Owners of Xiaomi, Redmi and Poco smartphones often face the need to refine the exact modification of the software installed on their device, which may be necessary when searching for drivers, installing specific applications or simply checking the relevance of system updates. Understanding what build is on the gadget is a basic skill for any advanced user.
There are several layers of versionality in the Chinese manufacturer’s ecosystem that are important to distinguish: the user must be able to find not only the Android number, but also the version of the MIUI shell or the new HyperOS, as well as the release date of security patches, which are often hidden in the depth of the menu or encoded in special notations that are not understandable to everyone.
In this article, we will take a look at all the ways to get this information, from standard settings to engineering menus, and learn how to decipher complex firmware codes and understand how the global version differs from the Chinese version, which will help you avoid firmware errors and software conflicts.
The main information in the menu "About the phone"
The most obvious and affordable way to find out the current version of the software is to use the standard settings section. The MIUI and HyperOS shell interface is designed so that key information is available in a few clicks, you need to open the Settings app and scroll to the bottom.
Here you will see the item About the phone, which contains summary information. At the top of the screen usually shows the logo of the current version of the shell, for example, MIUI 14 or Xiaomi HyperOS. This logo should be clicked several times in a row to reveal detailed technical information, hidden by default from the eyes of the average user.
Once the hidden menu is activated, the screen will change and you will see the build number, update date and Android version. It is important to pay attention to the MIUI version bar, as it determines the functionality of the interface. To copy the build number to the clipboard, just click on the corresponding line, which is convenient for sending to the service center.
⚠️ Warning: Do not try to change the values in the engineering menu, which can open when you repeatedly click on other items.
This section updates automatically after each patch installation. If you recently upgraded your phone but the data hasn't changed, try restarting your device. Sometimes the interface cache takes time to properly display the new kernel version or system components.
Decoding of codes and firmware types
The build number you see in the settings looks like a set of letters and numbers, like V14.0.5.0.TKGMIXM. This string contains encoded information about the region, device, and status of the version. Understanding this structure will help you determine if a particular firmware file is right for your device.
The last three characters in the row indicate the firmware region, which is a critical parameter, since installing an inappropriate region can block the ability to unlock the bootloader or work some banking applications. Global versions are labeled Global, European versions are labeled EEA, and Russian versions are marked RU.
Table of regional firmware codes
It is also important to distinguish between the status of the version: stable (Stable) or developers (Developer/Beta). stable builds are released less often, but ensure reliability. Beta versions contain new features, but may have errors and require weekly updates.
Below is a table for quick decoding of the main notations in the build number:
| Designation | Meaning | Description |
|---|---|---|
| V | Version Type | Version type (V - stable, sometimes found for beta) |
| 14.0.5 | MIUI Version | The main number of the shell version |
| TKG | Device Codename | Device code name (unique for each model) |
| MIXM | Region | Regional affiliation of firmware |
Verification of Android Version and Security Patches
Beyond the shell, it's critical to know the version of the underlying Android operating system.The MIUI shell can be upgraded to the latest version, while Android itself will remain on the old version, which affects app compatibility.This information is also in the About Phone menu, but requires careful review of the list.
Find the Android version line, and the number that you see on it is the major version, but the patch date is more important for security, the Android patch level is how relevant the patch is, and getting those patches regularly is a sign of good support from the manufacturer.
Sometimes users confuse the version of Google Play Services with the version of Android. These are different components. The update of Google services occurs through the app store and does not change the Android version number in the settings. To check the relevance of system security components, you should use the built-in scanner or settings in the Security section.
It is worth noting that on some models with custom firmware or after obtaining Root rights, the displayed version can be changed by system modifications. ADB-team.
Use of the engineering menu and USSD-code
To get more technical information, including information about the radio module and build details, you can use the engineering menu, accessed through the standard Phone application by entering special commands, a powerful diagnostic tool, but requires caution.
Enter ##6484## to enter the CIT (Customer Integration Test) menu, where you can check not only the software version, but also the health of all hardware components. The Version or Software Version section contains complete information about all system modules, including the base station and Wi-Fi.
☑️ Checking in the engineering menu
Another useful code is ##4636##. It opens the testing menu, where you can see detailed information about the software in the Phone Details section, including uptime since the last download and usage statistics, which is useful for identifying hidden problems with system optimization.
⚠️ Warning: Exiting the engineering menu without saving settings (if you've changed anything) can reset important network settings.
Identification through computer and ADB
If the phone screen is broken or unresponsive, you can find out the version of the system through a connection to your computer, which requires installing Xiaomi USB Driver and the ADB utility (Android Debug Bridge), which is considered the most reliable and professional method.
Once you connect the cable and enable debugging via USB (if the screen is running) or in recovery mode, you can send a command to get all the information. Open the command line on your PC and type in:
adb shell getprop ro.build.version.incrementalThis command will output the exact build number. To get an Android version, use the adb shell getprop ro.build.version.release command, which provides "honest" data that has not been changed by visual themes or interface modifications.
💡
If ADB Can't see the device, try different ones. USB-You can use the original cable, or you can install the original cable, and often the problem is that there's a poor wire that only charges, but doesn't transmit data.
ADB also allows you to check the hash sum of system partitions, which is useful for suspected virus infection or modification of system files, a level of diagnostics available to advanced users and specialists of service centers.
Frequent questions about MIUI and HyperOS versions
There are many myths surrounding software updates and versions, and users often worry about whether to upgrade and what to do if the new version is slow. Here are some of the most popular questions to help navigate the Xiaomi update world.
Many people wonder if it is possible to roll back on the previous version, which is technically possible, but the procedure is complicated and requires unlocking the bootloader and completely clearing the data, which for ordinary users carries the risk of losing personal information and warranty service.
💡
The system version (downgrade) can only be rolled back with a complete data cleanup and an unlocked bootloader, which will void the warranty in some cases.