Where to look for hidden features in Xiaomi phone: from system files to engineering menu

Have you ever wondered where Xiaomi’s phone hides the very “secret” settings that are talked about in the forums? Or maybe you need to find system files, but the standard file manager shows only photos and downloads? Xiaomi smartphones (especially on MIUI) are known for an abundance of hidden features – from engineering menus to service codes that the manufacturer does not advertise in the official documentation.

In this article, we will not just list the ways of setting up → About the phone, and we will analyze the physical and logical location of key elements: where the application data is stored, how to access system partitions (including: /data and /system), And what can you do without superuser rights, and let's talk about the unique features. MIUI, Android doesn’t have any – for example, where to look for bug logs or how to open a hardware component testing menu.

Important: some of the methods require caution, for example, changing files to /system without backup can lead to a device "brick", but don't worry - we will note all the dangerous moments and give alternative ways for beginners.

1. Where Xiaomi stores user data: memory structure

Any Xiaomi smartphone (whether Redmi Note 12 or POCO F5) has a standard Android file system, but with features from MIUI.

• 📁 Internal Memory (User Data): Section /data, where all your files, application settings and cache are stored. Available through the file manager as a root folder Internal drive.
• 🔧 System section: Folder /system — So you have firmware files, system applications, and libraries, and without root rights, you'll only see a fraction of the content.
• 🔄 Cash section: /cache — Temporary update files and logs cleared automatically, but sometimes requires manual cleaning.
• 📱 SD-Card (if any): Mounted as /storage/XXXX-XXXX (where XXXX — unique ID In the maps. MIUI It can be displayed as an external drive.

To see the full structure, use a root file manager (like Root Explorer) or connect your phone to your PC in mode. MTP. Please note: in MIUI Some folders are hidden by default. To display them, click on the file manager. ⋮ → Settings → Show hidden files.

Where do you look for specific data?

⚠️ Note: Do not delete files from folders /system or /data It can cause the phone to fail, like deleting a file. /system/build.prop Make the device unusable until reflashing.

2. How to open the engineering menu and hidden settings

The Engineering Mode in Xiaomi lets you test hardware components, calibrate sensors, and even change some network settings.

1. Open the Phone app.
2. Enter the code ##4636## (for battery information and usage statistics).
3. For a full engineering menu, type ##36446337## (not all models).
4. New devices (such as the Xiaomi 13T) may require codes like ##6484## (display test) or #64663# (GPS test).

In the engineering menu you will find:

• 📶 Network Test: Signal Checking GSM, LTE, Wi-Fi.
• 🔊 Audio test: Check of speakers, microphone, 3.5 mm connector (if any).
• 📱 Sensor test: Accelerometer, gyroscope, proximity sensor.
• 🔋 Battery information: Real charge level, temperature, charging cycles.

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If the engineering menu doesn’t open, try using the MTK Engineering Mode app (for MediaTek processors) or Qualcomm EngineerMode app (for Snapdragon).

In some models (for example, POCO X5 Pro) Engineering menu locked. In this case, you can use ADB-team:

adb shell am start -n com.android.settings/.DevelopmentSettings

This team will open a developer menu where there are additional testing options.

3. Where in MIUI hidden settings for developers

The Xiaomi Developer Menu contains options that the manufacturer hides from ordinary users to activate:

1. Go to Settings. → The phone.
2. Click 7 times on the MIUI version (you are a developer!).
3. Return to the main settings menu – there will be a new section Additional → For developers.

You'll find this menu:

• 🔄 Debugging by USB: Necessary for working with ADB.
• 🚀 Unlocking OEM: Allows you to unlock the loader (needed for firmware custom). ROM).
• 📱 Simulation of additional displays: Useful for multitasking testing.
• 🔋 Background Processes: Limiting the number of running applications.

⚠️ Warning: Turning on the option Do not turn off the screen while charging can cause the battery to overheat if the phone stays on charge for a long time with the display on. Use this feature only when necessary.

Is debugging on-line USB|Is it unlocked? OEM|Is the check off? MIUI firmware authenticity|Is the data backup done?-->

4.Where Xiaomi stores log files and how to read them

Logs are a record of all system actions, errors and events, useful for diagnosing problems, but not so easy to find. Xiaomi logs are stored in several places:

• 📄 Basic Logic MIUI: /sdcard/MIUI/debug_log/. Here are files with the.log and.txt extensions that can be opened by any text editor.
• 🔧 System Logs: /data/log/ (Root rights required: Provides detailed information about boot, kernel errors and service performance.
• 📱 Logs of applications: /data/data/[package_name]/cache/. For example, Google Play Services logs can be found in the /data/data/com.google.android.gms/.

To read logs without root, use the Logcat Extreme or MatLog app. They allow you to filter entries by importance level (for example, show only errors — ERROR). Example of commands for deleting logs through ADB:

adb logcat | grep -i "error"

This command will show all records marked "error" in real time.

If you need a specific application log, use the filter by its identifier, for example, for WhatsApp:

adb logcat | grep "com.whatsapp"

5.Where to look for hardware information on Xiaomi phone

You often need to know the exact model of the processor, the version of the camera module or the type of screen. At Xiaomi, this information can be found in several ways:

1. Through settings: Settings → About phone → Full spec. This shows the processor model, RAM capacity and MIUI version.
2. Enter ##4636## and select Device Information, and show details about the battery, network and hardware components.
3. Install CPU-Z or AIDA64 – they will show the temperature of the processor, the model of the chipset and even information about the sensors.

For advanced users, the ADB team is useful:

adb shell getprop ro.product.model


adb shell getprop ro.boot.hardware

The first command will output a phone model (e.g. 23049PCD8G for the Redmi Note 12 Pro+) and the second will output a platform (e.g. mt6895 for MediaTek Dimensity 1080).

6.Where Xiaomi Stores Backups and How to Manage Them

MIUI has a built-in backup system, but backup files are not stored where many people expect them to be, so here's where to look and how to manage them:

• 📁 Local backups: /MIUI/Backup/AllBackup/. Here are the archives with the extension.bak, created through Settings → Additionally. → Backup.
• ☁️ Cloud backups: Sync with Mi Cloud. To see the list, go to Settings → Xiaomi account → Mi Cloud → Backup.
• 🔄 Update backups: /data/ota_package/ (Here are stored the downloaded firmware before installation).

To create a backup manually:

1. Go to Settings → Additional → Backup.
2. Select data to save (contacts, messages, Wi-Fi settings, etc.).
3. Click Create a backup and wait until it is completed.

⚠️ Attention: Backups MIUI Do not include the installed applications and their data by default. To save the applications, use adb backup or third-party tools like Swift Backup (requires root).

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Backup copies MIUI They're not encrypted by default. SD-In the cloud or in the map, password protect the file through the archiver (for example, 7-Zip).

7. How to find and remove unnecessary system applications

MIUI is known for its abundance of pre-installed applications (bloatware) that can't be removed by standard means, and here's where they're stored and how to get rid of them:

• 📱 List of system applications: All pre-installed programs are in /system/priv-app/ and /system/app/. You can see them through a file manager with root rights.
• 🗑️ How to remove without root: Disable via Settings → Annexes → Application management → [Select the application] → Shut down.
• 🔧 Remove from root: Use Titanium Backup or command ADB: adb shell pm uninstall -k --user 0 com.miui.weather (replace com.miui.weather with the desired application package).

List of safe packets to remove (does not affect system stability):

• 🌦️ com.miui.weather - Weather
• 🎵 com.miui.player - Music
• 📰 com.miui.notes - Notes
• 🛒 com.xiaomi.shop — Mi Shop

Do not delete:

• ⚠️ com.android.settings - Settings
• ⚠️ com.miui.home - Launcher
• ⚠️ com.miui.securitycenter - Security

FAQ: Frequent questions about Xiaomi's hidden features