detailed instructions and five methods for checking smartphones for authenticity.
Chinese companies have become recognized masters of copying and imitation. One can understand borrowing ideas from Apple and Samsung - these are leaders in the smartphone market that set the trend all over the world. The American company made a cutout in the display, while the South Korean company was the first to implement a frameless design. But sometimes companies from the Middle Kingdom unscrupulously copy Chinese smartphones, and Xiaomi gets the most attention. In order not to stumble upon a fake and purchase an original phone, you must first check its authenticity according to our instructions.
Check by IMEI - serial number
The Xiaomi smartphone serial number (IMEI) is not only a unique device identifier, but also reliable way check the phone for authenticity. To find out the IMEI on a Xiaomi gadget, you need to enter the USSD command *#06#.
You can also go to Settings - About phone - general information. The information list will contain the required number.
The first thing you need to do is make sure that IMEI number device matches what is indicated on the box.
Then you need to check the IMEI on the official Xiaomi website - mi.com/verify. If the smartphone is original, you will see the following:
The second method of Xiaomi authentication is almost identical to the first, only instead of IMEI you need to enter it on the website mi.com/verify security code, which is located on the box and is covered with a protective layer for safety.
If everything is ok, a notification will appear on English language, which can be literally translated as follows: “This is a genuine product. The security code has been entered for the first time."
AnTuTu Officer
A well-known benchmark has additional program to check the originality of phones - AnTuTu Officer, which we talked about in detail. The principle of checking originality is simple:
- Download the AnTuTu Officer app at Google Play and run it.
- In your computer or laptop browser, open the website y.antutu.com.
- In the application on your smartphone, click Start and point your device’s camera at the QR code that appears on the AnTuTu website.
- After a few seconds, a verdict about the authenticity of the phone will appear on the computer screen.
Checking technical specifications
If there is a suspicion that you have a fake in your hands, then with a high probability its characteristics are much weaker than the original. In this case, you need to carefully check the specifications of the device. The characteristics of the original Xiaomi phone are extremely easy to find - they are on the company’s official website, in online stores, catalogs and information sites, including our website.
To find out the real specifications of the smartphone, just download CPU-Z application or AIDA64 on Google Play. These programs show the real characteristics of the device, including information about the processor, memory, camera sensors, display, sensors and other components. All data must match those stated on the official website or thematic information portals.
Appearance and build quality
You definitely need to check the quality of the build and materials - on phones of dubious origin these indicators are much worse than on the originals. For example, on fake smartphones there are often large black frames around the screen, and sometimes the arrangement of elements (connectors and buttons) may differ.
Also in fake Chinese smartphones Instead of metal, it uses cheap plastic as the material for the back cover or side edges. You can also pay attention to the availability and quality and other assembly nuances.
Xiaomi has become one of the most recognizable and popular companies today. But any fame has its downsides - Xiaomi devices They try to counterfeit and pass it off as originals. We will try to figure out how you can check Xiaomi products for authenticity on your own.
Xiaomi verification app
One of the most simple ways Checking a Xiaomi smartphone for originality is the official verification application from the company.
- Follow the link http://jd.mi.com/ to the verification site.
- Click on the single Download APP button. Do not close the tab.
- Open the app and scan the QR code shown on the page.
- Find out the result on the same page.
Check by IMEI
The second most popular official authentication method is checking with Xiaomi's IMEI database. This method is not 100% accurate, since particularly savvy counterfeit manufacturers can steal IMEIs and assign them to new counterfeits.
- Go to the website http://www.mi.com/verify/#imei_en
- Go to the Verify your phone purchase tab to verify your smartphone.
-Enter Device IMEI.
- Enter S/N ( serial number) devices.
- Enter the captcha and click Verify.
- A window will open showing the result of the check.
To find out the IMEI of your device, look for a sticker with a barcode on the box, where the IMEI and S/N (serial number) of the device will be indicated. If you do not have access to the box, then enter *#06# in the dialer and you will immediately see the IMEI. To find the serial number, go to Settings, then to the About phone menu and then to the General information tab.
Please note that to check this method, your IP must be Chinese, otherwise the service will give an incorrect answer.
Checking the interface and installed software
Genuine Xiaomi smartphones initially run the MIUI proprietary shell based on Android. If the purchased device has any other software installed, then the probability that the device is fake approaches 100%. In addition, it is impossible to install not only the official MIUI, but also any other firmware on a fake.
Build Quality Check
In absolutely all fakes, the build quality suffers catastrophically and, as a rule, they are equipped with the cheapest modules. Be it the flash, the battery, the camera and, especially, the processor. If you see a clearly poor fit of parts, a flash with LEDs covered by cheap, completely transparent plastic, or a display of disgusting quality, then most likely you have come across a fake.
Examination technical characteristics
This type of inspection naturally stems from testing the quality of the assembly. Only, if in the previous method we paid attention to the details themselves, here we will look at the characteristics of the device displayed in the software itself. In absolutely all fakes, manufacturers install displays, other processors and other components of the worst quality.
Please note that fake firmware often displays fake data that is closely matched to the official specifications. For this reason we will use third party programs. The popular AnTuTu is not suitable here - sometimes fake firmware can somehow bypass the AnTuTu check. Moreover, this program does not collect data about the device directly from the device itself, but shows data from its database.
Open the website → http://clck.ru/AFHj9 On it you can see the official characteristics of any phone in the world. We are interested in Xiaomi.
Download the CPU-Z program → http://clck.ru/8hQoF In it we will see the names and properties of the modules installed in the smartphone.
Comparing data from CPU-Z with the website.
The first step is to check the display resolution, processor brand and frequency. However, you can use any resource that lists the characteristics of smartphones, as well as any program that you trust to check the characteristics on the device itself.
Buy from trusted sellers
Friends, in order to protect yourself from counterfeiting and not waste time in the process of checking for authenticity, all you need to do is buy Xiaomi equipment from us -the only one official distributor Xiaomi products in Kazakhstan.All Xiaomi products, sold by us in Kazakhstan, is certified and registered, is officially imported and has an official guarantee. We also have service centers on the territory of Kazakhstan, which provide support for Xiaomi within the framework of warranty service.
It was an unknown manufacturer of equipment, but in a few years it managed to make a stunning leap in development, becoming one of the leaders in the world market. With all the advantages of this status, one cannot do without some disadvantages. In particular, many counterfeit mobile devices have appeared under the Xiaomi logo, which are made by underground manufacturers. Of course, such a phone has nothing in common with the original and, by its very existence, thoroughly spoils the reputation of Xiaomi.
The quality of counterfeit smartphones always leaves much to be desired. And that's putting it mildly. Organizations that counterfeit a Xiaomi phone try to price it even lower than the original. After all, only in this case will it be possible to win the attention of the buyer. But this is by no means easy to do, since even a real Xiaomi gadget is characterized by a minimal price in comparison with its competitors. Therefore, the authors of counterfeit gadgets have to “go out” using frankly low-quality components. As a result, the smartphone fails within the first weeks of use.
It is extremely important for you and me, as ordinary consumers, to know how to determine which is a fake and which is a real smartphone from a well-known manufacturer. And in general, is it possible to find out for sure whether you are buying a genuine phone? Of course, no one will give absolute guarantees here, but you can identify some of the most important signs, based on which you will understand how to distinguish the original Xiaomi from a fake. And in this article we will introduce you to them in detail.
The box in which genuine Xiaomi gadgets are delivered is made of the most durable cardboard that can provide reliable protection for the mobile device during transportation. There must also be a barcode on the surface of the box to help verify the authenticity of the phone. Fake boxes, on the other hand, do not contain a barcode and are made of very fragile material.
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External signs
The back panel is always made of either durable plastic, pleasant to the touch, or metal. Have a fake back panel looks like a very cheap gloss. The main camera of a real Xiaomi smartphone has a matte, opaque film, while in fakes it is either translucent or completely absent.
On most genuine models, the back cover is non-removable, and the SIM card slot is located on the side, matching the color of the body. It does not protrude beyond the side edge. If you notice that the phone does not match any of these parameters, then it is better to refuse to purchase it.
Hardware
It is worth checking individual parts of the smartphone for compliance. Very often, scammers replace the display with a low-quality and very cheap fake. Therefore, when planning to purchase a gadget, check its screen. When viewing the image, check what its resolution is and whether it matches the one declared on the smartphone.
To make sure the technical specifications are up to date, use one of the benchmarks. The most popular of them is AnTuTu. Download the program to your phone, and then launch it and see what indicators were discovered during the research of the gadget. A fake Xiaomi will always produce numbers significantly lower than those indicated in the settings. So, don’t be lazy and compare the indicators to be calm about the authenticity of your smartphone.
Software shell
Another way to distinguish a fake Xiaomi from an original is to check operating system. A real phone always has the proprietary MIUI shell installed. If your mobile device is running any other OS, then this is a clear sign that you purchased one of the counterfeit devices.
Check on the official website
Following in the footsteps of Apple, Xiaomi offers to check the authenticity of its products on the official website. To do this, you will need a special IMEI code. It is on the barcode on the smartphone box. If for some reason you don’t have a box at hand, you can dial the combination *#06#, and the code will immediately appear on the screen. The same data is available in the settings in the category " About the phone" - « General information".
Next, go to the following address: http://www.mi.com/verify/#imei_en. Enter the code and captcha, and then click on the Verify button. You will see the test result directly on the screen. If the IMEI is real, then there is no doubt about the authenticity of the smartphone.
Conclusion
Now you know what characteristics the original Xiaomi and the fake have. We hope that you will be satisfied with the result of checking your smartphone and you will not have to deal with an unscrupulous counterfeit of original Xiaomi equipment.
The popularity of Xiaomi smartphones today is simply off the charts, because the brand has a strong position in the budget segment, which has the greatest demand in our country. Devices from this brand have flooded the market, so you need to be careful not to become a victim of counterfeiting. There are many ways to check Xiaomi for authenticity. Proven methods will be discussed below; you just need to read them carefully.
Verification using the Mi Verification app
This program can be downloaded to your device at Google store Play. Checking Xiaomi for authenticity using this method is quite simple; any user can handle it. We can safely say that it works.
- After downloading the application to your smartphone, you need to follow the link https://jd.mi.com/. This is a site that is designed for verification. It is better to do this using a computer, but you can use another device. Since the page will still be needed, there is no need to close it.
- We launch the application on the phone to check the originality of Xiaomi. You will see a Scan and Verify button, you need to click it, after which the camera of your mobile device will open.
- There is a QR code on the website page; you need to scan it with your smartphone camera. It may happen that the application requires you to activate performance mode, don’t be surprised. This often happens on Xiaomi smartphones, built on processors from MediaTek. Power button this mode can be found in the notification shade.
- After you have scanned the code, Xiaomi authentication will begin, which will be confirmed by the animation in the application and the indication of the running verification on the website page.
- A completed check of a Xiaomi phone will be marked by the display of the result both on the website and in the program. If nothing new appears on the monitor screen, your mobile device inauthentic. But the data that appears about the device being verified on a green background will show that the verification of the Xiaomi phone was successful.
The AnTuTu Officer application offers similar capabilities; it is also available on Google Play. The procedure is similar.
Checking your phone by IMEI
To check the IMEI, Xiaomi will need not only the device itself, but also its box. This method is very common among those who need to confirm the originality of their smartphone. Inferior only to the method described above. However, it is not 100% accurate, since unscrupulous manufacturers can steal EMEI from the Xiaomi database, assigning it to a fake. Checking your phone by IMEI is divided into two stages.
Comparison of data in the smartphone and on the box
As a rule, the bottom of the package contains various information, including Phone IMEI. Checking the originality of Xiaomi is carried out by comparing the IMEI on the box with the one contained in the device itself. On the telephone keypad you need to dial the combination *#06#, the data that appears is compared with those seen on the packaging. A smartphone is not considered a fake if the IMEI data matches when checking.
Check on the official website
From a computer or gadget, go to the page https://www.mi.com/en/ to check the authenticity of Xiaomi on the website. What is needed is the international version of the resource in English. If it’s hard for you without the Russian language, use Google browser Chrome, it has a translation function.
At the bottom, find the Product Authentication item and click on it. You will find two tabs, they will help you check Xiaomi by IMEI. You can confirm the originality of any equipment of this brand, not just smartphones. But we need to check the phone, so we go to the Verify your phone purchase tab.
Here you will need to write the serial number of the device and its IMEI, then after entering the verification code, click on the Verify button.
As a result, we obtain information about the requested smartphone. The Redmi 3S model was used as an example to check Xiaomi by IMEI. The device was purchased with global firmware, so its name is not displayed in the picture below, only its code is visible. It’s okay, the main thing is that the volume of ROM and RAM matches. In this case, the verification was completed successfully.
You can also pay attention to the following:
- Build quality. Before punching IMEI, it’s worth taking a closer look at the assembly. All fakes have one distinct feature - poor quality of the case. If you notice poor fit of parts, creaks and loose elements, this should raise suspicions. Low-quality components such as a camera, battery or processor will immediately make themselves felt. To check Xiaomi for originality, you can use special programs eg CPU-Z. They will provide accurate information about the technical specifications.
- Software. All Xiaomi devices, except those released by Android program One Mi A1 model has the proprietary MIUI firmware on board, which can be updated over the air. If software part does not correspond to this, which means there is a high probability that the phone is a fake. And then it will be necessary to break through.
There are several ways by which you can understand whether you have an original or a fake. Let's consider 3 methods.
1 way
Xiaomi has already released an application to check whether the phone you bought is original. To operate the application you only need the Internet.Method 2
This method is not 100% accurate, but it can help a lot. The official Xiaomi website contains a database of all phones released by the company. Using this database, you can “break through” your smartphone. You must enter the IMEI and serial number on the website. Unfortunately, counterfeiters have already learned to copy codes from original phones, so the accuracy of this method is not very high.3 way
When you buy a smartphone, there is a code on the box. You need to erase the protective layer, go to the site and enter the code. If the code was entered once, then on the site you will see a checkmark in a green circle. This means that no one has entered this code before you and everything is fine. If the code is entered several times, the oval will turn red, the number of entries will appear, and the check mark will disappear. But don’t worry ahead of time - often sellers enter the code themselves to make sure that what they received is not a fake. But if the code was entered more than 50 times, then this is a serious reason to think about it. This usually means that the same code is printed on counterfeit phones.In the same way, you can check other Xiaomi devices: PowerBank, Mi Band and others.