Owning wearable electronics from the Chinese giant often puts the user in front of the need to accurately identify the device. The question of how to determine the Xiaomi watch arises not only when buying a used gadget, but also in situations when you need to find a compatible strap or find a specific firmware.
The brand’s ecosystem has grown to a gigantic scale, and now under a single umbrella brand, devices from different sub-brands such as Amazfit, Haylou and Redmi are produced. They can be almost identical on the outside, but the internal hardware and software are often radically different.
Misidentification can lead to the installation of inappropriate software or the purchase of accessories that will not physically fit your gadget, which is why it is important to be able to distinguish between modifications and understand the labeling applied by the manufacturer.
Visual identification by body and marking
The most reliable and quickest way to know what's on your hand is to look at the back of the device, and virtually all manufacturers apply technical information directly to plastic or metal in the case, hidden from view when wearing it.
You can usually find the company logo, a model of the device (such as the M2101W8), and a serial number, but be careful: on some global versions, the inscriptions may be erased or made in very small print, which is difficult to read without a magnifier.
⚠️ Note: If there is no marking on the back of your device other than a logo, or the inscription looks smeared and easily erased with your finger, chances are that you have a cheap copy.
And you also need to look at the location of the charging contacts, which can be in different places from one model to the other, whether it's centered, sideways, or hidden under a magnetic lid, and it's an important visual marker to distinguish, for example, the Mi Band 4 from the Mi Band 5, which look very similar.
Where to look for a model if there is nothing on the body?
For a precise definition, check the codes found with the official database. Below is a table of correspondence of popular models and their code designations, which are most often found on the market.
| Model | Model code (Model) | Year of release | Feature of marking |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mi Smart Band 4 | XMSH07HM | 2019 | Round sensor |
| Mi Smart Band 5 | XMSH09HM | 2020 | Magnetic charging |
| Mi Watch Lite | BHR4960GL | 2020 | Square hull |
| Redmi Watch 2 | M2114E1 | 2021 | Redmi logo |
Checking through the official Mi Fitness app
Digital identification is often more informative than visual inspection. Mi Fitness (formerly known as Zepp Life for some older models, but newer ones are moving to Mi Fitness) is now used to connect Xiaomi and Redmi ecosystem devices.
After pairing the gadget with the smartphone via Bluetooth, you need to go to the profile of the device, which shows not only the percentage of charge, but also the exact name of the model, the hardware version and the version of the code.
This method allows you to see the real characteristics that are “stitched” into the device chip, which eliminates the possibility of a fake case, if the application refuses to connect the device or shows an unknown name, this is an alarm signal.
If you bought a global version of the watch and the app sees it as Chinese (CN Version), this may limit functionality or lead to errors in the display of notifications.
Inside the app, you can often find the About Device or Device Info section, which will show the full path to the firmware files and unique identifiers that will help support diagnose problems.
Use the settings menu on the watch itself
If the smartphone is not available or the application is not working correctly, information can be found in the interface of the gadget itself. Modern models with the operating system Wear OS or proprietary HyperOS have a developed menu of settings.
You have to unlock the screen and find the gear icon, and if you go to the About or About section, you'll see a "Model" or a "Model" line, and you'll have an alphanumeric code that you can type into the search engine for accurate identification.
⚠️ Warning: Don’t try to reset to factory settings just for the sake of viewing information.This will delete all your training data and dial settings.
In some cases, especially on budget fitness bracelets, the menu may be limited. Then look for the "Firmware Version" section. The first digits of the version often correspond to the device model.
Navigation of the menu is done either through the touch screen, through a single button, or through the touchpad (as on the old Mi Band). The sequence of actions is usually standard: Menu → Settings → About the system.
Differences between sub-brands: Redmi, Amazfit and Mi
Name confusion is a major user problem: Xiaomi often uses the Mi brand for flagship products, while Redmi is focused on the budget segment. However, the smart part is often the responsibility of Huami, which makes products under the Amazfit brand.
For example, the Mi Watch and the Amazfit GTR can have the same filling, but different software and logos on the screensaver, and you can determine the identity by the logo when you turn on: "Mi" or "Redmi" against the logo with the Amazfit bird.
There are also devices that are exclusively for the domestic Chinese market, which may have the Mi logo, but the model name contains Chinese characters or specific codes starting with certain combinations.
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When buying a watch, pay attention to the language of the box. If the package is only Chinese characters and there is no sticker with a translation into English or Russian, this is the version for the Chinese market (CN Version).
The differences also lie in the features supported: Global versions often have NFC functionality pared down (only in China) and support for voice assistant Alexa instead of Xiao AI.
How to distinguish the original from the fake
The wearable electronics market is oversaturated with replicas, fakes can look 95 percent like the original, but have critical differences in performance, and the first is the quality of the screen and the typefaces.
On the original AMOLED devices, the matrices are deep black and high brightness. On fakes, the screens are often dull, with noticeable graininess or "floating" colors when turning the wrist.
The second feature is the software interface. The original watch has smooth transition animations. If the menu twitches, the fonts look "pixelated" or the translation into Russian is made with grammatical errors - this is a clear sign of counterfeiting.
It's also worth checking the sensors. Connect the watch to the app and try to run the pulse measurement. Cheap copies often show a static value (for example, always 80 beats) or can't read at all, because the sensor is just drawn there.
Search by serial number and IMEI
For advanced users, there is a way to check through special services: on the box from the device (usually on the bottom edge) is a sticker with a barcode, IMEI (if there is a communication module) and S/N (Serial Number).
The serial number is a unique identifier, and by entering it on the manufacturer's official website in the authentication section, you can find out when and for which region the device was released.
Check S/N: visit.mi.com/verify
Enter: 1234567890ABCDEFIf a service says no product has been found, it doesn't always mean a fake. OEM-contract for another brand or is part of an industrial party, the data of which is not yet entered in the public database.
☑️ Checking before buying from hand
Frequent problems with identification
Users often encounter a situation where the watch is defined as "Unknown Device" or displayed with the wrong name, which may be due to a conflict of Bluetooth protocol versions or cache in the app.
In such cases, it is recommended to completely remove the device from the list of conjugated in the phone settings, clear the cache of the Mi Fitness application and try to connect the gadget again, holding the phone as close as possible.
⚠️ Warning: If the watch is no longer defined at all after flashing or resetting (black screen, no charging response), the integrity of the bootloader may have been compromised.
Another problem is regional lockdown, with some models designed for China blocking certain features (such as WhatsApp or Telegram notifications) when connecting to an account with a Russia or Europe region.
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An accurate model of the device is key to the right accessories and the stable operation of notifications.