Owners of Xiaomi, Redmi and POCO smartphones often encounter a mysterious menu item called Additional Tools, which appears after installing certain system components or activating advanced developer settings, many users are scared, not knowing what this section is responsible for or whether it is safe to touch the options located there.
It's actually a built-in system module that provides access to engineering tests and equipment diagnostics, and unlike the standard settings menu, it's a tool that's hidden to test the performance of the sensor, speakers, cameras and other modules, and it's through this interface that you can run deep calibration that's not available to the average user in normal mode.
Understanding the purpose of Additional Tools is critical for those who want to diagnose a gadget before contacting the service. However, careless handling of certain functions can lead to recalibration or changes in system parameters, so you should study the contents of this menu with caution and a clear understanding of the consequences.
What is the name of the Additional Tools?
In the MIUI and HyperOS ecosystem, it is not a separate application, but a system library that activates under certain conditions, and most often users find this item in the application list after updating the firmware, unlocking the bootloader or installing regional versions of the software.
The main purpose of this module is to provide an interface for the CIT (Customer Integration Test), a set of tests that engineers use in the factory to test the build quality, and in the hands of the average user, these tools become a powerful diagnostic dashboard, where you can check the response of the touchscreen, identify broken pixels or detect sticking buttons.
⚠️ Warning: Changing the parameters in the Version Information section or recalibrating the sensors unnecessarily may cause the autobrightness and accelerometer to malfunction.
It is important to distinguish between the system component and third-party utilities with a similar name. The real Additional Tools from Xiaomi has a minimalist design and contains specific technical items such as "Touch", "Sensor", "Camera". If the menu looks different or offers "speeding the Internet", chances are you have installed third-party software from the Play Market.
How to activate the hidden diagnostic menu
By default, access to full functionality can be limited. To be able to run hardware tests, you often need to activate debugging mode or enter a special code. The easiest way to get into the testing menu is to use engineering tools. USSD-codes that call the interface CIT directly.
To activate through the settings, go to the About Phone section and click on the MIUI version several times. Once you have become a developer, go to the advanced settings, and then look for the Additional Features or Special Opportunities section, where the switch for diagnostic tools is hidden.
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If the ##6484## code doesn’t work, try entering #4636## as an alternative way to test hardware on some firmware versions.
In some cases, especially on global firmware versions, direct access is closed. APK-SecurityCenterAddition, which returns missing system components, is safe if the file is taken from a trusted source, such as an official support page or trusted forums.
Main functions and tests of equipment
Inside the Additional Tools menu or running through it CIT-In the test, you can have a very extensive checklist, and each point is responsible for a particular module in your smartphone, and for example, the Touch section allows you to check the uniformity of the response across the entire screen area, which is useful when you buy a used device.
The Sensor section is particularly noteworthy, and it's a real-time display of data from the accelerometer, gyroscope, proximity and light sensor, which helps us understand why the screen doesn't turn itself around, or why the screen goes out during a conversation, and it updates the data dynamically to respond to the device's movements.
Multimedia tests are also available, with Speaker and Receiver allowing test audio signals of varying frequencies to be played through the main speaker and the conversational speaker respectively, the best way to detect wheezing or a complete malfunction of the audio module without the music being turned on.
- 📱 Touch: Check multi-touch and dead zones of the sensor.
- 🔊 Audio: Testing microphone and speakers at frequencies.
- 📷 Camera: Checking the focus and operation of the flash.
- 📡 Wireless: Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and Wi-Fi modules GPS.
Diagnostics of the display and sensor
One of the most popular features is screen checking, and you can run a mode in the Additional Tools menu that alternately color the screen red, green, blue and white, which allows you to visually identify broken pixels that are not visible in a static picture.
The sensor is checked using a drawing mode, the screen turns black, and the user is asked to swipe through all areas, lines drawn in areas with a faulty touch screen will be interrupted or absent, which is critical for identifying "dead zones" after falling or getting moisture.
☑️ Screen check
If you notice that the sensor is living its life (phantom presses), the test in this menu will help confirm the hardware problem. Software reset here will not help, and these tests serve as the basis for warranty repairs, and you can also check the operation of the vibrator motor, which is often overlooked.
Table of the main codes for running tests
It's not always convenient to search through settings, and engineers and advanced users prefer to use special character combinations that instantly trigger the diagnostic section they want, and these codes are universal for most Android and MIUI devices.
Below is a table with the most useful commands that open access to hidden functions of the system, and enter them in the phone application as a regular number.
| Function | Entering code. | Description of action |
|---|---|---|
| The full CIT test | ##6484## | Launches a full menu of engineering tests of equipment |
| Phone information | ##4636## | Shows usage statistics and testing menu |
| MIUI version | ##64663## | Displays detailed information about the software version |
| GPS test | ##1472365## | Starts a quick diagnosis. GPS-module |
The codes are safe to use because they only open the interfaces to read data or run local tests, but if you see Factory Reset or Wipe Data inside these menus, be careful that one extra click will delete all your files.
Problems and solutions
Users may experience a situation where the Additional Tools item is on the application list but does not open or crashes immediately after launch, often after a failed system update or security component version conflict.
First of all, you need to clear the cache of the Security app and the Additional Tools module itself. To do this, go to Settings → Apps → All apps, find what you want and select Clear Cache. If that doesn’t help, try changing the region in your phone settings to India or China, which will sometimes unlock hidden features.
⚠️ Note: Do not attempt to remove system components associated with Additional Tools via ADB It can disrupt security and block access to the camera or calls.
If the problem persists, the configuration file may be damaged, in which case it helps to reset the settings to the factory, but before that, make sure to back up the data. Modified themes are also a frequent cause of failures, which conflict with the system fonts of the diagnostic menu.
FAQ: Frequently Asked Questions
Can I remove Additional Tools without consequences?
Why did the tests disappear after the MIUI update?
Is it safe to calibrate the sensor through this menu?
What to do if the camera test shows a black screen?
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The Additional Tools menu is a powerful diagnostic tool that helps to identify Xiaomi hardware faults before warranty expires, but requires careful handling.