How to change IMEI to Xiaomi: a detailed guide

Changing the hardware identifier, known as IMEI, on Xiaomi or Redmi devices is a complex technical procedure that users often need after unsuccessful flashing, replacing the motherboard or buying a smartphone from China without an official warranty. This process is not standard and requires a deep understanding of the Android operating system and specific drivers for MediaTek or Qualcomm chips. It is important to immediately understand that interference in system partitions carries certain risks, so before starting any manipulations you need to weigh all the pros and cons.

The challenge is that modern versions of the MIUI and HyperOS shells have enhanced bootloader and system file protection, and if you're wondering how to change the IMEI to shaomi, you have to be prepared to be able to do that with standard menus, you'll need access to superuser rights, you'll need to have Root rights, and in most cases, you'll need to have an unlocked Bootloader, and ignoring those requirements will only lead to a waste of time or, in the worst case, to a brick.

In this article, we will discuss in detail all known methods of changing the digital ID, consider the necessary tools and pay special attention to legal aspects. Remember that in the Russian Federation and many other countries, changing the factory phone number without the permission of authorized authorities can entail administrative or even criminal liability.

Legal aspects and risks of the procedure

Before we get to the technical side, we need to be clear about the consequences of our actions: changing a unique number of a device is like cloning or forging identification features. Telecom operators and law enforcement agencies keep a strict record of such cases, especially if the number is listed on a blacklist of stolen phones, and using such a gadget can lead to its complete blocking at the operator level.

⚠️ In Russia, there is a law prohibiting the change IMEI The violation may be considered as preparation for the commission of a crime in the telecommunications sector, use the knowledge only to restore the native number after repair!

Technically, incorrect interference with the NVRAM (Non-Volatile Random Access Memory) partition causes the calibration data of the communications module to be lost, which means that even if you prescribe a new number, the phone may stop seeing the network, lose Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, or be extremely unstable. It is almost impossible to recover native data after it is wiped out without a factory backup.

In addition, Xiaomi service centers may refuse warranty service when dealing with the problem of the next IMEI, since the fact of interference with system software will be obvious. Even paid repairs can be complicated by the need to find donor parts or use specialized software to flash the module.

Tools and drivers preparation

To do this successfully, you'll need not only the smartphone itself, but also a properly designed workplace, first of all, you'll need to install the right drivers for your CPU on your computer, for MediaTek-based devices, it's VCOM Drivers, and for Qualcomm, it's QDLoader, and without them, the computer will not see the phone in deep firmware mode.

It's also critical to have a stable connection. Use the original one. USB-cable, preferably short in length, and connect it directly to the motherboard port (back of the system unit), avoiding USB-Any interruption of power or signal during the recording of data in NVRAM modem-fatal.

• 📱 Smartphone Xiaomi/Redmi/POCO battery-charged 60%.
• 💻 Windows PC (preferably 10 or 11 versions).
• 🔌 Original. USB-data-line.
• 📦 Installed drivers ADB, Fastboot and chipset-specific.
• 🔓 Unlocked Bootloader (for most methods).

Special attention should be paid to access rights. For most software complexes, you will need Root rights, and you can get them through standard tools like Magisk, pre-unlocking the bootloader through the official Mi Unlock website. Without superuser rights, writing to system partitions will be prohibited by Android security policies.

Method of change through the engineering menu

The easiest, but least reliable way is to use the engineering menu, which only works on older Android versions and MediaTek processors, and to run you need to open the Phone app and dial a special combination of characters, such as ##3646633## or ##4636##. If the menu opens, you are in the CDS Information section.

Inside the menu, you need to find the Radio tab and select Connectivity or immediately go to the MTK Settings. You're interested in the field here. SET, where the format command is entered AT+EGMR=1,7,"Your new_IMEI". For the second. SIM-The card code will be different: AT+EGMR=1,10,"Your new_IMEI_2". After entering the command, press the Send button. AT.

⚠️ Note: On modern Xiaomi smartphones with Android 10 and above, this method is blocked by the manufacturer. Even if the menu opens, the command may not execute or be reset after the restart.

Once you have successfully entered the command, the phone needs to restart, and you can check the result by typing the standard code *#06#. If the number has changed, you're lucky. However, in 90% of cases, new models will see an error message or the original factory number. This is because the memory partition that stores IMEI now has read-only status (read-only) without the use of specialized software.

Use of specialized software on PC

The most effective way to do this is to use computer programs such as SN Writer, Maui META or MCT Bypass, which allow you to interact directly with the phone’s modem. To start, run the program on behalf of the administrator and select the appropriate type of processor (MTK or Qualcomm).

Then you have to put the phone in firmware mode. For MediaTek, this is often done by turning off the device and pressing the volume buttons when you connect the cable. In the program, you have to select the COM port that appeared in the Device Manager. If the drivers are installed correctly, the status will change to Connected.

In the field for entering enter enter a new IMEI-Make sure it's correct (usually 15 digits). Press Write or Start. The process takes a few seconds. Once completed, a success message will appear and the phone will automatically restart or require manual restart.

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If the program gives a connection error, try to change USB-port, disable antivirus during the procedure or use another cable. Often the problem lies in blocking drivers with Windows protection.

IMEI recovery via terminal and ADB

For advanced users, there is a method of editing configuration files directly through the terminal, which requires having Root rights and a terminal emulator installed on the smartphone itself, or connecting via a mobile phone. ADB The method is to edit the file. /data/nv_data.bin or similar where the modem data is stored.

First you need to access the root file system. In the terminal, type the su command and confirm access. Next, you need to find the exact path to the configuration file, which may vary depending on the Xiaomi model / -name "nv_data".

su


mount -o rw,remount /system




cd /data/misc/radio




echo "YOUR IMEI" > nv_data.bin

But it's a very dangerous method. A single byte error can completely destroy the antenna calibration. A safer option is to use scripts that automatically swap out the Android registry values. But even these don't work on all versions of MIUI. If the number resets to "null" or "0" after the reboot, then the method doesn't work, and the partition is protected.

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Direct editing of system files through the terminal is the riskiest method, and it gives you complete control, but one error in the syntax of the command can cause the communication module to fail without the possibility of a simple rollback.

Frequent problems and ways to solve them

When changing the ID, users often encounter common errors, such as “Invalid IMEI” or “IMEI Null,” which means that the phone has lost touch with the ID database, in which case only a full recovery of the EFS or Persist partition from the backup, if it was made in advance, helps.

Another problem is that you can't log in online. SIM-It's not picking up the signal, it's telling us that the new IMEI does not match the certificates in the communication module or was entered incorrectly (for example, the parity control of the last digit was not passed), in this case, you need to recheck the code through the online checksum calculator.

• 📉 No network: Check if the new one is blocked IMEI operator.
• 🔄 Reset after reboot: The change method does not apply to your version of the software, the section is protected.
• ⚡ Fast discharge: Communication module is operating in emergency mode, stock reflashing is required IMEI.
• 🚫 Program error: Incorrectly selected port COM or drivers conflict.

If nothing works, the only solution is to go back to factory settings, so you have to find the exact copy of the persist file for your model on forums (like 4PDA) and write it down via Fastboot. The command looks like fastboot flash persist persist.img. This will return the phone to its native passport.