Custom firmware on Xiaomi Mi: a complete guide for users

Xiaomi Mi smartphones have long been popular thanks to a combination of powerful hardware and affordable price. However, many users face the limitations of standard MIUI firmware – the abundance of advertising, unnecessary applications or the lack of current updates for older models. Here custom firmware comes to the rescue, which allows you to completely change the behavior of the device, add new features or even “revive” an outdated device.

But what is custom firmware really? It's not just an alternative shell, it's a complete replacement of software created by enthusiasts or communities of developers. It can be based on pure Android (like LineageOS), a modified version of MIUI without ads (MIUI Pro), or even specialized builds for gamers or photographers. But with the freedom of choice come risks, from losing warranty to completely "filling" the phone if something goes wrong.

In this article, we will discuss in detail what types of custom firmware for Xiaomi Mi, how to install them correctly, what pitfalls await beginners and whether you should even contact this process. And if you have already decided, you will find a step-by-step instruction with a checklist and warnings about critical errors.

What is a custom firmware and why you need it

Custom firmware is an unofficial version of the smartphone operating system created by third parties (developers, communities or enthusiasts), unlike the standard MIUI that Xiaomi produces, custom firmware can:

• 📱 Remove embedded advertising and unnecessary applications (bloatware).
• 🔄 Upgrade outdated models to current versions of Android (for example, from Android 10 to Android 13).
• ⚡ Increase productivity by optimizing the core and removing unnecessary services.
• 🎨 Change the design of the interface (for example, to pure Android or Pixel Experience).
• 🔧 Add functions not available in the official firmware (for example, ViPER4Android for sound or GCam for camera).

But it's not all that rosy. Castom firmware has some serious downsides.

• ⚠️ Loss of warranty – unlocking the bootloader and installing unofficial software cancels Xiaomi warranty obligations.
• 🔋 Battery problems – some builds can drain the battery faster due to unoptimized code.
• 📡 Unstable operation of modules - camera, NFC Or sensors may work worse or not at all.
• 🛡️ Security vulnerabilities – not all firmware regularly receive patches for vulnerabilities.

Before you go to caste, ask yourself, what exactly is it that you are not happy with with standard MIUI? Maybe you can solve the problem more easily, for example, to turn off advertising through settings or install a launcher like Nova Launcher. If you are willing to take a chance, read on.

Types of custom firmware for Xiaomi Mi: which to choose

All custom firmware for Xiaomi Mi can be divided into several categories, each has its own features, pros and cons.

Which firmware to choose? It depends on your goals:

• 🔍 Want a clean Android without too much software? Look towards LineageOS or Pixel Experience.
• 🎯 I need it. MIUI without ads and with extra chips? try Xiaomi.eu or MIUI Pro.
• 🎮 Do you play hard games? Pay attention to Corvus. OS DerpFest.
• 📸 Look for builds that support Google Camera (like DotOS).

Before choosing, be sure to check whether your Xiaomi Mi model is supported on the official firmware site. For example, LineageOS has a list of supported devices where you can find instructions and user reviews.

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Before installing custom firmware, be sure to check reviews on forums (for example, 4PDA or XDA Developers) - some builds may contain critical bugs that are not written about on official sites.

Phone Preparation: Unlocking the bootloader and Backup

Installing custom firmware on the Xiaomi Mi starts with unlocking the bootloader, a must-have step that makes it impossible to flash the device, but it has a few nuances:

1. Getting permission from Xiaomi.com requires a formal unlock request through the Mi Unlock Tool app.The process can take anywhere from days to weeks.
2. The device must be linked to the Xiaomi account, otherwise unlocking will not be possible.
3. Wait 168 hours. Once an account is tied, Xiaomi blocks the unlock for 7 days (168 hours), a security measure.

Once the bootloader is unlocked, you need to make a full backup of the data.

Contacts (export to VCF)

Photos and videos (copy to PC or cloud)

Messages (using SMS Backup & Restore)

Applications and their data (Titanium Backup or Swift Backup)

Wi-Fi and Bluetooth settings (write passwords)

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Also remember:

• 🔋 Charge your phone at least 70% – the firmware process can take up to an hour.
• 🔌 Prepare quality USB-Cables – Cheap cables can interrupt the process.
• 💻 Install drivers ADB and Fastboot on your computer (download from the official Android website).

⚠️ Warning: Unlocking the bootloader completely resets the phone to factory settings. All data, including photos in internal memory, will be deleted. Don't rely on cloud backups - some custom firmware may not be compatible with Xiaomi Cloud services.

Step-by-step: how to install custom firmware on Xiaomi Mi

Once the bootloader is unlocked and the backup is done, you can start installing it, and we'll look at the universal method through TWRP Recovery, the most popular way to firmware custom builds.

Step 1: Installation of TWRP Recovery

TWRP (Team Win Recovery Project) is a custom recovery that allows you to install informal firmware. Download the current version for your model from the official website (pay attention to the code name of the device, for example, surya for Poco X3 or raphael for Redmi K20 Pro).

Installation via fastboot:

1. Connect your phone to your PC in fastboot mode (clip Volume Down + Power when the phone is off).
2. Open the command line in the folder with TWRP Enter: Fastboot Flash Recovery twrp-3.7.0_9-0-surya.img fastboot boot twrp-3.7.0_9-0-surya.img (Replace surya with your device’s code name).
3. After rebooting to TWRP, don’t forget to turn off the firmware signature check: go to Mount → Disable DM-Verity.

Step 2: Firmware custom assembly

Now you can install the firmware itself.

1. Download firmware (like LineageOS or Pixel Experience) and GApps (Google services if not included in the build) to your phone’s internal memory.
2. V TWRP run the Wipe → Advanced Wipe and mark: 📂 Dalvik / ART Cache 🗃️ System 📄 Data 🔄 Cache

Install

GApps

Reboot → System

⚠️ Warning: If you've had your phone hang on your Xiaomi or Android logo for more than 10 minutes, don't panic. App optimization is probably the first. If it's more than 30 minutes, you'll have to repeat the firmware or restore the official firmware. MIUI via Mi Flash Tool.

Top.-5 Mistakes in installing custom firmware and how to avoid them

Even experienced users sometimes make mistakes that lead to the “bricking” of the phone, and we have collected the most common mistakes and ways to prevent them:

1. Installing the build for the Redmi Note 9 on a Poco X3 (albeit with a similar hardware) will cause the system to fail. Solution: Always check the device's code name (fastboot getvar product) and check it against supported models on the firmware site.
2. Ignoring wipe instructions. Many people miss the Advanced Wipe step, causing conflicts between old and new firmware. Solution: Always complete the wipe before installing, even if the instructions say "you can skip."
3. No GApps. Some firmware (like LineageOS) doesn't include Google services. Without it, there won't be Play Market, Gmail, or other apps. Solution: Download GApps of the same bit (32/64-bit) as the firmware and install them immediately after it.
4. Interrupt the firmware process: If you turn off the cable or the battery during installation, the phone can turn into a brick. Solution: Use the original cable, connect the phone to the power source, and don't touch it while you're firmware.
5. Failure to install, like flashing GApps first and then the firmware itself, or forgetting to disable DM-Verity. Solution: Always follow the instructions from the firmware developers, not the general guides.

Step-by-step:

1. Turn off the phone and put it in fastboot mode (clip Volume down + Power).
2. Connect to your PC and start the Mi Flash Tool.
3. In the program, click Select and specify the path to the unpacked official firmware.
4. Choose Clean All (Full Cleaning) or Clean All and Lock (Cleaning + Lock bootloader if you need to return the warranty).
5. Press Flash and wait until the process is complete (usually 5-10 minutes).

⚠️ Note: If you lock the bootloader (clean all and lock), re-unlocking will require a wait of 168 hours. MIUI You may need to re-link your Xiaomi account.

Once the firmware is in place, the phone will reboot to the standard MIUI. All data will be erased, so be sure to restore the backup (if compatible).

FAQ: Frequent questions about custom firmware on Xiaomi Mi