Xiaomi AirDots Original vs Fake: How to Distinguish Real Headphones in 5 Minutes

Xiaomi AirDots wireless headphones (and their modifications: AirDots Pro, AirDots 3, AirDots Youth) have long been a hit thanks to the ratio of price to quality. But the popularity of the problem is that the market is flooded with fakes that are almost indistinguishable from the original. According to AliExpress and Wildberries, up to 40% of the proposals for the request “Xiaomi AirDots” are counterfeit, and there are two types of fakes: full copies (with the Xiaomi logo, but another “iron hardware”) and “gray” replicas (assembled from the original, without a license).

The difference between them is huge: the original AirDots last up to 4 hours on a single charge (versus 1.5-2 hours for fakes), support Bluetooth 5.0 (rather than the outdated 4.2), and they can be officially updated through the Mi Home app. In this article, 7 ways of checking that work for all models of the series (including AirDots 3 Pro and AirDots SE). Some methods require only visual inspection, others – special applications or even disassembly of headphones. Choose the appropriate difficulty level!

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

The box is the first and most obvious sign of the original. Counterfeit packages are often full of errors, but some fakes copy the design by 90%.

• 📦 Print quality: the original box is matte, with clear fonts and flat edges, often glossy, with blurred letters or shifted colors (especially against a white background).
• 🔍 Barcode and QR-code: both codes lead to the official Xiaomi website (check through the Barcode Scanner app or the official Xiaomi website) QR Fakes may lead to suspicious sites or not be crawled at all.
• 📏 Box sizes: the original AirDots packaging has exact dimensions 105 × 105 × 40 - Even if it's a deviation 2–3 mm - sign of counterfeiting.
• 💰 Price on the sticker: if the box shows the price in dollars or euros (for example, "$29.99" is 100% fake.The original Xiaomi never put the price on the package.
• 📝 Serial number: Must match the number on the headphones and in the Mi Home app.

Critical: The original AirDots Pro 2 and later has a holographic sticker with the Mi logo that changes color when tilted, either without it or the sticker is static.

2. Visual inspection of headphones: 3 hidden tags of the original

Even if the packaging is perfect, the headphones themselves can be fake.

Label 1: The logo on the body. On the original AirDots, the Mi logo (or Xiaomi on the new models) is laser-engraved, you can feel it with your finger. On the fakes, the logo is either pasted or simply painted (erased over time).

Tag 2: LEDs. In the original headphones, the indicators are lit with uniform white/red light, fakes are often bluish or yellow, and also flash chaoticly (the original flashes at 1 second interval).

Label 3: Weight and material: Original AirDots weigh 4.1 g (for AirDots 3 - 4.5 g), fakes - from 3.2 g to 5 g The original body is matte, with soft plastic; counterfeits are often glossy or with rough seams.

⚠️ Warning: some fakes even copy serial numbers! check them through the official Mi Home app - unless the headphones are identified as Mi True Wireless Earphones, it's counterfeit.

3. Check through the Mi Home app: step-by-step instructions

The most reliable way is to connect your headphones to the Mi Home app (available for Android and iOS).

1. Download Mi Home from the App Store or Google Play (beware of clones!).
2. Sign up or sign in through your Xiaomi account.
3. Click Add Device (+) → Headphones → Mi True Wireless Earphones.
4. Activate the pairing mode on the headphones (hold the button on the case for 3 seconds until the indicator starts flashing white).
5. Wait for the app to find the device. The original headphones will show up with the full model name (e.g. Mi True Wireless Earphones 2).

If the headphones are connected, but:

• 🚫 The battery level is not displayed. → fake.
• 🚫 There is no way to update the firmware → fake.
• 🚫 The name of the model is displayed as "LE-BH-***" → Fake (original name in English).

Install the official Mi Home| app

Check the model name in the list of devices |

Update the firmware (if available)|

Compare the charge level with the real state| -->

Important: Some fakes may connect to Mi Home but will not display detailed information (such as firmware version or serial number) in which case move on to the next verification method.

4. Sound and microphone test: how to hear the difference

The original AirDots use speakers with a diameter of 7.2 mm with support for AAC and SBC codecs, and counterfeits usually feature cheap speakers of 6 mm without AAC support, which is immediately audible:

• 🎵 Bass: in the original deep and clear, in the fake - "bulging" or absent.
• 🎤 Microphone: original noise suppression (cVc 8.0 technology), fake transmits all interference.
• 🔊 Maximum volume: the original plays loudly without distortion, the fake "hreezes" at 70% volume.

Run the test:

1. Include a track with deep bass (e.g., "Seven Nation Army" - The White Stripes).
2. Call a friend and ask them to rate the quality of your voice (in fake voice sounds like “from the barrel”).
3. Listen to music at maximum volume – the original does not distort the sound.

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For accurate sound testing, use the Audio Test (Android) or Frequency Sound Generator (iOS) app. The original AirDots reproduce frequencies from 20 Hz to 20 kHz without dips, fakes "swallow" frequencies below 50 Hz and above 16 kHz.

5. Check firmware and hidden functions

The original AirDots have a unique firmware that can be checked through a hidden menu or specialized applications.

Method 1: Using the nRF Connect application (Android/iOS)

1. Install nRF Connect from the app store.
2. Connect the headphones in pairing mode.
3. Go to the UUID tab and find the service 0000ffe0-0000-1000-8000-00805f9b34fb.
4. If the headphones are original, you'll see specs called FFE1 and FFE2. Counterfeits often have occasional UUIDs.

Method 2: Using the AT command (Android only)

Use the Serial Bluetooth Terminal app:

AT+VERS?


AT+NAME?




AT+ADDR?

The original headphones will answer:

• VERS: Mi_AirDots_XXX (where XXX — firmware).
• NAME: Mi True Wireless Earphones.
• ADDR: XX:XX:XX:XX:XX:XX (MAC-address C8:0F:10 or 88:E9:FE new-model).

⚠️ Note: if the headphones respond to commands, but the answer is Cyrillic or characters, it is 100% fake.

6.The analysis of headphones: what hide fakes inside

If you're willing to go to extreme lengths, deconstructing the headphones will reveal all the secrets.

• 🔋 Battery: The original uses Lishen batteries or ATL Mi-labeled fakes put cheap batteries without a brand.
• 📱 Control board: The original board has the inscription Mi or Xiaomi next to the Qualcomm chip QCC3020 (or BES2300 Fakes use Jieli or Realtek chips.
• 🔌 Charging contacts: in the original 4 gilded contacts, in fakes - 3 or oxidized.

How to make out:

1. Carefully put a knife or mediator back cover of the headphone (start from the place next to the microphone).
2. Unplug the battery (it is glued to bilateral scotch).
3. Take a picture of the board and compare it to official photos (for example, on the MIUI forum).

7.Serial number check on Xiaomi website

The last and most reliable way is to check the serial number on Xiaomi's official website.

1. Find the serial number on the headphones (printed on the inside of the case or under the battery cover).
2. Go to mi.com/global/verify.
3. Enter the serial number and the captcha.
4. If the headphones are original, the site will show the model and the date of production, and a fake will show an error "Invalid SN".

Important: the serial number must match the number on the box and in the Mi Home app, and if one digit doesn't match, it's a fake.

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The only way to guarantee to buy original AirDots is to buy from official Xiaomi stores (Mi Store) or authorized sellers (with a serial number check before payment).

FAQ: Frequent questions about Xiaomi AirDots verification