Xiaomi’s First Charging: How to Do It Right and Not Shorten Battery Life

You just unpacked Xiaomi’s new smartphone — whether it’s the flagship Xiaomi 14 Ultra, the budget Redmi Note 13 or the gaming POCO F6 Pro — and you were faced with the natural question: how to charge it for the first time? On the Internet, you can find dozens of controversial tips: from “discharge to 0% and charge to 100% three times in a row” to “never bring it to full charge.”

In this article, we will not rely on myths or outdated recommendations for nickel-cadmium batteries (which are not used in smartphones for a long time), instead, you will receive current instructions from Xiaomi, confirmed by technical documentation and research from battery manufacturers, we will analyze what is really important when first charging and what are useless rituals, and you will learn how to set up a smartphone for an optimal charging / discharging cycle so that the battery lasts longer without losing capacity.

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

The legend of “correct first charge” dates back to the era of button phones with nickel-metal hydride (NiMH) batteries, which did require several full discharge/charging cycles to “calibrate” the battery, but modern Xiaomi smartphones are equipped with lithium-polymer (Li-Po) or lithium-ion (Li-Ion) batteries that do not require such manipulation.

However, myths live on due to several factors:

• 🔋 Nostalgia for old gadgets: Users used to “run-in” batteries in the 2000s, transfer these rules to new devices.
• 📱 Marketing Tricks: Some sellers and “experts” spread false recommendations to create the illusion of “exclusive knowledge».
• 🔬 Misunderstanding battery chemistry: Lithium batteries degrade from high temperatures and deep discharges, not from "wrong first charge».

So why does Xiaomi and other manufacturers still mention first charging in the instructions? The fact is that it's more of a psychological point: the user who has performed the "ritual" feels like he's done everything right, and is less worried about the battery. In fact, the only thing that really matters when you first charge is to avoid overheating and use an original or certified power adapter.

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

The user guides for Xiaomi smartphones (including the 2023-2026 models) do not mention “special first charge”; instead, the manufacturer gives general battery life guidelines that are relevant for all charging cycles, not just the first:

⚠️ Note: In the documentation for Xiaomi 13T Pro and Redmi Note 12 Pro+ It says that the smartphone comes with a partially charged battery (usually 30 to 50 percent) and is designed for transport and storage safety. The first charge can be started at any time, there is no need to wait until it is completely discharged.

Here are the key points from official sources:

• 🔌 Use the original charging adapter and cable (or certified Quick-enabled analogues) Charge/Turbo Charge).
• 🌡️ Avoid charging at temperatures below 0°C or higher than 40°C.
• 🔄 Do not leave your smartphone on charge for more than 24 hours in a row (even if it turns off after reaching 100%).
• 📉 Optimal charging range for battery durability – 20–80%.

Interestingly, in some regions (e.g. China), Xiaomi delivers smartphones with the default fast charge turned off, so that the user can consciously turn on this feature, understanding its effect on the battery.

1. Go to Settings → Battery and Performance → Fast Charging.
2. Enable the option to Enable Fast Charging (or Turbo Charging depending on the model).
3. Confirm the choice by pressing OK in the dialog box.

Use the original adapter and cable |

Check the temperature of the smartphone (not higher than 30 ° C) |

Turn off the cover if it interferes with heat transfer |

Do not connect to your PC for the first charge (use the socket)|

Enable fast charging in settings (if disabled)-->

Myths about first charge: what really hurts the battery?

Let’s take a look at some of the most common misconceptions and explain why they are not only useless, but sometimes harmful.

One of the most enduring myths is that the first charge sets the tone for the battery's lifespan, and in fact, the degradation of lithium batteries depends on:

• 🔥 Temperatures: Each degree above 30°C accelerates wear and tear.
• 🔋 Depths of discharge: A cycle of 100% to 0% wears the battery more than 80% to 30%.
• ⚡ Charging current: Excessively high current (for example, when using uncertified charges) can damage the controller.

⚠️ Note: If you bought a Xiaomi smartphone from hand and do not know the history of its operation, the first charge will not help to “restore” the battery.In this case, it is better to check the status of the battery through the engineering menu (code #4636##) or the AccuBattery application.

Next Next post: How to Charge Xiaomi for the First Time

Here is the optimal first-charging algorithm that is suitable for all modern Xiaomi, Redmi and POCO smartphones (including the 2026 models):

1. Unpack your smartphone and check the kit. Make sure you have an original power adapter (it must be labeled Xiaomi, MDY or Surge for fast charging). If there is no adapter (for example, in the European versions of Xiaomi 13 Lite), use a certified power supply with Quick Charge 3.0/4.0 or PD (Power Delivery).
2. Turn on your smartphone and wait until the initial setup is complete. Don't interrupt the software update if it starts automatically. This can take anywhere from 5 to 20 minutes depending on the model.
3. Connect the charger to the socket (not the USB port of your computer!). Use a cable from the kit or a certified USB-C cable marked 5A (for models with quick charging 67W/120W).
4. Charge your smartphone to 80-100%. Optimally up to 80% if you plan to use it for a long time. If you need 100%, don't leave it on charging after you reach full charge.
5. Turn off the charger and use your smartphone as normal. There is no need to wait for a full discharge or do "cycles".

For models with super-fast charging (Xiaomi 12T Pro with 120W, Redmi Note 12 Pro+ with 67W) it is recommended:

• 🔌 Charge at room temperature (20–25)°C).
• 📵 Do not use your smartphone for games or video editing while charging (this raises the temperature).
• 🔋 Turn off charging when you reach 80% if you are in a hurry.

💡

If you bought a Xiaomi smartphone with AliExpress or from an unofficial seller, check the power adapter for certificates (e.g. CE, RoHS).Fake chargers can give out unstable voltage, which is dangerous for the battery.

Set up Xiaomi for optimal battery performance

The first charge is just the beginning, and to make the battery last longer, you need to set the smartphone correctly, and here are the key parameters that you should change immediately after you buy:

1. Background optimization

Go to Settings → Battery and Performance → Battery Optimization and turn on:

• 🔄 Adaptive battery (limits background activity of rarely used applications).
• 📵 Restriction of background for social networks and instant messengers (for example, Facebook, Telegram).

Fast charging setup

In the Settings menu → Battery and Performance → Quick Charging, select:

• ⚡ Standard – if you prefer a gentle mode (slower, but less heating).
• 🚀 Turbo – if you need maximum speed (but watch the temperature).

Temperature control

Install the CPU Monitor or AIDA64 app to monitor the CPU temperature, if it exceeds 40°C during charging:

• 🧊 Take off your case.
• 📵 Close all applications.
• 🔌 Turn off the charge for 10-15 minutes to cool down.

💡

The most important factor for battery durability is temperature, and even one charge at 45°C can reduce battery life by 5 to 10 percent.

Frequent errors in the first charge and how to avoid them

Even experienced users sometimes make mistakes that can affect the battery, and here are the most common ones:

1. Use of non-original cables: Cheap cables without certification may not withstand high currents, which leads to overheating or even fire. For example, the Xiaomi 13 Pro with 120W charging requires a cable with USB-C 2.1 support and a vein thickness of at least 24 AWG.
2. Charging through USB-The power of such sources is often not enough for stable charging, which can lead to “shaking” voltage and accelerated wear of the battery.
3. Ignoring software updates: Newer versions of MIUI often improve power management algorithms, such as MIUI 14, which adds a Smart Charge feature that automatically limits the charge to 80% at night.
4. Storing your smartphone discharged.If you don't plan to use Xiaomi for a few weeks, charge it to 50% and turn it off.Storage with 0% can cause deep discharge and battery failure.

Many Xiaomi models (such as Xiaomi 13 or Xiaomi Pad 6) support Qi charging, but it has its own nuances:

• 🔥 Wireless charging always heats the smartphone more than wired charging.
• ⚡ Charging speed is lower (usually 10–30W 33–120W wired).
• 📵 It is not recommended to use it constantly – only if necessary.

FAQ: Answers to popular questions about Xiaomi’s first charging