How to Find Out the Age of Your Current Phone Before Buying a New One
Our phones are such an integral part of our lives that it can sometimes feel like we've had them forever. And as news about possible tariffs on phones and technology loom, you might be wondering if you've held onto your device for too long, and whether you should consider buying a new one.
No matter what your plans are, you are going to need to know how old your phone is when selling it or trading it in for an upgrade, as the amount of credit you may receive towards a new device varies based on how old it is. Or maybe there's a new software update and you're not sure if your phone is compatible with it, potentially making it more vulnerable to security threats or just more sluggish overall. It's also useful to know how old your phone is to find out if it's still under warranty, and also if it's eligible to extend it. In some cases, knowing how old your phone is can help you determine if your phone is capable of running certain applications or games.
Whatever your reason may be, there are a few ways to find out your phone's age.
The iPhone 12 Mini and its box.
CNET
Check the box
If you still have the box your phone came in, that's probably the easiest way to find out when your phone was made. There's often a sticker that tells you the device's exact manufacturing date.
Check your Settings
Another way to find out your phone's age is to check its settings. With an iPhone, you select Settings, go to General and then tap About. With an Android, you tap Settings and then select About Phone.
You'll then see general information about your phone, such as its model name, model number and serial number. Just knowing your phone's model name is enough to get a rough estimate of how old it is. For example, if I know that I own an iPhone 13, then I can look the model name of the phone online and discover that the phone was released in September 2021. That means it is roughly four years old as of 2025. The same can be done for Android phones. You can also check for the date of your last security update, which could be especially helpful if you aren't sure if your phone is still getting them.
The iPhone 16 (front) and the iPhone 12 (back)
Lisa Eadicicco/CNET
Look up the serial number
If you want more specifics about your phone, you can try using your phone's serial number. Each phone's serial number can give you clues as to when the phone was made, though since manufacturers have different ways of encoding and deciphering the serial number, it can be a little complicated. If you want to do a bit of your own sleuthing, you can look up your phone's information online to see if there's a serial number manufacturing code guide for it.
With iPhones, you can use the serial number to look up specific information on when it was purchased and if it's still under warranty. Go to checkcoverage.apple.com, enter in the serial number, solve a captcha, hit submit and you'll see the purchase date of your iPhone as well as if it's still under warranty.
Find the receipt
While finding the phone's receipt might not be able to tell you how old it is, it's still useful if all you want to do is find out when it was purchased and if it's still under warranty. You might also need this proof of purchase when filing a phone insurance claim in the event your device needs a repair, gets lost or is stolen. That's why we usually recommend keeping email receipts for your important purchases, or at least taking a snapshot of a paper receipt.
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