Have you bought a used smartphone and doubt the seller’s honesty? Or want to know the real age of your device so you can plan a battery replacement? The date the phone was first turned on is like a gadget’s passport: it will tell you how many years the device has served, whether the previous owner hid its real mileage, and will even help identify a fake “new” device. But where is this information stored, and how to retrieve it without special skills? Android- a phone is like a gadget’s passport: it will tell you how many years the device has served, whether the previous owner hid its real mileage, and will even help identify a fake “new” device. But where is this information stored, and how can it be retrieved without special skills?

Unlike iPhone, where the activation date is recorded in iCloud, on Android everything is more complicated: manufacturers do not always save this data in an accessible form. However, there are at least 5 working methods - from viewing system logs to using hidden engineering menus. In this article, we'll go through each method with step-by-step guide, warn about pitfalls (for example, why not all methods work on not all methods work Samsung i Xiaomis), and show how to bypass restrictions if the phone has been reset to factory settings.

Important: some methods require ADB or root access, but we will start with the simplest options that are available to any user. If you have never worked with debugging tools, don’t worry, we will explain each step in detail.

1. Checking the first start date through the phone settings (the easiest way)

On some devices (especially Google Pixel, OnePlus and Motorola) the first start date is displayed directly in the settings menu. This is the fastest method, but it does not work on all models.

What to do:

  • 📱 Open the application Settings (gear on the main screen).
  • 🔍 Go to section About phone (or About device).
  • 📅 Scroll down to item Working time or Status — sometimes the date of the first activation.
  • 🔎 If not, try clicking on Number assembly 7 times to unlock Developer mode, and check the section For developers.

⚠️ Attention: On smartphones Samsung Galaxy i Xiaomi Redmi/POCO this method usually does not work - manufacturers remove this information from the public interface. If you have one of these models, proceed to the next method.

📊 What smartphone do you have?
Samsung
Xiaomi/Redmi/POCO
Google Pixel
OnePlus
Another brand

2. Using the engineering menu (codes ##)

Hidden engineering menus are the “back door” to the phone system, where technical data is stored, including date of first activation. Access to them is available through special USSD codes. The method works on most devices, but the menu interface may differ.

Instructions:

  1. Open the application Phone (as for calls).
  2. Enter one of the codes:
    • 📞 ##4636## — universal code for Android (section Battery information or Usage).
    • 📞 *#06# — shows IMEI, but on some devices (Huawei, Honor) the date of first power-on is also displayed here.
    • 📞 ##2664## — battery test (sometimes contains the activation date).
  • Look for lines like First Power On Date, Activation Date or Initial Boot Time.

    • 💡 Example: On Samsung Galaxy S21 after entering ##4636## you need to go to the tab Battery information and scroll to the block History —the date may be indicated there.

    What to do if the code is not does it work?

    If nothing happens after entering the code, it means that the manufacturer has blocked the engineering menu for your model. In this case, try methods with ADB or specialized applications (see the following sections).

    3. Analysis of system logs via ADB (for advanced users)

    If the previous methods did not work, you can turn to the system ones. logs Android, where all critical events are recorded, including the first startup. For this you will need a computer and a tool ADB (Android Debug Bridge).

    Step-by-step guide:

    1. 💻 Install ADB on a PC (download Platform Tools Google).
    2. 📱 On your phone, enable USB debugging:
      • Go to Settings → About phone → Build number (press 7 times).
      • Return to Settings → System → For Developers and activate USB Debugging.
  • 🔌 Connect the phone to the PC via USB (select mode Transfer files).
  • 🖥️ Open a command line (Windows) or terminal (macOS/Linux) in the folder with ADB and enter: 
    adb shell dumpsys battery

    Look for the line first boot time or power on count.

    • ⚠️ Attention: On some devices (for example, Xiaomi s MIUI), commands ADB may be limited. If you see an error permission denied, try an alternative command: 

    adb shell cat /proc/uptime

    But it will only show the operating time of the system since the last reboot, and not the date of first startup.

    ☑️ Preparing to work with ADB

    Done: 0 / 4

    4. Applications for checking the device history

    If you don’t. If you want to tinker with ADB, you can use third-party applications that analyze system data. The best of them:

    • 📊 Phone INFO ★Samsung★ (works on other brands) - shows the date of first use, battery life and other technical details. Link to Google Play.
    • 🔍 DevCheck - displays information about hardware, including production date of some components (does not always coincide with the first use!).
    • 📅 AccuBattery - although this is a battery monitoring application, it sometimes displays the date the device was first charged.

    💡 Tip: Before installation, check reviews - some applications may show the wrong date if the phone was reset to factory settings. For example, Phone INFO on Samsung sometimes gives the date of the last reset instead of the actual first power-on.

    ⚠️ Attention: Avoid applications that require root access to view the power-on date. These are often fraudulent apps that collect your data. There are enough applications with access to system information (permission android.permission.READ_PHONE_STATE).

    5. Checking via IMEI (if the phone is tied to an operator)

    If your phone was purchased from an official telecom operator (for example, MTS, Beeline, MegaFon), the date of first activation can be found through their support service. This method is only suitable for devices linked to an operator's SIM card.

    How it works:

    1. 📱 Find the phone's IMEI:
      • Enter *#06# in the app Phone.
      • Or look on the device box/under the battery (if removable).
  • 📞 Call your operator's support and request activation history by IMEI. Specify that you need date of first connection to the network.
  • 📧 Alternative: some operators (for example, Tele2) allow you to check this information through your personal account on website.

    • Important: the operator will only see the date of the first connection to its network. If the phone was purchased unlocked or used with a different SIM card, this method will not work.

    💡

    If the operator refuses to provide information, specify that you need data for warranty service.

    6. Alternative methods: what to do if nothing works

    If none of the methods gives results, less reliable, but sometimes effective options remain:

    Method How it works Limitations
    Warranty card receipt The date of sale in the store often coincides with the first use (if the phone is new). Does not work for used devices.
    Wear analysis battery Applications like AccuBattery show the number of charging cycles. Using them, you can roughly estimate the age. Inaccurate: depends on the intensity of use.
    Checking the backup creation date In Google Drive or Mi Cloud the first backup copy from date. Works only if a backup was created immediately after switching on.
    Contacting a service center Official service centers (for example, Samsung Service) can extract the date from service marks. Paid service, not all centers provide such information.

    ⚠️ Attention: If you buy a used phone and the seller refuses to show the date of first use, this is a reason to be wary. Perhaps the device:

    • 🔄 Was restored after drowning/fall (date reset).
    • 📦 Is "gray" import with a fake history.
    • 🔋 Has replaced battery (which hides the real age).
    💡

    The most a reliable way is a combination of the engineering menu and ADB. If both methods show the same date, it can be considered reliable.

    FAQ: Frequently asked questions about the date of first switching on Android

    ❓ Is it possible to fake the date of first switching on?

    Yes, but only with root access or through flashing. Without them, the date is stored in protected sections of the system (/data or /persist) and does not change during a normal reset. However, on some Xiaomi and Realme after a complete reset (fastboot), the date may be reset.

    ❓ Why doesn’t Samsung show the date in the settings?

    Samsung specially hides this information in the latest versions One UI (starting from Android 10). This is done to protect user data during resale. But the date can be retrieved through ADB or the engineering menu (code ##4636##).

    ❓ What to do if the phone was reset to factory settings?

    If the reset was done through the settings menu (Settings → Reset), the date of the first turn on is usually saved. But if the reset was done through Recovery Mode or fastboot, the date may be reset. In this case, only checking through IMEI with an operator or a service center will help.

    ❓ How to find the date of first activation on a phone without a Google account?

    Google account has nothing to do with it - the date is stored in the device’s memory. If the phone is not linked to Google Services (for example, Huawei without GMS), use methods with ADB or an engineering menu like Phone INFO also work without Google.

    ❓ Can the date of first activation differ from the date of purchase?

    Yes, and this is normal. For example:

    • The phone could have been in the store's warehouse for several months.
    • The seller could have turned it on for inspection before sale.
    • The device could have been returned under warranty and re-sold.

    A difference of 1-3 months is usually not critical, but if the turn-on date is a year older than the purchase date, this is a reason to doubt the seller’s honesty.