The first charging of the smartphone Xiaomi: step-by-step instructions and analysis of myths

Why is Xiaomi’s first charger raising so many questions?

You've just unpacked the new Xiaomi -- whether it's the flagship Xiaomi 14 Ultra, the budget Redmi Note 13, or the foldable MIX Fold 3 -- and you're immediately faced with the dilemma of how to charge it for the first time? There's a lot of conflicting information going around the Internet: some people say "calibrate" the battery with 12-hour charging, others say that modern lithium polymer batteries don't need special training. Who can you believe?

The fact is that battery technology has come a long way in the last 5 years. Whereas nickel metal hydride (NiMH) batteries used to require "training," Xiaomi smartphones today use lithium ion or lithium polymer (Li-Po) cells that don't have a "memory effect." However, this does not mean that first charging is negligent.

Why the instructions for Xiaomi 2020-2026 no longer contain references to “battery calibration” when first turned on, but service centers still recommend avoiding full discharge in the first days of use.

Myths about the first charge: what is true of this?

Let’s look at some of the most common misconceptions that have been floating from forum to forum for over a decade:

• 🔋 "You need to charge 12 hours in a row" — this advice was relevant for NiCd batteries of the 2000s. Modern Xiaomi automatically turn off power when you reach 100%, and further stay in the socket only heats the battery.
• 📉 "The first 3 cycles need to be fully discharged and charged" — for Li-Po batteries, it's not just useless, it's harmful.
• ⚡ "You can only charge with the original RAM, which is partly true, but only if you're talking about fast charging. 13T Pro 120W HyperCharge won’t get the speed from the 18-watt adapter, but it will charge without harming the battery.
• 🔄 "You have to do 2-3 full cycles to calibrate — modern smartphones calibrate the charge automatically using the power controller. Manual calibration is required only when software fails.

The most dangerous myth is that first charging determines battery life. In fact, battery degradation depends on a combination of factors: temperature, depth of discharge, number of cycles and the quality of the charge controller. One "wrong" charging won't spoil anything, but systematic violation of the rules of operation will reduce capacity by 20-30% in a year.

Xiaomi’s official position: What does the manufacturer say?

If you open the user manual of any modern Xiaomi smartphone (for example, Redmi Note 12 Pro+ or POCO F5), you will not find any special instructions on the first charge.

⚠️ Note: Use only certified chargers and cables. Charging with non-original accessories can cause battery damage or fire.

However, in the service memoranda (documentation for authorized centers) it is mentioned that in the first 2-3 days of operation it is recommended to avoid:

• 🔥 Overheating of the device above 40°C (e.g. direct solar charging).
• ⚡ Fast charging at maximum power (if the smartphone supports) 67W/120W, better 2 cycle 33W).
• 📴 Full discharge before switching off (optimally keep the charge in the range of 20–80%).

Fun fact: Xiaomi smartphones since Mi 11 (2021) use AdaptiveCharge technology, which automatically limits the charge to 80% at night if the device is connected to the outlet for a long time. This extends the battery life, but many users turn off the feature in the settings, not realizing its benefits.

💡

To enable AdaptiveCharge on Xiaomi, go to Settings → Battery → Additional settings → Adaptive Charging and activate the option.

Next articleHow to Charge Xiaomi for the First Time

The algorithm is simple, but it requires attention to detail. Follow this checklist to avoid the typical mistakes:

Let’s look at each item in detail:

1. Check the charge level when unpacking. Most new Xiaomis come with a charge of 40-60%, which is enough for initial setup. If the battery is discharged to 0%, this may indicate long-term storage of the device (more than 6 months), which negatively affects the capacity.
2. Use the original kit. Xiaomi chargers are USB-IF certified and have built-in voltage protection. For example, the GaN 120W adapter from the Xiaomi 13 Pro kit automatically adjusts the power to the battery temperature.
3. Don't interrupt. If you start charging, try not to turn off your phone until you reach 80 percent. Frequent interruptions can knock the power controller down.
4. Control the temperature. The optimal range for charging is 10-35°C. If the phone is hot above 40°C, disconnect it from the mains and let it cool.

Important: if you bought Xiaomi “hands-on” or in an unofficial store, the first charge should be accompanied by a battery check.

1. Go to Settings → Battery → Battery status.
2. Look at the Capacity indicator – if it is below 95% of the nominal value, the battery has already degraded.
3. Use the AccuBattery app (available on Google Play) for detailed diagnosis.

Table: Optimal first-charging options for different Xiaomi models

The characteristics of batteries and charging systems vary depending on the series of devices, and below is a summary table with recommendations for popular models for 2022-2026:

Note that for models that support wireless charging (such as Xiaomi 13 Ultra or MIX 4), the first charge must also be conducted over a wire.

What you should not do at the first charge

Some actions can not only shorten the life of the battery, but also disable it in a few cycles.

• 🔥 Use damaged cables or adapters. Microcracks in the cable's wool. USB-C You can short circuit the cable, and you can check the curves, and if you see copper, you have to replace it.
• ❄️ Charge below 0 temperature°C. Lithium-ion batteries lose capacity when charged in the cold. If you bring your phone in the cold, let it warm for 10-15 minutes.
• 🎮 Playing heavy games while charging, simultaneously high CPU load and charging cause overheating, battery temperature above 45°C leads to irreversible degradation.
• 🔌 Leave on charging for more than 24 hours. Even if the phone goes off at 100%, a long connection to the network keeps the controller on a voltage, which accelerates wear and tear.

⚠️ Warning: If the phone runs too fast after the first charge (more than 10% per hour in standby mode), this may indicate a battery defect or calibration failure.In this case, reset the battery statistics through the engineering menu (#4636## → Battery information → Battery reset).

Special attention should be paid to models with graphene batteries (for example, Xiaomi 11T Pro), which are less prone to degradation, but more sensitive to high currents. For such devices, the first charge should be at a power of no more than 50W, even if the adapter supports 120W.

How to extend the life of the battery after the first charge: 5 rules from Xiaomi

To make your Xiaomi battery last longer, follow these guidelines (they are based on internal company documents):

1. Keep the charge in the range of 30-80%. Each full discharge cycle (0-100%) reduces battery life by 0.1-0.2%. The optimal mode is to recharge the phone a little bit.
2. Avoid extreme temperatures: Storing your phone at 0°C or 40°C for a month reduces capacity by 5 to 10 percent. The ideal storage temperature is 15 to 25°C.
3. Use original or certified accessories. MFi (iPhone) or USB-IF chargers are safe, but cheap no-name adapters can deliver unstable voltage.
4. Turn off fast charging after reaching 80%. In Xiaomi models with support for 67W+, the last 20% are charged at reduced power, but still load the battery.
5. Update your firmware. MIUI updates often optimize power management algorithms. For example, MIUI 14 adds Battery Saver Pro mode, which limits background activity at low charge.

For dual-battery smartphone owners (like the Redmi Note 12 Pro+), it’s important to remember that two 2,500 mAh cells wear out unevenly if one of them is constantly overheating. To avoid this, don’t use your phone horizontally while charging, which disrupts the heat sink.

💡

Modern Xiaomi smartphones do not require “training” the battery when first turned on, but the correct first charge (up to 80%, without overheating) helps the power controller to calibrate the capacity more accurately.

Frequent questions about Xiaomi’s first charging