Xiaomi Original or Fake: How to Check Your Smartphone Before Buying

Xiaomi smartphones have long been popular thanks to a combination of high technology and affordable prices. However, this success has attracted the attention of fraudsters: the market is flooded with fakes that are almost indistinguishable from the originals. According to the official website of Xiaomi, up to 15% of devices sold through uncertified channels are counterfeit, and it is not only cheap copies for 5000 rubles – even flagship models like Xiaomi 14 Ultra or Redmi Note 13 Pro+ are forged.

The problem is that fake Xiaomi smartphones not only work worse, but also pose a real danger. Counterfeit batteries can explode, uncertified chargers can cause fires, and left-wing firmware steals your data. For example, in 2023, Rospotrebnadzor recorded several cases of fire of fake Redmi due to poor-quality batteries. How not to run into fake batteries and buy the real Xiaomi? We have collected all the relevant methods of verification, from visual inspection to deep testing of hardware.

1. Packaging check: 7 signs of forgery

The first thing to notice is the box, and Xiaomi's original packaging has a very clear standard that scammers often miss. Let's start with the materials: the real box is made of thick, matte-coated cardboard that doesn't shine in the light, and fakes usually use cheap, glossy cardboard that crumples and leaves fingerprints.

Note the logo print. The original Mi or Redmi is stamped (convex) rather than painted. Swipe your finger -- if the logo is smooth, it's 100% fake. Another key point is that the original box never has grammatical errors or curves. For example, forgeries often say "Made is China" instead of "Made in China."

• 📦 Serial number: Must match the number on the battery sticker and in the phone settings (Settings) → The phone. → Fakes often have random numbers on them.
• 🔍 Hologram: The original box has a protective hologram with a microtext, and when you change the angle of view, it changes color (chameleon effect), and the fakes either don't have a hologram, or they're static.
• 📏 Box sizes: Xiaomi's original packaging always fits tightly to the phone.If there's too much space inside or the phone is "wasting," it's a fake.
• 🖼️ Photos on the box: The original uses high-quality images from a real device. Fakes often take pictures from the Internet — blurry, with artifacts or color mismatch.

⚠️ Warning: Scammers have learned to fake even holograms! If the box is in doubt, check it on the official Xiaomi service by entering the serial number from the sticker.

2.External examination of the phone: details that give off a fake

Even if the box looks perfect, the phone itself can be a copy. Start with the materials of the case. The original Xiaomi uses either aluminum (in flagships) or high-quality plastic with a matte coating. Counterfeiting is often made from cheap glossy plastic that is slippery and quickly covered with scratches. Fingernail on the edge of the case — the original will not be left on the trace, on the counterfeit will appear microdamage.

Pay attention to the connectors and buttons:

• 🔌 USB-Port: The original Xiaomi (starting in 2020) uses a port USB-C Fakes often save money and put a micro-USB or curve on it. USB-C, clutter-driven.
• 🔊 Speakers: Original models (e.g. Xiaomi) 13T or POCO F5) The speakers are symmetrical and have a metal lattice, and in the fakes, the lattice is plastic, and the sound is "hrizzing" at maximum volume.
• 📱 Screen: Click on the display -- if you have waves or it's bending, it's a cheap copy. AMOLED-Xiaomi screens are hard and do not respond to pressing.

Another sure sign is the camera. The original Xiaomi camera lenses have sapphire glass that doesn't scratch with the keys. Do a test: scratch the camera glass with a coin. The fake will have traces, the original one won't. Also note the number of cameras: scammers often draw extra lenses (for example, instead of three cameras, four are drawn).

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If the seller refuses to show the phone without a cover or film, this is a reason to be wary, fakes often hide curved seams or color mismatches under the accessories.

3. IMEI and serial number check: step-by-step instruction

IMEI (International Mobile Equipment Identity) is your phone’s unique identifier, and the original Xiaomi has it in three places:

1. On the box (barcode sticker).
2. Under the battery (if removable) or on the tray SIM-map.
3. In phone settings: Settings → About phone → General information → IMEI.

If one of the IMEIs doesn't match, it's fake, but that's not enough: you have to check the IMEI through the official databases.

1. Dial *#06# and IMEI will appear on the screen.
2. Go to IMEI.info and enter the code.
3. Check if the phone model matches the one on the box, for example, if you bought a Redmi Note 12 Pro and the site shows a Redmi 9A, it's a fake.
4. Use the official Xiaomi service to check the serial number.

⚠️ Warning: Fraudsters have learned to fake IMEI! If all numbers match, but the phone is suspicious (for example, it doesn’t update), check it through Fastboot (instructions in Section 5).

4. Software verification: firmware, applications and hidden menus

Even if the phone looks like the original, the stuffing can be fake. Let's start with the firmware. The original Xiaomi runs on Xiaomi's MIUI, the branded shell, to verify its authenticity:

1. Go to Settings → About Phone → MIUI version.
2. Click a few times on the line with the version – a hidden menu for developers should appear.
3. Check the Build Number. It must match the official releases on the MIUI website.

Fakes often use left-handed firmware based on Android Go or older versions.

• 📱 The original has proprietary applications: Mi Store, Mi Community, Mi Video, Security (with shield icon).
• 🚫 In fakes, these applications are either absent or otherwise called (for example, "App Store" instead of Mi Store).
• 🔍 Check the Settings. → Annexes → All applications. If there's a bunch of unknown Chinese programs (like Baidu, UC Browser, it's a fake.

Another way to check the hidden engineering menus is to type in the phone app:

##4636##

The original Xiaomi will open a Testing menu with information about the battery, network and sensors, and in fakes, this menu is either missing or contains characters.

Check the MIUI version in the settings | Make sure Build Number is official |Find branded apps (Mi Store, Security)|Check the hidden menu ##4636##|Make sure there are no unknown Chinese programs-->

5. Testing of "iron": how to check components

Counterfeiting often saves on internal components, such as weak processors, cheap memory or fake batteries, and you can check the hardware with special applications, install CPU-Z or AIDA64 from Google Play and compare the specs with the official model data.

Pay attention to:

• 🔧 Processor: The fakes often have MediaTek Helio instead of the claimed Snapdragon. POCO X6 Pro should be a Snapdragon. 8s Gen 3, not Helio. G99.
• 💾 Memory: The original Xiaomi uses memory UFS 2.2/3.1, And fakes are cheap eMMCs. Check in. AIDA64 storage → Type of memory.
• 🔋 Battery: In fakes, the battery capacity is often underestimated. For example, instead of the declared 5000 mAh can be 3000 mAh. CPU-Z battery → Capacity.

For deep verification, you can use the Fastboot mode:

1. Turn off the phone.
2. Press the Power button + Volume down before the Fastboot logo appears.
3. Connect your phone to your PC and type in the command line: fastboot getvar all
4. Check the product, model, and serialno lines – they should match the data on the box.

⚠️ Note: If the Fastboot displays a model that doesn’t exist (e.g., Redmi) X999), Or instead of the Mi Bunny logo, you see the characters -- it's 100% fake.

6. Camera and sensor checks: why fakes are giving themselves away

The camera is one of the hardest parts of a smartphone to fake. The original Xiaomi uses proprietary image processing algorithms that can't be copied. Take test shots and notice:

• 📸 Color rendering: In fakes, colors are often overexposed (too bright) or faded. For example, the sky in the photo may be purple instead of blue.
• 🌃 Night shooting: The original Xiaomi (like the Xiaomi 13 Pro) does a good job of night scenes. Fakes give noisy and blurry photos even in good lighting.
• 🔍 Macro: The original models have a Macro mode with a focus of up to 2 cm in the fake macro shooting is either absent, or gives blurred frames.

Check the sensors:

• 🧲 Compass: Open Google Maps or Mi Compass. If the compass needle twitches chaotically, the sensor is fake.
• 📡 GPS: Enable geolocation and check accuracy in Google Maps. GPS Can determine location up to 500 meters error.
• 👆 Approximation Sensor: When you call, put your hand up to the top of the screen. In the original, the screen should go out, in the fake, no.

A critical sign of fake: If the camera settings do not have Pro Mode, Night Mode or 50MP (for high-resolution models), you have a copy.

7.Where and how to buy Xiaomi, so as not to run into a fake

The most reliable way to avoid counterfeiting is to buy Xiaomi in official stores:

• 🏬 Mi Store (branded Xiaomi stores in the shopping center).
• 🛒 Official partners: Svyaznoy, M.Video, Eldorado (check the availability of the certificate in the window).
• 🌍 Official website mi.com/ru.

If you are buying on marketplaces (Wildberries, Ozon, AliExpress), watch out for:

• 🛡️ Seller: Must have an official Xiaomi Global Store or a proven reseller with a rating above 98%.
• 📄 Documents: Checks, warranty card and certificate of conformity (with hologram) must be included).
• 💬 Reviews: Look for photos/videos of real customers. Counterfeit products often have template reviews ("Super phone, everyone's best advice!").

⚠️ Warning: Never buy Xiaomi hand-held (Avito, Yula) or social media dealers! Even if the seller shows checks, they are easy to fake in Photoshop. 10-15% In the official store, than get a "brick" for 30 000 ruble.

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The only way to guarantee the original Xiaomi is to check the serial number on the official website mi.com/global/verify before payment.

FAQ: Frequent questions about Xiaomi fakes