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Apple recently made changes to their devices in that they allow customers to find the estimated purchase date of the iPhone. 

You may want to learn this information if your phone broke so that you can determine if your warranty is still valid, for instance. 

This benefit would come if you signed up for the protection plan when you purchased your smartphone.

It could be that you want to buy a secondhand iPhone, however. 

Learning how to find the purchase date for iPhone devices can save you from purchasing from a scammer. No matter your reason, however, you can learn more in the step-by-step guide below.

Find Your Receipt of Purchase

The easiest way to learn how to find the purchase date of the iPhone is to find your receipt. 

This method will only work if you bought your device new, however. Whether you made your purchase at the Apple store or a wireless provider location, you should always hold on to your paper receipt.

Online Orders

If you ordered your device from your wireless provider’s website or the online Apple store, you can check your account

To learn the answer to “When did I get my iPhone?” using the Apple e-commerce site specifically, see the steps below.

  1. Go to your browser of choice and type in www.Apple.com.
  2. If you are on your mobile device, open the Apple store app.
  3. Log in to your account.
  4. Click on your profile, then select “Orders.”
  5. Look for the appropriate iPhone.
  6. The order date will match the day you bought your iPhone.

Log In to Apple Support

The next method you can use to learn more about the estimated purchase date iPhone is the Apple Support website

You can log in to your iCloud account, then follow the steps below.

1. Open a mobile or desktop browser and go to www.mysupport.apple.com.
2. Log in using your iCloud details, including your email and password.
3. If you are on your mobile device, you can log in with your passcode or with face recognition.

log in to your icloud - estimated purchase date iPhone

4. Click the “My Devices” section.
5. Select the iPhone for which you need to find the purchase date.

select your iphone and scroll to see the date of purchase

6. Scroll down to the “Date of Purchase” section to find the appropriate details.

Use Your Warranty Information

The warranty information available on your iPhone can help you answer the question, “When did I get my iPhone?” You can use any of the methods below to get started.

Find the Limited Warranty Information on Your Phone

If you believe that your device is less than a year old, check the estimated purchase date iPhone through your limited warranty. 

The information you find using the steps below will equate to about a year in the future from when you bought your smartphone.

1. Open your iPhone, and click on “Settings.”
2. Choose “General,” then “About.”
3. Scroll down until you get to the “Limited Warranty” section.
4. Look for the expiration date.

to find the Limited Warranty Information on Your Phone click on general about and under limited warranty

The month and day on the expiration date are the same as when you bought your iPhone. You only have to subtract one year from the information you see.

Use the Apple Website or App

You can also learn how to find the purchase date of the iPhone using the Apple website or mobile Support app. 

Before you can start, however, you have to find the serial number using the steps below.

  1. Open your iPhone, and click on “Settings.”
  2. Go to the “General” section, then press “About.”
  3. When scrolling, look for the section labeled “Serial Number.”
  4. Hold your finger down on the number, then press “Copy.”
general about and serial number - estimated purchase date iPhone

Once you copy the serial number, you can paste it into the Support app or the Apple website.

Find the Date on the Apple Website

Technically, you will use the “Check Your Service and Support Coverage” page to find warranty and purchase date information on the Apple website. 

Learn how to locate this information by using the steps below.

1. With your serial number copied, go to checkcoverage.apple.com.
2. Paste your serial number into the “Enter Your Serial Number” field.
3. Enter the CAPTCHA code.

after copying your serial number go to Check Your Service and Support Coverage - how to find purchase date of iPhone

4. Click the blue-button labeled “Continue.”

enter the captcha and then continue - how to find purchase date of iPhone

5. Look for the section labeled “Warranty Type.”
6. If you have a limited warranty, subtract one year from the day given to figure out your purchase date.
7. If you have AppleCare or AppleCare+, subtract two years from the given date.

valid purchase date - how to find purchase date of iPhone

To better understand the mathematical process, look at this example. If you have a limited warranty set to expire on December 31, 2021, someone purchased the iPhone on December 31, 2020. 

If your AppleCare or AppleCare+ expires on December 31, 2021, the estimated purchase date iPhone is December 31, 2019.

Find the Date on the Apple Support App

The official Apple Support app is on the App Store for free. It is a comprehensive piece of software that lets you schedule maintenance appointments, manage your Apple subscriptions, and watch your orders.

This app also, however, allows you to check the expiration date of your warranty. 

Again, you can use the steps below to find this information so that you can deduce the answer to “When did I get my iPhone?”

  1. Open your iPhone, and click on “Settings.”
  2. Go to “General,” then press “About.”
  3. Select the option labeled “AppleCare Services.”
  4. If you have not yet downloaded the Apple Support app, press “Get Apple Support App.”
  5. If you already have the app, press “Open.”
  6. After Apple Support opens, tap “Device Details.”
  7. Go to the section labeled “Coverage Info,” and look for your warranty expiration dates.

Again, if you have a limited warranty, you can subtract one year from the provided expiration date. If you have AppleCare or AppleCare+, deduct two years.

Third-Party Services

If you bought your device secondhand, it may be best to use a third-party provider to locate the estimated purchase date iPhone. Use any of the options below to start.

SNDeepInfo

SNDeepInfo technically does not provide you with the purchase date of your iPhone. 

First, SNDeepInfo will allow you to authenticate a secondhand iPhone before you buy it Second, however, it will give you information on when the assembly was complete on your device, which you can find using the steps below.

1. Use the steps above to copy the serial number of your iPhone.
2. In a browser, type in www.sndeep.info/en.
3. Under the “Manufacturer” option, choose Apple.

choose apple - how to find purchase date of iPhone

4. Paste your serial number into the field provided.
5. Press “Show Info.”

paste your serial number - estimated purchase date iPhone

In the information provided, you will find how old your iPhone is and the production week. 

You will even see the factory that made your device for you. 

This information will give you a general idea of when the first person purchased your iPhone, as it is likely a few months after the production timeframe.

Chipmunk

Chipmunk is another third-party software that will give you information on the production week of your device. 

Again, to learn how to find the purchase date of the iPhone using this tool, you can estimate a few months after the assembly timeframe. 

Use the list of steps below to get started.

  1. Open a mobile or desktop browser and type in www.chipmunk.nl/klantenservice/applemodel.html.
  2. Use the steps below to copy your serial number and paste it into the appropriate field if on your iPhone.
  3. If using a computer, pull up your serial number and type it in.
  4. Press the button next to the words “Show the Information.”
  5. Look for the fields labeled “Production Year” and “Production Week” to make your estimate.

UnlockBoot IMEI Checker

Finally, you can use the free IMEI checker provided by UnlockBoot. 

This tool will provide you with the actual purchase date and if your iPhone is unlocked. 

Use the steps below to begin.

  1. On a browser, type in www.unlockboot.com/iphone-imei-checker/.
  2. Open your iPhone, and click on “Settings.”
  3. Select “General,” then “About.” Scroll down until you find the IMEI number.
  4. Copy the number and paste it into the “Enter IMEI Number” field on a mobile browser.
  5. If you are on a desktop browser, keep the information open on your iPhone, and type the number into the field aforementioned.
  6. Click on the CAPTCHA checkbox and press the arrow.
  7. Look for the purchase date information in your results.

Find the Purchase Date of Your iPhone

To learn how to find the purchase date of the iPhone that you bought, look for your receipts. 

If you cannot find them, you can look up your warranty information on the Apple Support app or website.

If you want to buy your iPhone secondhand, use a third-party checker. You will find the production week, purchase date, and information on the usability of the device with these tools.

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