Xiaomi Redmi Airdots: How to distinguish the original from the fake – the full guide 2026

Xiaomi Redmi Airdots wireless headphones remain among the most popular budget headphones TWS-There's a wave of fakes in the market, but they're also successful, and according to JD.com and AliExpress, up to 40 percent of the originals are actually low-quality replicas. Distinguish real Redmi Airdots (including models Airdots S, Airdots 2, Airdots 3 Pro) from fakes can be 7 key features - from packaging to hidden technical parameters.

In this article, you will find step-by-step photo instructions, comparison tables, video tests and answers to questions such as how to check the serial number, what the inscriptions on the box mean, why fakes discharge faster, and how to avoid buying a clone from AliExpress or local marketplaces. We will also reveal a unique method of verification through the official Mi Home app, which is not written in 90% of reviews.

1. Packaging check: 5 parts that give out a fake

The original Xiaomi Redmi Airdots box is the first and most reliable indicator. The manufacturer uses special paper with microtexture that can not be reproduced on cheap printers. Take the packaging against the light: if you see blurred outlines or uneven printing, you have 100% fake.

Pay attention to:

• 📦 Barcode and QR-code: Original QR The code is based on the official mi.com website, and the barcode is model-based (checkable via Barcode Scanner), and counterfeits often lead to suspicious domains such as xiaomishop.ru.
• 🔍 Serial number: Sticker with SN The back of the box should match the number on the headphones and the Mi Home app. SN often duplicated or consist of random numbers.
• 🖼️ Print quality: The Redmi logo on the original has clear boundaries and matte coating. For fakes, the paint shines and the letters can be displaced.
• 📏 Box sizes: Original Airdots S packaging — 105×105×35 mm. Deviation more than by 2 mm says a line.
• 🔊 Chinese inscriptions: This box contains hieroglyphs with certification information (e.g, CCC or SRRC). Fakes are often omitted or written in Latin.

Pay special attention to the film on the box. The original is always sealed in a transparent shrink film with the Xiaomi logo in the corner. The fakes either don't have film or use regular tape. If the seller claims that "the tape was taken for inspection," that's a sure sign of fraud.

⚠️ Attention! Some fakes even copy holograms on stickers, and you can check them with a finger: the original hologram does not erase or stick, and fakes often have traces of paint.

2. External inspection of headphones: what should alert

Even if the packaging looks perfect, check out the headphones themselves. The original Redmi Airdots weigh 4.1 grams (for the Airdots S model) with an error of ±0.1 g. Counterfeiting is often heavier because of cheap batteries or lighter because of poor quality plastic. Weigh the headphones on the kitchen scale - the difference of 0.3 g is already critical.

Key elements for verification:

• 🎨 The color and texture of the plastic: The original is matte with a barely noticeable "sand" effect. The fakes are smooth or, conversely, too rough.
• 🔦 LEDs: Real Airdots displays a straight white/red light. Fakes often have a bluish or dim hue.
• 🔌 Charging contacts: The original has 4 gilded contacts with clear boundaries. Fakes save on gold - contacts are gray or blurred edges.
• 🔊 Microphone holes: The original has 2 symmetrical holes on each side, and the replicas may have 1 or 3, often uneven.

Notice the inscriptions on the inside of the headphones. The original is engraved with Mi or Redmi with the serial number laser. For fakes, the inscriptions are either missing or painted (erased with a nail). Also check the magnets in the case: in the original they are strong headphones, and in fakes they are often weak or absent.

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If the seller refuses to provide a photo of the serial number on the headphones and box, this is a reason to doubt the originality. Ask for a video showing the connection to the phone: fakes often have audio delays or synchronization problems.

3.Verification through the official Mi Home app

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

1. Download Mi Home from Google Play or App Store (avoid third-party sources!).
2. Sign up or sign in through your Xiaomi account.
3. Turn on Bluetooth on your phone and open the cover of the Airdots case.
4. In the app, click Add Device → Audio → Redmi Airdots.
5. If the headphones are original, a window will appear with a percentage charge and a serial number, and the fakes will either not be identified or show an error "Device not supported."

In the annex, note:

• 🔋 Charge level: The original shows the exact percentage for each earpiece and case.Fakes often display charge as "100%" regardless of the actual state.
• 🔄 Firmware Version: Real Airdots S have firmware V4.7.1_20210615 Older versions (e.g., older versions, V3.x.x) fake.
• 📡 Signal strength: In Mi Home, the original shows stable -60...-70 Fakes often "float" in the range -80...-95 dBm.

⚠️ Attention! Some fakes mimic the Mi Home interface, showing false data. Always check the serial number in the app with the number on the box and headphones. If they don't match, it's fake.

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

The original Redmi Airdots use speakers with a diameter of 7.2 mm with an impedance of 32 Ohms, which provides a balanced sound with clear high and deep low. Fakes save on drivers, which makes the sound “empty” or with distortion.

1. Include a track with deep bass (e.g., "Seven Nation Army" - The White Stripes).
2. Listen at maximum volume: the original will play the bass without wheezing, the fake will start "wheezing" or "drum."
3. Check the stereo effect: the original sound is clearly divided into left/right channels, and fakes often have mono-sound or asymmetry.

The microphone is another weak spot for fakes, and the original Airdots use a dual noise-canceling microphone called cVc 8.0 to check:

• 📞 Call from headphones in a quiet room and record your voice on a voice recorder.
• 🔊 Turn on the record: your original voice will be clear, no echoes, and fakes will add background noise or distortion.
• 🚗 Do a test on the street: the original will suppress the wind and street noise, fake will pass them to the fullest.

Listen to the bass track at max volume|Check the stereo effect (L/R channel)|Record your voice through a microphone|Call from headphones in a noisy place-->

Note the latency. In the original, latency is ~120 ms (acceptable for music and video); counterfeits can delay up to 300-500 ms, which is noticeable when watching movies (lips do not match sound); You can check using a YouTube test video (see the "audio latency test").

Verification of serial number and manufacturer data

Each Redmi Airdots has a unique serial number (SN), Which can be checked through official Xiaomi services. SN It consists of 14 characters in format XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXX (Letters and numbers. Where to find it:

• 📦 On the sticker on the back of the box.
• 🎧 On the inside of each headphone (under a removable silicone nozzle).
• 📱 In the Mi Home app (section "About the device").

How to check for SN:

1. Go to mi.com/global/verify.
2. Enter the serial number and the captcha.
3. If the headphones are original, the system will show the model, the date of production and the warranty status. SN".

Also, please note the manufacturer’s data:

• 🏭 Original production is made in factories AAC Technologies (China) or GoerTek (Vietnam).
• 📅 Production date must be no older than 24 months (obsolete models can be repackaged by fraudsters).
• 🔧 Sticker with certification information (for example, CE, FCC, RoHS) must be clear and contain conformity codes.

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If the serial number on the box and the headphones doesn't match or is erased by friction, it's 100% fake. The original SN is laser-coded and can't be mechanically affected.

Be careful about the gray supply, and some vendors say that the headphones are "original, but for the Chinese market."

• 🔄 Refurbished (restored after repair).
• 📦 OEM-version without export license.
• 🎭 High-level counterfeiting (clone with original packaging).

6. Battery and operating time test

The original Redmi Airdots S has a 43 mAh battery in each headphone and 300 mAh in the case, which provides up to 4 hours of continuous playback and up to 12 hours of case recharging. Counterfeit batteries use cheap batteries with a capacity of 20-30% lower, which affects the time of operation.

How to check:

• 🔋 Charge headphones and case to 100% (indicator burns green).
• 🎵 Put the music on. 70% The original will work at least as hard as the volume and record the time. 3,5 watch, fake — 1,5-2 hour.
• ⚡ Check the charging speed: the original charges from 0 to 100% in 1.5 hours, fake – 2.5+ hour.

Also, pay attention to the charge indication:

• 🟢 Original: green — 100-60%, orange — 60-20%, red — <20%.
• 🔴 Fake: Frequently flashes red at 50% charge or shows false values.

If the headphones discharge in 1-2 hours with moderate use - this is a sure sign of fake. Also, fakes can self-discharge in the case (the original loses no more than 5% of the charge in a month of downtime).

7.Price and place of purchase: how not to run into a fake

Average retail price of the original Xiaomi Redmi Airdots S in 2026:

• 🇷🇺 Russia: 2,500–3,200 ₽ (stock-based).
• 🇺🇦 Ukraine: 800–1 100 ₴.
• 🇪🇺 Europe: 30–45 €.
• 🌍 AliExpress (official stores): $25–$35 with delivery.

If the price is lower by 30% or more, it is a cause for suspicion.

• 🎁 "Sale": Headphones for the price $10–$15 almost always fakes.
• 📦 "Original Packaging: Fakes are often sold with a copy of the box.
• 🔄 "Money back: Fraudsters can promise a guarantee but ignore claims after payment.

Where to buy safely:

If you are buying on AliExpress, you must:

1. Check that the seller has the status of “Official Xiaomi Store”.
2. Check out the reviews with photos/video (fraudsters often buy fake reviews).
3. Demand a video showing the serial number and connection to the Mi Home.
4. Pay only through AliExpress protection (not by transfer to the card!).

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Even in official stores, there are fakes! Always check the headphones by serial number and external signs, even if the seller guarantees originality.

FAQ: Answers to Frequent Questions