The first charge of the new Xiaomi: how much time it takes and how to do it correctly

You’ve just unpacked Xiaomi’s new smartphone — whether it’s the flagship Xiaomi 14 Ultra or the budget Redmi Note 13 — and the question inevitably arises: how long should you charge your phone for the first time? There are dozens of conflicting tips online, from “charge 12 hours without interruption” to “just plug in and use.” We analyzed Xiaomi’s official guidelines, the specifications of modern lithium polymer batteries and the experience of service centers to give a clear answer.

Spoiler: The first charge of the new Xiaomi does not require any “special rituals” – modern smartphones do not need to be “pumped” or “calibrated” manually, but there are nuances that will help to extend the life of the battery for years to come.

• 🔋 Why the myth of the 12-hour charger is obsolete 15 years ago
• ⚡ What Xiaomi Says in the Instructions for Redmi, POCO and flagships of the series Mi/Xiaomi
• ⏱ How long does the first charge take (table by model)
• 🚫 5 Mistakes That Will Kill Your Battery in Six Months
• 🔄 Do I need to discharge the phone "to zero" before the first charge?

Why is the myth of the first 12-hour charge still alive?

If you grew up in the era of push-button Nokia or early Samsung, you probably remember the advice: “The first time you charge your phone for 12 to 24 hours, or the battery will go bad.” This myth originates from the time of nickel-metal hydride (Ni-MH) and nickel-cadmium (Ni-Cd) batteries, which really had a “memory effect” and had to be completely discharged and charged to avoid loss of capacity.

But since 2007, when the first iPhone was released, almost all smartphones, including Xiaomi, have been equipped with lithium-ion (Li-Ion) or lithium-polymer (Li-Po) batteries, which have no memory effect and do not require “training”.

• 📉 Long-term charging (more than 8-10 hours) is harmful to lithium batteries, as they do not like to recharge.
• 🔄 Modern power controllers (for example, in Xiaomi) 13T pro POCO F5) Automatically turn off charging when you reach 100%.
• ⚡ Xiaomi uses Mi Fast Charge technology that is optimized for fast and safe charging out of the box".

However, the myth continues to live on thanks to:

1. It’s an old habit that people mechanically repeat the actions they did with their phones 10 to 15 years ago.
2. Unscrupulous “advisers” – some bloggers and forums copy outdated instructions without checking the facts.
3. Calibration confusion – sometimes it’s really recommended, but only to correct controller errors, not a new phone.

Xiaomi’s official position: What does it say in the instructions?

If you open the user manual for any Xiaomi model (such as the Redmi Note 12 Pro+ or Xiaomi 14), there is no word on a special first charge.

⚠️ Note: In the instructions for Xiaomi and Redmi, there is no mention of the need for a long first charge.

We analyzed the instructions for 15 Xiaomi models (from the budget Redmi A2 to the flagship Xiaomi 13 Ultra) and found only two universal tips:

1. Use the original charger – this guarantees the right voltage and current.
2. Avoid extreme temperatures (below 0°C or above 40°C) while charging.

Moreover, Xiaomi service centers confirm that the first charge is no different from the next one, the main thing is not to interrupt the process or use damaged cables, and if the phone is new, its battery is already calibrated in the factory and does not require additional manipulation.

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If you bought Xiaomi with your hands or it was in stock for a long time, check the charge level in Settings → Battery status before the first charge. If it is below 20%, first charge the phone to 50-60%, and then use it as usual.

How long will it take to charge a new Xiaomi for the first time?

The first charge time depends on:

• 🔋 Battery capacity (for example, 5000 mAh in the Redmi Note 13 Pro)+ vs 4500 mAh Xiaomi 13 Lite).
• ⚡ Power charger (33 W, 67 W, 120 W or 200 W at Xiaomi 14 Pro).
• 📱 Phone models – flagships charge faster than public sector due to advanced controllers.

Below is a table with real charging times for popular Xiaomi models (0% to 100%) when using the original charger:

Please note:

• 🔹 Time is indicated for a full charge from 0% to 100%, but in practice it is not recommended to bring to 0% or 100% (more on this below).
• 🔹 Fast charging (20 to 80%) takes less than half of the total time.
• 🔹 If you use a non-original charger, the time can increase by 20 to 50 times%.

Use the original cable and power supply | Charge level above 20% (if not, connect charging) | Phone temperature is normal (not cold or hot) | Charger connected to a serviceable outlet-->

Do I need to unload the phone "to zero" before the first charge?

No, it's not just pointless to discharge the new Xiaomi to 0% before charging, it's harmful.

1. Deep discharge (below 3%) damages lithium polymer batteries, reducing their lifespan.
2. Modern smartphones (including all Xiaomi smartphones after 2018) automatically shut down at 3-5% charge to prevent critical discharge.
3. The factory calibration has already been completed - the phone has passed several charging / discharging cycles in production.

Moreover, Xiaomi labs are testing batteries in conditions that simulate real-world operation rather than extreme discharges. For example, for the Xiaomi 12S Ultra, engineers recommend keeping a charge in the range of 20-80% for maximum life.

⚠️ Note: If you bought Xiaomi hand-held and don’t know the battery history, you can calibrate once: discharge to automatic shutdown, then charge to 100% without interruptions!

5 Mistakes in First Charging That Will Kill Xiaomi Battery

Even if you don't believe in myths, you can accidentally shorten the life of a battery, and here are the most common mistakes and their consequences:

1. Cheap cables and power supplies can deliver unstable voltages, which leads to overheating of the battery. For example, charging the Redmi Note 12 block by 5 watts instead of 33 watts will increase the charging time by 3-4 times and create an extra load.
2. Charging at extreme temperatures if the phone is in the sun (+40°C) or in cold weather (-10°C), the chemical processes in the battery are accelerated or slowed down, leading to irreversible loss of capacity: 10–35°C.
3. Although this is not critical, it is better to give the phone to charge up to 80-100% without interruptions. Frequent connections / disconnects can bring down the power controller, especially in budget models (Redmi A1, POCO C55).
4. Games, videos or software updates load the processor, which increases the battery temperature. For example, playing Genshin Impact on Xiaomi Black Shark 5 while charging can heat the battery to 45-50 ° C, which reduces its life by 10-15%.
5. Charging to 100% and storing in this state, lithium polymer batteries degrade faster if you keep them at 100% all the time. For a long life, it is better to charge up to 80-90% and not leave the phone on charge overnight.

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The most dangerous mistake is using your phone while charging at high loads (games, video rendering), which raises the battery temperature to critical values.

How to charge Xiaomi for the first time: Step-by-step instructions

So in short, just plug your phone into a charger and use it as you normally would, but for those of you who want to do it perfectly, here's the best algorithm.

1. Check the kit Make sure you use the original cable and power supply out of the box. The unit must have a power-supported marking (e.g., MDY-12-ED for 120W at Xiaomi 14 Pro).
2. No matter how much power you have left, you can connect at least 50%, at least 1%, but if the level is below 20%, it is better not to turn on the phone before recharging to 30-40%.
3. Wait 80-100% For the first charge you can increase to 100%, but in the future try to keep in the range of 20-80%.
4. Don't leave your phone on a charge "just in case." Modern Xiaomi shuts down power at 100%, but excessive heating is still harmful.
5. Configure battery optimization In Settings → Battery → Battery settings Include the option “Optimize charging” (if any). It will limit the charge to 80% at night.

For models with super-fast charging (120 watts and above, such as the Xiaomi 13 Pro or Redmi Note 12 Pro+), there is additional advice:

⚠️ Note: When using 120 W charging+ The phone can be heated to 40-45°C. This is normal, but if the temperature is above 50.°C, turn off the charging and let the phone cool down.

What to do after the first charge?

The first charge is just the beginning. To ensure that the Xiaomi battery lasts 3-4 years without replacing, follow these rules:

• 🔄 Avoid full cycles (0-100%). It is better to recharge a little bit.
• 🌡 Watch the temperature. If the phone is hot, take off the case and let it cool.
• 🔌 Use high-quality chargers, for example, to POCO X5 Pro (67W) will fit the block MDY-11-ED.
• 📵 Don't discharge below 10% regularly. Xiaomi has protection, but it's best not to test it.
• 🔋 Calibrate the battery once every 3 months: discharge to 0% (until it turns off), then charge to 100% without interruptions.

If you notice that the battery is discharged quickly, check:

• 🔍 Battery status in Settings → Battery status (if optional).
• 📊 Charge consumption by applications in Settings → Battery → Battery utilization.
• 🔄 Software updates – sometimes bugs in firmware increase the cost.

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The optimal charging mode for a long battery life: keep the charge in the range of 30-80%, avoid overheating and use original accessories.

FAQ: Frequent questions about Xiaomi's first charge