How to check Xiaomi when buying: full checklist for 2026

Buying a Xiaomi smartphone is a crucial step, especially if it is a high-end model or buying from hand. Even in official stores, there are fakes, and in the secondary market – phones with hidden defects or unoriginal components. This article will help to avoid typical errors and check the device on all key parameters, from appearance to software tests.

We'll look at how to tell the original from the replica, what features the device gives off as a new one, and what tools to use for deep diagnostics. We'll focus on IMEI, battery and screen, the most vulnerable components. If you buy a Redmi, POCO or Xiaomi 14 flagship series, these recommendations are relevant for all models of the brand.

Tip: before meeting with the seller, save this page in bookmarks - so you can quickly check with the checklist right while checking the phone.

1. Originality Check: How Not to Buy a Fake

Xiaomi fakes are often indistinguishable from the originals, but have worse specs and shorter lifespans. The first thing you need to do is check the serial number on the box and in the phone settings.

Go to Settings → Phone → General information and compare the data with the label on the package. If the numbers do not match or there is no hologram with the Mi logo, this is 100% fake. Pay attention to the quality of the print: the original boxes have clear text, no blurs, and the barcode is scanned by any application.

• 📦 Box: Must be made of thick cardboard with matte coating. Chinese and English inscriptions are mandatory.
• 🔍 Hologram: The Mi logo sticker changes color when tilted (rainbow effect) Counterfeiting often has the usual shiny sticker.
• 📱 Firmware: In the original devices installed MIUI with branded wallpaper and applications (Mi Store, Mi Community).

Warning: some scammers paste holograms from other boxes, and always check the serial number through the official Mi Verify service.

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If the seller refuses to show the box or documents, it is a reason to be wary. The original Xiaomi always sells with a full package: charger, cable, paperclip for the tray. SIM-maps and documentation.

External inspection: signs of B/U or repair

Even if the phone looks new, it may have been repaired or used before.

• 🔧 Rivets on the case: On the original Xiaomi screws have star-shaped slits (Torx) T3 or T4). If you see scratches around the screws - the body was opened.
• 📱 Clearances and backlashes: Use your nail to the junctions of the screen and body. New phones have minimal gaps (no more than 0.5 mm).
• 🎨 Color of case: Compare the shade of the back panel and the frame.
• 🔋 Battery sticker: The original batteries have a hologram with a serial number matching the number on the box.

Critical: If you see microcracks in bright light (light a flashlight at an angle), this phone has definitely been repaired or dropped. Also check all the buttons - they should be pressed with a clear click, without backlash.

Verification of IMEI and serial number

IMEI is a unique identifier for a phone that you can use to check its history. To find out the IMEI, type on your phone keyboard *#06# or look at Settings → About Phone → General information.

Check this number against what is on the box and under the battery (if removable).

• 🌍 IMEI.info – show model, date of production and country.
• 🔍 SNDDeep – check if the device is not blacklisted (stolen/locked).
• 📱 Xiaomi’s official service will confirm authenticity.

⚠️ Attention: If IMEI It starts with 000000 or is not determined – the phone is either fake or stitched with unofficial software. Also check if the model in the settings matches the one indicated on the box (for example, the Redmi Note 12 Pro should not be defined as POCO X5).

4. Screen Diagnostics: Broken Pixels and Backlight

The screen is the most expensive part of the smartphone, and its defects are often hidden.

1. Install Screen Test (available on Google Play).
2. Turn on tests for monochromatic colors (red, green, blue, black, white).
3. Look at the screen from different angles – look for broken pixels, yellow spots, or uneven backlights.

Pay attention to:

• 🔴 Broken pixels: Small colored dots that don’t change when the screen changes color.
• 💡 There should be no light spots on a black background (the effect of "clouding").
• 📏 Touch lines: Swipe your finger around the edges of the screen – if artifacts appear, it’s a sign of matrix damage.

⚠️ Attention: AMOLED-screens (installed in Xiaomi flagships) 13/14) Run the test on a white background — if you see traces of static interface elements (such as navigation bars), the screen is worn out.

5. Battery testing: capacity and wear

The battery is the first component that wears out, to check its condition:

1. Install the AccuBattery app (for Android).
2. Charge your phone to 100% and see the actual capacity (should match the passport ±5%).
3. Check the number of charging cycles (more than 500 cycles – critical wear).

You can also use the hidden menu of Xiaomi:

1. Type on the keyboard ##4636##.
2. Select Battery Information.
3. Compare the level (charge level) and health (state).

⚠️ Warning: If your phone runs out by more than 10% in an hour in standby mode (with Wi-Fi and mobile data turned off), the battery needs to be replaced. Also check if the battery is bloated - put the phone on a flat surface and spin. If the case "plays", the battery is deformed.

Checking the camera and speakers

Xiaomi cameras are known for their quality, but even minor defects can ruin photos.

• 📸 Main camera: Take a picture in good light and check for detail (enlarge the picture.
• 🌃 Night mode: Take a picture of the dark corner of the room. Flagships (Xiaomi 13 Ultra) should have a minimum amount of noise.
• 🔊 Speakers: Turn on the music at maximum volume. The sound should be clear, without wheezing. Check the stereo effect (on dual-speaker models).
• 🎤 Microphone: Record a voice message and listen. There should be no background noise.

Pay attention to autofocus: point the camera at a nearby object (10-15 cm) and back. In the original modules, focus is fast and without "problem" areas. If the camera takes a long time to "catch" a focus or give blurry pictures, it may be damaged lens or matrix.

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Even if the camera is outwardly working, check it for overheating. After 5-10 minutes of shooting video in 4K, the case should not become hot (maximum - warm).

7. Performance and sensor testing

To make sure that the phone is not braking and all sensors are working, follow the following steps:

1. Benchmark: Install AnTuTu or Geekbench and compare the results to the benchmarks for your model. A deviation of more than 15% down is a sign of a malfunction.
2. Sensors: 🧭 Gyroscope: Spin the phone in the Sensor Test app - the arrow should smoothly repeat the movements. 📍 GPS: Enable geolocation and check accuracy in Google Maps (no more deviations) 5-10 meters). 👆 Approximation Sensor: During a call, the screen should go out when lifted to the ear.

Network

⚠️ Warning: If the phone suddenly reboots when loaded (such as in games), this may indicate a processor or memory problem. Also check if the case is warming in the chipset area (usually the top of the chipset).

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To check RAM, use the command adb shell cat /proc/meminfo (requires USB debugging enabled). Compare the MemTotal value with the official model specifications.

8. Documentation and guarantees

The original Xiaomi smartphones are sold with a full set of documents:

• 📄 Warranty card: Must be filled in in the name of the seller (if the store) or empty (if the purchase is handheld).
• 🏷️ Check or invoice: Check the date of sale – it must coincide with the date of activation of the phone (you can find out through Settings). → The phone. → Status).
• 🌐 Firmware Region: In Settings → Additionally. → The region should be the country of sale (for example, Russia for official deliveries to the Russian Federation).

If you buy your phone from hand, ask the seller:

1. Provide a check or a warranty card (if there is a guarantee).
2. Show usage history (e.g., screenshots from AccuBattery with the date of first charge).
3. Confirm the absence of a credit block (through the MTS or MegaFon service).

⚠️ WARNING: If a seller refuses to provide documents or asks for a surcharge for a customs clearance, it is fraud.

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When buying a phone with your hands, always make a receipt for the transfer of money with the serial number of the device, which will protect you in case of disputes.

FAQ: Frequent questions when buying Xiaomi