How to watch the Android version on Xiaomi phone: all ways

Have you bought a Xiaomi, Redmi or POCO smartphone and want to know which version of Android is installed on the device? Or do you need to check the relevance of the firmware before upgrading? In this article, we will go through all the possible ways to view the version of Android and MIUI on Xiaomi phones, from standard settings to hidden engineering menus.

Knowing the operating system version is important not only for updates, but also for app compatibility, debugging through ADB, or if you plan to unlock the bootloader. We’ll look at methods for all models, from the budget Redmi 9A to the flagship Xiaomi 14 Ultra, including devices with custom firmware. You’ll also learn how to distinguish the real version of Android from the MIUI shell, and what to do if the phone does not turn on.

Why it is important to know the version of Android in Xiaomi

The Android version not only defines the look of the interface, but also the functionality of the smartphone.

• 🔄 Security updates: Google releases patches monthly to fix vulnerabilities.If your Xiaomi runs Android 10, you won't get the current fixes of 2026.
• 📱 Application compatibility: Some programs (such as banking or gaming) require a minimum version of the OS. POCO F3 Android 11 will not be able to run an application that requires Android 12+.
• 🔓 Unlocking the bootloader: To install custom firmware (for example, LineageOS) you need to know the current version MIUI Android.
• 🛠️ Repair and diagnostics: Service centers request a version of the software for selecting spare parts or firmware after replacing the motherboard.

Xiaomi also often releases late updates, such as the Redmi Note 12 Pro could only get Android 13 6 months after the official release. Knowing the current version, you can track the release of new firmware on the 4PDA or Xiaomi Community forums.

Method 1: Using the phone's standard settings (the easiest one)

This is the basic method that works on all Xiaomi, Redmi and POCO smartphones, regardless of the model and version of MIUI. The instruction is relevant even for devices with custom firmware (for example, Xiaomi.eu).

1. Open the Settings app (the gear icon on the home screen or in the application menu).
2. Scroll down and select About Phone (on some models – About Device).
3. Tap on the MIUI version – the current firmware (e.g. MIUI Global 14.0.5) will be displayed here.
4. To see the Android version, click on the Android version bar (may be called the Android version or the Basic version of the OS).

The screen will display information in the format:

Android 13 TKQ1.221114.001


MIUI version: 14.0.5 (stable)

Where:

• Android 13 is the version of the operating system.
• TKQ1.221114.001 is the build number (required for rollback or manual update).
• 14.0.5 (stable) - version of the shell MIUI.

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If you have POCO, the path may be slightly different: Settings → About Phone → Software Information. The Android version is usually hidden under the Android security patch.

Method 2: Using the engineering menu (hidden codes)

If standard settings are not available (for example, due to an interface failure), you can use service codes, which works even on locked phones if the screen responds to touch.

Open the Phone app and enter one of the codes:

Once you enter the code, you will automatically be taken to the engineering menu, look for the Software Information or Android Version sections. Some firmware (e.g. Xiaomi.eu) may not work, in which case use the following method.

Method 3: Through Developer Parameters (for experienced users)

If you’ve already turned on Developer Mode (for example, for debugging ADB), the Android version is duplicated there, too.This method is useful if the standard About Phone menu is unavailable due to a crash.

How to open it:

1. Go to Settings → Additional → For developers.
2. Scroll down to the device information block.
3. There will be lines MIUI version and Android version.

You can also see on this menu:

• 📊 Build number (required for manual firmware via fastboot).
• 🔧 Version of the core (useful for debugging custom firmware).
• 📡 Band version (information about supported network frequencies).

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In Developer Mode, you can enable USB Debugging, which you will need to check the Android version through your computer (method 5).

Method 4: Through Third-Party Developer Apps

If the system menus are not available (for example, after resetting), you can use third-party utilities, which show not only the Android version, but also detailed information about the hardware.

Top.-3 apps:

• 📱 CPU-Z: Shows the Android version, MIUI, You can download the processor model and even the battery temperature from Google Play.

Example of display in CPU-Z:

System:


OS: Android 13 (TKQ1.221114.001)




MIUI: 14.0.5 (stable)




Kernel: 4.19.157 (aarch64)




Build: SKQ1.211006.001

Open the app.|Go to the System tab.|Find the block. OS|Check the Android Version strings and MIUI Version-->

This method has the advantage of working even on informal firmware (e.g. Pixel Experience on Redmi Note 10 Pro), but some applications may require root access to display full information.

Method 5: Through a computer (ADB or Fastboot)

If the phone doesn’t turn on or the screen doesn’t respond, but the device is determined by the computer, you can find out the Android version through ADB (Android Debug Bridge) or Fastboot.

This will require:

• 🖥️ Computer with installed Xiaomi and Platform Tools drivers.
• 🔌 USB-cable (preferably original).
• 🔧 Included Debugging by USB (if the phone is turned on).

Instructions for ADB (if the phone is switched on):

1. Connect the phone to the PC and confirm the debugging permission.
2. Open the command line (cmd) in the folder with the platform-tools.
3. Enter the command: adb shell getprop ro.build.version.release The Android version (e.g. 13) will be displayed.
4. For MIUI version, use: adb shell getprop ro.miui.ui.version.name

Instructions for Fastboot (if the phone is not turned on but loads in fastboot mode):

1. Turn off the phone, then press Power + Volume down to log into the Fastboot.
2. Connect to the PC and execute: fastboot getvar all
3. Search for lines: version-baseband: [version] version-bootloader: [version] version-release: [version of Android]

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If the fastboot getvar all command doesn’t show the Android version, try fastboot getvar version-release. On some models (for example, Xiaomi 12T) the information is hidden and requires unlocking the bootloader.

Frequent problems and solutions

Sometimes the Android version may not appear in the menu at all, and consider typical situations and their solutions:

⚠️ Note: If after the update, the old version of Android (like Android 11, although you installed Android 12) is displayed in the settings, this may mean that the firmware was not fully installed. → Additionally. → Recovery and discharge.

On Xiaomi phones with MediaTek processors (e.g. Redmi 9, POCO M3), the Android version may not display correctly due to the kernel features. In this case, only trust the output of ADB commands or official data in the Mi Flash Tool.

FAQ: Frequent questions about the Android version on Xiaomi