Xiaomi Vendor: What it is, where it is and why it can’t be removed

When you encounter the firmware of Xiaomi smartphones or examine the structure of their file system, you often come across the mysterious term vendor. This section stands out among others (such as system or boot) and raises a lot of questions: What it is, whether it can be touched, and why some users have problems after manipulating it. In this article, we will discuss in detail what a vendor is in the context of Xiaomi devices, how it relates to work. MIUI, Why is the phone’s integrity critical to the stability of the phone.

If you’ve ever tried to install custom firmware, unlock a bootloader, or even just updated your phone through Fastboot, you’ve probably seen the file. vendor.img This section is responsible for low-level hardware-software compatibility, and damage to it can cause camera modules, sensors, mobile communications, or even a device to fail completely. Next, we’ll explain why this happens and what to do if you accidentally remove or damage a vendor.

What is a Xiaomi vendor: a simple explanation

The term vendor, in the context of Android devices, refers to a file system partition that contains vendor-specific drivers and libraries. In the case of Xiaomi, this section includes:

• 🔧 Drivers for camera, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, NFC and other hardware modules.
• 📱 Libraries for working with proprietary chips (e.g. Qualcomm or Mediatek).
• 🔄 Configuration files for MIUI, including energy saving and power management settings.
• 🛡️ Secure keys and certificates for data encryption.

Simply put, a vendor is a bridge between your smartphone hardware and the operating system, and without it, Android won’t be able to manage hardware components properly, even if the kernel and the system are installed correctly, for example, without a vendor, the camera can produce a green screen, and the mobile network can’t pick up the signal.

It is important to understand that the vendor is closely related to the version. MIUI And a hardware platform, like Redmi Note's vendor. 10 Pro (Mediatek Helio G95) Not good for Poco X3 Pro (Qualcomm Snapdragon 860), Even if both models work on MIUI 14. This is one of the reasons why Xiaomi firmware always comes with a unique feature. vendor.img for each model.

Where is the vendor section and how to check it

The vendor section in Xiaomi is located in a separate memory area (/vendor) It's mounted by the system when it boots, and you can only see its contents with root permissions or through special utilities like this. ADB. Here is how to check its availability and version:

1. Connect your phone to your PC and enable debugging. USB In Settings → The phone. → Version. MIUI (Click 7 times on the line with the version to activate the developer mode).
2. Open the command line and type: adb shell getprop ro.vendor.build.fingerprint This command will display a vendor build "fingerprint" that includes a version of the vendor build. MIUI device model.
3. To see the list of files in the section, use: adb shell ls. /vendor

If you get a Permission denied error, you don't have root permissions, and you can use applications like Root Explorer (requires root) or MiXplorer with system partitions enabled.

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After the update MIUI Fastboot phone loads to bootloop, check the compatibility of the vendor and system versions. Often the problem is solved by re-routing the firmware. vendor.img original.

In some cases, the vendor partition may be hidden or blocked for modifications, for example, on devices with Dynamic Partition (introduced in Android 10), its structure may differ. To see if your phone is using dynamic partitioning, follow the command:

adb shell getprop ro.boot.dynamic_partitions

If the answer is true, the vendor is part of the dynamic partition and is managed automatically.

Why you can’t remove or modify a vendor

One of the most common mistakes Xiaomi makes when it comes to firmware is trying to remove or replace the vendor partition with an incompatible partition, which leads to the following problems:

The main cause of the problem is dependence. MIUI It's from proprietary libraries that are stored in vendors, like if you sew LineageOS on Xiaomi, but you forget to flash a compatible vendor, you'll run into a problem:

• 📵 Lack of mobile communication (modem is not initialized).
• 📷 The camera's black screen or Can't connect to the camera.
• 🔋 Rapid battery discharge due to improper operation of the power controller.

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The vendor partition is not just a set of drivers, but part of a secure download chain, and if it is damaged, it can trigger an anti-rollback, which will lock the device permanently.

Another trap is that there's a mismatch of versions, like if you sew system.img from MIUI 14, vendor.img remain MIUI 12, The phone may boot up, but many features will not work properly, which is because Xiaomi regularly updates proprietary components, and the older version of the vendor simply doesn’t support new calls from the system.

How to Restore a Vendor if Something Goes Wrong

If you accidentally delete or damage a vendor partition, don't panic - in most cases it can be restored.

Download the original firmware for your model from the Xiaomi website

Unpack the archive and find the file vendor.img

Reboot your phone to Fastboot (Pressure Power) + Vol Down)

Sweep vendor.img Team: fastboot flash vendor vendor.img

Reset the device-->

If the phone still doesn’t boot after firmware, try the following steps:

1. Please. vendor.img together system.img and boot.img flat-pack.
2. If you are using Dynamic Partition, use the command: fastboot flash vendor vendor.img fastboot flash system system.img fastboot flash --disable-verity --disable-verification verity
3. Devices with a locked bootloader may need to be unlocked through the Mi Unlock Tool.

If none of these methods worked, the anti-rollback protection may have worked, and you can only contact Xiaomi’s service center, as self-recovery may not be possible.

Vendor and custom firmware: compatibility and risks

Many Xiaomi users install custom firmware such as LineageOS, Pixel Experience or ArrowOS. However, here lies the main danger: most custom firmware require a compatible vendor, which often has to take from stock. MIUI.

Here are the key points to consider:

• 🔄 Vendor must conform to the kernel version. For example, if custom firmware is assembled on the Android 13 kernel, then the vendor must be from the kernel. MIUI Android 13 based.
• 📱 Not all features will work. Even with the right vendor in custom firmware, IR-blaster often doesn't work, NFC Widevine L1 (no support HD streaming).
• 🔧 You need to manually edit. Sometimes you have to manually copy files from the computer. /vendor stock firmware in a custom room to make the camera or sensors work.

Example: If you install the Pixel Experience on the Redmi Note 11 Pro+, You'll need it:

1. Download the latest version MIUI for your model.
2. Extract vendor.img and to be used before installing the custom ROM.
3. Make sure that the version of Android in the vendor and custom firmware matches.

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Before installing custom firmware, always check the topics on the forums. XDA Developers or 4PDA, where users share the vendor's work combinations + ROM specific models.

If you are not sure about compatibility, it is better to use firmware that already includes a modified vendor (for example, some builds of LineageOS for Xiaomi).However, remember that such firmware may contain bugs or not support all the features of the device.

Frequent mistakes related to the vendor and how to avoid them

Even experienced users sometimes make mistakes when working with a vendor, and here are the most common ones and ways to prevent them:

⚠️ Attention: Never sew it. vendor.img It's from another model, even if it's on the same processor. X3 NFC It is not suitable for Redmi Note. 9 Pro, despite the same Snapdragon chip 720G. This will result in a broken camera and mobile network.

Other common mistakes:

• 🔄 Firmware of the old vendor for the new version MIUI. For example, a vendor from MIUI 12.5 on MIUI 14 will cause failures in the operation of sensors and energy saving.
• 📱 Ignoring checksum checks. vendor.img It can lead to bootloop.
• 🔧 Deletion of files from /vendor Even if a file seems unnecessary, deleting it can disrupt the system.

To avoid problems, follow these rules:

1. Always backup the vendor before experimenting. You can use the command: adb pull. /vendor vendor_backup
2. Check the compatibility of versions MIUI and vendor on official resources or forums.
3. Use only proven sources for downloading firmware (official Xiaomi website, XDA, 4PDA).

If you still encounter a problem related to the vendor, first of all check the download logs through the ADB:

adb logcat | grep -i vendor

This will help identify which component cannot be loaded due to the absence or incompatibility of files in the partition.

Vendor in the context of updates MIUI: What changes with each version

With every new version MIUI Xiaomi is making changes not only to the interface, but also to proprietary components stored in the vendor. MIUI 14 have been updated:

• 📷 Camera Drivers to Support New Image Processing Algorithms.
• 🔋 Power management libraries to optimize battery operation.
• 📶 Modem firmware to improve stability of mobile communications.

This means that when upgrading via Fastboot or Recovery, it is critical to flash the vendor along with the rest of the partitions.

• 🔴 Loss of functionality (for example, does not work Always-on Display or IR-blaster).
• 🔋 Increased battery consumption due to unoptimized libraries.
• 📵 Connection problems (Wi-Fi or mobile network is periodically disabled).

In the latest versions MIUI (starting MIUI 12) Xiaomi has started using the Dynamic Partition mechanism, which automatically manages partition sizes, including the vendor, which has simplified the upgrade process but made manual intervention more difficult. Now, when you are firmware through Fastboot, you often need to use special scripts that correctly update all partitions, including super (where a vendor can be stored).

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With the release of Android 12 and MIUI 13 Xiaomi tightened control over the integrity of the vendor.Now its modification can lead to the operation of anti-rollback and permanent locking of the device.

If you are updating your phone through OTA (While the system automatically updates the vendor along with the rest of the components, when manually firmware is used via Fastboot or Recovery, always check that the vendor version matches the version. MIUI. For example, if you are a squirrel MIUI 14.0.5, the vendor must be from the same package.

FAQ: Answers to Frequent Questions about Xiaomi Vendor