How to Find Out Which Xiaomi Is: A Complete Model Identification Guide

Owning a device from the Chinese tech giant often poses a mystery to users: how to find out which Xiaomi is in your hands if there are no inscriptions on the box and the menu is confusing designations? Owners of Redmi, POCO and the main Mi line often face the need to accurately identify the gadget when searching for firmware, selling a device or selecting accessories. The market is oversaturated with modifications that are externally identical but have radically different characteristics.

Not knowing the exact code name or global version can lead to buying the wrong case or, worse, to “bricking” the phone when installing incompatible software. In this article, we will examine all available methods, from simple inspection of the case to the use of engineering codes and third-party software. You will learn to distinguish between global versions from Chinese and understand why the marking on the back cover does not always coincide with reality.

Search for information in system settings

The most obvious and safe way to get data about your device is to look at the system menu, but manufacturers often hide key information behind multiple layers of nesting so as not to overload the interface. First, unlock the screen and find the Settings icon, which is usually a gear.

In MIUI or the new HyperOS, you have to scrolle down the list and select About, which is where you see the marketing name you saw when you bought, but that's not enough for expert diagnostics. Click on the MIUI version several times in a row until "Additional features" appears.

In the menu that opens, you'll see the line "Device model," which is the truth: a code name that consists of letters and numbers, and that's the ID you need to search for official firmware on the Mi Community website, and you'll also notice the line "Inner name," which often indicates the code name of the project when you're developing it.

• 📱 Marketing name is a beautiful name for advertising, for example, Redmi Note 10 Pro.
• 🔢 The device model is a technical code, for example, M2101K7BNY, firmware-critical.
• 🌍 Region of the version - indicates global (Global), European (EEA) Chinese (CN) assembly.

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Note the last letters in the model code: Y usually stands for global version, I is Indian, and the absence of a letter or CN combination indicates China.

Global firmware has built-in Google services and support for many languages, while the Chinese version may not have Russian and requires complex firmware to work outside of China.

Identification by appearance and marking

If the phone doesn't turn on or the screen is broken, you only have to physically inspect it, and manufacturers have to put the technical information on the case, but the location of this data has changed from year to year. On modern models without a removable battery, look for the fine print on the back cover or on the frame of the device.

Often, the information is duplicated on a factory sticker that sticks to the box. Compare the data on the box and on the case: if they differ, it may have been assembled from different parts or changed the case at the service center. Pay special attention to the certification marks.

⚠️ Note: If the back cover does not have a Mi or Redmi logo, and instead it only says “Designed by Xiaomi”, you may have a version for a specific carrier or a special edition.

It is also worth checking the tray for SIM-On some models, such as the Mi 11 or Redmi Note 8, the model of the device can be engraved on a metal tray frame, although this is rare. IMEI.

This unique fifteen-digit number is assigned to each communication module, and knowing IMEI, you can break through the device in databases and find out its exact configuration, activation date and sales region, which is especially useful when buying used equipment.

• 🏷️ Back cover – look for fine text at the bottom of the case, often requiring a magnifying glass.
• 📦 Packaging – a white barcode sticker contains complete configuration data.
• 🔋 Under the battery - on old models with removable battery information was under it.

Use of the engineering menu and USSD-code

To make the diagnosis more advanced, engineers and advanced users use hidden menus, accessible through a set of special combinations in the "caller", which is a quick way to access technical information without installing additional software.

Dial ##6484##. The CIT menu should open on the screen, so you can check all the sensors, but you can often see the exact hardware model at the top of the screen or in the Version section. If the code doesn't work, try *#06# to output the IMEI.

There's also a code ##4636## that opens the Testing menu, and in the Phone Information section, you can see not only the model, but also the network type, signal strength and connection status, which is useful for checking the modem's originality.

If standard codes are blocked by an operator or manufacturer (which is often the case on global firmware), you can use the Mi Test app, which is pre-installed on many devices. Run it, and in the General or Version section, find the Model line.

⚠️ Warning: Do not change the settings in the engineering menu unless you know exactly what they are responsible for. Resetting the screen or sensor calibration can cause the device to malfunction.

Sometimes, a full engineering menu requires special software, such as the MediaTek MTK Engineering Mode, but standard codes are more stable on Snapdragon processors.

Checking through computer and ADB

The most reliable method for those who do not trust the information displayed on the phone screen is to connect to a PC, the computer reads data directly from the device's memory, which eliminates software swaps, and this will require debugging over USB.

First, activate the developer mode. To do this, go to About Phone and quickly click on MIUI Version 7 times. You will be a developer notification. Then, in the advanced settings, find Developer and turn on USB Debugging Toggle.

Connect your smartphone to your computer with a cable. Download the minimum set of ADB Tools from the official Android website. Open the command line in the tool folder and type a command to get the serial number and model:

adb shell getprop ro.product.model

This command will output the exact code name. For more details about the brand and device, use the command:

adb shell getprop | grep "product"

In the system's response, you'll see the lines ro.product.brand, ro.product.device, and ro.product.model. If you match the device code (device) with the Xiaomi codename table, you'll find the exact modification, for example, the gauguin code corresponds to the Mi 10T Pro, and the lmi code corresponds to the Mi 10.

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The ADB method provides the most reliable data, since the information is read from the system partition, which is more difficult to forge than the data in the settings menu.

Comparison of models by technical characteristics

Sometimes it happens that the software phone displays one thing and the hardware inside the other, which is typical of the Chinese versions or replicas that are re-stitched, and to be sure which Xiaomi you are holding, you need to check the hardware settings against the official specifications.

Install a CPU-Z or AIDA64 application, and these snails will show the actual CPU name, the resolution of the screen array, the number of cores, and the camera model. Compare the data to the table below.

Pay special attention to cameras. Often, fake or flashed versions are claimed to be 108 MP, and there is a physical 13 MP matrix with interpolation, and the app will show the real sensor resolution, which can not be changed software without replacing the module.

Also check for screen refresh rates. If the specification says 120Hz and only 60Hz is available on the system, it may be an unoriginal matrix or a damaged plume.

• 📷 Real resolution photo – take a picture and see the properties of the file.
• ⚡ Charging speed – original units give out declared power, copies warm up.
• 📡 Communication modules - support NFC and specific frequencies 4G/5G Depends on the regional version.

Applications for detailed diagnostics

If you're lazy with the command line, and there's not much built-in, specialized Google Play apps come to the rescue, they aggregate all the information in a convenient way and often have a database to compare.

One of the best solutions is Device Info HW. This app not only shows the model, but also identifies the manufacturer of the display (Samsung, BOE, Tianma) and the camera sensor (Sony, Samsung). For Xiaomi fans, this is critical, since different screens can be used in one model.

Another powerful tool is AIDA64, where you can find the exact model (Model) and code name (Code Name) in the Android -> Device section, and it will also show if the bootloader is unlocked, which is important for those who are planning customization.

Don’t neglect GetDroid or Phone Info SAM (adapted for Xiaomi), which can show the date of battery production and the number of recharge cycles, which helps to assess wear when buying from hand.

⚠️ Warning: Be careful of applications that require root rights for basic information. Superuser rights are not required to define a model, and their requirement is a sign of fraud or poor optimization.

Use the data to find drivers or accessories. Knowing the exact code name, you will find parts that are guaranteed to fit into your device, avoiding problems with incompatibility of plumes or connectors.