Where to Find a Serial Number on Xiaomi: A Comprehensive Guide

Owning a modern device from Xiaomi is not only a pleasure to use advanced functionality, but also a responsibility to maintain it. Sooner or later, every owner of a Redmi or POCO smartphone has to face the need to find a unique identifier for their gadget. Serial number (SN) and International Mobile Equipment Identifier (IMEI) are key parameters without which it is impossible to register a device on the official website, verify its authenticity or obtain warranty service.

Situations where this code is required come suddenly, from activating an extended warranty to locking a stolen phone or unlocking a bootloader to install custom firmware. A unique ID acts as your device's digital passport. Losing access to this information can turn a simple registration process into a lengthy bureaucratic procedure, so it's up to every user of the Mi ecosystem to know where to look for this data.

Fortunately, the Chinese giant’s engineers have devised many ways to get this information so that users don’t find themselves in a desperate situation: duplicated in the MIUI or HyperOS software shell, on the physical label of the case, on the packaging box, and even in the purchase checks. In this article, we’ll go through all the possible search options in detail, eliminating the risk of error when entering long alphanumeric combinations.

Data search through device system settings

The most obvious and accessible way, which doesn't require any additional tools, is to go to the menu of the smartphone itself. If your device turns on and the screen reacts to touch, you can find the code you want in a few seconds. You need to unlock the screen and go to the main menu where the Settings icon is located. In the list of options that opens, you should select the top item, which is usually called About the phone or About the device.

This section displays basic information about the model, operating system version and processor. However, the data you want is often hidden by default to avoid cluttering the interface. You'll need to find a line that says Serial Number or IMEI. In some versions of MIUI firmware, this information is hidden under an additional menu. If you don't see the numbers right away, try to find All specs or just click several times in a row on the line with the version of the processor or kernel, which sometimes opens a hidden engineering menu with full data.

For user convenience, the system allows you to copy the number to the clipboard. Usually, you just need to make a long press (tap and hold) on a string with the numbers IMEI or SN. The screen will appear a pop-up notification that the data is copied. This is especially useful when filling out forms on a site where high input accuracy is required, since the human eye can easily confuse similar characters, such as the number 0 and the letter O.

⚠️ Warning: In new versions of the HyperOS shell, the menu may be slightly reorganized, unless the About section has direct access to the phone. IMEI, Try to cross the path: Settings → Mainstream → Device information.

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Use the copy function with long-term pressing to avoid errors of manually entering long codes on registration sites or in warranty forms.

Use of the engineering menu and USSD-team

For those who prefer quick solutions and don’t want to wander through the maze of settings menus, there is a universal method that works on most Android devices, including Xiaomi. USSD-You don't need to access the Internet or the settings menu, just go to the Phone app, where you usually dial a number to call.

In the dialing field, you need to enter a special combination of characters. IMEI The serial number uses the standard code *#06#. Immediately after entering the last character, the system automatically, without the need to press the call button, opens the pop-up window: IMEI first-sim card, IMEI for the second (if the device is two-symbol), as well as the serial number (SN) sometimes MAC-Wi-Fi address.

This method is especially valuable in situations where the system interface is unstable, but the dialer is functioning. It also allows you to quickly check the data displayed by software with the data written on the case, which is useful when buying a used device. If the code #06# for some reason did not work (which happens on custom firmware or heavily modified versions of MIUI), you can try an alternative way through the engineering menu by entering the code # #6484##*, which will open the CIT test menu. There, select Version Information, you can see the complete data on the hardware.

• 📱 Enter the code carefully, without spaces and additional characters, otherwise the command will not work.
• 📶 In some models, information can be displayed as QR-code that also contains all the necessary data.
• 🔒 Access to the engineering menu may be limited to the operator or the security settings of the region.

Physical stickers and markings on the body

If the smartphone is not turning on, the screen is broken or the device is locked, physical media come to the rescue. Manufacturers are required to put identification data on the device, so you can find them, not including the gadget. On modern models Xiaomi, Redmi and POCO with a non-removable battery, the main information sticker is located on the back cover of the case, which is a small label, often silver or white, located at the bottom of the back or under the logo.

This sticker contains brief but important information: device model, voltage and charging current, country of production, as well as the desired IMEI and SN. However, it is worth considering that over time the label can be erased, especially if you wear a phone without a case. Also, on some global versions of smartphones, the factory sticker can be glued over an additional information sticker in Russian imported for a specific region of sale.

For removable battery devices (found in older or budget models), the information is duplicated under the battery. You need to turn off the phone, remove the back cover, and remove the battery. At the bottom of the compartment, right on the plastic case of the phone, a silver stripe with barcodes and numbers will be glued on it, which is the most reliable source of data, because it is independent of the state of the software.

⚠️ Warning: Never try to rip off a factory sticker from the case if you plan to hand over the device under warranty. IMEI on the case is a legal basis for refusal of warranty repair.

Information on the packaging box

The most reliable and easily readable source of information about your device is the original packaging box. It is the data printed on the box that is most often required to register the device on the Mi Account portal or when you contact customer support. There is always a white barcode sticker on the side or back of the cardboard box, and it is the most complete and structured data here.

The first one usually contains a model of the device (e.g., M2101K7BG). Below are barcodes with the signatures IMEI 1, IMEI 2 (if any) and S/N (Serial Number). The numbers are duplicated with the text under the barcode for easy reading. It is important to keep the box for at least a warranty period (usually 1 year), since when returning goods to a store or service center, it is often required to show the original package with intact marking.

If you buy a device from hand, the lack of a box or IMEI mismatch on the IMEI box in the phone system (which can be punched by requesting *#06#) is a wake-up call.This may indicate that the device is assembled from different parts, restored informally or has a changed identifier, making it a “brick” for further resale.

Checking through the Mi Account and the manufacturer’s website

Xiaomi’s modern ecosystem allows you to manage devices remotely. If your smartphone is tied to Mi Account and has Internet access, you can find its serial number through a web interface. This is useful if the phone itself is not available right now, but you need to know its ID to lock or track it. Go to the official i.mi.com website and log in to your account.

In the personal account, in the device management section, you often see a list of gadgets associated with the account. By clicking on a particular device, you can see its detailed characteristics, including the serial number and IMEI. However, this method does not always work stable and depends on the regional settings of the account and the version of MIUI. A more reliable way is to use an official authentication service.

There is a form on mi.com/global/verify (or regional version) where you can type in IMEI or SN. While the main purpose of this page is to check the status of the warranty, it also confirms that the number you entered does exist in the manufacturer's databases and corresponds to the stated model, which is a great way to double-check the data if you doubt its correctness.

Use of PC and Mi PC Suite

For advanced users who are engaged in firmware or deep tuning, it is important to search for data through a connection to a computer. PC Suite (or its modern counterparts, since the original version for Windows has not been updated for a long time, but works) allows you to see the connected device. USB-cable in debugging or just charging, in the program logs or in the device information window often displays Serial Number.

You can also use the ADB (Android Debug Bridge) debugging tools. If your phone is debugging over USB, connect it to your PC and execute a command in the terminal: adb shell getprop ro.serialno. This command will return the exact serial number of the device. To get an IMEI through ADB, you will need to enter more complex commands, such as adb shell service iphonesubinfo call 1, the result will need to be decoded, since it is often issued in Hex format or broken down by characters.

The good thing about this method is that it delivers clean data directly from the system that is not programmatically forged at the user interface level. If one number is displayed on the phone's menu and another number is displayed via ADB, it's a clear sign that the phone's firmware has been modified or the device has undergone unqualified repair with a replacement board.

⚠️ Attention: For use ADB-Teams need to install drivers ADB on the computer and enable the debugger mode in the menu "For developers" on the smartphone.

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The fastest way is to command *#06#, the most reliable for warranty is to stick on the box, and for authenticity diagnosis it is best to compare all available sources.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)