How to roll back Xiaomi phone update: the full guide

When a MIUI operating system or a new HyperOS starts to run unstable after a scheduled upgrade, many Xiaomi smartphone owners are familiar with the situation: the battery runs out in half a day, the interface slows down, and important applications stop running correctly, at such times the only sensible solution is to return to the previous, more stable version of the software.

The rollback procedure, or downgrade, is technically more complicated than a regular update installation, and requires the user to be more attentive, not only to download the file, but also to unlock the bootloader, and to completely clear the internal memory of the device, ignoring these requirements can lead to data loss or software errors of the system.

In this article, we will discuss in detail all the stages of preparing and performing a firmware rollback on current smartphone models. You will learn how the global version differs from the Chinese version, why you can not stitch the older version on top of the new one without cleaning and what tools will be needed to successfully complete the operation.

Risk assessment and device preparation

Before you start taking action, you need to realize that a downgrade is an interference with the system partition of memory. The smartphone bootloader is blocked by the manufacturer by default to protect against malware, so unlocking it is a mandatory first step. This process is officially authorized by the company, but it completely voids the software warranty in some regions.

The most critical aspect is data loss: when you move from a newer version of Android or MIUI to an older version, the file structure changes, so the system will not be able to read the old data correctly, so a full reset is inevitable. All photos, contacts and correspondence will be destroyed if you do not back up in advance.

⚠️ Warning: Trying to flash the device without the unlocked bootloader will result in a signature verification error.Make sure your Mi Account is tied to the device at least 7 days (168 hours) ago, otherwise the unlock tool will not allow you to continue.

To work, you will need a computer running Windows, serviceable USB-It is also recommended to charge the smartphone to at least 60%, since the flashing process can take from 10 to 30 minutes, and a sudden power outage at this point is fatal.

Necessary tools and software

The success of the operation depends on 90% of the correctness of the selected software, you will not be suitable for the update files that the phone downloads itself through the About menu. You need a special Fastboot firmware that has the extension.tgz, not.zip. This format allows you to perform deep cleaning and rewriting of system partitions through the bootloader mode.

The main tool for the PC will be the Mi Flash Tool, which is the official program from Xiaomi, designed for service centers, but available to everyone. It can work in several modes, but to roll back, we will need a Clean All mode, which forcibly erases all user data.

You also need to install ADB and Fastboot drivers on your computer, and without them, your computer won't see your smartphone in the right mode, and they often come with the Mi Flash Tool, but in some cases, they have to be installed separately through the command line or the SDK Platform Tools installer.

• 📱 Xiaomi smartphone with unlocked bootloader (Bootloader Unlocked).
• 💻 PC or laptop with Windows operating system (7, 10 or 11).
• 🔌 Original or qualitative USB-data-couple.
• 📁 Downloaded Fastboot firmware (the version you want to roll back to).
• 🛠 Installed Mi Flash Tool and drivers ADB/Fastboot.

It is important to check the region of the device. If you have a global version (Global ROM), you should also look for firmware with the GLOBAL marking. Using Chinese firmware (CN) on a global device can lead to the inoperability of banking applications and communication networks, as well as the appearance of Chinese in the system.

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Use it. USB-port 2.0 on the computer motherboard if you have connection problems. USB 3.0 sometimes causes crashes when firmware old models.

Finding and downloading the correct version of the firmware

Searching for the right version is a task that requires care. The official site often offers only the latest version available, so you will have to use third-party verified archives, such as XiaomiFirmwareUpdater or XiaomiMIUI. The name of the firmware file always contains key information.

Note the suffix in the file name. For global devices, it's usually V12.5.3.0.RKGEUXM, where the last letters indicate the region. Chinese versions are marked with CN, Indian versions are marked with IN, European ones are marked with EUXM. Inconsistency between the firmware region and the device is a common cause of firmware errors.

Once you download the archive, you need to unpack it. Please note that the path to the firmware folder should not contain Cyrillic characters or spaces. C:\mi_flash\rom\. This will eliminate errors in the path reading by the software-shifter.

Unlocking the bootloader (Bootloader)

Without the unlocked bootloader, installing an older version of the software via Fastboot is impossible. Security will check the digital signature and prohibit downgrade. The procedure requires filing an application through the Mi Unlock app on the smartphone itself.

First, turn on the developer mode. To do this, go to Settings → About Phone and quickly click 7 times on the MIUI Version. After you appear, go back to the main settings menu, select “Additional” → “Developers”.

In the developer menu, find the item “Mi bootloader Status” and click “Add Account.” Make sure the device is connected to Wi-Fi. Once you have your account tied, wait 168 hours (7 days) and try to unlock before that time will result in a timer error.

1. Download Mi Unlock Tool from the official website.


2. Turn off the phone and press Volume Down + Power.




3. Connect the phone to the PC with a cable.




4. Launch Mi Unlock, log in to the same Mi Account.




5. Press the "Unlock" button.

If all conditions are met, the bootloader will be unlocked and the device will automatically restart. From now on, the phone is ready to install customized Recovery or downgrade official firmware. Remember that once unlocked, security features such as Find My Device may require re-authorization.

⚠️ Attention: Unlocking the bootloader automatically performs a data reset (Wipe Data). If you unlock the phone for a downgrade, the data will still be deleted in the first step.

Step-by-step instructions for rollback through the Mi Flash Tool

When all (preparatory work) is done, you can move on to the main process. Make sure the firmware folder is unpacked and the phone is charged. Connect the device to the computer when it's off by holding the Volume Down and Power buttons at the same time. A bunny in a hat or a FASTBOOT sign should appear on the screen.

Launch the Mi Flash Tool on behalf of the administrator. Click Refresh, your serial number device should appear on the list. If the device is not identified, check the drivers in Windows Device Manager under Android Device.

Press the Select button and point the path to the folder with the unpacked firmware. Importantly, you need to choose the folder that contains the files inside. flash_all.bat At the bottom of the program window, make sure to select Clean All mode, which completely erases memory and installs a clean system, which is critical when rolling back a version.

Press Flash and wait for it to be completed. It takes 200 to 600 seconds. It's strictly forbidden to turn off the cable or interrupt the program. Once it's done, the phone will reboot itself to the new system. The first run can last up to 5-10 minutes.

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Clear All mode is mandatory for downgrades, and trying to use Save User Data will result in a cyclic bootloop or system error.

Possible errors and methods of their elimination

There are some unexpected things that happen in the firmware process, and one of the most common mistakes is Missmatching image and device, which means you're trying to flash firmware that's not designed for this smartphone model, like running a global version on a Chinese device or vice versa, and the solution is one thing: download the right image.

A Can not flash current image or similar error often indicates that the bootloader is locked or the wrong firmware mode is selected. Make sure that the Mi Flash Tool selects Clean All, not Clean All and Lock (locking downgrade can lead to a brick if the region version does not match).

If the phone goes into an endless reboot after the firmware, try manually resetting it through Recovery Mode. Turn off the phone, press Volume Up and Power. From the recovery menu, select Wipe Data → Wipe All Data. This will remove the remaining conflicting files.

• 🔌 Connection error: Replace USB-cable or port. Use the ports at the back of the system unit.
• 🔒 Account error: If after firmware, the phone asks for a password from Mi Account, this is protection against theft.
• 💾 Lack of space: Make sure there is at least one on the C disk. 10-15 GB free space for temporary files.

In rare cases, manual firmware through the ADB command line may be required if the Mi Flash Tool GUI fails.This is a more complex method, requiring knowledge of specific commands for each partition of the system, but it allows you to bypass some software locks.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)