How to Open an Engineering Menu on Xiaomi: Secret Codes and Safe Ways

The Engineering Mode (Engineer Mode) in Xiaomi, Redmi and POCO smartphones is a hidden settings section that the manufacturer leaves behind for hardware testing, sensor calibration and fault diagnosis. It is often used by service centers, but ordinary users can also benefit from it: for example, check the battery status, calibrate the touch screen or unlock hidden communication functions.

But access to this menu is fraught with risks. Mistakes can lead to loss of warranty, malfunctioning of the smartphone, or even “bricking” (completely inoperable). In this article, we will explain how to safely enter the engineering menu on Xiaomi devices of different generations, from old models on MIUI 8 to new flagships on HyperOS. You will also learn what features are available there and what you can not do.

What is an Engineering Menu and Why You Need It

The Engineering Menu (also called Engineer Mode or Service Menu) is a low-level interface that provides access to the hardware components of a smartphone. Unlike standard MIUI settings, you can:

• 🔋 Check the actual wear of the battery (not only the percentage of charge, but also the number of charging cycles)
• 📡 Testing communication modules: 4G/5G, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, GPS and NFC
• 🎯 Calibrate sensors: gyroscope, accelerometer, sensor of approach and illumination
• 🔊 Customize sound parameters, including hidden equalizers and microphone amplifiers
• 📱 Check the operation of the touch screen (multi-touch tests and response)

For example, if your Xiaomi has become worse to catch the network, through the engineering menu you can check the antenna signal power or forcibly switch to another 4G range. And if the screen began to "glutch", tools for touchscreen diagnostics are immediately available.

⚠️ Attention: Changing the parameters in the engineering menu can disrupt the stability of the smartphone, for example, incorrect configuration of the module. RF (Xiaomi does not officially support users’ access to this menu and may refuse warranty repairs if it detects traces of interference.

Official and unofficial ways of entry

There are several methods for activating the engineering menu on Xiaomi, and their choice depends on the model of the device and the firmware version.

1. Through a secret code (the easiest way)

Most of the smartphones Xiaomi, Redmi and POCO support the entrance USSD-Open the Phone app and enter one of the combinations:

#4636## - General Testing Menu (Android)
#36446337## - MTK Engineering Menu (for MediaTek processors)
##6484## - Test of the MTK module
#64663## - Touch screen and hardware components test
##225## - Checking the status of the battery

If nothing happens after entering the code, it means:

• 📱 Your model doesn’t support this method (relevant for the new flagships on the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3)
• 🔒 Manufacturer has blocked access in the latest versions MIUI/HyperOS
• 🛠️ Requires unlocking the bootloader (bootloader)

2. via the "Testing" application (for new firmware)

Starting with MIUI 12 and HyperOS, Xiaomi has hidden direct access to the engineering menu, but left an alternative path:

1. Open the Settings. → The phone.
2. Press 5-7 times on the line "Version" MIUI" (or "HyperOS Version") until the notice "You became a developer" appears!"
3. Return to the main settings menu and select Additional → For developers
4. Activate the Developer Mode switch and find the Equipment Test option (or CIT Test).

Basic sensor, screen and communication tests are available in this section, but not all features of a full-fledged engineering menu.

3. via ADB (for advanced users)

If the standard methods don’t work, you can try activating the menu via Android Debug Bridge (ADB).

1. Install. ADB-computer-driver
2. Connect your smartphone via USB and allow debugging in Settings →
3. Open the command line (or Terminal) and type in: adb shell am start -n com.android.settings/.DevelopmentSettings Or for new firmware: adb shell am start -a android.settings.TESTING_SETTINGS

This method requires technical knowledge and may not work on devices with a locked bootloader.

Difference Between Engineering Menus on MediaTek and Snapdragon

The MediaTek and Qualcomm Snapdragon processors that are installed in Xiaomi smartphones have different engineering menus, which is important to consider, as incorrect code or configuration can cause crashes.

On smartphones with a Snapdragon processor, the engineering menu is often limited to the manufacturer. For example, in Xiaomi 13 Pro, you can only see the battery information, but do not change the communication settings.

What to do in the Engineering Menu (Safe Features)

Not all options on the engineering menu are dangerous, but here is a list of useful things that won’t hurt the device:

• 🔋 Battery check: Find out the actual capacity, the number of charging cycles and temperature, this will help you assess battery wear without third-party applications.
• 📶 Network test: See signal strength LTE/5G, Signal-to-noise ratio and available frequencies. Useful if the smartphone is not catching the network well.
• 🎤 Microphone and speaker check: Record the test sound and check its playback to diagnose sound problems.
• 📱 Sensor calibration: If the screen does not register touches correctly, you can reset the touchscreen settings here.
• 🌡️ Temperature monitoring: See the temperature of the processor, battery and other components in real time.

For example, if your Redmi Note 12 is running out quickly, you can check in the engineering menu to see if the system is lying with the percentage of charge. To do this, go to Battery Information and compare the values of Design Capacity and Current Capacity. A difference of more than 20% indicates a strong wear and tear.

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If you see a Fast Dormancy option (in the network section) in the engineering menu, turning it on can save a little battery power, but it will impair the stability of the connection.

What you can’t do in the engineering menu (risky settings)

Some of the parameters can lead to irreversible consequences, and here's a list of prohibited activities:

• ⚠️ Change of settings RF (Radio frequency: This can disrupt the modem, and the smartphone will stop catching the network.
• ⚠️ Calibration of the battery without necessity: Incorrect calibration will result in incorrect display of percentages of charge or even damage to the battery controller.
• ⚠️ Disabling sensors: For example, if you turn off the proximity sensor, the screen will not go out during the call.
• ⚠️ Change of change IMEI: This is illegal and can block the smartphone in the networks of operators.
• ⚠️ Overclocking/undervolting of the processor: will lead to overheating or unstable system operation.

⚠️ Note: On some Xiaomi models (e.g, POCO F3 or Redmi K40) In the engineering menu there is an option "Band Selection" for manual selection of frequencies 4G/5G. The wrong choice can lead to loss of communication! If not sure, leave the setting Auto.

How to Get Out of the Engineering Menu and Get Everything Back

If you accidentally changed the settings and want to return the original settings, there are several ways:

1. Soft reset: Most sections of the engineering menu have a "Reset" or "Restore Defaults" button. Press it to reset your current settings.
2. Reboot: Sometimes it’s enough to reboot your smartphone – temporary changes (for example, in network tests) will reset automatically.
3. Reset via Recovery: If your smartphone is unstable, reset to factory settings via Recovery Mode.Warning: This will delete all data!
4. Flashing: In extreme cases, you can reinstall the firmware through the Mi Flash Tool (an unlocked bootloader is required).

For example, if your mobile internet is lost after changing your LTE Band settings, go back to the engineering menu, search Network Setting → Band Mode and select Auto.

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If you're not sure what you're doing, you'd better take a screenshot of the original engineering menu settings before you change, and that'll help you get things back on track.

Alternatives to the Engineering Menu: Safe Diagnostics

If you just need to check the status of your smartphone, don’t take risks with the engineering menu.

• 📊 Annex "Security" (built-in MIUI): Shows battery status, temperature and memory usage.
• 🛠️ AccuBattery: Analyzes battery wear and charging speed (available on Google Play).
• 📡 Network Signal Guru: Shows detailed information about the network signal (an alternative to the Snapdragon engineering menu).
• 🔧 CPU Throttling Test: Checks whether the processor is “trottled” due to overheating.

These tools will give you most of the information you need without the risk of damaging your smartphone.

FAQ: Frequent questions about Xiaomi's engineering menu