How to check the year of release of the Xiaomi phone: official and hidden methods

When you buy a Xiaomi smartphone with your hands or even a new one in the store, the year it was released can tell you a lot about the battery status, the relevance of the firmware and even the residual warranty period. But how do you know this information if there is no box and the seller does not know? It turns out that the date of production can be determined directly in the phone settings — without disassembling the case and special programs.

In this article, we’ll look at all the working methods, from standard MIUI menus to hidden service codes, where exactly the release date information is hidden, how to decrypt factory tags, and why data from different sources may not match, and why some Xiaomi models (such as the Redmi Note 11 or POCO X5) may display the year in the settings incorrectly and how to fix it.

1. Method: Production date in the About Phone menu

The easiest method is to look at the information in standard settings. It works on most Xiaomi, Redmi and POCO smartphones with MIUI 12 firmware and later. Here's how to do it:

1. Open the Settings app (cog icon).
2. Scroll down and select the About Phone section.
3. Click on All Features (or General Information on older versions).
4. Find the Manufacture Date line.

If this line is not there, try another way:

• 📅 Settings → System system → The phone. → Version. MIUI (Tap 7 times on the line with the version to unlock the hidden menu).
• 🔍 In some models (e.g. Xiaomi) 12T) date hidden in Settings → Additionally. → Specifications.

Check for the latest version of MIUI

Reboot the phone.

Try alternative methods (IMEI, sticker)

Reset the settings to factory (extreme case)-->

⚠️ Note: On phones with custom firmware (such as LineageOS or Pixel Experience), the production date may not be displayed correctly or at all.

Method: IMEI decoding to determine the year

Each Xiaomi smartphone has a unique IMEI, the international mobile hardware identifier, which encrypts the model and release date information to extract it:

1. Type *#06# on your phone keyboard and the IMEI window will appear.
2. Write down the first 8 digits (e.g., 86372404).
3. Go to imei.info or imei-number.com.
4. Enter IMEI in the check box – the results will be Manufacture Date.

If you do not want to use third-party services, you can decrypt the IMEI yourself:

• 📊 7-me 8-I code numbers indicate the year of issue (for example, 20 = 2020 year, 22 = 2022 year).
• 📅 9th and 10th digits: month (e.g. 05) = may).

⚠️ Note: Some Xiaomi models (especially those released before 2019) may use an outdated format IMEI, where the year is coded differently, in which case it is better to check the date through the factory sticker (see next section).

3. Method: factory sticker under the lid or battery

If the software methods don't work, you have a physical exam, and every Xiaomi smartphone has a factory sticker with the serial number and the date of production on it, and where to look for it:

To get to the sticker:

1. Turn off the phone and remove it. SIM-map.
2. Carefully put the back cover with a plastic card (on models with a removable battery).
3. The sticker is usually located next to the battery or on a metal screen.

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If you are afraid of damaging the case, take a picture of the sticker through the gap between the lid and the case using another phone and macro shooting function.

⚠️ Note: On phones with a non-dismountable body (for example, Xiaomi 13 or Redmi Note 12), the sticker can be hidden under the protective film of the battery, in which case it is better not to take risks and use other methods.

4.Why can the dates in the settings and on the sticker not match?

Sometimes users find that the year of release in the About Phone menu is different from the date on the sticker or in the IMEI.

• 🔄 Update firmware: After flashing on custom MIUI (For example, xiaomi.eu may reset the date to the current one.
• 🏭 Different batches: The phone could be assembled from parts of different batches (body - 2021, motherboard - 2022).
• 📦 Repackaging: In some countries (e.g. India), smartphones are repackaged by local distributors, and the date on the box may not match the actual date.
• 🤖 Mistake. MIUI: A firmware bug when the date is displayed as 1970 (found on Redmi) 9A and POCO M3).

I'm looking at the phone settings.

Checking through IMEI

Looking for a factory sticker.

Comparing all methods

Never checked.-->

If the discrepancies are critical (for example, when buying a used phone), it is better to ask the seller:

• 📸 Photo of the factory sticker (with serial number).
• 📄 Check or warranty card (if saved).
• 🔧 Screenshot from the service menu (code ##4636##).

5. Service codes for checking the release date (for experienced)

For advanced users, there are hidden engineering menus where you can find additional information about the phone. MIUI!

Try the following combinations:

• #44336## - Menu with hardware information (see Manufacture Date).
• #284## - Equipment test (on some models displays the date of assembly).
• ##3644633## - Detailed information about the firmware version and compilation date.

If the code doesn't work, it's locked in your version of MIUI. Don't try random combinations - it can lead to a reset!

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Service codes may differ even for the same model in different regions (global/Chinese/Indian firmware).

6. Verification of the year of release through the serial number (S/N)

Serial Number is another source of production date information, and you can find it here.

• In settings: About the phone → Serial number.
• On the box (if saved).
• On the factory sticker under the lid.

The serial number format of Xiaomi is usually ABCD12345678, where:

• 🔤 First 4 characters (ABCD) — code.
• 📅 The following: 2-4 figure (1234) — date in the format of GTMM or MIMG.

Examples of decryption:

⚠️ Note: On new models (for example, Xiaomi 13 Lite or Redmi Note 12 Pro)+) The serial number can be encrypted, in which case it can only be decrypted through the official Xiaomi service.

7.How to verify the authenticity of the release date?

Unfortunately, scammers sometimes fake dates on stickers or firmware to pass off an old phone as a new one.

• 🔍 Compare data from 3 sources: settings, IMEI If everyone matches, it's probably a real date.
• 📊 Check the update history: go to Settings → The phone. → Updating the system → If the first update is from 2020 and the phone is supposedly from 2023, it's a fake.
• 🔋 Evaluate battery status: enter the code ##4636##, select Battery Information. > 30% of the phone 2023 is a clear sign of fraud.

You can also use online authentication services:

• 🌐 Xiaomi Official Verifier (Serial Number Needed).
• 🛡️ SND Deep Info (testing by IMEI and S/N).

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If the seller refuses to provide a serial number or a photo of the sticker - this is a reason to be wary.

FAQ: Frequent questions about Xiaomi release date