Most listings match the BN36 battery model name to the Xiaomi Mi A2, sold in China as the Mi 6X. BN36 is a Xiaomi Li-ion cell listed at 3010 mAh typical. If you typed "mi a2 battery model number", the answer is BN36, but read your own pack before you order.
This is a small battery by today's standards. Many readers expect a 4000 or 5000 mAh figure, and a pack that claims that much for this phone is a warning sign. The Mi A2 is an older, sealed phone. BN36 is printed on the cell inside, so a technician must open the Mi A2 to read it.
Quick facts
Step by step
Find the exact phone name and model number
Open Settings, tap About phone and note the device name. If the model number is not shown, type model in the Settings search bar. The box carton also carries it.
Separate the Mi A2 from its look-alikes
Mi A2, Mi A2 Lite, Mi A1 and Mi A3 are four different phones. Check that the word in your phone name matches the page you are reading.
Have the old cell label read once the back is open
The label should show
BN36with a capacity line. Do not pry at the pack yourself, because it is held in place and the cell can be damaged.Match the new pack on the counter
Put the new pack next to the old one. The code, the outline and the connector should agree, and the weight should feel close.
Which phones use the BN36 battery model name
The letters BN tell you only that the pack belongs to the Xiaomi group. The number 36 does the real work. For BN36, the listings point to one phone, sold as the Mi A2 in many markets and as the Mi 6X in China. They are close variants of the same handset, so most listings give one battery for both.
| Xiaomi handset | Battery status | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Mi A2 | BN36 in listings | 3010 mAh typical |
| Mi 6X | BN36 in listings | Close variant of the Mi A2 |
| Mi A2 Lite | Different pack | Different phone, see the BN47 page and confirm on the label |
| Mi A1 | Different pack | Listings show BN31 for it |
| Mi A3 | Different pack | See our Mi A3 and Redmi A3 page |
No Redmi or POCO phone is confirmed as a BN36 user, so do not carry the code over to a phone just because it has a similar size.
Mi A2 battery model number and capacity in plain words
Listings give 3010 mAh for this pack. That is the typical value, the figure that adverts and parts pages quote. BN36 labels usually add a rated number just under 3010 mAh, so compare by the figure on your cell.
BN36's watt hours: 3010 mAh times the printed voltage, then divided by a thousand. As a simple example, 3000 mAh at 3.8 V is about 11.4 Wh. Listings put the BN36 near 11.5 Wh, which fits the same pattern.
For daily use, 3010 mAh on a phone of this age usually lasts a working day with light use. A heavy day of video, maps and hotspot will drain it sooner. A new pack gives back the original run time and no more, so do not expect a jump in hours from a replacement.
How to confirm BN36 before you pay
Because this phone name has cousins, confirm in three small steps. First, read the full device name in About phone. Next, have the technician open the Mi A2 and read the BN36 label. Third, compare that label with the new pack at the counter.
One customer asked for a "Mi A2 battery" and was offered a pack with the right outline but BN47 printed on it. The owner's phone was the Mi A2, not the Lite. The technician held both labels together, saw the two codes differ, and asked for BN36 instead.
The typed forms "bn 36" and "bn36" mean the same pack. If a listing leaves out the code and shows only a phone name and a capacity, ask for the code in writing.
Codes and phones often confused with BN36
Near this number sit other Xiaomi codes that look alike on a worn label, such as BN37 and BN31. Each of them has a separate phone list on its own page, so read those instead of guessing from one digit.
- BN36 and BN37 differ by a single digit. Faint print makes 6 and 7 hard to tell apart, so tilt the label in strong light.
- A 3010 mAh class pack with a different code may differ from BN36 in plug or outline.
- The older Mi A1 is a different phone from the Mi A2, so its pack is not a safe swap.
For the whole family, see our Xiaomi code hub.
Signs that a BN36 pack is wearing out
| Mi A2 symptom | Likely reason | Next step for BN36 |
|---|---|---|
| Mi A2 flat after half a day | BN36 has lost much of its capacity | Get it tested, then book a new pack |
| Mi A2 powers off with charge left | Tired BN36 cannot deliver peak current | Ask Xiaomi service to test BN36 |
| Screen lifts or back panel gaps widen | Swollen cell | Unplug it and go the same day |
| Mi A2 hot while idle | Worn BN36 or a runaway app | Restart the Mi A2, drop its cover, check BN36 |
On a Mi A2, look at apps and signal with our page on fast drain before blaming BN36. Then work through the health check page. A phone of this age may simply be at the end of its cell life.
Once BN36 bulges, overheats, seeps or dents, it may ignite. Stop charging at once, never squeeze it or press on the bulge, and keep it away from heat. Take the Mi A2 to Xiaomi service. BN36 imitations commonly inflate their mAh, so accept nothing but the exact code.
Replacing the pack without a mishap
The Mi A2 has a metal body and the back is not meant to be opened at home. Leave the work to the maker's service centre or to a technician who has done this phone before. Share the phone name along with the model number, and ask for BN36 to be checked against the cell inside.
A poor BN36 copy shows itself in these ways:
- It feels lighter than the Mi A2's original cell.
- The BN36 lettering is fuzzy and no batch line is printed.
- The label claims 4000 mAh or more for a body this size.
For fitting tips that apply to any phone, see mobile battery replacement.
Ask the shop to hold the old BN36 until the Mi A2 has charged and worked normally for a day. If the code or connector was wrong, you can sort it out then.
Looking after a BN36 pack on an older phone
A small cell does not like long hours at full charge or heat. Avoid charging on a bed or on a car dashboard, and take a thick case off if the phone gets warm. Use a good charger and a cable that does not run hot at the plug.
If the phone is your spare or backup, keep it between about half and full charge in a cool place instead of leaving it dead in a drawer. A cell left empty for months can fail to wake up.
Frequently asked questions
Which phone uses the BN36 battery model name?
Most listings match BN36 to the Mi A2, also sold as the Mi 6X. It is given as 3010 mAh typical. Read the BN36 label on your own cell.
Which battery code does the Mi A2 use?
Listings give BN36. The Mi A2 Lite uses a different pack, so do not mix the two names.
How many mAh is the Mi A2 battery?
The typical figure listed is 3010 mAh. Expect a rated number on BN36 slightly under 3010 mAh.
Is BN36 the same as BN37?
No. BN35 and BN37 differ from BN36 by a digit and suit other phones. Match every character of the code, plus the connector, before fitting.
Can I fit a higher mAh battery in my Mi A2?
No Mi A2 sized cell can honestly hold much more than 3010 mAh. A label showing a far larger number is usually fake. Stick to the exact code.
Should I swap the Mi A2 battery myself?
Better not to. The phone is sealed and the cell can be damaged. Take it to an authorised centre or an experienced technician.