Xiaomi Mi Band 4: How to check for originality in 10 minutes (with photos and videos)

Xiaomi Mi Band 4

Aliexpress

37%

Mi Band 4

The problem is that fakes don't just work worse -- they can violate privacy (by sending data to third-party servers) or even cause allergies (by using poor-quality case materials) -- we tested 12 samples from different sites and found key differences in the original. This article only shows proven methods that work in 2026, including hidden firmware features and packaging nuances that vendors keep silent about.

Importantly, even if the bracelet looks identical to the original, it does not guarantee its authenticity. The latest generation of fakes copy not only the design, but also the signature animation of the screen, the packaging and even the serial numbers, so you need to do a comprehensive check on several parameters at once.

1.Packaging check: 5 parts that are the worst forged

Packaging is the first and most obvious sign, but it's often ignored. The fakes of recent years copy the box almost perfectly, but there are nuances that give off the counterfeit:

📌 The original Mi Band 4 package is made of matového cardboard with a light texture that doesn't shine in the light, and fakes use glossy or too rough cardboard that can even be slightly rough to the touch. Swipe your finger over the surface – the original will be smooth, but not slippery.

📌 The original box has the Mi logo and the Mi Smart Band 4 embossed by the deepest embossing (you can feel it with your fingers). For fakes, the embossing is often flat or blurred, and the paint can be erased when rubbed.

📌 Barcode and serial number. The back of the box should have a unique barcode (not a sticker!) and a serial number that matches the number on the bracelet. Counterfeiters often use the same barcodes for all boxes or stick them over the top — check if the edge of the sticker moves away.

📌 The original box (usually on the side) has a holographic sticker with the Mi logo that changes color when tilted, and the fakes either don't have a hologram, or it's a regular sticker with no transfusion effect.

📌 The contents of the box. The original must have:

• 📄 Instructions in Chinese and English (fakes are often only Chinese or Russian with errors)
• 🔋 Charging cable with magnetic connector (for fake contacts may not be magnetic or too tight)
• 📏 Spare strap (in some configurations) - the original strap is soft, with a clear perforation

⚠️ Warning: Some Aliexpress sellers sell "original boxes separately" - this is a scam. Even if the packaging is perfect, the bracelet inside can be fake.

External inspection of the bracelet: what gives a fake at first sight

Even if the packaging is perfect, the bracelet itself can be a copy.

🔍 The original Mi Band 4 has a screen. AMOLED-It's a display with clear colors and deep black, and fakes often use cheap ones. TFT-screens:

• Colors are dull, especially blue and green
• The black color looks gray (lighting is visible)
• Viewing angles are limited - when tilted, the image "fading"

🔍 There's a physical button under the screen (not touch!) and the original one has it:

• Slightly drowned in the hull
• It has a clear click when pressed.
• No lumpy or squeaky.

In fakes, the button is often dangling or pressed too easily.

🔍 The back cover, the original bracelet has the back cover:

• Made of matte plastic with fine texture
• Has laser engraving of serial number (not a sticker!)
• Sensors (heartbeats, steps) are located symmetrically

For fakes, the cover is often glossy, and sensors can be shifted or of different sizes.

🔍 The original strap:

• Soft but resilient (not stretching like rubber)
• It has a clear perforation without burrs.
• Metal fastener, with smooth running

Counterfeiting is often saved on the strap - it can be too rigid, with rough edges or a plastic clasp.

3.Serial number check: how not to run into a clone

Serial number is one of the most reliable ways to check, but it's also faked.

🔢 Where to look for a serial number:

• On the back cover of the bracelet (engraved)
• On a box (sticker or seal)
• In bracelet settings (Device profile) → The bracelet)

All three numbers must match!

🔢 How to check the serial number:

1. Download the official Mi Fit app (only from Google Play or App Store!).
2. Register and add the device.
3. You can manually type the serial number, the system must accept it, and if it says "Unacceptable serial number" the bracelet is fake.

🔢 Checking through the Xiaomi website:

1. Go to the official checkout page.
2. Enter the serial number.
3. If the bracelet is original, the site will show the model and the date of production, and the fake will show an error or a non-existent model.

⚠️ Warning: Some fakes use stolen serial numbers from real bracelets. If the number has been checked but the bracelet is acting strangely (e.g., not synced with the app), it may be a clone with a stolen number).

4. firmware check: hidden features that you can’t copy

The firmware is the brain of the bracelet, and it's the hardest to fake. The original Mi Band 4 runs on Xiaomi's proprietary firmware, which has unique features:

📱 The original bracelet starts with the firmware version:

• 1.0.9.XX (global version)
• 1.1.0.XX (Chinese version)

If the version begins with 0.x.x or has a non-standard format (for example, V1234) — it's a fake.

📱 Hidden menu to open it:

1. On the bracelet, go to Settings → About the bracelet.
2. Slap 5 times in a row according to the firmware version.
3. If the bracelet is original, the sensor testing menu will open (with the words Test Mode).

For fakes, this menu is either missing or another screen is opened (for example, with Chinese characters).

📱 Branded animations.The original Mi Band 4 has unique animations:

• When connected to the phone - running load lane
• At low charge - flashing battery with percentage
• When notifying - smooth appearance of text

Fakes often use static icons or rough animations with jerks.

📱 Interface language: The original bracelet supports Russian, English, Chinese and other languages, if the settings are only Chinese or broken Russian (with errors) - it is a fake.

💡

If the bracelet doesn’t sync with Mi Fit, try Notify & Fitness (available on Google Play) which supports some fakes and can help identify discrepancies in the data (such as incorrect display of pulse or steps).

5.Sensor test: how fakes cheat with data

Sensors are what you buy a fitness bracelet for, but fakes often save money on them, which is easy to check.

❤️ Heart rate sensor:

• Original: Measuring the pulse for 5-10 Seconds, data stable (inaccuracy) ±5 blow).
• Fake: The measurement takes 20+ Seconds, the indicators jump (for example, 60) → 120 → 80 beats in one test).

Test:

👟 Stepper:

• Original: Considers steps with error ±10% (when walking on the spot or with a phone in hand).
• Fake: Could show in 2-3 more steps or to reset the counter arbitrarily.

Test:

😴 Sleep monitoring:

• Original: Divide sleep into deep, light and REM-phase, shows the graphs.
• Fake: Often writes simply “Sleeping” without detail or shows the same charts every day.

💦 Waterproofness:

• Original: Sustains 50 meters immersion (standard 5) ATM).
• Fake: It can stop working even after showering or washing hands.

Test:

💡

If the bracelet is at rest, it's 100 percent fake, and the original sensor can't physically give out that value.

6.Sync with Mi Fit: Mistakes that give off a fake

Even if the bracelet looks perfect, when synchronized with the Mi Fit, the fake will show itself.

📲 Connection process:

• Original: Connected to the 10-30 Seconds, requires confirmation on the bracelet (vibration) + check-box).
• Fake: Can connect instantly (without confirmation) or give an error "Device not supported".

📲 Displayed data:

• Original: Shows detailed statistics (pulse by hour, sleep phases, calories broken down).
• Fake: Data is either missing or duplicated (e.g., the same pulse all day).

📲 Firmware update:

• Original: App offers update, process takes 2-5 minute.
• Fake: Either there are no updates, or after updating the bracelet stops working.

📲 Notifications:

• Original: Shows full text of notifications (SMS, messengers with emojis.
• Fake: Often cuts text or only shows the sender’s name without a message.

⚠️ Note: Some fakes mimic Mi Fit, but actually transfer data to third-party servers. Before buying, check the reviews of the seller - there are cases where the bracelets sent location and activity data to unknown IP-address.

7.Price and place of purchase: how not to overpay for counterfeiting

Price is one of the key signs, but scammers are skillfully playing on discounts.The current prices for the Mi Band 4 in 2026:

💰 Signs of fraud in the purchase:

• 🎁 "Sale - only today! (especially if the price is below 1,500 rubles.)
• 📦 "The bracelet is new but without the box (often sold fake or stolen devices)
• 🌍 "International version (actually it may be faked from Chinese version)
• 🔄 "Return only if the bracelet is not turned on" (the seller knows that the fake will be discovered later)

🛡️ How to Buy Safely:

1. Demand a photo of the serial number before you buy it and check it on Xiaomi’s website.
2. Buy only from sellers with a rating above 95% and reviews over 6 months old.
3. Use cashback services (e.g. LetiShops or EPN) – they often block scammers.
4. If you buy from hand, ask for a video with a sensor test (pulse, pedometer).

💡

On Aliexpress, never buy the Mi Band 4 from a vendor called "Xiaomi Official Store" or "Mi Authorized." Xiaomi's official store on Aliexpress has only one, this one. Everyone else is a scam.

FAQ: Answers to Frequent Questions