What firmware is on Xiaomi Redmi Note 3: versions and differences

Owners of the legendary Xiaomi Redmi Note 3 smartphone often wonder what operating system is installed on their device at the moment. This device, released in the mid-2010s, became a real bestseller thanks to the metal body and powerful at the time processor. However, the variety of modifications and versions of the software creates confusion, especially when it comes to flashing or recovering from a failure.

Understanding the firmware on the Xiaomi Redmi Note 3 is critical to installing drivers correctly, choosing an upgrade method, and finding compatible tools to unlock the bootloader. In this article, we’ll detail the differences between the global and Chinese versions, and explain how to identify your model among the many modifications.

First, you need to decide on the hardware platform, because it dictates the choice of software. There are two main modifications of this smartphone, which are fundamentally different from each other under the hood.

Model Identification: Special Edition vs Pro

The first step before determining the software version is to determine exactly what the device is, and there are two major versions on the market: the Redmi Note 3 Special Edition (SE) based on a MediaTek processor and the Redmi Note 3 Pro based on a Qualcomm Snapdragon. This separation is fundamental, since firmware from one model is completely incompatible with the other and if you try to install it will lead to the failure of the gadget.

Visually, you can distinguish the models by the marking on the back cover, but the most reliable way to check the specifications is through the settings menu. The version on MediaTek (codenamed kenzo or kate for some regions, although more often kate is SE, and kenzo is Pro, but in the developer environment there is a lot of confusion, so it is better to watch the processor model) usually has 2 or 3 GB of RAM. The Pro version (codenamed kenzo) is equipped with a more powerful chipset and often has 3 GB of RAM.

⚠️ Attempt to install firmware for Snapdragon on the MediaTek device (and vice versa) is guaranteed to lead to a “brick”, which will not be able to recover software methods without disassembling and using the programmer.

For accurate identification, go to the Settings menu → About the phone and find the line "Version" MIUI". It'll show the code for the model, and you can use third-party tools like this. CPU-Z or AIDA64, Which will show the exact name of the processor: MT6795 Special Edition and Snapdragon 650 for Pro.

Android operating system versions and MIUI shells

Official support for the Xiaomi Redmi Note 3 ended a few years ago, so it’s important to understand which version of Android the developers stopped on.The device originally went on sale with Android 5.1 Lollipop, but later received an update to Android 6.0 Marshmallow.

As for the brand shell, the situation is more diverse: the device went from MIUI 7 to MIUI 9, after which the official updates stopped. Users wanting to get more recent versions of Android (7, 8, 9 and above) are forced to turn to custom firmware such as LineageOS, Pixel Experience or Xiaomi.eu.

Global stable versions of MIUI for Redmi Note 3 Pro (Kenzo) usually have a label ending in MIUI Global Stable. Chinese versions may be updated more often and have features not available in the global, but they are devoid of pre-installed Google services and have Chinese as their primary language (although English is often present).

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To check the relevance of the version, go to Settings → About Phone → System Update. If the phone is connected to the Internet, it will report the availability of a new official version.

Firmware types: Global, China and Developer

When you look at the firmware on the Xiaomi Redmi Note 3, you need to understand the differences between regional builds. Global ROM is designed for the international market, has built-in multilingual (including Russian), certified Google services and works with communication frequencies used outside of China.

The Chinese version (China ROM) is aimed at the domestic market of China, which is characterized by the presence of Xiaomi advertising services, the absence of some Google services out of the box (they need to be installed manually), and more aggressive optimization of power consumption, which sometimes interferes with the work of messengers in the background.

There is also a developer version (Developer ROM or Dev) that updates weekly on Fridays and contains the latest features that haven’t been tested long enough for a stable version, requiring an unlocked bootloader and designed for power users.

• 🌏 Global Stable: Maximum Stability, All Languages, Google Play, Rare Updates.
• 🇨🇳 China Stable: High stability, no Russian language (requires installation of language package), many Chinese apps.
• 🛠️ Developer: Weekly updates, access to new features, possible bugs and bugs.

The choice between these versions depends on your needs: if you need a phone for calls and social networks out of the box, choose Global. If you are an enthusiast and want the latest MIUI features, Dev is your choice.

How to find out the current version of the firmware

There are several reliable ways to determine which software is installed on your Redmi Note 3. The easiest method is to use the standard interface. Go to Settings → About the phone. At the top of the screen you will see a large digit version of MIUI, for example, MIUI 9.2.4.0.

The first digits (9.2.4) indicate the shell version. The next three digits (0) are the regional code. The letter index at the end of the line (e.g. MHOCNXM) tells you the firmware type: CN stands for China, GL or MI for Global, RU for Russia. The last letter indicates the build type: X for stable, W for weekly (Developer).

Decryption: MIUI 9.2.4.0.MHOCNXM


M - Android version (M = Marshmallow 6.0)




H is the code name of the device (H = Kenzo/Pro)




O - Region (CN = China)




X - Build type (X = Stable)




M - Firmware version

⚠️ Note: If the build number contains the characters "Beta" or "Weekly", this means that the phone has a test version installed, which may contain errors.

For a deeper analysis, you can use the Engineering Menu mode. Dial ##6484## in the dialer. This will open the CIT menu, where you can find detailed information on the versions of all components, including the basic radio part and bootloader, in the Version Information section.

Comparison of the characteristics of firmware in the table

For clarity, compare the basic parameters of different types of firmware that can be found on the Xiaomi Redmi Note 3. This will help you quickly navigate if you choose the option for flashing.

As you can see from the table, the best option for the average user is Global Stable, which provides a balance between functionality and stability of the system.

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The key difference between firmware is not only the interface language, but also the presence of pre-installed Google services and the frequency of receiving security updates.

Software update and recovery process

If you think your current firmware is not good enough, you can upgrade it or reinstall it. There are two main methods: air-to-air updates" (OTA) and manual installation through Recovery. OTA-update is available only if the phone is official firmware and the bootloader is not blocked by third-party changes.

For manual installation, you will need to download a firmware file with the.zip extension (for Recovery) or.tgz (for Fastboot). The Recovery file can be installed directly through the update menu by selecting three dots in the corner of the screen and specifying the path to the file. However, if you change the region (for example, from China to Global), you will need a complete data cleanup and an unlocked bootloader.

The Fastboot firmware process requires a PC connection and the use of the Mi Flash Tool utility.This is a more complex method that allows you to completely clean the phone and install a clean system, but it requires the presence of ADB and Fastboot drivers on the computer.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)