How to get system tracing on Xiaomi: from engineering menu to ADB

System tracing (system logs) on Xiaomi smartphones is a detailed report on the operation of the operating system, drivers and applications, which helps to diagnose crashes, freezes or errors. Without this data, it is difficult to understand the causes of unstable device operation, especially if it is a question of deep software failures, firmware conflicts or hardware problems. However, finding logs on Xiaomi is not as easy as on other Android devices: the manufacturer hides many tools behind engineering menus and special commands.

In this article, we will look at all the available methods for obtaining traces, from standard methods through settings to advanced tools like ADB and MiFlash. We will focus on the nuances for different models: Redmi, POCO, Black Shark and the flagship Xiaomi 13/14 series. If you are faced with constant reboots, camera errors or sensor problems, this guide will help you collect data for contacting the service center or self-analysis.

What is a tracing system and why it is needed

Tracing (or system logs) is a record of all events occurring in the operating system and hardware components of a smartphone.

• 📱 Kernel logs – processor, memory, driver errors;
• 🔄 Application logs – failures and warnings from installed programs;
• 📡 Logs modem - data on network, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth;
• 🔋 Battery Logs – Information on charging, discharging and battery temperature.

These data are critical in several cases:

• 🛠️ Diagnosis of malfunctions – if the smartphone spontaneously reboots, does not turn on or “gluts»;
• 📦 Contact the service - without logs, the master will not be able to accurately determine the cause of the breakdown;
• 🔧 Debugging firmware - when installing custom ROM or modification;
• 📊 Performance analysis – to find “bottlenecks” in the system.

On Xiaomi, there are two types of tracing:

1. Basic – is automatically collected and stored in the device memory (available through standard tools);
2. Extended modes (such as MTK Logger or Qualcomm Diag) are often used by service centers.

⚠️ Attention: Collecting extended logs may lead to leakage of sensitive data (passwords, application tokens!

Method 1: Standard Logs menu in MIUI

The easiest method is to use the built-in Logs menu in MIUI firmware, which is available on most devices, but may not be available on some lightweight shell models (e.g. Redmi Go or POCO C-series).

Instructions:

1. Open the Settings app;
2. Go to the About Phone (or About Device) section.
3. Tap 5-7 times on the MIUI version until the message “You became a developer” appears!
4. Return to the main Settings menu and open a new section for developers.
5. Scroll down and find the Logs item (or Log Collection);
6. Select the type of logs (such as System Logs or Application Logs) and click Start Collect.

After collection, logs will be stored in the folder. /sdcard/MIUI/debug_log/. The files will be in.txt or.zip format, which can be sent to the service or analyzed independently through programs like Logcat Reader.

Free space on the device (minimum 500 MB)

Battery charge (at least 50%)

Disabling VPN and proxy

Closing all background applications-->

⚠️ Note: On some firmware (for example, MIUI Global) the Logs item may not be available, in which case use alternative methods from the following sections.

Method 2: Engineering menu (#4636##)

The hidden engineering menu is a universal tool for diagnosing Android devices, including Xiaomi, which allows access to advanced logs, network information, battery and sensors, but on new models (such as the Xiaomi 13 Ultra or Redmi Note 12 Pro+), this menu can be blocked.

How to open it:

1. Launch the Phone application;
2. Enter the combination: ##4636##;
3. Select the phone information (or Usage Statistics) tab.
4. Scroll down and find the Collect Logs (or Dump Logs) button.

Logs will be saved to /sdcard/Log/. Please note that you can also:

• 📶 View status SIM-maps and networks;
• 🔋 See detailed information about the battery (temperature, voltage);
• 📡 Check the status of Wi-Fi and Bluetooth.

If #4636### doesn’t work, try the alternative codes:

• #284## - Sensor test
• ##232338## — MAC-Wi-Fi address;
• ##06## - IMEI devices.

Redmi Note 11/12

POCO F4/F5

Xiaomi 13/14

Black Shark 5/6

Another model-->

Method 3: Collecting logs through ADB (for power users)

Android Debug Bridge (ADB) is a powerful tool for interacting with a device through a computer, which can provide complete system logs, including kernel and driver data that are not available through standard menus, and is suitable for diagnosing complex crashes, such as when a smartphone is not turning on or getting stuck on a logo.

Instructions:

1. Install ADB and Fastboot Tools on PC
2. Enable USB debugging on your smartphone (Settings → About Phone → MIUI Version → 5 taps → For developers → USB debugging);
3. Connect the device to the computer and confirm the debugging permission;
4. Open the command prompt (or Terminal on macOS/Linux) and type:

adb devices

(Your device should be displayed)

adb logcat -d > xiaomi_logs.txt

(login xiaomi_logs.txt)

To collect extended logs (including the kernel), use:

adb shell dumpsys > dumpsys_log.txt


adb shell dmesg > kernel_log.txt

These teams will keep:

• 📄 Logcat – Logistics of applications and systems;
• 🖥️ dumpsys – the status of all Android services;
• 🔧 dmesg – kernel logs (critical driver errors).

⚠️ Attention: Logs through ADB It can take a few gigabytes. Before you collect, free up space on your PC!

💡

If the smartphone does not respond to ADB commands, try rebooting it to Fastboot mode (hold Power + Volume down) and reconnect.

Method 4: Using MiFlash and EDL-The regime (for critical failures)

If the smartphone is not turned on or is getting stuck on the boot, standard methods will not help, in which case you will need hardware log collection through EDL (Emergency Download Mode) mode and the MiFlash utility, which is used by service centers to diagnose “bricks” (defaulting devices).

What you need:

• 🖥️ Windows computer;
• 🔌 Cable USB Type-C (original, undamaged);
• 📦 MiFlash utility;
• 🔧 Qualcomm drivers (for smartphones on Snapdragon) or MediaTek (for devices on Snapdragon) Dimensity/Helio).

Step-by-step:

1. Turn off your smartphone.
2. Press Volume Up + Volume Down and connect the cable to your PC (the device should be defined as Qualcomm HS-USB QDLoader 9008)
3. Install drivers for EDL (you can download from XDA Developers)
4. Start MiFlash, select Advanced mode and press Refresh;
5. In the Log field, information about the connected device will appear - save it to a file.

In EDL mode, you can not only collect logs, but also:

• 🔄 Restore the firmware (if the smartphone is “bricked»);
• 🔒 Unlock the loader (for installation of custom) ROM);
• 📥 Switching separate sections (e.g. modem or boot).

⚠️ Attention: Misuse of the right EDL It can completely erase data from your device! Don't try this method without experience.

Method 5: Applications for collecting logs (without root)

If you don’t want to mess with ADB or engineering menus, you can use the Google Play app side, which makes it easier to collect logs, but may not provide complete information (such as kernel logs).

Top.-3 apps:

1. Logcat Extreme – collects logcat, dmesg and last_kmsg (last kernel message before failure). 🔹 Supports tag-based filtering; 🔹 Exports to.txt or.zip; 🔹 It works without root (but with root it gives more data).
2. MTK Logger is a specialized application for devices on MediaTek (for example, Redmi Note 11 or MediaTek). POCO M4 Pro). 🔹 Collects modem and radio logs; 🔹 Supports Meta Mode (for deep diagnostics); 🔹 Requires the inclusion of Diag Port through the Engineering Menu.

SysLog

logcat

• 🔹 Automatic stop when buffer overflows;
• 🔹 Support for Color Marking Errors;
• 🔹 Exports to cloud services.

What to do if logs are not saved

Sometimes log collection is interrupted or files are not created.

If none of the methods worked:

• 🔄 Try resetting your settings (but it will delete all data!);
• 📱 Update your firmware to the latest version through Settings → Update of the PO;
• 🛠️ Contact the Xiaomi Service Center with a description of the problem.