How to find out custom firmware or not on Xiaomi: a full guide

Xiaomi smartphone owners often face a situation where the device does not behave as expected: strange applications appear, advertising in the system menus or, conversely, standard features disappear. The question of how to find out custom firmware or not becomes critical when buying a used gadget or after contacting a service center. Many users do not even suspect that their Redmi or POCO has unofficial software that can carry hidden threats.

Understanding the differences between the official Global ROM and the modified build is not just a technical nuance, but a matter of security of your personal data. Unofficial versions of Android are often devoid of Google Play Protect certificates, which makes the phone vulnerable to viruses. In addition, such systems can work unstable, quickly discharge or block the operation of banking applications due to violations of the integrity of the bootloader.

In this article, we will go into detail all the ways to identify the type of operating system installed, learn how to distinguish the Chinese from the global version, check the status of the bootloader and find out which hidden tokens give out interference with system files, this knowledge will help you make the right decision about the future operation of the device.

Visual Signs and MIUI Interface

The first thing that catches your eye when you turn on a smartphone is the logo when you download it. The official global versions always greet you with the MI or Redmi logo with the caption "Powered by Android." If you see the MIUI logo on a black background without any additional labeling or, worse, the MultiROM logo, you have a clearly modified version.

Note that there are pre-installed apps. The official firmware is strictly regulated by the region. If you find Chinese services on a phone with a European label, app stores that are not available in the Play Market, or strange memory cleaner utilities with names like Clear Master Pro, this is a sure sign of custom build.

• 🔍 No Google system apps on the menu (only on Chinese versions without installation) GMS).
• 📱 Availability of the "Services and Feedback" application with a connection error or in Chinese.
• 🌐 Inability to change the region in settings or lack of choice of language "Russian" in the base list.

⚠️ Note: If in the "About the phone" section when repeatedly clicking on the version MIUI The advanced settings menu does not open, but instead an error message appears or nothing happens, system files are modified or deleted.

Also worth checking is the update section. Official firmware gets notifications of new versions right on the menu. OTA-Updates or offers to install updates from suspicious servers. System Update in such cases may show a version"V12.5.3.0.RKGMIXM", But when you try to download, you give an authentication error.

Checking the status of the bootloader (Bootloader)

The most reliable technical way to determine whether there was an interference with the software part is to check the status of the bootloader. Bootloader is a program that loads the operating system. By default, it is locked on all Xiaomi devices. Unlocking is necessary to install custom firmware, recovers (TWRP) and obtain superuser rights.

To check the status, you need to turn the phone into Fastboot mode. To do this, turn off the device completely, and then press the Volume Down and Power buttons simultaneously. Hold them until the image with the android hare appears. On the screen you will see technical information, including the FASTBOOT string and the status of the bootloader.

If you see the status bar saying Locked, it means the bootloader is locked, which is the standard state for 95 percent of users, but if you see the words Unlocked or Unlocked, it means that the previous owner or service center has opened the system, and even if there's official firmware on it right now, the fact that it's unlocked means that the phone may have been modified at a deep level.

• 🔒 Locked – a state of staff, a guarantee of security and the operation of banking applications.
• 🔓 Unlocked – the ability to install any modifications, but the risk of loss of warranty and security.
• ⚠️ Locked (but traces) TWRP) — rare case when the loader is again blocked over a custom Recovery, which often leads to "bricks".

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Blocking the unlocked bootloader back is only possible with a command via PC and Mi Flash utility, but this will require a complete data reset and may not work if the partition table has been changed.

It is important to understand that an unlocked bootloader reduces the security of the device.In this state, an attacker who gains physical access to the phone can easily copy data or inject malicious code. Banking applications such as Google Pay or Sberbank can refuse to work on such devices due to system integrity checks.

Analysis of the assembly number and region code

A deep analysis of the firmware version allows you to understand not only its type, but also its origin. → Find the line "Version" on the phone MIUI". The version code consists of letters and numbers, for example, V12.5.4.0.RKGMIXM. The last part of this code (MIXM) It is key to determining the type of firmware.

Official global firmware always has the region code MI (Global), EU (Europe), RU (Russia), TR (Turkey) and other two-letter country designations. If you see the CN (China) code on a phone bought as Globalka, you have a Chinese version with a translated menu, such firmware often lacks important communication frequencies (Band 20) and has trouble notifying.

However, the most obvious sign of custom firmware is the presence of code. XM Builds from Xiaomi.eu (which are modified Chinese versions with cut Chinese software and added Google Play) often have an ending. EU, But the version of the software may have a developer tag, and the actual custom firmware (LineageOS, Pixel Experience) doesn't use numbering at all. MIUI They have their own version formats.

Also worth paying attention to is the firmware creation date. If the compilation date (in small print under MIUI) is very different from the release date of this version on MIUI's official blog, that's a reason to think. Official builds have a clear release chronology.

Use of ADB and System Commands

For advanced users who want a 100% verification guarantee, there is a method of using debugging by USB And it's a way of seeing hidden system parameters that are not displayed in the interface, USB-cable and installed drivers ADB.

First, activate the developer mode. Go to Settings → About Phone and quickly click on MIUI Version 7 times. Then turn on USB Debugging in the "Additional" menu. Connect the phone to your PC and open the command line. Enter the command to check the bootloader status:

adb shell getprop ro.boot.flash.locked

If you return 1, the bootloader is locked, if 0 is unlocked, you can also check for root rights, which are almost always associated with custom firmware.

adb shell su -v

If you receive a version number or an "access denied" message (access denied, but su-binary found), then the superuser rights are embedded in the system. There is no such command in the clean official firmware, and the terminal will give an execution error.

Detector applications and Root Check

If you don't want to mess with the command line, you can use specialized applications from Google Play. There are a number of utilities created specifically to check the integrity of the Android system, they analyze the presence of modified system files, the presence of su binaries and the status of the bootloader.

One of the most popular apps is Root Checker, which performs a quick test and gives you a green or red screen, and you also need to look at warranty status apps like Device Info HW or AIDA64, which show you detailed information about hardware and software.

• 📲 Root Checker is a classic tool for finding superuser rights.
• 🛡️ SafetyNet Test – checks if your device passes Google’s security check (castomy firmware often fails it).
• 📊 DevCheck – Shows details about the bootloader and root status in the Device section".

⚠️ Attention: Some advanced custom firmware can hide root rights from simple checks (Magisk Hide). If the app says "Root no" but you suspect a modification, use a comprehensive check through Fastboot.

The critical thing is that they're working, and if SafetyNet doesn't pass the test, you can't use it. NFC-Payment and some streaming services in high quality.

Risks of using modified software

Custom firmware is always a balance between added features and stability. If you buy a hands-on phone and find LineageOS or Xiaomi.eu build on it, you should be aware of the potential risks, chief among them being the lack of official support and security guarantees.

Owners of modified devices often face camera problems. Photo processing algorithms in MIUI are sharpened for specific hardware, and in custom builds, the quality of images can significantly decrease. There are also problems with energy saving: the phone can quickly discharge in standby mode due to incorrect driver operation.

Financial security is another critical aspect: banking applications are constantly improving methods of detecting modified systems. Even if Sberbank Online is working today, after another update to the server part, access to the account can be blocked indefinitely. The use of modified software for storing cryptocurrency wallet keys is strongly discouraged due to the risk of introducing stylers.

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Custom firmware gives you the freedom to customize, but it deprives you of the security, security of payments and stable camera operation. For the average user, it is better to stay on the official software.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)