How to check the originality of the smartphone Xiaomi Redmi: a complete guide with photos and videos

Buying Xiaomi Redmi at a price below market is a dream for many, but the risk of running into a fake makes this dream a nightmare. According to Counterpoint Research, up to 12% of Xiaomi smartphones in the secondary market of the CIS are counterfeit or “gray” replicas with dubious origins, and scammers manage to copy not only budget models like the Redmi 12C, but also the flagship Redmi K60 Pro, forging even the MIUI firmware.

This article is not just a list of tips, but a step-by-step verification algorithm based on the latest cheating patterns (2026), and we'll look at how to distinguish the original from the fake by hidden hardware tags that don't even copy Chinese "handicraft" factories, check the firmware for backdoors, and learn to read the device's "passport" through the engineering menu, and at the end, a 15-point checklist that will save you from buying a brick with the original money.

1.Packaging Check: 5 Details That Scammers Don't Copy

The box is the first and most obvious indicator of a fake, but take your time to be happy if it flaunts the Mi logo: modern replicas are packed in boxes that are visually indistinguishable from the original.

• 📦 Serial number on the sticker: On the original box it matches the number in the Settings menu → The phone. → Fakes often print random numbers or duplicate numbers from other devices.
• 🔍 Hologram: The sticker on the original changes color when tilted (the “rainbow effect”), and in fakes it is matte or peels off when trying to scratch the nail.
• 📏 The inscriptions "Made in China" or "Assembled in India" are engraved with a laser (feels with your fingers), and on fakes - simply printed.
• 🔗 QR-code: Scan it through the Mi Home app – the original will redirect to the model’s official page, the fake will give an error or lead to a suspicious website.
• 📎 In the box with the original Redmi always lies documentation in Chinese (even for global versions), and forgeries often only English or Russian.

⚠️ Warning: Fraudsters have learned to fake even holograms, so the packaging is just the first filter. IMEI and firmware.

IMEI Verification: How to Calculate a Clone by Serial Number

IMEI (International Mobile Equipment Identity is a unique phone identifier that cannot be tampered with at the hardware level (unless you re-sweeten the chip). IMEI:

1. Dial on the phone keyboard *#06# - the screen will appear 15-digit number (or two if the smartphone supports two). SIM-map).
2. Compare it to the number on the box and under the battery (if removable). = 100% fake.
3. Check it out. IMEI through official services: 🌐 IMEI.info – will show the model, year of release and country of manufacture. 🔍 Official Xiaomi checker - enter IMEI and the serial number off the box.

⚠️ Attention: If IMEI It starts with 86 (China) or 35 (India/Brazil) -- that's normal for the originals. IMEI Prefixed with 01, 00 or 99, a sign of a fake or grey phone with an interrupted number.

Compare numbers on the box and on the phone | Check via *#06#| Enter data on mi.com/verify| Make sure the model and year match | Check the manufacturer country-->

3. Hidden hardware tags: what scammers can not copy

Even if the packaging and IMEI seem genuine, there is a risk of a clone with a re-stitched MIUI. To calculate such a deception, check hardware tags that cannot be forged without replacing the motherboard:

• 🔧 Battery serial number: The original Redmis have a laser engraved on a metal plate, and the fakes have a sticker or paint that is erased with alcohol.
• 📱 Mark on. SIM-Lot: The originals are next to the slots for SIM There's a micro-signature, "Designed by Xiaomi," which is visible under a magnifying glass.
• 🔋 Battery: The original battery has QR-Counterfeit products often use batteries from other brands (such as Samsung or Huawei) with the Mi logo pasted.
• 🔊 Speakers and microphones: The original Redmi speakers and microphones are symmetrically arranged (check the circuitry for your model.

💡 Useful tip: Take a flashlight and light the screen at an angle of 45°. On the original. AMOLED-Xiaomi screens (e.g. Redmi) K50) You will see the Mi logo in the top left corner, it is applied during the production phase, and it is not copied on fakes.

4. Firmware Check: How to Calculate the "Left" MIUI

Fake Xiaomi Redmis are often stitched with pirated versions of MIUIs that are seemingly indistinguishable from the original, but there are 4 signs that can be used to calculate the fake:

1. MIUI version: Go to Settings → About Phone → MIUI version. The original firmware is MIUI format by Xiaomi (e.g. MIUI 14.0.5 by Xiaomi). Fakes often write simply MIUI 14 or add a postfix like global.
2. Google Services: The original global versions have Google Play, YouTube and Gmail preinstalled, and if they don't, you're either in Chinese (check the region in the settings then) or fake.
3. Engineering menu: Enter ##4636###, the original test menu will open, and fakes often show an error or an empty screen.
4. Updates by Air (OTA): Go to Settings → About Phone → System Update. The original will offer to download the update from Xiaomi servers, a fake - either will give an error or will be "updated" from suspicious sources.

⚠️ Note: If the menu is Settings → Additionally. → The region is worth China, but the phone is marketed as a global version - it is either a "gray" import or a fake. Global Redmi always have the region of India, Russia or Global.

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Download the Identifier CPU app from Google Play and check the processor model, for example, if the phone is sold as a Redmi Note 12 Pro+ with a Dimensity 1080 chip and the app shows the Helio G96, you're seeing a fake.

5. Testing of camera and sensors: what gives a fake

Cameras and sensors are a weak point of Xiaomi Redmi clones, and even if the phone looks like the original, you just need to run a few tests to detect the fraud:

• 📸 Photo quality: Take a picture in 48MP mode (if supported) and zoom in on your computer.Sony's original sensors IMX Samsung ISOCELL They retain details even with strong zoom, and fakes give soap already at a 200% increase.
• 🔦 Night mode: Turn on Night Mode and take a photo in a dark room. The original Redmis use multi-frame processing, and fakes just zoom in. ISO, What causes colored noise artifacts.
• 🧲 Approximation Sensor: Call the phone and cover the top with your palm. The original screen goes out (the sensor is activated), the fake screen stays on.
• 🌡️ Gyroscope and accelerometer: Install the Sensor Test app and check the readings. The original Bosch or STMicroelectronics sensors give stable values, and cheap Chinese clones give galloping charts.

💡 Useful Life Hack: Start recording the video in 4K@30fps And look at the result. The original Redmis use hardware coding (H.265), So the video is low in weight at high quality. H.264 with strong compression – the file will be larger, but with artifacts.

6. Check through official Xiaomi services

If you are still in doubt, use the official tools from Xiaomi, which are guaranteed to detect a fake:

1. Authentication site: Go to mi.com/global/verify. Enter IMEI, serial number and model (e.g. 22101316C for Redmi Note 12). If the system produces This device is genuine, the phone is original.
2. Mi Verify app: Download Mi Verify from Google Play (Android only). QR-box code or enter IMEI The app will show the status of the device and the date of activation.

Chat with support for Xiaomi

• Write to the official chat and send a photo of IMEI, serial number and box.
• Support will respond within 24 hours with confirmation or denial of authenticity.

⚠️ Note: If, during the inspection, mi.com/verify The site gives you an error Too many requests, don't panic, it's a limit on the number of requests. 10-15 minutes or use VPN s IP China/India.

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Even if all tests are passed, the price is 30-40% below the market price is a reason to doubt: scammers often sell “gray” phones (for example, destined for India) as global versions, which can cause problems with warranty and firmware.

7.Where to buy Xiaomi Redmi so as not to run into a fake

The safest way to avoid counterfeiting is to buy from official stores, but even here there are nuances:

💡 Expert advice: If you buy from hand, ask the seller to make a video with the check IMEI via *#06# and scanning QR-Fraudsters usually refuse or send edited screenshots.

FAQ: Frequent questions about the originality check Xiaomi Redmi