You bought a used Xiaomi and you want to know how many battery life hours it has? Or you just wonder how long your smartphone has been alive since it first turned on? The device's life is a critical parameter that directly affects battery health, performance, and even the market value of the gadget. Unfortunately, Xiaomi doesn't display this information in standard settings, but it can be obtained in several hidden ways.
In this article, we'll break down 5 working methods, including engineering menu access, ADB commands, third-party applications, and even system log analysis. Importantly, some methods require unlocking the bootloader or root rights, we'll warn where it's needed, and we'll offer alternatives for users without technical skills, and you'll learn how the charging time differs from the charging time and why this data may diverge.
1.Using the engineering menu (#4636##) is the fastest way
On most Xiaomi smartphones (including the Redmi Note, POCO and Mi-series), the running time is displayed in a hidden engineering menu.This method does not require root or PC connection, but does not work on all firmware (especially on MIUI 14+ with cropped features).
Instructions:
- 📱 Open the Phone app and enter the combination: ##4636##.
- 🔍 In the menu that appears, select the tab “Battery Information” (Battery Information).
- ⏱️ Find Uptime (last reboot time) and Total uptime (total device run time).
- 📊 If you don’t have any strings, try the alternative code: ##284## (for some models). POCO).
⚠️ Attention: On firmware MIUI Global after 2023, the engineering menu may be blocked, in which case, use the methods in the following sections.
Try another code (##284## or #36446337###)
Reboot the phone and repeat the input
Check if access is disabled through the developer settings
Use ADB (Section 3 of this article)
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2. Battery analysis applications: AccuBattery, CPU-Z and others
If the engineering menu is not available, third-party utilities will come to the rescue, not showing the total operating time of the device since release, but showing the battery life (which is often more important).
- 🔋 AccuBattery – analyzes battery charging cycles and wear, shows Estimated wear and Battery usage).
- 📊 CPU-Z — In the Battery tab, Uptime (last on) and Health (battery status) are displayed).
- 🛠️ AIDA64 — deep analysis of iron, including Total uptime in the System section».
⚠️ Note: Apps like AccuBattery only start collecting data once installed. They won't show history until they first run.
AccuBattery
CPU-Z
AIDA64
Other/Not using
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Example of data from CPU-Z:
| Parameter | Meaning | Explanation |
|---|---|---|
| Uptime | 12 days 4 hours | Time since the last reset |
| Health | Good (92%) | Battery status (percentage of original capacity) |
| Temperature | 34°C | Current battery temperature |
| Voltage | 4.21 V | Battery voltage |
3. ADB-Teams: for advanced users
If you want to know the exact time your device is running from the first time you turn on, not just the last time you reboot, use ADB (Android Debug Bridge), which requires connecting your phone to your PC and enabling USB debugging mode.
Step-by-step:
- 🖥️ Install. ADB-PC drivers.
- 📱 On the phone, turn on the developer mode (7 times click on the version). MIUI In Settings → The phone).
- 🔌 Connect the phone to the PC and type in the command line:
adb shell
cat /proc/uptimeThe first number in the answer is the kernel life in seconds from the last restart. To get the total device life, use:
adb shell
su
cat /sys/class/power_supply/battery/time_in_state⚠️ Attention: Su requires root rights. Without them, you'll only see the time from the last turn on. The alternative is to analyze the logs through adb logcat, but it's more difficult.
💡
If ADB does not recognize the device, update the drivers via the Mi Flash Tool or check if USB debugging is enabled in the developer settings (Settings → Additional → Developer).
Analysis of system logs (for technical specialists)
This method is suitable for advanced users, as it requires working with Android logs, which record all events, including the moments of on / off the device.
- 🖥️ PC fitted ADB.
- 📱 Phone with debugging enabled USB.
- 📝 Text editor (for example, Notepad)++) log-handling.
Log unloading command:
adb logcat -d > xiaomi_logs.txtIn the resulting file, look for lines with:
- BOOT_COMPLETED — moment of full loading of the system.
- SHUTDOWN — switch off.
- BatteryService – battery-related events.
🔍 Example: If you see a log entry BOOT_COMPLETED from 1 January 2023 year, and current date — 1 June 2026, The device worked at least 1 year 5 months (not taking into account the time off).
How to automate log analysis?
5. Verification through Xiaomi service centers (official method)
If you need 100% accurate data (for example, for warranty or before selling), contact Xiaomi’s authorized service center. they have access to service utilities that read the time of operation directly from the EEPROM (non-energy-dependent memory) device.
What this method will give you:
- ⏳ Exact operating time since first switching on (in hours).
- 🔋 Full battery diagnostics (charging cycles, wear and tear).
- 📄 Official certificate with seal (useful for guarantee).
⚠️ Note: Unofficial services may use the same methods as in this article (ADB, They're engineering menus, but charge money for that. Always check if they have access to the Mi Service Tool.
💡
Official diagnostics in the service center is the only way to obtain data that will be accepted during warranty repair or return under the law on consumer protection.
Frequent Mistakes and How to Avoid Them
When checking Xiaomi’s time, users often encounter inaccurate data, and here are the most common problems and solutions:
- ❌ Reset the counter after updating MIUI — Some firmware is nullifying uptime. Solution: use it. ADB reading /proc/uptime before and after updates.
- ❌ Showing time since the last reboot - many apps give Uptime instead of Total uptime.Solution: look for lines from time_in_state into ADB.
- ❌ Data mismatch in different utilities – for example, AccuBattery shows 500 cycles, and AIDA64 — Solution: Focus on official sources (service center or service center) ADB).
💡 Tip: If you buy used Xiaomi, ask the seller to provide screenshots from the engineering menu or unload logs through the service. ADB. This will reduce the risk of running into a “twisted” counter.