How to Upgrade Xiaomi Mi 9 to the Latest MIUI Version: 3 Proven Ways

The Xiaomi Mi 9, released in 2019, is still a popular smartphone among users who appreciate performance and camera. However, with the release of new versions of MIUI and Android, owners are faced with the question: how to update the device correctly to avoid data loss and errors? In this article, we will analyze all the current ways of updating – from automatic OTA to manual firmware via Fastboot.

It’s important to understand that the Mi 9 (codename cepheus) officially supports updates to MIUI 14 based on Android 13, but informal firmware (like LineageOS or Pixel Experience) can expand this limit.

Before you start, check the current firmware version: go to Settings → About Phone → MIUI version. If your version is older than MIUI 12.5, we recommend updating in stages - jumps through several versions can lead to crashes.

1. Preparation of the smartphone for the update

Regardless of the upgrade method chosen, the Xiaomi Mi 9 needs to be prepared.Neglecting this step can lead to a device blink (completely inoperable) or data loss.

First and most important, charge the battery at least 60%, and when upgrading via Recovery or Fastboot, 80-100% is recommended, as the process can take up to 30 minutes.

• 📱 Make a backup copy through Settings → Additionally. → Backup or manually copy files to your PC. Cloud services (Mi Cloud, Google Drive) may not save settings for some applications.
• 🔌 Use the original cable USB. Cheap cables often cause firmware errors due to unstable connection.
• 🌐 Connect to stable Wi-Fi. Downloading firmware via mobile internet may be interrupted, especially if the file weighs 2-3 GB.
• 🔒 Disable the ad blockers and VPN. They can block Xiaomi servers, which will lead to a Couldn't download error.

A critical feature of the Mi 9: when updating via Fastboot, be sure to unlock the bootloader. Without this, the firmware will end with a "device is locked" error. Unlocking takes up to 72 hours (requires binding Mi Account and waiting). SMS-permitting).

⚠️ Note: If you use root rights or custom Recovery (for example, TWRP), The official update may result in the loss of root and the need to re-unblock the bootloader.

Method 1: Automatic Air Update (OTA)

The easiest and most secure method is an over-the-air update (OTA) that is suitable for most users, as it does not require technical skills and saves all the data.

Instructions:

1. Open Settings → About the phone → System update.
2. Click Check Updates. If the update is available, the Download button will appear.
3. After download, click Set and wait for the reboot.

If the update is not available, it is possible:

• 🔄 Your version. MIUI Older (you need to update gradually).
• 🌍 The firmware region does not match the servers (e.g., the global version in Chinese). ROM).
• 🕒 Xiaomi has suspended the distribution of the update due to bugs (this happens in the first days after the release).

Check your internet connection

Reboot the phone.

Clear the cache of the System Update app (Settings → Applications → Application Management → System Update → Storage → Clear the cache)

Try connecting via VPN (sometimes changing the region helps)

Download the full package OTA manually (see method 3)-->

If after the update the phone began to slow down, reset the cache through Recovery:

1. Turn off your smartphone.
2. Press Power + Volume Up to Enter Recovery.
3. Choose Wipe & Reset → Wipe Cache.
4. Reset the device.

💡

OTA-Updates are suitable for small updates (for example, with MIUI 14.0.1 by 14.0.2). For large transitions (e.g., with MIUI 12 on MIUI 14) it is better to use full firmware through Fastboot.

Method 2: Manual update via Recovery

If OTA doesn't work, or you want to flash a specific version of MIUI, you can use manual updates through Recovery, which saves user data but requires you to download the full firmware package.

Steps:

1. Download the official Recovery-ROM for Mi 9 from en.miui.com. Choose the version that suits your region (Global, China, EEA).
2. Rename the file to update.zip and move it to the root folder of internal memory (not to folders!).
3. Go to Settings → About Phone → System Update, click on the three dots in the upper right corner and select Select a firmware file.
4. Please specify the path to update.zip and confirm the installation.

If after restarting the phone is getting stuck on the Mi logo, follow the following steps:

• 🔄 Wait. 10-15 Minutes – the first download after the update can take a long time.
• 🔧 If the freeze continues, log in to Recovery and select Wipe Cache.
• 🚨 In extreme cases, reset to factory settings (data loss!).

⚠️ Warning: Never rename a firmware file to anything other than update.zip — Xiaomi is hard at checking the file name, otherwise the installation won't start!

4. Method 3: Fastboot Firmware (for power users)

Fastboot is the most reliable, but it's also the most complex, and it's good if you:

• 🔄 You need to switch from Chinese firmware to global (or vice versa).
• 🐌 The phone is severely braked and requires a clean installation.
• 🔧 Previous updates ended in error.

To run through Fastboot, you will need:

• 🖥️ Computer with installed Xiaomi drivers and Mi Flash Tool.
• 🔌 Original. USB-cable (better from the set).
• 📁 Fastboot-ROM for Mi 9 (download only from the official website!).
• 🔓 Unlocked loader (see section “Preparation").

Step-by-step:

1. Unpack the downloaded Fastboot-ROM in a folder without Cyrillic characters (for example, C:\Mi9_Fastboot).
2. Turn off the phone and press Power + Volume down to enter Fastboot mode (a hare in a hat-hushanka will appear).
3. Connect your smartphone to your PC and start the Mi Flash Tool.
4. In the program, click Select and specify the path to the folder with the firmware.
5. Select firmware mode: Clean all – complete cleaning (recommended when changing the firmware region); Clean all and lock – cleaning + lock the bootloader (only if you are sure that you will not be flashing!); Save user data – data storage (may cause failures if you switch between the major versions of MIUI).

Flash

Once the firmware is in place, the phone will automatically restart. The first turn on can take up to 15 minutes - don't interrupt the process!

1. Dial in the phone application ##4636##.

2. Go to Phone Information and check for IMEI status.

3.If IMEI Not available, use tools like this SN Write Tool (requires root or unlocked bootloader).-->

5. Solving common errors in the update

Even if you follow the instructions, Xiaomi Mi 9 users may encounter errors, and consider the most common ones and how to fix them.

Error: "Can't check the update"

Causes and solutions:

• 🌐 Xiaomi server problems – try later or use them VPN.
• ⏳ Too old a version. MIUI — Download the intermediate update manually.
• 📱 Failure in the System Update app - clear its cache (Settings) → Annexes → Updating the system → Warehouse → Clear the cache).

Error: "The device is not certified"

This error occurs after custom ROM firmware or region change to eliminate:

1. Go to Settings → About phone and click on the MIUI version several times to activate the developer mode.
2. Back to Settings → Additionally. → For developers and include OEM-unlock.
3. Recovery is done through Recovery (Wipe Data).

Error: Bootloop (Cyclical Reboot)

If the phone is constantly restarted after the update:

• 🔄 Try logging in to Recovery and making Wipe Cache.
• 🔧 If it doesn’t work, go through the Fastboot with a full cleanup (Clean all).
• 🚨 In extreme cases, use Test Point to unlock the bootloader (requires rations, it is better to contact the service).

⚠️ Note: If banking applications (e.g. Sberbank Online or Google Pay) have ceased to work after the update, the reason may be the lack of Widevine certification. L1. It can be restored only by completely reflashing through Fastboot with the official ROM.

6. How to roll back to the previous version MIUI

Sometimes newer versions of MIUI contain critical bugs (such as fast battery drain or camera problems) in which users want to return the old firmware. However, the Xiaomi Mi 9 has Anti-Rollback protection that blocks rollbacks on versions older than a certain date.

Before rolling back, check the Anti-Rollback version of your device:

• Go to Settings → About Phone → All Specifications → Version of the kernel.
• If you have a ARB on the line, it means that the protection is active.

If the Anti-Rollback allows rollback:

1. Download the desired version of Fastboot-ROM from the official website.
2. Sweat it through the Mi Flash Tool with the Clean All option.

If Anti-Rollback blocks rollback:

• 🚫 No rollback is possible without the risk of a breeze. MIUI.
• 🔧 In extreme cases, you can try custom firmware (for example, LineageOS), but this will void the warranty.

7.Optimize the Mi 9 after the update

After a successful update, several steps are recommended to improve performance and stability:

• 🔄 Reboot the phone – this will help the system stabilize the work of background processes.
• 🗑️ Clear the cache with Recovery (Wipe Cache).
• 🔋 Calibrate the battery: Charge the phone to 100% And hold on to the charger again. 1 Use until fully discharged (before switching off). Repeat the cycle 2-3 once.

Disable unnecessary functions

• Auto-brightness (if not used).
• Animations in Settings → Additional → For developers → The scale of animation (off).
• Background data for unnecessary applications.

If you have a lag after the update, try:

• 🔧 Reset the settings to factory (Settings) → Additionally. → Resetting settings).
• 🛠️ Install Google Camera (GCam) to improve photo quality – the standard camera often performs worse after updates.
• 🔋 Disable battery optimization for frequently used applications (Settings) → Battery → Optimizing the battery).

If the phone doesn’t respond even to Fastboot, a hard brick may have occurred – contact the service center.