How to Know How Old Is My Phone (2025 Guide)

Knowing your phone’s age helps estimate its resale value, remaining warranty, and overall performance health. Whether you use an Android or iPhone, there are multiple ways to determine your device's age based on model, serial number, settings, and purchase records.

This 2025 guide covers real and updated methods to accurately check your phone’s age.

Why You Might Want to Know Your Phone’s Age

• To determine its resale value
• To check warranty eligibility
• To understand battery health and performance
• To verify authenticity before buying a used device
• To track upgrade cycles

How to Check Phone Age on Android

1. Check in Device Settings

Many Android brands include the manufacturing or activation date in the system settings.

Steps:

• Go to Settings
• Scroll down to About Phone or System > About Device
• Look for options like:
  • Manufacturing date
  • Build number
  • Software version (sometimes contains year and month)

Some brands like Samsung and Xiaomi include the manufacturing date in the build number or firmware code.

2. Use the Serial Number or IMEI

Your phone’s IMEI or serial number often contains encoded information about the manufacturing date.

How to find IMEI:

• Dial *#06# to get your IMEI and serial number instantly
• Or go to Settings > About Phone > Status > IMEI information

You can then use online tools like:

• imei.info
• SNDeepInfo

These websites reveal manufacturing year, month, model info, and warranty status based on your serial number.

3. Use Brand-Specific Codes (if available)

Some manufacturers use secret codes that reveal phone age or test data.

For Samsung:

• Dial #12580369#
• Look under "RF Cal" – this shows the radio frequency calibration date, usually close to the manufacturing date

For Xiaomi (MIUI):

• Go to Settings > About Phone > All Specs
• Check the MIUI version or firmware code, which may include the year

Note: These codes may not work on all models or newer firmware due to restrictions on Android 12 and above.

4. Check the Purchase or Activation Date via the Google Account

If you used your Google account to set up your phone, it may log the activation date.

Steps:

• Visit Google Dashboard
• Go to Security > Your Devices
• Select your phone to see the last synced or first sign-in date, which often reflects when you first used the device

How to Check Phone Age on iPhone

1. Use the Apple Serial Number

Every iPhone’s serial number contains information about its manufacturing year and week.

Steps:

• Go to Settings > General > About
• Find the Serial Number

To decode it:

• Enter the serial number at Apple Check Coverage
• Or use a site like SNDeepInfo

The serial number’s 4th and 5th characters typically indicate the manufacturing week and year. For example:

• C39Y = Manufactured in the 39th week of 2021

2. Use the Apple Support App or Website

Apple provides warranty details, which indirectly show the purchase or activation date.

Steps:

• Visit checkcoverage.apple.com
• Enter your serial number
• See when the warranty started (usually the purchase or activation date)

3. Check the Purchase Receipt or Apple ID Sign-in History

• If you bought the iPhone directly from Apple or a retailer, search your email for the invoice or receipt
• Sign in to your Apple ID account page to check your device sign-in history

This can give a clue to when the phone was first used.

Use Apps to Check Phone Age

If you want an easier solution, use third-party apps that detect device info:

• Phone INFO Samsung (for Samsung users)
• DevCheck (for Android, shows hardware build date)
• CoconutBattery (for Mac users checking iPhone via USB)

These apps extract system-level data, often including manufacturing date or battery cycle count.

Conclusion

Knowing how old your phone is can help with trade-ins, warranty checks, and resale pricing. Whether you use Android or iPhone, you can find your device age using serial numbers, system settings, or third-party apps.

Use official tools like Apple’s coverage checker or Google account device history for the most accurate results. Avoid relying on model-based assumptions alone, as manufacturing and usage dates vary significantly.

FAQs

1. Is the activation date the same as the manufacturing date?

No. The manufacturing date refers to when the phone was made, while the activation date is when it was first turned on or linked to an account.

2. Can I check the age of a phone using just the IMEI?

Yes. Many online tools use the IMEI to reveal the model, manufacturing year, and sometimes activation date.

3. Does factory reset erase manufacturing information?

No. A factory reset removes user data but does not erase hardware or system-level manufacturing data.

4. How accurate are serial number-based estimates?

They are generally accurate within a few weeks of manufacturing, especially when checked through official or trusted sources.

5. Can I find out how long I have been using my phone?

Yes. Google and Apple accounts often log your device sign-in date, reflecting how long the phone has been used.

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