matches the Mi Verify date but doesn’t match the box, trust the IMEI. Boxes are more likely to be forged than firmware.

FAQ: Frequent questions about Xiaomi's production date