How to check the date of production of the Xiaomi phone: all ways with decryption

Have you bought a used Xiaomi or want to verify the authenticity of a new device? The production date of a smartphone is a key parameter that affects warranty life, the relevance of iron, and even resale value. Unlike Apple or Samsung, where release date information is easy to find in the settings, Xiaomi requires knowledge of hidden codes and decryption of factory tags.

In this article, we'll look at 5 official ways to know Xiaomi's production date, from serial number analysis to engineering menu verification, how to distinguish original products from fakes, how old your device is, and why some methods don't work on all models, and why the date on the box and in the system may not match — and what that means for your warranty.

Serial number (SN) test is the most accurate method

The serial number (SN) is a unique identifier for your Xiaomi that contains encrypted production date information, which can be found on the box, in the phone settings, or under the battery (on older models). Xiaomi's SN format usually looks like this: MZB95XXXXX or K6X9QXXXXXX, where the first characters encode the year and month of release.

To decipher the date:

• 🔍 First-time 1-2 symbol - factory code (for example, MZ — factory, IN — India).
• 📅 3-and 4-e Symbols - year of production (for example, 95 = 2019 year, 02 = 2020 year).
• 📆 5th and 6th symbols are a month (e.g. 07) = July, 12 = December).

Example: the serial number MZB9507XXXXX stands for July 2019 (China plant).Please note that the format of Redmi and POCO models after 2021 may differ - instead of two digits of the year, one letter is used (for example, A = 2020, B = 2021).

⚠️ Warning: On fake smartphones, the serial number is often forged, and if the transcript gives an illogical year (e.g., 2026 for the 2020 model), this is an excuse to check the device through the phone. IMEI or the official Xiaomi service.

2. How to find out the release date by IMEI - an alternative way

IMEI (International Mobile Equipment Identity) is a 15-digit code that is assigned to each phone, and unlike the serial number, it does not contain direct information about the date of production, but allows you to verify the authenticity of the device and indirectly determine its age.

To find IMEI:

1. Dial on the phone keyboard *#06# - a window with 1-2 IMEI codes will appear.
2. Or go to Settings → About Phone → General information → IMEI.
3. There will be two IMEIs for two-sim models – use any one.

Check the IMEI through the official services:

• 🌐 IMEI.info – will show the model, the year of release (sometimes with an error) ±1 month) and producer country.
• 🔧 Xiaomi Device Checker is a specialized service for Xiaomi devices, where you can see the activation date (not to be confused with the production date!).

Important: The activation date in Xiaomi service may differ from the production date by 1-6 months – this is normal, since the device could be in stock.

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If the IMEI starts with 86, it means the phone is made in China, and for global versions, the first digits are usually 35 or 36.

3.Date on box and sticker - where to look and what to believe

The original Xiaomi box always has a sticker with the device information, and the date of production is usually listed in one of two formats:

• 📦 Format 1: MFG DATE: YYYY/MM/DD (for example, 2021/05/15).
• 🏭 Format 2: Encrypted type code 2105 — where 21 = 2021 year, 05 = may.

Where to look:

1. On a white barcode sticker (usually at the end of the box).
2. Under QR-code on the bottom of the box (for models after 2020).
3. On the warranty card (if you bought in the official store).

But there are nuances:

• ⚠️ The date on the box may be earlier than the actual date of production of the phone (boxes are printed in advance).
• ⚠️ On fake boxes, the date is often forged – check it matches the serial number.
• ✅ If the dates on the box and in the serial number coincide – this is a sign of the original device.

4. Engineering menu and hidden codes - for advanced users

If the serial number and IMEI don’t give a definitive answer, you can try to find out the production date through the Engineering Mode, which does not work on all models, but often gives accurate information about the hardware, including the assembly date.

Instructions:

On some models (e.g. Redmi Note 10 Pro or POCO X3 Pro), the production date is displayed in the Hardware Information section in MM/YYYY or YYYY-MM-DD format.

Alternative codes for different models:

• 📱 ##284## - Equipment test (for old Mis).
• 🔧 ##36446337## - version information MIUI iron.
• 🔍 ##225## - Production calendar (Redmi 9 and later).

⚠️ Note: Not all codes work on custom firmware or global versions MIUI. If nothing happens after you enter the code, your model doesn't support this method. Don't try to enter codes from unknown sources, this can cause the system to crash.

5. Check through the official Xiaomi website (for warranty devices)

If your Xiaomi is still under warranty, you can check the date of production through the official support service.

1. Go to the Mi Support website.
2. Select the Check Warranty Status section.
3. Enter the serial number or IMEI.
4. The system will show the date of the start of the warranty - usually it coincides with the date of production or is behind 1-2 months.

Example of the report:

Device: Redmi Note 11 Pro 5G




IMEI: 861234567890123




Warranty Start: 2022-03-15




Warranty End: 2023-03-14

Please note:

• 🔄 If the warranty has already expired, the service may not show the date.
• 🌍 For the Chinese versions (Mi without the Global prefix), the check only works on the site. mi.com/cn.
• 📱 If the device is not found in the database, it could mean a fake or grey import.

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Xiaomi’s official service is the only way to get a 100% reliable production date, but it only works for devices registered in the warranty system.

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

If none of the above methods worked, you can try to estimate the age of Xiaomi by indirect signs:

According to MIUI:

• 📱 Go to Settings. → The phone. → Version. MIUI.
• Compare the version with the official update table.
• If the MIUI version is very outdated (e.g., the MIUI 10 on a 2023 phone), it's a sign of an older device.

As of battery status:

• 🔋 Enter the code #4636 in the engineering menu## → Battery information.
• Check out Battery Health or Capacity.
• If the capacity has fallen below 80% of the factory capacity, the phone is likely to be older than 2 years.

On the outside:

• 🔍 On models up to 2019 (Mi 8, Redmi Note 7) often have an infrared port (disappeared in new smartphones).
• 📦 Xiaomi’s old boxes were orange (now white or black).
• 🔌 Models up to 2020 usually had a micro USB connector, not a micro USB. USB-C.

These methods do not give an exact date, but help estimate the age of the device if other methods are not available.

FAQ: Frequent questions about Xiaomi's production date