How to find out the year and month of release of the Xiaomi phone: all the ways from the box to service codes

Have you bought a used Xiaomi and questioned the seller's integrity? Or do you want to check if you've been sold a "repainted" model under the guise of a new one? The date of production of a smartphone is a key parameter that affects warranty life, battery status, and even the market value of the device. Unfortunately, Xiaomi doesn't always transparently specify this information in the settings, but we've compiled all the working methods, from decrypting the serial number to hidden service menus.

In this article you will find:

• 🔍 How to decrypt a serial number (IMEI, SN) for accurate release date determination – with examples for different models (Redmi Note 10, POCO X3, Mi 11).
• 📦 Where to look for a date on the box and why it may not be (spoiler: after 2021, Xiaomi stopped printing a year on the packages of some series).
• 📱 Hidden menus and apps that show the production date indiscriminately – including ##4636## and Mi Check.
• ⚠️ What to do if the date on the box and on SN Not the same – signs of counterfeiting or rebranding.

All methods tested on current firmware MIUI 14/15 and work for devices released from 2018 down 2026 If your Xiaomi is older, go to the section about outdated models.

1.Serial number (SN) and IMEI: release-date

The most reliable way is to analyze the serial number (SN) or IMEI. Xiaomi encodes the production date in these identifiers in a strict scheme, but the format has changed over the years.

🔹 Where to find out. SN/IMEI:

• 📱 In the phone settings: Settings → The phone. → General information (or all parameters).
• 📄 On the sticker under the battery (if the phone is collapsible) or on the tray SIM-map.
• 📦 On the box - usually under a barcode (but not to be confused with the IMEI, which is also!).

🔹 Serial number format (SN) after 2020:

Modern Xiaomi is used by the SN species XXXXXXXXXYYWWXXXX, where:

• YY is the last two digits of the year (e.g. 23 = 2023).
• WW is the week of production (01 to 52).

📌 Example: SN A1234522356789 This means that the phone is released in the 35th week of 2022 (end of August).

🔹 IMEI release date:

Unlike in the SN, IMEI It does not contain a direct date, but it can be used to determine the month and year of activation through official services:

1. Go to IMEI.info.
2. Enter yours. IMEI (gapless!).
3. In the results, look for the Date of First Activation field, which is the approximate date of first registration on the network.

⚠️ Warning: The activation date may differ from the production date by 1-6 months (depending on logistics and storage time in stock).If the difference is more than six months, the phone could lie on the shelf for a long time or be a “gray” import.

2.Date on the box: where to look and why it may not be

Do 2021 Xiaomi printed the production date on the boxes of most models – usually in format YYYY-MM-DD or MM/YYYY. However, with the transition to simplified packaging (Redmi Note series) 11, POCO M4 And now, this practice has almost disappeared:

📌 Typical places on the box:

• 🏷️ On a barcode sticker (near the IMEI or SN).
• 📦 At the bottom of the box, in small print next to the certificates.
• 🔖 On the insert with the guarantee information (if attached).

🔹 Examples of marking:

⚠️ Note: If there is a date on the box, but it is very different from the date by serial number (for example, the box is 2021, and the number is not the same). SN It’s 2019, it could mean that:

• 🔄 The phone was returned to the store and repackaged.
• 🛠️ The device was repaired with the replacement of the motherboard (SN fee-bound).
• 🚨 This is a fake (especially for the POCO Redmi from unofficial channels).

💡

If there is no box, try to find photos of the original packaging of your model on sites like GSMArena, compare fonts, sticker layout and color, which will help identify the fake.

3. Software Methods: Hidden Menus and Applications

If there are no physical tags or they are questionable, the release date can be found through service menus or specialized applications, these methods work without root rights, but they require caution — not all codes are safe for new firmware.

🔹 Method 1: Engineering menu ##4636##

This code opens a hidden test menu, where the production date is sometimes displayed.

1. Open the Phone app.
2. Enter ##4636## (no spaces).
3. Go to the tab Information about the phone.
4. Look for the Date of Manufacture or Hardware Info fields.

❌ Restrictions: New Xiaomi (C) MIUI 13+) If the code doesn't work, try the alternative, ##284).

🔹 Method 2: Mi Check (official tool)

Mi Check is a Xiaomi-based device authentication utility that shows the date of production, motherboard model and warranty status, and can be downloaded here (Android only).

📌 How to use it:

Open the app and allow access to device information|Press "Check»|Scroll to the "Device Information" block»|Find the line "Manufacture Date)|Compare it with data from other sources-->

🔹 Method 3: ADB-Teams (for advanced teams)

If you have a computer, you can get a date through ADB (Android Debug Bridge: This method works on 90% of Xiaomi devices, but requires debugging enabled USB:

adb shell getprop ro.boot.ddr_info


adb shell getprop ro.boot.emmc_info

In the answer, look for lines of view manufacture_date=202208 (where 202208 = August 2022).

⚠️ Note: On some models (Redmi) 9A, POCO M3) These commands can return an empty answer or firmware date instead of a production date:

adb shell cat /proc/cpuinfo | grep Serial

4. Model and batch verification: databases and online services

If the serial number is not readable or you doubt its authenticity, you can use Xiaomi databases, which collect batches of release by model. These services are not always accurate, but help verify the logicality of the date.

🔹 Official and semi-official sources:

• 🌍 Mi Verify is an authentication service. Enter SN or IMEI, The system will show the release date (if the device is original).
• 📊 XiaomiFlash – database with information about parties (requires registration).
• 🔧 IMEI24 — This shows the approximate year of release of IMEI (precision ~80%).

🔹 How to read the results:

For example, in Mi Verify you will see something like:

Model: Redmi Note 11 Pro 5G (viva)




Manufacture Date: 2022-03-10




Warranty Status: Active (until 2026-03-09)

Pay attention to:

• 📅 Manufacture Date – Production Date.
• 🔄 Warranty Status – If the warranty expires and the phone looks new, it’s a cause for suspicion.
• 🏭 Country of Origin – Xiaomi makes phones in China, India and Indonesia. If another region is listed (e.g. Vietnam), it could be a fake.

💡

If the date in the online service is different from the date on the box or in the SN For more than 3 months, the device could be repackaged or repaired with a replacement board.

5. Physical examination: Indirect indications of phone age

Even without a serial number or box, you can roughly determine Xiaomi’s age by appearance and configuration, a method that doesn’t give an exact date, but helps identify inconsistencies.

🔹 What to check:

• 🔋 Battery status: Go to Settings → Battery → Battery status: If the capacity has dropped below 85% of the factory capacity, the phone is likely to be older than 1.5-2 years.
• 📱 Design and materials: Models 2018-2020 (Redmi Note 7, Mi 9) often had glass rear panels with a gradient.Models 2021-2023 (Redmi Note 11, POCO X4) have switched to matte plastic or AG-2026: New Xiaomi 14 and Redmi Note 13 have aluminum bezels and no-tight cameras.
• 🎧 Up to 2022, a transparent case and charging often lay in the box 18W. Since 2023, Xiaomi has removed charging from most models (except flagships).

🔹 An example of decryption:

Let's say you have POCO X3 NFC s:

• A glossy back panel. → 2020.
• Charging. 33W complete → late-party 2020 or 2021.
• Battery capacity 88% → ~2 years of use.

Conclusion: the phone was released in late 2020 – early 2021.

⚠️ Warning: Some sellers replace the battery before selling used phones to hide the real age. Check the date of battery production - it is indicated on the sticker (format) YYYY-MM). If the battery is newer than the phone, it’s a good idea to ask questions.

6. Features for obsolete models (until 2018)

For Xiaomi phones older than 5 years (e.g. Redmi Note) 4X, Mi 5, Mi Max 2, standard methods may not work. Here's what to do:

🔹 Serial number (SN) old-format:

Until 2018, Xiaomi used the SN species YYYYMMDDXXXXXX, where:

• YYYY — year (e.g. 2017).
• MM — month (01-12).
• DD — day (01-31).

📌 Example: SN 20170515ABCDEF → The phone was released on May 15, 2017.

🔹 Problems with online verification:

Services like Mi Verify may not support models older than 2018.

• Use IMEI.info, which stores data about old devices.
• Check the forums (for example, XDA), where users share data about parties.

🔹 Hardware signs:

• 🔌 Type of connector: Models before 2017 (Mi 4, Redmi 3) often had Micro-USB. Since 2018, Xiaomi has switched to the new model. USB-C.
• 📶 Network support: Phones don't usually support phones until 2018 5G and have weak modules 4G (LTE Cat.4–Cat.6).

7 What to do if the dates do not match: signs of forgery or rebranding

If different methods give contradictory results (for example, SN It's 2021 and the box is 2023, and it's a wake-up call. Here are the possible causes and what to do about them:

🔹 Common Inconsistencies and Their Importance:

🔹 How to distinguish the original from the fake:

• 🔍 Check it out. IMEI: If the first IMEI It matches the one on the box, and the second one is different - the phone is made from spare parts.
• 📦 Evaluate the quality of the packaging: the original boxes Xiaomi have a matte coating, clear fonts and a hologram on the sticker.
• 🔧 Run the test: Enter ##6484## – if the test menu doesn’t open, it could be a clone.

⚠️ Note: The popular Redmi Note and POCO. For example, the Redmi Note 10 Pro may be re-labeled Redmi Note 9 Pro with firmware. Check the motherboard model in Mi Check - it should match the official model for your model.

FAQ: Frequent questions about Xiaomi release date