The operating system selection window for each Xiaomi smartphone is a common problem that users face after installing custom firmware, unlocking the bootloader or experimenting with dual boot, most often on devices with MIUI, where the system offers to choose between the main and backup OS (for example, after a failed update or manual intervention in the boot partition).
If you're tired of seeing this window every time you start your phone, it's important to understand that it's not always a faulty window. Sometimes it's a MIUI security mechanism that prevents a damaged system from booting. However, 90% of the time, the problem is solved software-free without visiting a service center. In this article, we'll go through all the working ways to disable OS selection, including methods for devices with a locked and unlocked bootloader, and also look at the nuances for the popular Redmi Note 10/11/12, POCO F3/F4 and Xiaomi 12/13 models.
Why the choice of system Xiaomi
Before you start fixing, you need to understand why the selection window came up.
- 🔄 Two firmware in different slots. Xiaomi's modern smartphones use technology A/B partitions, where updates are installed in an inactive slot.If the process is interrupted, the system can offer a choice between the old and new partitions.
- 🛠️ Castom Recovery (TWRP). After installation TWRP or other unofficial firmware, the bootloader sometimes retains a link to the original MIUI, Which leads to the appearance of a selection menu.
- ⚠️ The damaged boot partition. /boot or /recovery damaged, the system cannot determine the priority OS and offers to manually select.
- 📱 Remains from the previous firmware. After being reset to factory settings or flashing through the Mi Flash Tool, sometimes there are artifacts of the old system that interfere with the correct loading.
On devices with a locked bootloader, the selection window most often appears due to an OTA update failure. On unlocked devices, the reason is usually due to improper installation of custom firmware or modified cores. For example, users of the POCO X3 Pro often face this problem after trying to put the Pixel Experience on top of the MIUI without completely cleaning the data partition.
⚠️ Note: If the system selection appeared after an unsuccessful update via Settings → Software update, don't try to scour your phone right away. 70% of the time, it helps to dump a cache through a stock Recovery (Volume Up). + Power).
Method 1: Resetting through stock recavities (without data loss)
The most secure method that works on 80% of Xiaomi devices with a locked bootloader: it does not require OEM unlocking and does not delete user data, but resets the system settings to factory ones.
Instructions:
- Turn off your smartphone.
- Press the Power button + Volume up until the Mi logo appears (usually 5-10 seconds).
- In the menu, select the language (if there is such a item).
- Go to Wipe & Reset → Wipe Cache.
- Confirm the action and wait for the completion.
- Go back to the main menu and select Reboot → Reboot to System.
If after the reboot, the system selection disappeared, the problem was the damaged cache. If not, move on to the next method.
Charge your phone at least 50% | Backup important data | Make sure the bootloader is locked (if you’re not sure, don’t unlock!) | Use the original USB cable (when connecting to a PC)
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| Xiaomi model | Probability of success | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Redmi Note 10/11/12 | 90% | On these models, stock recavers do a good job of cleaning the cache. |
| POCO F3/F4/F5 | 75% | You may need to repeat the procedure 2 times. |
| Xiaomi 12/13/14 | 60% | On flagships, a full reset (Wipe All Data) is often required. |
| Black Shark 4/5 | 50% | Gaming smartphones often have modified recaveries. |
Redmi Note 10/11/12|POCO F3/F4/F5|Xiaomi 12/13/14|Black Shark|Other model |I don't know
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Method 2: Complete reset to factory settings
If cache cleaning doesn't work, the next step is a full reset, which removes all data from the device, including apps, photos and accounts, but returns the system to its original state, suitable for devices with a locked and unlocked bootloader.
Important: Before resetting, remove the memory card and SIM-If the phone has Find My Device enabled, you will need to enter your Mi Account details after the reset to unlock it.
Step-by-step:
- Turn off the phone.
- Press Volume up + Food for the entrance to the recaveri.
- Select Wipe Data → Wipe All Data (on some models, the item may be called Factory Reset).
- Confirm the action (a password or pattern lock may be required).
- After you complete the process, select Reboot to System.
⚠️ Attention: On devices with MIUI 14+ After the reset, you may need to connect to the Internet to check your Xiaomi account. If you do not remember the login details, restore them in advance at account.xiaomi.com.
If the system selection still appears after the reset, it means that the problem lies at the boot partition level, in which case a deeper intervention will be required, such as flashing through Fastboot or EDL.
What to do if your smartphone asks for an old password after resetting?
Method 3: Remove the second firmware via Fastboot
This method is suitable for users with an unlocked bootloader, who have a choice of system due to the presence of two firmware in different slots (slot_a and slot_b). We will use Fastboot commands to force active slot selection.
You'll need:
- 🖥️ Computer with drivers installed ADB/Fastboot.
- 🔌 Original. USB-cable (preferably from the set).
- 📱 Unlocked bootloader (if not, unlock through Mi Unlock Tool).
Instructions:
- Connect your phone to your PC in Fastboot mode (clip Volume Down + Power when the device is off).
- Open the command prompt (cmd) in the folder with ADB.
- Enter the command to check the connection: fastboot devices must display the serial number of your device.
- Check out the current slots: fastboot getvar all Find slot-suffix and current-slot lines.
- Forced to install an active slot (e.g., a): fastboot --set-active=_a
- Reboot the device: fastboot reboot
If after the reboot the system selection disappeared, but the phone loads into the loop or gives errors, try repeating the procedure for the slot b. If the problem remains - you will have to refashion the phone completely.
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Before working with Fastboot, disable the antivirus on your PC – it can block fastboot commands as suspicious activity.
Method 4: Flashing through the Mi Flash Tool (for experienced)
If previous methods have failed, the radical solution is to completely flash the phone through the Mi Flash Tool, which is guaranteed to remove all traces of the second firmware, but requires an unlocked bootloader and knowledge of the exact model of the device.
Important: the wrong firmware can turn your phone into a brick. If you've never flashed Xiaomi through Fastboot, you'd better go to the service center.
Step-by-step:
- Download the official firmware for your model from https://new.c.mi.com/global/miuidownload/index (select the Fastboot version).
- Unpack the archive into a folder without Cyrillic characters (e.g., C:\MIUI\).
- Install the Mi Flash Tool (the latest version can be found on the 4PDA forum).
- Connect your phone in Fastboot mode (as in the previous method).
- In the Mi Flash Tool, click Select and specify the path to the unpacked firmware.
- Select Clean All (Full Cleaning) mode.
- Press Flash and wait until it is completed (usually 5-10 minutes).
Once the firmware is in place, the phone will automatically restart. It can take up to 15 minutes to launch, which is normal. If the system selection still appears after the firmware, it may indicate a hardware problem (a damaged memory chip).
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Clean all removes all data, including IMEI and DRM-On some models (e.g. Redmi Note 9 Pro), this can lead to loss of camera quality or problems with the camera. 4G.
Method 5: Manual editing boot.img (for advanced)
This method is only suitable for users who understand how to work with bootloader images and custom firmware. If you are a beginner, skip this section - an error can lead to complete failure of the device.
The problem of system selection sometimes arises from incorrect flags in the boot.img file. We can extract this file, edit it and re-switch it.
Instructions:
- Download the Fastboot stock firmware for your model and remove boot.img from it (located in the image folder).
- Connect your phone in Fastboot mode and retrieve the current boot.img: fastboot flash boot.img fastboot reboot
- If the problem is in the custom core, download the original boot.img for your version of MIUI from the XDA Developers forum.
- Fastboot flash boot your boot.img fastboot reboot
This method often works on POCO Launcher devices or custom firmware like LineageOS, where standard methods don’t work, but it requires that boot.img version be precisely matched to the current firmware.
What to do if nothing helps
If you have tried all the methods, but the choice of system still appears, the following reasons are possible:
- 🔧 Hardware malfunction. Memory chip (eMMC or EMMC) is damaged. UFS), This is what causes the loading partitions to fail, and then the replacement board will help.
- 🔒 Improper unlocking of the bootloader. OEM Through unofficial tools, this could damage boot or recovery sections.
- 📱 Incompatible firmware, such as trying to install the firmware from the Redmi Note 11 on the Redmi Note 11 Pro (different models, despite similar names).
In such cases, we recommend:
- Contact the authorized Xiaomi service center (the list can be found on the website mi.com).
- Create a theme on the 4PDA or XDA Developers forum with a detailed description of the problem (specify the model, MIUI version, and steps you’ve tried).
- If the phone is warranty - do not try to sew it yourself, otherwise the warranty will be lost.
⚠️ Note: Some Xiaomi models (such as the Mi 11 Ultra or Black Shark 5 Pro) may be blocked by incorrect manipulation of boot partitions. EDL-mode, which will make the recovery of the device extremely difficult and expensive.