The first charge of the new Xiaomi Redmi: how to do it right and extend the life of the battery

You just unpacked the new Xiaomi Redmi — a bright screen, a fast processor and the promised 2 days of battery life. But how to charge it for the first time so that the battery lasts as long as possible? The Internet is full of conflicting advice: some say about “pumping” the battery in three full cycles, others say that modern lithium-polymer batteries do not need special training. Who believes?

In fact, getting the first charge right does affect battery life, but not in the way most people think. In this article, we’ll look at Xiaomi’s official guidelines, the scientific evidence on lithium-ion batteries, and the common bugs that shorten your Redmi’s lifespan by 20-30%, and learn whether to discharge your phone to 0% before first charging, which adapter to use, and why night charging can be dangerous.

Spoiler: Xiaomi’s modern MIUI 14+ smartphones automatically optimize charging in the first 7 days of use, but that doesn’t negate the need to monitor temperature and voltage.

Myths about the first charge: what actually harms the battery

The old instructions were to pump nickel-metal hydride batteries in multiple full charge-discharge cycles, but your Redmi is equipped with a lithium-polymer battery (Li-Po), for which such manipulation is not only useless, but harmful.

• 🔋 "We need to defuse to 0% before the first charge, this reduces the battery capacity 1-2% Lithium-ion batteries don't like deep discharge.
• ⚡ "First-time 3 The charger must be up to 100%" — In fact, the optimal range for Li-Po: 20-80%. Full charging accelerates degradation.
• 🕒 "Charge exactly 8 hours" - modern Xiaomi controllers automatically turn off power when you reach 100%, and overcharging is impossible.
• 🔌 "Use only original cable – adapter power is important (original is better), but certified third party cables (e.g. Anker) will do.

So why are these myths so tenacious? It's a legacy of old technology and the marketing gimmicks of the 2000s battery manufacturers. Xiaomi today uses smart charging controllers that adapt to your habits. For example, the Redmi Note 12 Pro+ and later have Adaptive Charging, which limits the charge to 80 percent at night if you plug your phone in before bedtime.

⚠️ Note: If you bought a Xiaomi Redmi handheld or it has been in stock for more than a year, the first charge should be special. These batteries often lose up to 15% of their capacity due to self-discharge. In this case, discharge the phone before turning off, then charge up to 100% without interruption. This will help to reset the controller errors.

Xiaomi’s official recommendations: what the manufacturer says

Xiaomi rarely discloses details about charging in public sources, but the user manuals for flagship models (such as the Redmi K60 Ultra) have key points.

1. First charge: Connect your phone to the original adapter and charge up to 100% without interruption.
2. Temperature: The optimal range is 10-35°C. When charged in the heat (>40°C), the battery capacity decreases by 0.1% per hour.
3. Adapter: Use an original or certified Quick Charge 3.0/4.0 adapter (for fast-charging models). Power must match the phone's specifications (e.g. 33W for the Redmi Note 13 Pro+).
4. First 7 days: Avoid full discharge and 100% charging – this is the “training” period of the battery management system.

Interesting fact: Xiaomi tests batteries for 800 full cycles (discharge to 0% → charge to 100%) before releasing the smartphone. But in real conditions, when charging in the range of 20-80%, the battery will last 1200-1500 cycles - almost 2 times longer!

Note that models with fast charging support (such as the Redmi Note 12 Pro+ 120W) can get up to 45°C in the first minutes of charging. This is normal, but if the phone is hot for longer than 10 minutes, disconnect it from the grid and let it cool.

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In the MIUI settings, there is a hidden section with battery data. To open it, type in the Phone app code ##4636##, then select Battery Information. Here you will see the actual wear level.

Next articleHow to Charge the New Xiaomi Redmi for the First Time

Follow this algorithm to properly prepare the battery for long-term use, and the procedure time is about 2.5 hours for most models.

1. Preparation: 📱 Turn on your phone and complete the initial setup (language selection, Wi-Fi connection). 🔌 Use the original adapter out of the box. if it is not (for example, in the European versions of Redmi). 12 Adapter is not always included, take an adapter with Quick Charge support 3.0+ power 18W. 🌡️ Make sure the temperature in the room 18-25°C. Avoid direct sunlight.

Charging process:

Connect your phone to the network and wait for the charging indicator to appear on the screen. In the first 10 minutes, the charging current will be increased (up to 2.5A for fast-charging models), then decrease. Do not interrupt the process even if the phone is heated, which is normal for the first cycle.

After charging:

When the charge reaches 100%, Turn off the cable and use the phone as normal until discharged to 15-20%. Then repeat the charge until 100%. This cycle is enough to do. 2-3 first-week.

⚠️ Warning: If you see a message saying "Charge suspended. battery temperature too high," immediately disconnect your phone from the network and let it cool off when it's off. 15-20 Repeated occurrence of this error may indicate a defect in the battery - contact the service center.

For models with wireless charging (like the Redmi K60 Ultra), the rules are the same, but the charging speed will be lower (maximum 50W vs. 120W for wired) This is safer for the battery, but longer in time.

Optimal MIUI settings for long battery life

MIUI offers a few hidden and explicit features that help extend battery life, which most users don't include, although they can add 200-300 cycles to the battery life.

Go to Settings → Battery and Performance and set the following settings:

• 🔄 "Adaptive charging” (for models with MIUI 13+): Limits charge to 80% at night if you plug your phone in before bedtime. → Battery → Battery settings → Adaptive charging.
• 📉 "Background optimization": Turn off background activity for unnecessary apps (such as games or social media). → Annexes → Permits → Auto-start.
• 🌙 "Dark subject": AMOLED-screens (installed in Redmi) K60, Note 12 Pro+) They use 15 percent less power in dark mode. → Screen. → Dark subject.
• ⚡ "Fast Charging: If you are not in a hurry, turn off fast charging in Settings → Battery → Battery settings → Fast charging. It'll reduce battery heat.

For advanced users, there's another life hack: limiting the maximum charge level to 80-85%, and you can do this through the developer mode:

1. Activate Developer Mode: Go to Settings → About Phone and click on MIUI Version 7 times.
2. Back to Settings → Additionally. → For developers.
3. Find the option “Battery Limit” (if not, your model does not support this feature).
4. Set the limit at 80-85%.

This trick is especially useful for models with large batteries (5,000+mAh) as it reduces the number of full charging cycles that wear the battery the most.

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The most dangerous combination for the battery is fast charging + high temperature + charge up to 100%.

What you can not do with the battery Xiaomi Redmi: 5 critical errors

Even if you charge your phone correctly for the first time, some habits can nullify the effort.-5 The mistakes that kill the Redmi battery 6-12 months:

• 🔥 Charging in heat or cold: Leave your phone in the sun in your car or charge at temperatures below 0°C. This causes irreversible damage to the electrolyte in the battery.
• 📵 Use of cheap cables: Cables without certification USB-IF They can cause power surges, which cause the battery to bloat, they can cause bad cables, they can charge or they can't, or they can say, "Charge slowly".
• 🔌 Continuous charge on 100%: If you keep your phone plugged in for days (like an alarm clock), the battery will degrade into a battery. 2-3 Use adaptive charging or turn off power after 100%.
• 🎮 Gaming while charging: Simultaneous charging and high load (such as Genshin Impact or Call of Duty Mobile) heat the battery up to a high load. 45-50°C. That's equivalent. 100 cycles of wear in one session!
• 🚗 Charging from a lighter in the car: The voltage in the on-board network of the car is unstable (may jump from the car) 12V before 14.5V), This is harmful to the charging controller. USB-C PD and voltage stabilization.

If you've made these mistakes before, don't panic. Xiaomi's batteries today have a safety margin. But from now on, keep an eye on three key indicators:

1. Temperature: Optimal - 20-30 °C when charging. Over 35 °C - risk of degradation.
2. Charge level: Try to keep in the range of 20-80%. once a month discharge to 5% and charge to 100% for calibration.
3. Charging speed: Fast charging is convenient, but regular use reduces the lifespan by 10-15%. 10W is enough for everyday use.

⚠️ Note: If your Redmi suddenly starts to run out of power 2-3 Check the battery for an hour (when you used to hold the day), check the battery through the engineering menu (##4636##). If the value of Battery health is lower 80%, The battery needs to be replaced. Don't pull -- lithium polymer batteries with wear and tear. >30% may swell!

How to check the health of the battery and calibrate it

Even with proper charging, you can have a battery controller malfunction over time, and this is how the phone suddenly turns off when you're in the middle of a battery. 20-30% charge, or after disconnecting from the network shows 100%, And then a minute later, it falls to 80%. In such cases, calibration is required.

Here’s how to do it on Xiaomi Redmi:

1. Discharge the phone before it turns off. Don't turn it on until you plug it into a charger.
2. Charge to 100% without interruption. Use the original adapter.
3. Turn off the network and turn on the phone. If it's less than 100%, plug it back in and wait for it to be fully charged.
4. Repeat the discharge-charge cycle again. This will reset the controller errors.

To check the actual state of the battery, use:

• 📊 Engineering menu: Enter ##4636##, Select "Battery Information." Note: Charge level (should match the status bar indicator). Status (Good is normal, Unknown or Bad is a problem). Temperature (normal: 25-35°C when charging).
• 🔧 The AccuBattery (Play Market) app shows the actual battery capacity, the number of charging cycles and the wear rate. 2-3 The days of use will give an accurate assessment of the health of the battery.

If after calibration problems remain (for example, the phone turns off at 15% charge), it may be the power controller, not the battery itself, in this case only the service center will help. The average cost of replacing the controller with a Redmi is 1500-2500 rubles (depending on the model).

FAQ: Answers to Frequent Questions About Xiaomi Redmi Charging