How to check the originality of firmware on Xiaomi smartphones: the complete guide

Have you bought Xiaomi from hand or in an unofficial store and doubt the authenticity of the installed firmware? Fake or modified versions of MIUI can not only deprive you of warranty, but also create vulnerabilities to viruses, impair performance or even disable the device. In this article, we will discuss 5 reliable ways to verify the originality of the firmware, including hidden menus, ADB commands and file system analysis – without the need to unlock the bootloader.

Xiaomi’s smartphone features are that even “gray” dealers often install custom firmware under the guise of official ones. For example, the Redmi Note 10 Pro may have a Poco X3 Pro firmware with a modified build number, and the Mi 11 may have a MIUI Global, assembled from source by enthusiasts. These firmwares are seemingly indistinguishable from the original ones, but may contain built-in backdoors for cryptocurrency mining or surveillance.

1. Check through the menu "About the phone": basic signs

The quickest way is to explore the information in the standard settings menu. Open Settings → About Phone → MIUI version.

• 📌 Build number: The official version is in the format V12.5.3.0.RKHMIXM (where RKH — code, MIXM — Counterfeiting often contains random letters or numbers, for example V12.5.3.0.ABC123.
• 🌍 The firmware region. MIUI Global is noted as MIXM (Global), EAXM (EEA) or IDXM (Indonesia, if you see it. CN On the global model, it is a modification.
• 🔄 In the original firmware, the date corresponds to the official releases (checked on the Xiaomi website.

Also, click on Kernel version 10 times in a row — if the firmware is original, the Certification Information Test (CIT) menu will open, and in fake firmware, this menu is either missing or contains errors in the code.

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If the menu "About the phone" is missing the item "Status Mi Unlock", this is a sure sign of custom firmware - in official MIUI it is always present.

2. Analysis via Fastboot: Verification of firmware signature

This method requires a computer and a USB cable, but it gives 100% results. Connect the smartphone turned off to the PC in Fastboot mode (press Volume down + Power when turned on).

fastboot getvar all

In the conclusion, find the lines:

• 🔐 secure: yes – confirms that the bootloader is locked (the fake firmware may be no or absent).
• 📦 version-bootloader - version of the bootloader must match the official for your model (the list of versions is available on Xiaomi Firmware Updater).
• 🛡️ verified-boot: orange — the original firmware always orange or green. The value of red or its absence indicates a modification.

If the output contains the line is-unlocked: true, it does not always mean fake - the user could unlock the bootloader himself. But paired with other features (for example, secure: no) this is cause for concern.

3. Checking through ADB: hidden system parameters

This method requires a developer mode enabled (activated by 7-fold tapping the MIUI version in the About Phone menu) and a USB connection with debugging resolution.

adb shell getprop ro.build.fingerprint

Compare the output with the official data for your model on the Xiaomi Firmware Updater website. For example, for the Redmi Note 11 Pro+ 5G (veux code), the original print should begin with:

Xiaomi/veux_global/veux:12/SP1A.210812.016/V13.0.4.0.SKFMIXM

Pay attention to:

• 🔍 Device code (e.g. veux for Redmi Note 11 Pro)+). If the code does not match your model, the firmware from another device.
• 📝 Android version: Fake firmware often understates the version (e.g. Android 10 instead of 12).
• 🌐 Region, if you see. CN In the global model, this is a modification.

Another helpful team:

adb shell pm list packages | grep -E 'com.miui|com.xiaomi'

The original MIUI must have at least 150 packages from Xiaomi, and if there are fewer than 100 packages or packages like com.custom.rom, it is custom firmware.

4. File system check: search for modified files

This method requires root rights or an unlocked bootloader, but gives the most complete picture.

Pay special attention to the file /system/etc/security/cacerts. In the original firmware here are stored Xiaomi certificates, and in the fake – can be certificates of third-party developers (for example, custom_ca.crt).

No folder /system/priv-app/MiuiHome|

/system/build.prop file was edited less than a month ago |

/system/xbin has files called su, busybox, magisk|

Size /system less 1.5 GB (for modern Xiaomi)-->

If you find suspicious files but are not sure of their origin, you can check their hash amounts, for example, for the file /system/bin/sh in the original MIUI, the MD5 hash must match the official data (you can find them on forums like XDA Developers).

5. Verification through service codes and hidden menus

Xiaomi hides several diagnostic menus that help detect fakes.

• 📱 ##4636## is a test menu. The original firmware contains battery health information. In fakes, this item may be missing or showing knowingly false data (for example, "Health: Good" when you wear 50%).
• 🔋 ##6484## - battery test. MIUI shows real capacity in mAh, and counterfeits often round the values or show inflated figures.
• 📡 ##64663## - information about communication modules. Fake firmware may not have Modem data or show non-existent standards (e.g., for example, 5G on a model that does not support it).

Another useful code is ##284## (camera test), which in the original firmware opens an extended menu with settings for all cameras, including infrared (if the model has one), which in fakes either doesn't open or contains errors when the cameras are switched.

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Service codes only work on firmware with Global/EEA regions. Most codes are blocked on Chinese (CN) versions of MIUI.

If a Connection problem or invalid MMI code appears after entering the code, this can mean either a fake firmware or a locking of codes by the operator (on some branded firmware from mobile providers).

6. Verification through third-party applications

If you're uncomfortable with ADB or Fastboot, you can use specialized applications.

• 🛠️ MIUI Version Checker (from Google Play) – compares your firmware to the official versions and shows discrepancies in build numbers.
• 🔍 DevCheck analyzes hardware information and identifies inconsistencies between hardware and firmware (for example, if Redmi 9 has Poco firmware installed). M3).
• 📊 CPU Identifier – checks the compatibility of the processor and firmware. Fake firmware often displays the chipset model or frequency incorrectly.

When using these applications, pay attention to:

• 🚨 Mismatches – If the app finds discrepancies in the device model, Android version, or region, it’s a sign of forgery.
• ⚠️ Root access warnings – if the app says root has been detected even though you didn’t install it, the firmware is modified.
• 📉 Performance – in fake firmware, the performance of AnTuTu or Geekbench is often underestimated by 20-30% optimizing.

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Before installing applications to check firmware, turn off the Internet - some fake firmware blocks their operation through the network screen.

One of the most reliable applications is MIUI bootloader (not to be confused with MIUI Updater!), which not only checks the relevance of the firmware, but also compares the hash sums of system files with the official ones. If the hashes do not match, the firmware is changed.

What to do if the firmware is fake?

If you have confirmed that the firmware is not original, act on the algorithm:

1. Backup through Settings → Additional → Backup and Reset. Save a copy to your PC – after flashing the data will be erased.
2. Unlock the bootloader (if it is blocked) through the official Xiaomi tool. This will take 7-14 days (associating the account with the device).
3. Install the official firmware via the Mi Flash Tool. Download the correct version for your model on the Xiaomi website.
4. Check the IMEI after the firmware is #06#. If it resets to 000000000000000, restore it via the engineering menu (#36446337##*).

If you've had problems with your sensor, your cameras, or your network since you've been firmware, you've installed firmware from another model.

⚠️ Note: Do not try to flash the device through TWRP, If you are not sure of firmware compatibility, this can lead to a "brick" (complete failure) of the device. Always use the official Mi Flash Tool and firmware files with the.tgz extension.

FAQ: Frequent questions about Xiaomi firmware verification