How to find out the release date of the smartphone Xiaomi Redmi 5: 5 proven ways

Xiaomi Redmi 5 is one of the most popular budget smartphones of 2017-2018, but even after years, owners are faced with the need to know the exact date of its release, this information is critical when buying a used device (to avoid counterfeiting), for warranty repairs or just out of curiosity – because the year of production depends on the battery, components and even support for updates.

In this article, you will find 5 working methods for determining the release date of Redmi 5 – from IMEI check to factory sticker analysis. We will also discuss why the data on the box and in the settings may not match, and what to do if the smartphone does not turn on. All methods are tested on real devices and are relevant for the Redmi 5 (codenamed rosy) and Redmi 5 Plus (vince).

⚠️ Important: If you buy a Redmi 5 handheld, the release date will help identify fraudsters.For example, a 2023 factory firmware device with official production discontinuation in 2019 is a clear sign of a fake or re-stitched phone.

1. IMEI Release Date Verification: The Most Accurate Method

IMEI (International Mobile Equipment Identity) is a unique 15-digit code that is assigned to each smartphone in the factory. It encrypts information about the model, the manufacturer country and the date of assembly. For the Xiaomi Redmi 5, the date is encoded in 7-8 digits IMEI (month and year).

To find out about IMEI:

• 📱 Dial on the phone keyboard *#06# - a window will appear with IMEI.
• 📦 Look at the sticker under the battery (if the back cover is removed) or on the box.
• 🖥️ In settings: Settings → The phone. → General information → IMEI.

Deciphering the date:

1. Take the first 8 digits of the IMEI (e.g. 86375401123456).
2. The last 2 digits of these 8 are the year of release (in example 01 = 2011, but for Redmi 5 17 (2017) or 18 (2018) are relevant).
3. The penultimate pair of digits (in example 54) is the week of the year (54th week of 2017 = December).

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If IMEI starts with 86, the phone is assembled in China, and codes 35 or 01 are production lines in India or elsewhere.

An example of a decryption for Redmi 5:

⚠️ Attention: If the date IMEI It is very different from the information on the box (for example, IMEI The year is 2018 and the box is 2017, which may mean that:

• 🔄 The phone was refashioned or changed the motherboard.
• 📦 Box from another device (frequent practice when selling used products).
• 🛠️ The device was repaired with replacement of components.

2.Date on box and factory sticker: where to look and what to believe

The manufacturer puts the release date on the box and the factory sticker under the battery, but this data does not always match reality — especially if the phone was not bought from a dealer.

Where to look:

• 📦 Box: Barcode sticker on the end. Look for a line. MFD DATE (Manufacturing Date) or PROD DATE. Format: YYYY-MM-DD or MM/YYYY.
• 🔋 Under the battery: White sticker with QR-The date is in the format WYY (week/year, for example, W0518 = 5-I'm a week. 2018 year-end.
• 📄 Warranty card: Sometimes the production date is duplicated here, but this is an unreliable source - the ticket could be issued later.

Example of a sticker under the battery:

MI 1709A007




W4517




IMEI: 863754171234567

Here W4517 = Week 45 of 2017 (November).

⚠️ Attention: Battery sticker is easy to fake! Fraudsters often paste it from other devices. IMEI If you have any different settings, you can either see a fake phone or a phone after a major repair.

3. How to find out the date through your phone settings (without IMEI)

If you don't have access to the box or sticker, you can roughly determine the release date through the firmware version and the date of first turn on, a method less accurate, but it can help confirm the data with IMEI.

Steps:

1. Open the settings → About the phone → version of MIUI.
2. Remember the firmware version (e.g. MIUI 9.6.3.0).
3. Go to the official Xiaomi firmware site and find your model (Redmi 5).
4. Compare the release date of your version with the date of the first phone turn on (if you remember).

Example:

• If your firmware is MIUI 9.2.3.0 (released February 2018) and your phone was purchased in March 2018, it is likely to be released in late 2017 – early 2018.
• The MIUI 10.2.1.0 firmware (released August 2018) on a phone purchased in 2017 indicates a manual update or replacement of the board.

Find a version MIUI customized|Check the release date on the official website|Consider the date of the first activation|Check for matching data IMEI-->

⚠️ Note: This method only works if the firmware hasn't changed. If the phone has been reflashed (e.g., from global to Chinese), release date MIUI It will not reflect the actual age of the device.

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

There are online databases where you can check the release date by IMEI or serial number, but most of them are either paid or contain outdated data.

Instructions for IMEI.info:

1. Go to the site and enter the IMEI of your Redmi 5.
2. Press Check.
3. In the results, find the Manufacturing Date string.

⚠️ Note: Some services may show the activation date (first on) rather than production. For Redmi 5, the difference can be anywhere from 1 to 6 months - as many devices are in warehouses before sale.

5 What to do if the phone does not turn on: alternative methods

If Redmi 5 doesn't respond to the power button, you can still find out the release date.

• 🔋 Factory sticker: Remove the back cover (removable from Redmi 5) and find the white sticker under the battery. WYY (week-year).
• 📦 Box and documents: Check MFD DATE If there is no box, ask the seller for a photo of the original package.
• 🔌 Fastboot mode: Connect your phone to your PC, press Volume Down + Power to log into Fastboot.In the command line, type: fastboot getvar all In the output, find the secboot line or version-bootloader - sometimes there is a build date there.

⚠️ Warning: If the phone doesn't turn on due to a damaged battery, don't try to disassemble it without experience! Redmi 5 has a fragile battery plume and its cliff can make the device completely inoperable.

6.Why it's important to know the Redmi 5:3 release date

The date of production affects:

1. Battery life: 🔋 Phones of 2017 release by 2026 lose up to 30-40% of battery capacity. 🔄 If the release date is 2018, the battery will last longer (but still require replacement).
2. Updates support: Xiaomi has officially stopped updates for Redmi 5 in 2021: 📱 Devices of 2018 release could get the latest security patches. 🚫 2017 phones often stayed on outdated versions MIUI.

Market value:

In the secondary market, the price difference between the 2017 Redmi 5 and 2018 can reach 10-15%, and buyers are willing to overpay for a more “fresh” device.

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If the Redmi 5 release date is the end of 2017, and the seller claims that the phone is 2018, this is a reason to doubt the integrity of the transaction or the quality of the device.

FAQ: Frequent questions about the release date of Xiaomi Redmi 5