How to determine the manufacturing date of an Intel® Xeon® Processor

Looking for a method to determine the manufacturing date of an Intel® Xeon® Processor, or if there are any tools or methods to decode the markings to find out the exact production/manufacturing date.

Intel does not publish the exact calendar manufacturing date (day/month) of individual Intel® Xeon® processors.

However, Intel provides manufacturing traceability codes that allow you to identify the manufacturing year and work week, which is the most precise information available to customers.

Methods

1. Use the ATPO or FPO Code (Primary Method)

Intel Xeon processors include a manufacturing traceability identifier:

• ATPO (Assembly Test Process Order)
  Printed on the processor package
• FPO (Finished Process Order)
  Printed on the processor package and/or retail box label

These codes are the authoritative source for determining manufacturing timing.

What the Code Provides

Intel documentation states that the ATPO/FPO code embeds:

• Manufacturing year
• Manufacturing work week

Intel does not disclose the exact day of manufacture; only the year and work week can be derived.

The specific decoding format (character‑by‑character) is defined in Intel support documentation and is consistent across Intel processors. 

2. Retail Box Label (If Available)

If the processor is a boxed product:

• The FPO is printed on the box label
• The same year/week information applies

This method is functionally equivalent to reading the code on the processor itself. [intel.com]

3. Intel® Processor Identification Utility (Not Manufacturing Date)

Intel provides the Intel® Processor Identification Utility to identify:

• Processor model
• Stepping
• Supported features

However:

• This utility does not report the manufacturing date or week
• It cannot decode ATPO/FPO timing information

4. Intel® ARK “Launch Date” (Not a Manufacturing Date)

Intel® ARK lists a Launch Date (for example, Q1’26).

Important distinction:

• Launch Date ≠ Manufacturing Date
• Launch Date reflects market introduction, not when a specific unit was built

What Is Not Available

Intel does not provide:

• Exact manufacturing day or month
• Public tools to convert ATPO/FPO into a calendar date
• Manufacturing date through software utilities or BIOS

This is by design and applies to all Intel Xeon processors.

Summary Table

Recommended Next Step

If you have the ATPO or FPO code, you can:

• Determine the manufacturing year and week
• Use that information for warranty, lifecycle, or traceability purposes

If you need official confirmation for compliance or audit reasons, the next step is to contact Intel Customer Support and provide the ATPO/FPO code.

For more details, please visit Intel Support.

• How to Identify My Intel® Xeon® Processor Markings for Warranty Requests
• Warranty Policy for Intel® Xeon® Boxed and Tray Processors
• Where To Locate the Lot Code of Intel® Boxed Xeon® Processors
• 1st Generation Intel® Xeon® Scalable Processors
• 2nd Generation Intel® Xeon® Scalable Processors
• 3rd Generation Intel® Xeon® Scalable Processors
• 4th Generation Intel® Xeon® Scalable Processors
• 5th Generation Intel® Xeon® Scalable Processors
• Intel® Xeon® 6 Processors