Xiaomi company, for a relatively short period of existence, has shown the whole world that technology that simplifies everyday life – can be cheap but of high quality. Every year it produces more and more new products, which do not even refer to electronics. Xiaomi has earned a reputation for quality products. But, because of this popularity, a lot of fake devices appear. Therefore, checking the authenticity of Xiaomi (or any technology) has become a common necessity.
Why does the verification
Immediately answer the key question: why check the purchased device for originality? To begin with, let’s talk about the trivial problems faced by the owner of the copy:
- Poor quality of the product. Fakes, in most cases, are not of high quality. And this is where the user will notice external differences: brittle plastic, scratches, and chips. Let’s take, for example, Mi Band 6. The strap of a fake fitness watch is hard and rough. The display is easy to scratch, and incorrect operation of internal systems.
- Poor functionality. This is especially noticeable on non-original smartwatches. Mobile devices freeze, system crashes, and applications refuse to launch. Firmware can be to blame for similar problems: “Vietnamese” and crooked localized.
- You can’t find the lost device. A successful search is impossible because of fake IMEI. Scammers assign the same serial numbers to products, while original Xiaomi products have unique imei and s/n.
By doing the originality check, you will ensure that you have purchased a quality brand-name device. If not, contact the store where you purchased it.
How to check Xiaomi products for originality
Let’s get right down to practice. Below you will find ways to check most devices from Xiaomi, from phones to electric scooters. Note that each type of device is checked differently.
Smartphone and tablet
Our website already has an article on how to check your Xiaomi phone for originality. Here we also duplicate the most important information and the main methods of verification.
Official website Mi Verify
Xiaomi developers have created a special service through which any user can check his phone or tablet. This site always shows reliable information.
You need the IMEI code or serial number (S/N) to verify. So how do you find out this data? There are two ways to get IMEI:
- Take the factory box in which you purchased the device. We are looking for the barcode, which is the desired item.
- We enter the command *#06#. In the message that appears will be the name.
S/N is a little easier to find out. Go to “Settings ” – “About phone” and pay attention to the numbers near the “Serial number” section.
- Now visit the official website for verification – Mi Verify. We verify by serial number or IMEI (enter this data into the first line).
- In the next box, enter the captcha and click “Verify”.
- Information about the device will appear. Here you should pay attention to two indicators: the color of the circle and the number of verifications. The smartphone is original if you see a green circle with the inscription. If red and the number of tests for the same IMEI exceeded 5-10 attempts – you have a fake.
Determination by external signs
Counterfeit can also be determined by external appearance. Scammers often use low-quality materials for phones and tablets, and it’s easy to spot when you use them.
- Models with an allegedly metal or glass body are made of ordinary plastic;
- At rear panel the back panel immediately leaves fingerprints and deep scratches;
- The display breaks at the slightest mechanical impact (a clear sign of the lack of hardened glass Gorilla Glass);
- The claimed characteristics do not match the real ones. By the way, you can check the parameters of your mobile device using the application AnTuTu Benchmark.
These methods of testing will be suitable for absolutely any series of Xiaomi: Mi, Redmi, Android One or Mi Pad.
Smartwatch and fitness tracker
“Smart” watches from Xiaomi are better checked visually based on the gadget’s appearance. But if you are a beginner and have purchased a fitness bracelet for the first time, you may not notice the differences. Below will be described several methods of verification.
Huami Amazfit
The first thing you can do to identify a copy is to connect the smartwatch to the branded Mi Fit or Amazfit Watch app. This is quick and easy, but it is not 100% guaranteed.
The fake smartwatch does not sync with the app. The program does not see the gadget via Bluetooth. Unfortunately, this parameter is conditional, as experienced fraudsters have recently begun to produce better-quality copies that are already interfaced with the Mi Fit.
Next, we look closely at the box. Amazfit watches come only in a white branded box, with no extra signs and inscriptions. We take the strap and carefully examine its material. The original strap is made of soft hypoallergenic silicone. The fake is harder and scratchy (ordinary rubber). There may be an unpleasant smell.
The “smart” watch screen checks for scratches, dents, and scuffs.
But note that the display can also be damaged in the original Amazfit, if the rules of safe delivery were violated.
Xiaomi Mi Band
As with previous smartwatches, the Mi Band can immediately connect to the Mi Fit. Alas, this check does not guarantee that you have an original device in front of you. There are more effective methods for detecting fakes.
Namely: even if the gadget has synced with the app, its non-original nature is easy to detect. Go to Mi Fit, look for the “Profile” section, and click on the connected model. Look at the numbers in front of the “MAC address” tab. Write them down or remember them.
Exit the application and go to the same point again. This time the MAC address will be different from the first value because the security code is regenerated differently in the copy.
And let’s quickly go over the external differences the fitness bracelets. Let’s take the Mi Band 4 and the recent Mi Band 5 as examples.
- The original has a longer charging cable. The copy has a shorter one;
- The wire of real fitness bracelets is matte. The fake ones are glossy and slippery;
- The original has the Mi logo on the “cap” of the cable, and the fake gadget has no identification marks;
- The real bracelet has two green indicators when you turn it on, while the copy, in most cases, the heart rate monitor, does not work.
Headphones
Now let’s check the authenticity of Xiaomi headphones (overhead, vacuum, and wireless), such as Airdots. All the headphones of this company have a sticker with an encrypted code. By scanning it, you can be sure of the product’s originality.
Xiaomi smartphones have a special system application called “Scanner”. If you own another Android phone, install any scanning add-on from Google Play.
Run the downloaded program, take a picture of the barcode, and wait until the “Product Authentication” verification page opens in the browser. A smiling rabbit should appear, saying, “Authentication passed! This Mi product is authentic,” along with the number of validations.
Power Bank
Next in line are power banks. Xiaomi external batteries have earned the praise of millions of users, so it is not surprising that they are often counterfeited. It is important to buy the original product because the performance of the copy is questionable (small capacity, poor charging devices).
Checking the 20-digit code
On each branded external battery or package, there is a security code with which you can check the originality of the gadget on the Mi website.
- We erase the protective surface and see 20 digits;
- We use the same service as for smartphones, only we go to the tab “Xiaomi Product Authentication”;
- Below we enter the combination of 4 characters;
- Click on “Verify”;
- See the result of the verification.
Checking appearance
Let’s carry out a visual inspection to ensure the verifier’s originality. To begin with, decide what model and with what capacity you want to buy. For example, it could be Xiaomi Power Bank 2 10000. The key indicator here is ten thousand milliampere-hours. Found the same external battery but with a lower capacity? It’s a fake.
When the portable battery is in hand, examine its wires and connectors. The charging cable should be pure white, while the USB port inside is black. The connectors present on the power bank itself, on the contrary, are white. This is very important because copies have different color combinations: the charging cable in the middle is white, while the ports on the device are black.
Now we check the possibility of flow charging. You can connect the original to a power source and simultaneously charge the phone. The fake, unfortunately, does not have this function. If there is no charge left in the power bank, you must replenish it first and then charge the other devices fully.
Today you have learned how to check the authenticity of almost all Xiaomi devices. The instruction will remain relevant until the company develops additional ways to protect its original products, but we will still describe new methods.
