What is Main Menu in Xiaomi smartphones?
If you've ever come across Main Menu in the setup instructions for Xiaomi, Redmi or POCO, you might think it's a standard app menu. It's a whole different story. Main Menu is a hidden engineering menu that the manufacturer leaves behind to test hardware components, diagnose and fine-tune the device, and it's not meant for ordinary users, but it allows you to access features that aren't in the standard settings.
It's basically the back door of MIUI, where you have low-level tools to test the display, the camera, the sensors, the network, and even the NFC module, for example, you can test GPS without going out, check the calibration of the accelerometer, or enable debugging modes for developers, but it's important to understand that not all the options on this menu are safe. Some settings can crash if you change them without understanding the consequences.
Where is this menu hidden? Depending on the Xiaomi model, the path to it may differ, but most often it is called through a codeset in the Phone app or through special combinations in the settings, then we will analyze how to get there, what can be done there, and what risks these "secret" features pose.
Yes, for diagnostics.|Yes, to unlock the features.|No, I'm afraid to break my phone.|I didn't know that existed.-->
How to open Main Menu on Xiaomi: step-by-step instructions
Main Menu access depends on version MIUI and the smartphone models. On older devices (up to) MIUI 12) menus were often opened through standard code ##4636##, but new firmware may not work. POCO:
- 📱 Using the Phone app: Open the dial keyboard and type ##4636##. If the code didn't work, try ##36446337### (for hardware testing).
- ⚙️ Through Settings: Go to Settings → The phone. → Version. MIUI And you can tap 7 times on the "kernel version" line, and in some models, it'll open a hidden menu.
- 🔧 For advanced users: Use ADB-Command: Adb shell am start -n com.android.settings/.TestingSettings (Developer mode enabled and PC connection required).
- 📦 Through third-party applications: Utilities like MTK Engineering Mode (for Mediatek chips) or Qualcomm Service Menu (for Snapdragon) can open extended menus.
If none of these methods worked, it’s possible that your Xiaomi model is blocking access to the engineering menu at the software level, as is the case with MIUI Global or firmware in the European market, where the manufacturer is restricting functionality out of the box.
Make sure the battery is over 50 times charged%|Make a backup copy of important data|Remember the initial settings (take pictures of the screens)|Do not change the settings unless you are sure of their purpose.-->
What to do in Main Menu: useful and dangerous features
Main Menu in Xiaomi is a real storehouse of tools, but not all of them are safe, let’s look at which options can be useful for the average user and which are better not to touch.
Useful functions
- 📡 Network Test: Signal Level Check 4G/5G, the power of connection with the tower, information about SIM-It's useful if the phone doesn't catch the network well.
- 📱 Display diagnostics: Checking for broken pixels, color calibration, sensor test. You can detect screen problems before selling a phone.
- 🔋 Battery information: Real battery wear, number of charge cycles, temperature, more accurate than standard settings.
- 📍 GPS-Test: Satellites without going outdoors, which shows how many satellites the phone sees and their signal.
Dangerous functions (not recommended to be changed!)
- ⚠️ Modulator settings: Modulator settings RF-The chip may cause the network to be lost.
- ⚠️ Sensor calibration: Incorrect values of the gyroscope or accelerometer will make the phone unsuitable for gaming and other applications. AR-applications.
- ⚠️ Reset EFS: Deletion of module data IMEI This will lead to a network lock (the phone will become a brick").
- ⚠️ Change in battery voltage: May cause overheating or premature battery wear.
💡
If you just need to check your phone, use the standard diagnostic menu in Settings → Special features → Diagnostics. It's safer than Main Menu.
| Function | Appointment | Risk |
|---|---|---|
| Camera test | Check the operation of all camera modules, autofocus, stabilization | Low. |
| Processor information | Chip, frequency, temperature data | Low. |
| LTE settings | Manual selection of 4G/5G frequencies | Medium (may impair communication) |
| Sensor calibration | Setting up a gyroscope, accelerometer, compass | High (risk of incorrect work) |
| Resetting network settings | Restore network parameters by default | Medium (may require reconfiguration) |
Main Menu vs. Engineer Mode: What's the difference?
Many people confuse Main Menu with Engineer Mode, but these are different things. Main Menu is a common interface for accessing various tests and settings, whereas Engineer Mode is a deeper layer for engineers and service centers, and you can change settings that are not even displayed in the Main Menu.
For example, in Engineer Mode on Mediatek chips you can:
- 📶 Adjust signal transmission power (risk of violating the radio interference law!).
- 🔧 Change charging parameters (can disable the power controller).
- 📡 Manually select frequencies 5G (negatively affect the stability of the communication).
In Xiaomi with Qualcomm Snapdragon Engineer processors, the Mode is often hidden behind the code ##7378423## (for testing service functions), but we repeat: without special knowledge, it is better not to go there. One wrong parameter - and the phone may stop turning on or lose communication.
What happens if you reset your settings in Engineer Mode?
Xiaomi models where Main Menu works differently
Not all Xiaomi smartphones are equally open to hidden menus, and here are a few examples where the path to Main Menu is different from the standard one:
- 📱 Xiaomi 12/13 Series: These flagships have code ##4636## It's often blocked. It's a combination ##36446337## or access through MIUI Dialer (app "Phone") with button retention #.
- 📱 Redmi Note 10/11: Main Menu can be opened through Settings → Additionally. → Special facilities → Menu for developers (after activation of the developer mode).
If your model doesn't make the list, try a generic method: install the MTK Engineering Mode app (for Mediatek) or the Shortcut Master app (for hidden menus), which scans the system for undocumented features.
💡
On devices with MIUI Global Stable, access to Main Menu is often limited. If you need to test your phone, use MIUI China or Xiaomi.EU firmware, which has fewer locks.
Common Mistakes When Working with Main Menu and How to Avoid Them
Even experienced users sometimes make mistakes when working with hidden menus, and here are the most common mistakes and ways to prevent them:
⚠️ Warning: Changing Band Selection settings can cause the phone to stop catching 4G/5G Before you do the experiments, write down the initial settings or take a screenshot of the screen.
- 🔄 Accidental reset: Many people confuse the Reset buttons in the engineering menu with the usual reset. For example, the Factory Reset option here can erase not only user data, but also service information (such as service information). IMEI). Always check the labels on the screen!
- 📶 Network settings: If you manually switch off frequencies LTE, Your phone may lose communication. To get it back, go to Settings. → SIM-maps and mobile networks → Network settings → Network mode and select the Auto.
- 🔋 Battery calibration: Some "gurus" advise dumping battery data through an engineering menu to "increase capacity." In fact, this can lead to improper display of charge percentage and accelerated wear of the battery.
- 📱 Sensor test: After calibrating the gyroscope or accelerometer, the phone may start to “glue” in games or applications with a mobile phone. AR. If this happens, return the default settings or reset through Settings. → System system → Resetting settings.
If the phone is unstable after changes to Main Menu, try:
- Reset the device.
- Reset network settings (Settings) → SIM-map → Resetting network settings).
- Return the factory settings (if the problem is serious).
When should I contact the service after changes to Main Menu?
Most of the problems caused by the wrong settings in Main Menu can be solved on your own, but there are situations where you can not do without the help of a service center:
- 📵 Phone does not catch the network: If after changes to the Network Settings menu, the device stopped seeing SIM-card or not registered in the network, the parameters of the module may have been lost IMEI. In the service will be able to reflash the communication module.
- 🔄 Cyclical reboot: If the phone is constantly rebooted after being reset in the engineering menu, it may indicate damage to system files. EDL-regime.
- 📱 Sensors don't work: After calibrating the gyroscope or accelerometer, the screen may not rotate, and the games may not respond to tilts. If resetting didn't work, you need a motherboard diagnostic.
- 🔋 Battery discharges quickly: If after changes to the Battery Info menu, the battery began to run down in a few hours, the parameters of the power controller may have gone wrong.
⚠️ Attention, if you've accidentally erased IMEI data EFS, Don't try to restore them yourself with instructions found on the Internet. IMEI It can make the phone unsuitable for legal use and its recovery requires special equipment.
The cost of repairs after a failed Main Menu experiment can be as high as 30-50% of the price of the phone (depending on the breakdown).So before you change anything, ask yourself: "Is it worth risking for a feature I may never use?"