How to know exactly the year of release of Xiaomi Redmi 9 – all the ways from IMEI to hidden menus

Why you need to know the year of the release of the smartphone and what it affects

The year of production of Xiaomi Redmi 9 is not just a number on the box; it depends on the warranty period, compatibility with the latest MIUI firmware, and sometimes the market value of the device when resold, for example, models in 2020 and 2021 release may have different versions of MIUI out of the box, which affects support for updates.

In addition, the production date indirectly signals the degree of wear of the battery. Even if the phone was in storage unused, lithium-ion batteries degrade over time. Statistically, the capacity of the Redmi 9 battery after 2 years of storage without recharging can decrease by 10-15%.

Finally, knowing the exact year of release helps to avoid counterfeiting, in the secondary market, it is not uncommon to pass older devices off as new ones, masking the date with firmware, and we have collected all the working methods of verification, from official to "engineered".

Method 1: IMEI Testing is the most accurate method

The International Mobile Equipment Identifier (IMEI) is a unique 15-digit code for your Redmi 9 that contains encrypted manufacturing date information to find it:

1. Dial on the phone keyboard *#06# - IMEI will be displayed automatically.
2. Or go to Settings → About the phone → General information.
3. Or look at the sticker under the battery (if you removed the back cover).

Next, decipher the date by algorithm:

1. Take the first 8 digits of the IMEI (e.g., 86372404).
2. The 7th and 8th digits represent the year and month of production: 📅 2020: 00 (January) to 12 (December) Example: 86372405 → May 2020. 📅 2021: figures from 13 (January) to 24 (December) Example: 86372418 → June 2021.

Dial *#06#| Write down the first 8 digits | Check the 7th and 8th digits on the table | Check the date on the box-->

⚠️ Warning: On the fake Redmi 9 IMEI It can be changed if the code date doesn't match the visuals (e.g., the 2021 box, and if it's not the same as the visuals). IMEI Shows 2019, the device is worth checking through the official service Xiaomi.

Method 2: Date on the box and stickers - visual inspection

The easiest, but not always reliable, method is to inspect the original packaging. On the Xiaomi Redmi 9 box, the date of production is listed in two places:

• 📦 On a barcode sticker (usually at the end of the box) look for a line MFD DATE Date of Manufacture: YYYY-MM-DD or MM/YYYY.
• 🏷️ On the sticker under the battery (if the lid is removable) - there may be a month and a year in the format 2020.05 (May 2020).

Pay attention to the nuances:

If there is no box, check the sticker under the back cover (take care of it with the mediator). On the original Redmi 9, there is always a WYY date where:

• W is the week of production (01 to 52),
• YY is the last two digits of the year (e.g. 2520 → 25th week of 2020).

Method 3: Hidden Menus of Engineering Mode

Redmi 9 has hidden service menus where you can find the production date, and this method works even without the box and IMEI.

1. Open the phone app and dial: ##4636##
2. Select the item Phone Information.
3. Scroll down to the Hardware info block, there may be a Manufacture date string.

If this menu is not available, try the alternative code:

##284##

In some firmware MIUI The date is displayed in the Test Report section. → PCBA format YYYYMMDD.

💡

If the engineering menu doesn’t open, check if the Developer Codes are disabled in the settings. Go to Settings → About Phone → MIUI version and tap the build number 7 times to activate the developer mode.

⚠️ Warning: Do not change the settings in the engineering menu if you do not understand their meanings! RF Tests can lead to network loss.

Method 4: Through phone settings (MIUI 12 and later)

In the latest versions of MIUI (starting with 12.0.3), the production date can be displayed in standard settings.

1. Go to Settings → About the phone → All the characteristics.
2. Scroll down to the Hardware Information block.
3. Look for the production date or Manufacture Date.

If this information is not available, try another way:

1. Open Settings → Additional → Special features → Menu for developers.
2. Activate Developer Mode (if not already enabled).
3. Return to About Phone and tap 5 times on the kernel version - sometimes this opens a hidden tab with a date.

On Redmi 9 with custom firmware (like LineageOS), this method may not work, so use IMEI or engineering menus.

IMEI|Date on the box|Engineering menu|Settings MIUI|Other-->

Method 5: Serial number (S/N) check

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

• 📱 In settings: Settings → The phone. → General information → Serial number.
• 📦 On the box (near the barcode).
• 🔋 Under the battery (if the lid is removable).

The format of the serial number Xiaomi Redmi 9: XXXXYYWWZZZZZZ, where:

• YY is the last two digits of the year (e.g. 20 → 2020).
• WW is the week of production (01 to 52).

Example: Serial number ABCD2035123456 stands for Week 35 of 2020 (end of August 2020).

⚠️ Note: On devices released for the Indian market, the serial number format may differ. YY It's a letter (for example, 20A35), Use only the first two digits of the year.

💡

The serial number and IMEI are two different identifiers. IMEI is tied to the modem and S/N is tied to the device itself. In fake phones, both codes can be fake, so always check the data against the box.

What if all the methods show different dates?

The disagreement between IMEI, the box and the settings is a worrying sign, and here are the possible causes and solutions:

• 🔄 Flashing: If the phone was updated via Fastboot, the date in the settings could be reset. IMEI and a sticker under the lid.
• 📦 Fake box: Fraudsters often substitute packaging. Compare the barcode on the box and under the battery -- they should match.
• 🔧 Replacement of the fee: If the motherboard has changed, IMEI and S/N Check the history of repairs through the service center Xiaomi.

If the discrepancies are critical (e.g., IMEI shows 2019 and the box shows 2021), follow these steps:

1. Take pictures of IMEI, S/N and stickers.
2. Contact Xiaomi support via the official website or chat in Mi Community by attaching a photo.
3. Use online verification services such as IMEI.info (for IMEI verification), Mi Verify (the official Xiaomi service).

Remember: if the phone is bought with hands, the seller must provide checks or a warranty card with a date of sale. Without documents, the risk of running into a fake or "gray" import increases 3 times.

FAQ: Frequent questions about Redmi release date 9