How to open the engineering menu on Xiaomi: all the ways and warnings

The Engineering Mode on Xiaomi, Redmi or POCO smartphones is a hidden settings section designed to test hardware components, calibrate sensors and diagnose malfunctions. It is not available on the standard MIUI interface, but activating it can help solve problems with the network, display, battery or sound. However, not all the features in this menu are safe for inexperienced users — some parameters can cause a device to fail or disrupt its performance.

In this article, we’ll take a look at all the proven ways to log into the engineering menu across Xiaomi models, including Qualcomm Snapdragon and MediaTek devices, and learn which settings can be changed without risk, and which can only be changed with experience. We will also focus on hidden codes for the diagnosis of specific modules (for example, a camera test or a computer). GPS), They do not require full access to the engineering menu.

We warn you that improper actions in the engineering mode can lead to loss of warranty, resetting or even “bricking” the smartphone. If you are not sure of your actions, you should contact the Xiaomi service center.

What is an Engineering Menu and Why You Need It

The Engineering Menu (or Engineer Mode) is a low-level interface that manufacturers (including Xiaomi) use to debug and test devices during the manufacturing phase. It contains hundreds of parameters, most of which do not have a graphical interface in standard MIUI firmware.

This menu can be used to:

• 📡 Network Testing: Check signal strength, switch between standards (2G/3G/4G/5G), adjust the modulation parameters.
• 🔋 Calibrate the battery: reset the data on the charging cycle, check the real capacity of the battery.
• 📱 Diagnose the display: look for broken pixels, test the sensor for responsiveness, check color reproduction.
• 🎤 Customize microphone and speakers: adjust sensitivity, test noise reduction.
• 📍 Check in GPS/GLONASS: track the number of captured satellites, the speed of determining coordinates.

However, most of these functions are designed for engineers and repair shops, for example, changing the parameters of a radio frequency module (RF) without special knowledge can lead to loss of the network or even damage to the antenna, so it is recommended to back up the data before any manipulation.

⚠️ Note: Some Xiaomi models (e.g. Redmi Note 10 Pro) POCO X3 Pro) the engineering menu may be blocked by the manufacturer, and attempts to unlock it through informal methods (e.g. modified firmware) will void the warranty.

How to open an engineering menu on Xiaomi

There are several methods of logging into Engineer Mode, but not all of them work on modern devices, and below we will list the current methods, tested on the firmware MIUI 12-14.

Method 1: Using USSD code (the simplest)

On most Xiaomi smartphones, the engineering menu is opened with hidden code.

1. Open the Phone app.
2. Enter ##4636## or #36446337## (for devices on MediaTek).
3. Click the call button – the menu will open with tabs Phone Information, Battery Use, etc.

If the code doesn’t work, try alternatives:

• 📱 For Qualcomm Snapdragon: ##4636## or #8255## (test) GPS).
• 🔧 For MediaTek Helio: ##36446337## or #54298## (network information).

On some models (such as Xiaomi 12T or Redmi K50), these codes can be disabled, in which case you will need to use specialized applications.

Method 2: MTK Engineering Mode (for MediaTek)

If your smartphone is powered by a MediaTek processor (such as a Redmi 9A or POCO M3), install the MTK Engineering Mode app from Google Play:

Download the official app (avoid clones)|Provide all permissions requested |Connect your smartphone to charge (recommended)|Do not interrupt the application-->

After installation:

1. Open the app and select MTK Settings.
2. Go to Hardware Testing → Touch Screen (for sensor test) or Audio (for sound check).
3. To access the full engineering menu, click Engineer Mode (MTK).

⚠️ Note: Third-party engineering menu apps (such as Engineer Mode Shortcut) may contain malicious code. Install only official utilities with high ratings and a lot of reviews.

Method 3: Through ADB (for power users)

If the standard methods don’t work, you can try activating the engineering menu via Android Debug Bridge (ADB), a method that requires connecting the smartphone to your computer and enabling debugging mode over USB.

Instructions:

1. Turn on Developer Mode on your smartphone: go to Settings → About Phone and 7 times click on the MIUI version.
2. Return to Settings → Additional → For developers and activate Debugging over USB.
3. Connect your smartphone to your PC, install ADB Tools and execute the command: adb shell am start -n com.android.settings/.EngineerMode

If the team doesn’t work, try an alternative:

adb shell am start -a android.intent.action.MAIN -n com.mediatek.engineermode/.EngineerMode

This method doesn’t work on all devices, as Xiaomi can block access to the engineering menu at the firmware level.

What settings can be changed without risk

Not all the options on the engineering menu are equally dangerous, and below we list safe sections that can be used for diagnostics without consequences for the device.

Dangerous sections (change of parameters can lead to malfunctions):

• 🚨 RF Band Selection – Change of network frequency bands (risk of loss of connection).
• 🚨 Factory Reset – Full reset to factory settings without confirmation.
• 🚨 Hardware Version – Change of hardware identifiers (can block) IMEI).

💡

Before testing the battery in the engineering menu, fully charge your smartphone. Inaccurate capacity data is often associated with an undercharge or worn-out battery.

How to check the battery through the engineering menu

One of the most useful sections of the engineering menu is Battery Information, where you can find out the actual state of the battery, which is not always displayed in the standard MIUI settings.

To obtain data:

1. Open the engineering menu (through code or application).
2. Go to Battery or Battery Information.
3. Note the parameters: Battery Health - battery state (% of the original capacity). Voltage - current voltage (normal: 3.7-4.2V); Temperature - temperature (optimum: 25-40 °C); Charge Counter - the number of complete charging cycles.

If the Battery Health value is below 80%, the battery is worn out and needs to be replaced. Also note Voltage: if it drops below 3.5V at 20% charge, the battery degrades.

Network and antenna testing

If your Xiaomi network is not catching well, the engineering menu will help diagnose the problem.

1. Open the Telephony or Network Info section.
2. Check the parameters: Signal Strength - signal level in dBm (optimally: above -90 dBm), Network Type - current standard (LTE, 5G, GSM), SIM Status - SIM-card state (should be Ready).

Set Preferred Network Type

LTE only

If the signal is weak (-110 dBm or lower), the problem may be:

• 📶 Antennae – physical damage or oxidation of contacts.
• 📱 Firmware - failure in the module RIL (need to be reflashed).
• 🏙️ Operator – problems on the provider side (check coverage).

⚠️ Warning: Changing Band Selection settings can cause network loss.If you're unsure about choosing ranges for your region, leave the default settings.

Frequent Mistakes and How to Avoid Them

Many users make critical errors when working with the engineering menu, and here are the most common ones and ways to prevent them:

1. Change IMEI: In the CDS Information or Connectivity section, you can accidentally erase or change the IMEI, which will result in network lock and loss of warranty. Never edit settings that contain IMEI, MEID or Serial Number.
2. Reset RF settings: In the RF Band Selection menu, it is not recommended to change ranges without special knowledge. Incorrect settings can make a smartphone "deaf" to any network.
3. Battery Calibration: Battery Calibration does not restore capacity, it only resets statistics. Often using it can lead to incorrect display of the percentage of charge.
4. Change display settings: In the Display section, you can adjust color temperature or contrast, but changing the Gamma or PWM values can cause the screen to flicker.

If after changes in the engineering menu, the smartphone stopped working correctly, try:

• 🔄 Reset network settings: Settings → SIM-maps and mobile networks → Resetting network settings.
• 📱 Reset to factory settings (if the problem is serious).
• 🔧 Reflash the device via Fastboot (in extreme cases).

💡

If you're not sure what the setting is, don't change it. Most of the settings on the engineering menu don't have a description, and editing them incorrectly can make your smartphone go down.

FAQ: Answers to Frequent Questions