How to distinguish the original Xiaomi Redmi Note from a fake: 7 working methods

Buying a Xiaomi Redmi Note at a price below the market is a dream for many, but the risk of running into a fake turns such a deal into a lottery. According to Mi Community Russia, up to 12% of Xiaomi smartphones sold through informal channels in 2023-2026 were counterfeit or “gray” replicas with simplified filling, and fakes are becoming more sophisticated: copying not only the appearance, but also the firmware, imitating the branded MIUI interface.

In this article, 7 proven ways to detect a fake before you buy it or in the first minutes after unpacking it. We will examine the unique features of the original Redmi Note (including Pro, Pro+, 5G, etc.) that cannot be forged without access to Xiaomi factory data. No general tips like “look at the logo” – only specific tests with photos, commands for engineering menus and online services.

1. IMEI check through official Xiaomi databases

The first and most reliable way is to match IMEIs with Xiaomi databases, which are often left-handed IMEIs copied from other phones or generated by accident, and the original Redmi Notes are always tied to factory records.

How to check:

• 📱 Dial on the phone keyboard *#06# - a window will appear with IMEI (two-way IMEI, If the smartphone supports two SIM-map).
• 🔍 Go to the Mi Verify website (the official Xiaomi service) and type in IMEI check-in.
• 📄 Compare the model in the results with the one on the box, for example, if you bought a Redmi Note 12 Pro. 5G, The service shows Redmi. 10A — You're 100% fake.

⚠️ Note: Fraudsters can be substituted IMEI If you have entered the *#06# code, the numbers don't appear or are delayed, it's a sign of a broken firmware. IMEI on a sticker under the battery (if available) with what the phone shows.

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If the seller refuses to name the IMEI before the purchase or says that "the verification does not work" - this is an excuse to abandon the transaction.

2. Box and trim analysis: 5 parts that do not copy

Redmi Note packaging is not just cardboard, it's a product with dozens of counterfeit protections. Counterfeit boxes often give away little things that customers don't pay attention to. Here's what to check:

• 📦 Barcode and serial number: The original box barcode is clear, without blurring, and the serial number (SN) The same as the phone settings (Settings) → The phone. → Fakes are often printed SN crooked or even missed.
• 🔖 Hologram: The hologram sticker on the top of the box should change color when tilted (from silver to rainbow.
• 📄 Documentation: The original always contains a book with instructions in the language of the country of sale (Russian version for Russia.
• ⚡ Charger: Xiaomi power unit has laser engraving with model (for example, MDY-12-EU) and power (e.g., for example, 33W). Copies have either no engraving or made with paint that is erased.
• 🎧 Type-C Cable: Original Cable Has Xiaomi Label and Certification Badge USB-IF Counterfeit cables often use cheap unmarked cables.

⚠️ Warning: If the box is sealed in a tape with the Xiaomi logo, but the box itself looks tattered or with sloppy seams, this is a sign of "overpacking." Fraudsters often take used phones, clean them and pack them in a new box.

3. Check firmware and hidden menus: what are hidden fakes

Even if the phone looks like the original, the firmware will give you a counterfeit. Counterfeiters often use custom (home-made) versions of MIUI or even Android Go with a shell that mimics Xiaomi, you can check this through hidden menus and system data.

Instructions:

1. Open Settings → About your phone and tap 7 times on the line MIUI version. This will open the developer menu.
2. Return to Settings → Additional → For developers and enable USB debugging.
3. Connect your phone to your PC and type in the command line: adb shell getprop ro.miui.ui.version.name The original Redmi Note will show the current version. MIUI (for example, MIUI A forgery will give you a type error or version. MIUI 9.6 (obsolete).
4. Check the model of the device with the command: adb shell getprop ro.product.model Compare the result with the name of the model on the box. Discrepancies? It's a fake.

Another way to start a test is to test the equipment:

• Type on the keyboard ##4636##.
• Select Phone Information and check IMEI strings, Serial Number and Assembly Number, and if they're used to display characters or random characters, the phone is hacked.

Version. MIUI conforms to the official model|Serial number in settings and on the box match|Adb commands correct modeling|No characters in #4636##-->

4. Camera and sensor test: where fakes save

One of the easiest ways to detect counterfeits is to check the camera and sensors, and counterfeits often save on modules by installing cheap sensors with low resolution or even “mulazh” (for example, instead of 108 MP put 12 MP with software upscale).

How to test:

• 📸 Main camera: Take a photo in 108 MP mode (if claimed) and check EXIF-data via an application such as EXIF Viewer: If the actual resolution is less than the stated one, it is a fake.
• 🔦 Front camera: Turn on Portrait mode and look at the background blur. The originals have a natural bokeh effect, the fakes have a rough one, with artifacts.
• 📡 Approximation Sensor: Call someone and hold the phone to your ear. The original screen goes out immediately, the fake screen goes out with a delay or does not go out at all.
• 🧲 Magnetic sensor (compass): Open the Compass app and turn the phone. The arrow should follow the movement smoothly. For fakes, the arrow twitches or does not respond.

⚠️ Note: If the phone is specified in the characteristics NFC, But the feature doesn't work (e.g., Mi Pay doesn't work) is a sure sign of a fake. The original Redmi Note (starting with the Note 8 Pro) always supports the feature. NFC, if stated in the specifications.

Verification EXIF-data|Portrait mode|Approximation sensor|Magnetic sensor (compass)|Another way.-->

5.External signs: what gives a fake at first sight

Despite the improved quality of the copies, the fake Redmi Notes still have "diseases" that catch the eye when examined closely.

Pay special attention to the display:

• 🖥️ The original Redmi Note (starting with Note) 10) screen AMOLED or IPS refreshable 90/120 Fakes are often cheap. TN-view-point 45° (tilt screen "bleaching").
• 🎨 Check the color rendering: open the white image to the full screen. The original has white uniform, the fake has yellow or blue at the edges.

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If the phone is externally perfect, but weighs 10-15 grams less than the declared one (check the scales) - this is a sign of a simplified filling (for example, the aluminum frame is replaced with plastic).

6. Check through Xiaomi service centers (free)

If you have already bought a phone and are in doubt about its authenticity, the most reliable way is to contact the official Xiaomi service center, the staff will conduct a diagnostic database and issue a certificate of authenticity, this service is free and takes 10-15 minutes.

How to find a service center:

1. Go to the Mi Service website.
2. Choose your city and find the nearest center marked Authorized.
3. Make an appointment (online) or come without a record.

What's on the service?

• 🔧 IMEI and the serial number in the Xiaomi database.

⚠️ Note: If a seller claims that the phone is “brought from China for personal use” and therefore does not pass the check in Russian services, this is a fraud.

7. Online services for verification: which are working in 2026

In addition to the official Mi Verify, there are several third-party services that help detect fakes by indirect signs, and importantly, none of them give a 100% guarantee, but together they increase the chances of detecting fraud.

🔹 How to use it:

1. Enter the IMEI or serial phone number in the appropriate box on the site.
2. Compare the data (model, release date, region) with the data on the box and in the phone settings.
3. If there are discrepancies (for example, the service shows Redmi 9A, and on the box Redmi Note 12) – you have a fake.

⚠️ Note: Some services (e.g. IMEI.info) may display incorrect information if IMEI It's been software-substituted. Always double-check the data from multiple sources.

Frequent questions about the authentication of Xiaomi Redmi Note