How to roll back Xiaomi to the old version of firmware: the full guide

Many users of Xiaomi, Redmi and POCO smartphones face a situation where the system starts to work unstable after an automatic update, the battery runs out faster, the interface slows down, and applications appear errors that have not been previously, in which case the only effective solution is to return to the previous, more stable version of the MIUI or HyperOS operating system.

The rollback process is not a trivial task and requires careful attention to detail. It is important to understand that standard means through the settings menu to move to an older build is impossible, since the system blocks the installation of versions with a smaller number.

Any interference with software carries the potential for data loss or, in the worst case, the device becoming a brick. However, with strict adherence to the instructions and the original cable, the procedure is successful in most cases.

Preparation for the firmware rollback procedure

You will need a computer running Windows, as the main firmware tool Mi Flash Tool is officially supported only on this platform. You also need an original or quality certified USB-A cable that can transmit data, not just charge the device.

The critical step is to create a full backup of the data. The rollback process almost always involves completely clearing the internal memory of the smartphone. Backup photos, contacts, messages and notes to the Mi Cloud or your computer. Make sure that the Mi Account is linked to the device and you remember the password from it, otherwise after flashing the phone may lock.

⚠️ Note: Before the procedure, be sure to charge the smartphone at least to 60-70%. Interrupting the firmware process due to battery discharge can cause permanent damage to the software.

You’ll also need Qualcomm or MediaTek drivers (depending on your device’s processor), which are usually installed along with the Mi Flash Tool.Without the right drivers, the computer won’t see the phone in Fastboot mode, and the program just won’t start the recording process.

Choosing the Right Version of the Firmware

Finding the right firmware file is the foundation of a successful rollback. You need to find the archive of the exact version you want to return to. The files must be in.zip format for Recovery or.tgz format for Fastboot. For the rollback procedure through Mi Flash, we need the.tgz archive, which will need to be pre-unpacked.

There is an important rule of versioning: you can’t just roll back from global firmware to Chinese or vice versa without an unlocked bootloader. Moreover, when you try to roll back from a newer version to an older version, you often get an Anti-Rollback error, which is a security mechanism that prevents you from installing software with a lower security index than the current one.

You can check the Anti-Rollback index on the firmware site or in the system information. If the new firmware index is higher than the old one you plan to install, the standard method will not work, in which case you need an unlocked bootloader. Without this step, the system will give an error and refuse to execute the command.

Unlocking the bootloader (Bootloader)

If your bootloader is locked (Locked status), you will not be able to roll back the system to an earlier version using standard methods. You will need the official Mi Unlock Tool utility. The process of obtaining permission to unlock can take from 3 to 7 days, since Xiaomi introduces an artificial delay for security purposes.

First, you need to link your account to your smartphone settings. Go to Settings → About Phone and click on the MIUI version several times to activate the developer menu. Then, in the Additional → For developers, find the Mi bootloader status and link the account. After that, you can run the program on your PC.

Put your phone in Fastboot mode, pressing the power and volume buttons at the same time when the device is turned off. Connect the cable to your computer and press the Unlock button in the utility. Importantly, after unlocking all data on the phone will be deleted automatically, this is part of the security protocol.

⚠️ Warning: Unlocking the bootloader resets the software warranty in some regions and makes the device more vulnerable to attackers unless you set a strong screen lock password.

Once you unlock it successfully, the device will reboot and you'll see Unlocked on the boot screen. Now the path to installing older firmware versions through Fastboot is open. If you plan to use Recovery, unlocking is also a must for custom recoveries.

Recoiling with Mi Flash Tool

This is the most reliable and recommended way to completely roll back the system, and it allows you to clean up the old firmware version, ignoring version checks if the bootloader is unlocked. First download the.tgz firmware archive and unpack it to the root of the C disk so that the path is short, like the one you're going to see: C:\xiaomi_rom\.

Launch the Mi Flash Tool on behalf of the administrator. Transfer the smartphone to Fastboot mode (clamp Power). + Volume Down) and connect it to your PC. Press the "Refresh" button in the program, and you'll see the device ID. ID Red text is on, check the drivers.

At the bottom of the window, select firmware mode. Clean all is the best option for a clean rollback. The Clean all and lock option will lock the bootloader back, but you can't use it when you roll back to the old version if the firmware regionality varies (eg, Global on China), otherwise the phone will go into eternal reboot.

Recommended mode: Clean all


Change of Region: Clean All and Lock

Press Flash and wait for the process to be completed. The green progress bar will show status. Under no circumstances, turn off the cable or touch the phone until the "Success" message appears. The entire process takes 200 to 600 seconds.

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If the process is 90% or 99% frozen, try replacing it. USB-Cable or plug it into another port (preferably) USB 2.0) and run the program on behalf of the administrator.

Alternative method through Recovery Mode

There is a less reliable, but possible way to roll back without using a PC if you already have customized Recovery, such as TWRP. Xiaomi’s standard Recovery will not allow you to install an older firmware, giving a version check error, so this method is only suitable for advanced users who already have a modified system.

You'll need to download the firmware in.zip (Recovery ROM) format and put it in internal memory or on a memory card. Go to Recovery mode (press Power + Volume Up). From the TWRP menu, select Install, find the archive and confirm the installation.

If you try to do this through the standard Select File menu in regular Recovery, the system is likely to refuse installation, so this method often requires pre-installing a custom recovery, which in itself requires an unlocked bootloader and computer.

In some cases, the double-wipe method before installation helps: cleaning the Data, Cache and Dalvik Cache partitions, but the guarantees of success when rolling back through Recovery are less than when using Fastboot.

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The Fastboot method via the Mi Flash Tool is the only guaranteed way to roll back any previous version, while the Recovery method has many limitations.

Possible mistakes and ways to solve them

There may be a variety of bugs in the firmware process. 0x00000001 or 0x80000001 in Mi Flash often indicates driver or cable issues. Try reinstalling ADB/Fastboot drivers manually through Windows Device Manager by selecting a device with a yellow exclamation mark.

The “Miss matching image” error means that you are trying to flash firmware that is not intended for your device (for example, the firmware from Redmi Note 9 on Redmi Note 9 Pro). Always check the codename of the device, for example, merlin, gauguin, raphael.

If the phone goes into a bootloop after the firmware, try pressing the power button for 15-20 seconds to force a reboot. If that doesn't work, you'll need to re-running with a "Clean all" mode or recovering through EDL service mode, which requires more knowledge.

⚠️ Warning: An Anti-Rollback protection error means you are trying to install a firmware with a lower security index. You can’t get around this software without special programmers – you will have to look for firmware with a higher or equal index.

A common problem is also hanging on the Mi or Android logo, which is solved by waiting (the first launch after a rollback can last up to 10 minutes) or reflashing with a complete data cleanup in 90% of cases.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)