How to erase data from Xiaomi: a complete cleanup guide

Xiaomi and Redmi are famous for their performance, but sooner or later there comes a point when the device needs to be transferred to another owner or handed over for repair. In such a situation, it is critical to know how to erase data from Xiaomi Android so that personal information does not fall into the wrong hands.

Properly cleaning your internal memory ensures that your correspondence, photos, passwords and banking applications are not accessible to anyone, a process that takes only a few minutes, but requires attention to detail, especially if your phone has account protection on. In this article, we will discuss all the nuances of secure deletion of information.

There are several ways to get the device back to factory status, and the method depends on whether you have access to the settings menu or the phone is locked. Full formatting of the userdata partition removes the encryption keys, making data recovery impossible even theoretically. Let's look at the preparatory stage, without which you should not start the procedure.

Preparation of the device for complete reset

Before you initiate the cleanup process, you need to perform a number of important actions to avoid losing access to important services and leaving no trace of your presence in the system, and ignoring this stage can lead to the fact that the new owner will not be able to activate the phone due to the locking of the account.

First of all, you need to unplug your Google account and your Mi Account, and if you don't, you'll get FRP (Factory Reset Protection) protection, which requires you to enter your account password when you first download it, which is a security measure against theft, but it can be a problem with a legitimate sale.

• 🔒 Log out of all Google, Mi, and Bank Apps in Settings.
• ☁️ Backup important contacts and photos in the cloud or on your computer.
• 📱 Extract. SIM-microSD card and memory card, if installed.
• 🔋 Charge the battery to at least 60% so that the device does not turn off during the process.

⚠️ Warning: If you don't delete your Mi Account before resetting, your phone may lock.Make sure you remember your username and password or log out beforehand.

It's also worth checking if Find Device is enabled. Some versions of MIUI or HyperOS require you to force this option to successfully perform a menu reset, and once all the data is copied and the accounts are untied, you can move on to the basic methods.

Don’t forget to turn off the lock screen as well (PIN-Although the system will request confirmation before resetting, pre-deleting the security will simplify the process and eliminate possible input errors.

Reset via system settings (standard method)

The easiest and safest way to clean up a smartphone’s memory is to use the built-in settings menu, which is available if you can unlock the screen and log into the operating system interface, and is suitable for most users planning to sell the gadget or pass it on to relatives.

To start, go to the Settings menu. Depending on the version of the MIUI shell, the path may be slightly different, but the logic remains the same. Usually the section you want is in the About or Advanced Settings category. Find the Reset option.

The system will offer several cleaning options. You need to "Erase all data" (or "Delete all data"). Here it is important to be careful: a simple reset may not affect files in the internal memory, leaving photos and music intact.

• 📂 Open "Settings» → «The phone».
• 🗑️ Select the item "Resetting settings».
• ✅ Click “Erase all data” and enter the unlock password.
• ⏳ Confirm the action and wait for the reboot.

Once confirmed, the system will warn you that all files will be deleted. If the phone is encrypted (by default, it is active on all modern Android), then deleting the encryption keys will make old data unreadable.

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Before starting a reset via settings, make sure the phone is connected to Wi-Fi if you need to check your license or sync before you delete it.

It's important not to interrupt the process or remove the battery if it's removable. Interrupting system file recording can damage the bootloader, and the phone will turn into a brick. Wait for the Xiaomi logo and the screen to initial setup.

Cleaning with Recovery Mode (if the phone is locked)

Sometimes you have to erase data from Redmi or Poco when the screen doesn't respond to touch, or you forget the pattern lock, and then Recovery Mode comes to the rescue, which is a low-level environment that allows you to control the system bypassing the main interface.

To get into this mode, you need to turn the device off completely. Then press the button combination. For most Xiaomi models, this is the simultaneous pressing of the power button and the volume button (“Loudness +”). Hold them until the logo appears, then release them.

In the Recovery menu, volume buttons (up/down) are used to control the menu, and the power button confirms the choice. You need to find Wipe Data. Newer versions of the shells may require you to select a Wipe All Data subitem.

⚠️ Warning: In Recovery mode, the touch screen is not working. Use volume buttons to navigate the menu to select the desired item.

Once you select a cleaning point, the system will ask you to confirm the action, often requiring you to type in the word "yes" or select "Confirm" -- this is protection against accidental tapping in your pocket, and the formatting process will begin after the confirmation.

When the process is complete, the message “Data wiped successfully” appears on the screen. Select Reboot → Reboot to System. The phone will reboot and you will see a welcome screen, as when you first turn on a new device.

Delete data via Find Device (remotely)

If a phone is lost or stolen, physical access is impossible, in which case the only way to protect your data is to use Xiaomi’s Find Device service, a tool that allows you to remotely initiate a complete reset of the device if it’s connected to the Internet.

To do this, go to the official website of the service from any computer or other smartphone. You will need to log in to the same Mi Account that was active on the lost device.

In the service interface, select your device from the list. Among the available actions (call, lock), select the option “Erase data”. The system will warn that after this action, the location of the phone will not be tracked, since it will be completely cleared.

• 🌐 Visit i.mi.com from any device.
• 🔑 Sign in to Mi Account tied to your phone.
• 📱 Select the desired device in the list.
• 🗑️ Click the “Erase Data” button and confirm the action.

The command will be sent to the smartphone, and once it is online (via mobile internet or Wi-Fi), the reset will be done automatically, an effective way to protect sensitive information when stolen.

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Remote reset works only if the device is turned on the Internet and activated the function “Find the device” before losing the gadget.

Comparison of data cleanup methods

The choice of method depends on the current situation: whether the screen works, remember passwords and access to the menu. Each method has its own characteristics and risks. Below is a table that helps determine the best option for your case.

As you can see from the table, standard resetting through settings is the most gentle and convenient, as it often suggests saving data to the cloud before deleting. Recovery mode and remote reset are more aggressive and irrevocable.

For regular users selling a phone, the method through settings is sufficient.Engineering reset or using ADB (Android Debug Bridge) is required in the rare cases where the system is damaged or does not boot properly.

Cleaning garbage before selling: additional measures

Even after resetting, there are nuances that not everyone knows about, such as if you used a microSD card, resetting your phone won't affect the contents of the card, but you need to format it separately on your computer or through the storage menu before you retrieve it.

It’s also worth considering that some data can remain in hidden partitions if encryption hasn’t been done.On modern Xiaomi devices with Android 10 and above, encryption is enabled by default, but on older models (Android 6-8), it’s recommended to manually encrypt the phone before resetting.

To do this, go to Settings → About Phone → Security and select Phone Encryption. The process will take time, but it ensures that even when you try to restore memory sectors, the data will be a set of unreadable code.

⚠️ Note: Remember to remove your device from the list of trusted services in two-factor authentication of other services (Telegram, WhatsApp, banks) so that confirmation codes do not come to the sold phone.

After completing all the procedures and checking that the phone meets the new owner with the welcome screen, you can be sure of the security of your data.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)