How to check if Xiaomi headphones are original: a complete guide with photos and tests

Buying Xiaomi headphones is always a risk of running into a fake, especially if we are talking about popular models like Redmi AirDots, Mi True Wireless Earbuds or Mi Mi. ANC Headphones: A 2023 study found that up to 40 percent of wireless headphones in the CIS market are counterfeit, and fakes are becoming more swapped. They may not look different from the original, but in sound, operating time and safety, the difference is huge.

In this article, we will discuss 10 working ways to verify originality, including packaging analysis, sound testing, checking through the official Mi Home app, and even disassembling headphones (for advanced users). You'll learn the little things to look out for when you buy, how to tell a fake by serial number, and why some "original" headphones can be overpacked with counterfeit — FAQ Answering the Most Common Questions About Xiaomi Counterfeiting.

1.Packaging check: 7 key details that give off a fake

Packaging is the first and most obvious sign of originality. Counterfeit headphones often come in boxes with font errors, inaccurate colors, or poor-quality printing.

• 📦 Box material: Xiaomi's original headphones are packed in thick, matte-coated cardboard.Fakes often use glossy paper or thin cardboard that bends when pressed.
• 🔍 Fonts and logos: The original packaging has a clear, unblurred Mi or Redmi logo. Check the Chinese labels, they should be perfectly flat, without any symbol shifting.
• 🖼️ Headphone photos: Counterfeit photos often use stock photos or images with distorted proportions. Compare with official photos on Xiaomi website.
• 🔢 Serial number and barcode: The original box has a serial number with a laser or high-quality print, it can be scanned. The barcode must match what is specified in the Mi system.

Pay special attention to protective stickers. The original Xiaomi headphones always have:

• 🏷️ Two protective stickers on the box (one on the front, the other on the side).
• 🔒 A hologram sticker on the back (hard to fake).
• 📄 Instructions in several languages (fakes are often only Chinese or English).

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If there are grammatical errors in English or Russian inscriptions on the box, it is 100% fake. Xiaomi carefully checks the localization of the package.

For clarity, compare the original and fake Redmi AirDots 3 packaging:

⚠️ Note: Some sellers repackage fakes into original boxes from other Xiaomi devices (e.g. powerbank).Always check the model's matching on the box and in the headphone settings.

2. Serial number: how to check through official services

Every Xiaomi gadget has a unique serial number (S/N), The headphones are no exception, the serial number is usually listed:

• 📦 On the box (side or bottom).
• 🎧 On the headphones themselves (under the cover of the charging case or on the inside of the).
• 📱 In the Mi Home app (if the headphones are already connected).

To verify the originality:

1. Find the serial number on the box or headphones (example: L19C03FD052312345678).
2. Go to the Mi Verify website (official verification service).
3. Enter the serial number and the captcha.
4. If the headphones are original, the system will show the model and the date of production. If not, you will get an error "Invalid" SN".

The serial number can also be checked through the Mi Home app:

1. Connect the headphones to the smartphone via Bluetooth.
2. Open Mi Home and find the device in the list.
3. Go to the Device Settings → Information.
4. Compare the serial number in the app to what's on the box. They should match.

⚠️ Warning: Fraudsters sometimes clone serial numbers from original devices. If the number has been checked but the packaging or sound is in doubt, use other methods in this article.

3. External inspection of headphones: what to look at under a magnifying glass

Even if the packaging and serial number are not suspicious, carefully examine the headphones themselves. Counterfeiting often gives out small things that are not visible at first glance.

Charging case:

• 🔋 Material: The original case is made of matte plastic with a soft coating.
• 🔍 The original case cover closes tightly, without backlash.
• 💡 Charge indicator: In the original Xiaomi headphones, LEDs burn smoothly, without flickering. In fakes, they can blink or glow dimly.

The headphones themselves:

• 🎵 Dynamic grille: Originally, it's metallic, with uniform holes. In fakes, it's plastic, with uneven edges.
• 🔗 Magnets: In the original Redmi AirDots, headphones are magnetized to each other and to the case.
• 📏 Weight: Original headphones weigh strictly to specification (e.g. Mi True Wireless Earbuds Basic 2 - 4.1g each.

Check the case material (should be matte)

Make sure the cover closes without backlash.

Look at the speaker grille under the magnifying glass.

Check the strength of the magnets in the headphones

Compare weight with official characteristics-->

A critical sign of fake: if the headphones or case have adhesive traces from stickers - it means that the original marking was removed and replaced with a fake one.

4. Sound test: how to determine the sound of a fake

Sound is what you buy headphones for, and that's where fakes lose the most to the original.

1.The bass and high frequency test

• 🎶 Turn on a deep bass track (like "Seven Nation Army" - The White Stripes) on the original headphones, the bass is clear, without wheezing, and in fakes, it "booms" or distorts.
• 🎵 Include a high-frequency track (e.g. "Bohemian Rhapsody" - Queen, guitar solo) in fakes, high-frequency can cut ears or disappear.

Noise reduction test (for models with ANC)

• 🔇 Turn on active noise cancellation (ANC) In the settings. In the original Mi. ANC Headphones noise is extinguished evenly. ANC It either doesn’t work or adds a swelling.
• 🚆 Take the test in a noisy place (metro, street) and the original reduces the noise on the street. 30-40 dB, fake - maximum for the 10-15 dB.

3. Microphone test

• 🎤 Record your voice on a voice recorder through your headphones. The original voice sounds natural, without echoing.
• 📞 Call a friend and ask them to rate the sound quality. In fakes, the person usually complains of a quiet or intermittent voice.

For an objective assessment, use applications like AudioTool (Android) or Frequency Sound Analyzer (iOS) to plot frequency performance. Xiaomi's original headphones have smooth frequency response without dips.

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If you hear hissing or background noise in your headphones even without music, that’s a sure sign of a fake. Xiaomi’s original models have a high level of noise reduction at the hardware level.

5. Check through the Mi Home app: hidden features of the original

The official Mi Home app is one of the most reliable ways to verify originality, with fakes either not connecting to the app or showing up with errors.

How to check:

1. Install Mi Home from Google Play or App Store.
2. Connect the headphones to the phone via Bluetooth.
3. Open Mi Home and click Add Device (+).
4. Select the Audio category and find your headphone model.
5. If the headphones are original, they will connect without problems and you will see full information about them (charge level, firmware version, etc.).

Signs of fake in Mi Home:

• 🚫 The device is not located or is connected as "Unknown".
• 🔄 Information about headphones is not displayed in full (for example, there is no data on the charge of the case).
• 🔧 There is no possibility to update the firmware (in fakes there is often a “stub” instead of real firmware).
• 📛 The model of headphones in the application does not match the one on the box.

In the original headphones Xiaomi through Mi Home available additional features:

• 🎛️ Equalizer setting.
• 🔇 Level adjustment ANC (noise-canceling).
• 🔋 Detailed usage statistics (working time, number of connections).

⚠️ Warning: Some fakes simulate a connection to the Mi Home, but do not display real data. Always check the information in the application with what is indicated on the box.

6. Disassembly of headphones: what are hidden fakes inside

This is a method that is suitable for advanced users because it requires precision and can be insecure, but it gives a 100% result: the internal stuffing of fakes is radically different from the original.

What you'll need:

• 🔧 Plastic mediator or thin screwdriver.
• 🔍 Lupa (for inspection of small details).
• 📸 Phone camera (to take pictures of the insides for comparison).

What to look for when disassembling:

• 🧲 Battery: In the original headphones is a battery from proven manufacturers (ATL, Samsung SDI). In fakes - cheap nameless batteries.
• 🎛️ Control fee: Originally, the board is compact, with a clear soldering, and counterfeits often show solder dredges or extra wires.
• 🔊 Speaker: Xiaomi's original speakers are labeled and evenly winded. in fake speakers, often smaller or defective.
• 📶 Bluetooth module: The original uses a Qualcomm or Realtek chip, fakes are cheap Chinese counterparts.

Example of Redmi AirDots 3 disassembly:

Original:




- Battery: ATL, 43 mAh




- Bluetooth: Qualcomm QCC3040




- Dynamic: 7.2 mm, titanium coated





Fake:




- Battery: No-name, 30 mAh




Bluetooth: JDY-64 (cheap clone)




- Dynamics: 6 mm, unmarked

If you decide to disassemble, take a photo of the insides and compare with the original images from reviews on YouTube or forums (for example, 4PDA). The difference is usually obvious.

7. Price and place of purchase check: where counterfeits are most commonly sold

Price and place of purchase are indirect but important indications of originality.

• 🛒 In small markets and in small shops (especially if the price is 30-50% below-market).
• 🌍 On foreign platforms such as AliExpress, Wish or eBay (if the seller is not an official Xiaomi store).
• 🤝 "With hands through Avito, Yula or local groups in social networks.
• 🏪 In questionable online stores with suspiciously low prices.

Average prices for original Xiaomi headphones (2026):

If the price is below the market average by more than 40%, this is a reason to be wary.

• 📦 Check and warranty: Original Xiaomi headphones are sold with a check and warranty card (at least 12 months).
• 🏷️ Stickers and seals: In official stores on the box must be a seal with a date of sale.
• 🔄 Refundability: Counterfeiting is often sold without the possibility of refund or exchange.

Where to buy the original headphones Xiaomi:

• 🏬 Official Mi Store (online or offline).
• 🛒 Major retailers: Svyaznoy, M. Video, Citilink, Wildberries (official sellers).
• 🌐 Official website of mi.com.

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Even in official stores, there are gray deliveries, and always check the packaging and serial number, even if you buy from a major retailer.

8 Additional tests: firmware, pairing and operating time

If the external inspection and inspection through Mi Home did not give an unequivocal answer, conduct these tests:

1. Multiple device pairing test

• 📱 Connect your headphones to two different smartphones (Android and iOS). Xiaomi's original headphones connect quickly and work steadily on both devices.
• 🔄 Counterfeiting often has problems: headphones turn off, sound is interrupted, or one ear is not working.

2. Verification of the firmware version

• 📋 In Mi Home, find the section with information about the device. The original headphones have the latest firmware (for example, for Redmi AirDots). 3 version 1.4.0_2023 or newer).
• 🔧 In fakes, the firmware is either missing or has a strange name (for example, V1.0.0 dateless).

3. Working time test

• ⏱️ Charge your headphones 100% and play music at medium volume. Original models work strictly to specification (for example, Mi True Wireless Earbuds Basic 2 - 5 hours, case - 20 hours).
• 🔋 In fakes, the working hours are often underestimated in 1.5-2 once.

4. Compatibility test with branded functions

• 🎧 Check the gestures (e.g. double-touching for playback/pause) in fake gestures often fail or are delayed.
• 🔇 If the model supports ANC Or Transparency Mode, check them out. In fakes, these features are either missing or not working properly.

For accurate testing, use the applications:

• Bluetooth Auto Connect – To check the stability of the connection.
• AccuBattery – for real-time monitoring.
• nRF Connect – for Bluetooth connection analysis (original headphones use protocols) AAC and SBC, fakes -- just fakes. SBC).

FAQ: Answers to Frequent Questions About Xiaomi Counterfeiting