Why it is important to know the real battery capacity on Xiaomi
Battery capacity is a key parameter that directly affects the battery life of Xiaomi, Redmi or POCO. Over time, lithium-ion batteries degrade: after 300-500 charging cycles, their actual capacity can decrease by 20-30%. This leads to rapid discharge, sudden shutdowns at 20-30% charge and overheating during charging. The manufacturer specifies the rated capacity (for example, 5000 mAh for the Redmi Note 12 Pro+), but how much is left?
In this article, we will discuss 5 working methods, from standard MIUI tools to hidden engineering menus and ADB commands. You will learn how to get accurate data without root rights, which applications show reliable information, and why the Settings โ Battery are often overrated.
โ ๏ธ Important: Some methods (e.g., engineering menus) can cause system failures if you change the settings at random.
Method 1: Standard MIUI settings (the simplest, but inaccurate)
The most affordable method is to use the built-in MIUI tools, which doesn't require you to install apps or connect to a PC, but it shows you a battery health score, not a precise capacity in milliamp hours. Here's how to do it:
- Open Settings โ Battery and Performance.
- Put it on the gear icon (โ๏ธ) top-right.
- Select Battery Health (Battery Health) in English.
Here you will see a percentage of wear (e.g., "Good: 92%"). This means that the battery retains 92% of its original capacity. To convert the percentage to mAh, multiply the rated capacity (as indicated on the battery case or in the model characteristics) by this percentage. For example, for the Xiaomi 13 with a battery of 4500 mAh and a state of 92%, the real capacity will be 4140 mAh.
โ ๏ธ Note: In some versions MIUI (Especially on the budget Redmi models, the battery state may not be present. It's not a mistake, because the manufacturer hides it on devices with simplified firmware.
Advantages of the method:
- ๐น No additional programs or rights required.
- ๐น It works on all Xiaomi smartphones with MIUI 12 and newer.
Disadvantages:
- ๐ธ It shows relative percentage, not exact capacity.
- ๐ธ The data is updated every few days, so it may not reflect the current state of the data.
Method 2: Engineering menu (#4636##) โ Hidden data without root
The Engineering Menu is a hidden partition of Android that stores technical data about the device, including battery information, and to get there, follow the following steps:
- Open the Phone app.
- Enter the combination: ##4636## (some Xiaomi models may require ##6484## or ##64663###).
- Select Battery Information (Battery Information).
In this section you will see a few key parameters:
- ๐ Level of charge (level) - current percentage.
- ๐ Voltage โ should be in the range of 3.7-4.2 V for lithium-ion batteries.
- ๐ Temperature - optimally 20-40ยฐC.
- โก Current charge/discharge (Current now) โ positive value means charge, negative โ discharge.
But the capacity in mAh is not listed here, and to find out, you need to use the formula:
Real Capacity = (Charge Level (%) ร Nominal Capacity) / 100For example, if the charge level is 85% and the nominal capacity is 5000 mAh, then the current capacity is 4250 mAh. But this method shows the current capacity at a given charge level, not the maximum (which may be lower due to wear).
What to do if the engineering menu is not opened?
Method 3: Diagnostic applications (AccuBattery, CPU-Z, and others)
The app side provides more detailed information about the battery, including the history of charging cycles, actual capacity and degradation rate, and we tested 5 popular utilities and selected the most accurate ones.
| Annex | Accuracy of data | Needs root? | Features |
|---|---|---|---|
| AccuBattery | โญโญโญโญ | โ No. | Shows real capacity after 2-3 charging cycles, analyzes wear |
| CPU-Z | โญโญโญ | โ No. | It displays voltage, temperature, but not capacity in mAh |
| Battery Guru | โญโญโญ | โ No. | Monitors charging cycles, but capacity data are approximate |
| AIDA64 | โญโญโญโญ | โ No. | Shows factory capacity and current wear level |
| 3C Battery Monitor | โญโญโญโญโญ | โ ๏ธ Partially. | The most accurate, but for full functionality you need root |
We recommend AccuBattery for most users, and after installation:
Run the application and wait for calibration (1-2 charging cycles)|Do not interrupt charging to 100% in the first days of use|Disable battery optimization for AccuBattery in Android settings|Check the Health section after 3-5 cycles-->
Important: Applications without root show capacity based on calculations, not direct data from the battery controller. The error can be as high as 5-10%. Use 3C Battery Monitor with root rights for accuracy.
๐ก
If after installation AccuBattery shows a capacity much lower than nominal (for example, 3000 mAh instead of 5000), reset the statistics in the application settings and complete the full charging cycle (0-100%).
Method 4: ADB-Teams for Advanced Users
The ADB tool, which allows you to get data directly from the system, including the actual battery capacity, is more accurate than applications, but requires a PC connection.
- Download Platform Tools from the official Android website.
- Turn on the Developer Mode on your smartphone: go to Settings โ About Phone and tap 7 times on the MIUI version.
- Return to Settings โ Additional โ For developers and enable USB debugging.
- Connect your phone to your PC, open the command line in the platform-tools folder, and type:
adb shell
dumpsys batteryIn the conclusion, find the lines:
- Capacity: X is the current percentage of charge.
- charge counter: Y is the real capacity in microampere hours (ฮผAh). To translate to mAh, divide the value by 1000.
- Health: Z is the battery state (e.g. 2 means โgoodโ).
Example of conclusion:
charge counter: 3850000This means that the current capacity โ 3850 mAhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh (3850000 / 1000). If the nominal capacity of your model โ 5000 mAh, then the wear is 23%.
โ ๏ธ Note: On some Xiaomi models (e.g, POCO F5) The dumpsys battery command can return incorrect data due to manufacturer restrictions. In this case, use an alternative command: adb shell cat /sys/class/power_supply/battery/capacity
Method 5: Disassembly of the phone and visual inspection (extreme case)
If software methods fail (e.g., older Redmi 4X or Mi A1) models, you can remove the battery and read the labeling, which is only suitable for devices with a removable back cover or when ready to disassemble.
What to do:
- Turn off the phone and remove the tray for SIM-map.
- Put the back cover with a plastic spatula (on modern models, you will need to heat up with a hairdryer).
- Disconnect the battery plume and carefully remove it.
- Find the marking of the XX00mAh type (e.g. 4860mAh on the Redmi Note 10 Pro).
โ ๏ธ Warnings:
- ๐ง Disassembly will void the warranty (if it is still valid).
- โก Risk of damage to plumes or battery (may lead to fire!).
- ๐ On models with adhesive attachment (for example, Xiaomi) 12T) Without experience, it is almost impossible to disassemble the phone.
๐ก
If you are not sure about your skills, it is better to contact a service center.The cost of diagnosing a battery in official Xiaomi centers is ~ 500-1000 rubles, which is cheaper than the risk of damaging the device.
How to interpret the results: when to change the battery
If you get the actual capacity, compare it to the nominal values for your model, and here are the tentative wear criteria.
| Battery status | Real capacity (% of nominal value) | Signs. | Recommendations |
|---|---|---|---|
| Excellent. | 90โ100% | Fast charging, stable operation | Continue to use |
| Good. | 80โ89% | Moderate discharge, sometimes overheating | Monitoring temperatures, avoiding full discharge |
| Satisfactory | 70โ79% | Fast discharge, shutdowns at 15-20% | Prepare for replacement |
| Bad. | 60โ69% | Phone does not hold charge, battery bloating | Urgent replacement! |
| Critical | Less than 60% | Spontaneous reset, overheating | Dangerous to use! |
๐ Example: If POCO X3 Pro is a nominal capacity of 5160 mAh, and the real one is 3800 mAh, then wear is 26% (satisfactory condition), in which case the battery should be replaced in the next 3-6 months.
โ ๏ธ Warning: If the battery is swelling (back cover is raised, screen is "going away"), stop using the device immediately.