How to check the Xiaomi smartphone for originality and serviceability: the full guide 2026

Why checking Xiaomi before buying is a must-do

Xiaomi smartphones are leading sales in Russia and the world due to the price-performance ratio.However, the popularity of the brand has led to an increase in the number of counterfeits, “gray” shipments and resale of restored devices under the guise of new ones. POCO In the secondary market, there are hidden defects, from replaced batteries to software locks.

Even in official stores, mistakes happen: in 2023, for example, users complained massively about the Xiaomi 13 Lite with defective matrixes that were sold as new. On Avito and Yula, one in three Redmi Note 12s have autopsy marks or unoriginal firmware, and this article will help avoid deception, from checking the box to testing iron with hidden engineering menus.

We have compiled 10 critical tests that reveal 90% of problems, from fakes to hidden damage after falls. Instructions are relevant for all models of 2020-2026, including Xiaomi 14 Ultra, Redmi Note 13 Pro.+ and POCO F6. For convenience, the process was divided into stages - from visual inspection to deep diagnostics using service codes.

Step 1: Packaging and Packaging Check – How to Distinguish the Original

The first thing that catches your eye is the box: Xiaomi has strict packaging standards that counterfeiters often miss.

• 📦 Matte coating with light roughness (glossy boxes - 100% fake).
• 🖼️ Holographic sticker with the Mi logo on the end (on models 2023-2026, it changes color when tilted).
• 📝 The serial number on the sticker and box must match the number in Settings → The phone.
• 🔍 A barcode that leads to Xiaomi’s official website (checked through the Barcode Scanner app).

The kit also gives you a fake. The original kit always has:

⚠️ Attention: On models POCO The box may be black, which is fine, but the holographic sticker and the serial number must be present, and if the seller refuses to show the box "because of its absence," it is a reason to be wary.

You can check the authenticity of the box through the official Xiaomi service:

1. Go to mi.com/global/verify.
2. Enter. IMEI (indicated on the box sticker and under the battery).
3. Check the model, color and production date against what is written on the box.

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If the box is damaged, but the seller claims that the phone is new – ask to show the fillings on the tray. SIM. On the original devices they are solid, without autopsy marks.

Stage 2: Visual inspection of the case - what gives the restored phone

Even if the box was original, the smartphone itself could be opened, repackaged and sold as new.

• 🔦 The gap between the screen and the frame. On the original Xiaomi, the gap does not exceed 0.3 mm.
• 🎨 The color of the case. On fakes, the frame and the back often do not match the shade of the frame and the rear panel (for example, on the Redmi Note 13 Pro, the original green color has a pearl tint).
• 🔧 Screws on the back. On models with a fixed battery (for example, Xiaomi 14), the screws should be under a five-point screwdriver (star.
• 📱 Oleophobic screen covering. Swipe your finger across the display, the original has a faint mark, the fake has fatty divorces.

Pay special attention to the tray for SIM-map:

• On the original Xiaomi tray metal, with a spring mechanism.
• On fakes, it is often plastic, tightly inserted or falls out.
• On models with support 5G (for example, POCO F5) There's a sign on the tray. 5G.

⚠️ Attention: On Xiaomi 13T The Pro and the newer back panel has a magnetic mount for wireless charging. If the magnets are missing (checked by a conventional magnet), it is either a fake or a refurbished device.

To check the tightness (relevant for models with protection) IP53/IP68):

1. Blow in the connector. USB-C. The original air doesn't pass through.
2. Light the speaker with a flashlight. If you see the light on the other side, the seals are damaged.

Stage 3: Screen check – tests for broken pixels and matrix tampering

The screen is the most expensive component of a smartphone, so scammers often install cheap counterparts.+ archetype AMOLED Samsung is worth ~$50 and the Chinese equivalent — $15. The difference is visible to the naked eye.

To check the matrix:

1. Start the Engineering Test Mode: ##6484## Select Manual Test → Display.
2. Check the colors: the screen should alternate pure red, green, blue, black and white, and the fakes are noticeable shades (for example, "dirty" white with yellowness).
3. Use the broken pixel test: ##232338## Press Test. Red/Green/Blue.

For a deep check, download the Screen Test app (available on Google Play).

• 🎯 Dead pixels (black dots).
• 🔄 Sticky pixels (colored dots).
• 📊 Gradient (smoothness of color transition).
• 🔍 Lighting (uniformity of illumination).

⚠️ Attention: AMOLED-screens (Xiaomi) 13/14 series, Redmi K60) It allows for a slight irregularity of the backlight on the gray background, but if you see yellow spots on the white screen, it's a defect or a fake matrix.

Critical test for AMOLED-In the original matrix, you turn on the black background and light it up at an angle. In the original matrix, the screen is completely black. If you see the gray spots, it's cheap. P-OLED analogue.

Stage 4: Battery Diagnosis – How to Detect Wear and Counterfeit

The battery is the second most popular component to replace. Refurbished Xiaomis are often sold with batteries that have a real capacity that is 20 to 30 percent lower than the stated one.+ instead of 4500 mAh, there is a battery of 3200 mAh.

To verify:

1. Find out the actual capacity through the engineering menu: ##4636## Select Battery Information. Compare Charge Level and Capacity with passport data.
2. Use the AccuBattery app (shows wear in %). For new phones, wear should be < 5%.
3. Check the temperature: ##4636## → Battery information → Temperature When charging the temperature should not exceed 40°C. If above, the battery is unoriginal or damaged.

What else to look out for:

• 🔋 Battery bloating. Put your phone on a flat surface with the screen up. If it's swinging, the battery is bloated.
• ⚡ Charging speed. Connect the original RAM and record the time from 0% to 50%. For Xiaomi 13 Pro (120W) it ~12 minutes for the Redmi Note 12 (33W) — ~30 minutes.
• 🔌 Connector. USB-C. If the phone charges only in one position of the cable, the connector is damaged.

⚠️ Note: Some models (e.g. Redmi) 10C) In the engineering menu, the capacity is displayed in mWh, not mAh. To translate, divide the value by 3.7 (battery voltage, for example, 18500 mWh / 3.7 ≈ 5000 mAhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh.

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If the battery capacity is less than 90% of the original, the phone is either used or it was a poor battery, which is unacceptable for a new device.

Step 5: Camera Testing – How to Recognize Module Substitution

Xiaomi cameras are often faked, especially in models with flagship sensors (for example, Xiaomi 13 Ultra with Sony). IMX989). Fakes are showing themselves on several grounds:

• 📸 Resolution. In the camera settings, check the maximum resolution. On the Redmi Note 12 Pro+ The main camera should support 200 MP. If a maximum of 48 MP, the module is replaced.
• 🔍 Autofocus. Point the camera at text from 10 cm away. In the original, focus takes 0.5 to 1 second. In the fake, it takes longer or no longer.
• 🌈 Color rendering. Take a picture of the sky in mode. HDR. The original color is saturated, no noise, faked — faded or with artifacts.
• 🎥 Stabilize. Record the video in 4K@60fps The original picture is smooth, the fake one is twitchy.

For a deep check, use the Camera app. MX They show real-world sensor specs. Compare that to the official Xiaomi website.

And you pay special attention to the wide-angle camera, and fakes often have a cheap edge-distorting module (fish-eye effect) to check:

1. Take a straight line photo (such as a wall) in wide angle mode.
2. Look at the edges of the frame. If the line is curved, the camera is unoriginal.

⚠️ Attention: POCO F4 GT And Black Shark 5 cameras are often replaced with modules from Redmi, and you can check this by the serial number of the sensor in the application. EXIF Viewer.

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If the seller refuses to allow the camera to be tested on the grounds of “preserving confidentiality,” it is a sure sign of a fake or a hidden defect.

Step 6: Iron Checking – How to Identify Hidden Processor and Memory Problems

Counterfeit and refurbished phones are often equipped with poor-quality memory chips or processors with a reduced frequency. 732G Snapdragon 665 can be used, which is 2 times worse in performance.

To verify:

1. Learn the processor model through Settings → The phone. → Version. MIUI → Full specifications.
2. Compare this to the official Xiaomi website, for example, POCO X5 Pro should have Snapdragon 778G, Not a Snapdragon 695.
3. Run a performance test in AnTuTu Benchmark. Results should match the benchmarks for your model (see table below).

For memory check:

• 💾 Type of memory. AIDA64 (Memory section) check the type UFS. For flagships (Xiaomi) 13/14) must have UFS 4.0, For the middle segment (Redmi Note) 12) — UFS 2.2.
• 📊 Read/write speed. Run the test in AndroBench. UFS 3.1. the reading speed shall be > 1500 MB/s.

Check the temperature of the processor under load:

1. Launch it. 3DMark (wild life).
2. After 10 minutes, check the temperature in AIDA64.
3. For Snapdragon 8 Gen 2, the norm is up to 75°C. If higher, the heat paste is dried or the radiator is damaged.

⚠️ Note: On some models (Redmi) 10A, POCO M5) Fraudsters install eMMC memory instead of UFS. This reduces the speed of work by 3-5 times. AIDA64.

Step 7: Software Verification – How to Identify Custom Firmware

Unoriginal firmware can hide phone problems or contain malware. For example, in 2023, Redmi Note 11 users massively complained about firmware with preinstalled cryptocurrency miners.

How to check firmware:

1. Look at the version. MIUI In Settings → It must match the latest official model for your phone (checked on the official website).
2. Start the integrity check: ##64663## MIUI Version: All items should be green.
3. Check the status of unlocking the bootloader: fastboot oem device-info If Device unlocked: true - the phone is hacked.

Signs of unoriginal firmware:

• 📱 No Mi Store, Mi Community, Security applications.
• 🔒 Inability to update through Settings → Updating the system.
• 🛠️ Root rights (checked through Root Checker).
• 📡 Unstable work GPS, Wi-Fi or mobile network.

⚠️ Note: Some Xiaomi gray phones (bred from China) may have global firmware but with Chinese services. This is not critical, but these phones do not receive updates via a Russian server.

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If the phone unlocks the bootloader, it automatically removes it from the warranty, even if the other components are original.

Stage 8: Checking networks and sensors – how not to buy a brick

Last but not least, the testing of communications and sensors is a step that scammers often sell phones that don't work. 5G, NFC gyroscope.

What to check:

• 📶 Mobile network: ##4636## → Phone information Make sure it is displayed LTE or 5G (model-wise).
• 📡 Wi-Fi and Bluetooth. Connect to a 5GHz network and check the speed in Speedtest. For Wi-Fi 6, the speed should be > 500 Mbps.
• 📍 GPS. Turn on Google Maps and check the accuracy of the location (accuracy is not more than 5 meters).
• 🔄 Gyroscope and accelerometer. PUBG Mobile or Asphalt 9 – Tilt control should work smoothly.
• 💳 NFC. Try paying for something via Google Pay or reading the tag (e.g. in transport).

To check the sensors, use the Sensor Test app. All sensors should show values:

• 📱 Accelerometer: reaction to tilt.
• 🧲 Magnetometer: Reaction to a magnet.
• 💡 Light sensor: changing the brightness of the screen when closed with the hand.
• 👆 Approximate sensor: the screen should go out when you put your hand up.

⚠️ Note: On some models (Redmi) 10C, POCO M4 Pro) fraudsters shut down 5G You can check this out through the engineering menu: ##4636## → Phone information → Network settings If not listed NR (5G) — module is missing or damaged.

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Check before buying. IMEI If the status of Blacklisted is a wanted phone or blocked by the operator.

FAQ: Answers to Frequent Questions