How to Refuse Xiaomi: The Complete Guide

Xiaomi’s current smartphones have a powerful hardware, but sometimes software needs an upgrade or a complete replacement. Users often look for ways to reflash the device to get a global version of the firmware, get rid of ads in the system or restore work after a failed experiment, a process that seems difficult only at first glance, but requires care and preparation.

There are several ways to replace the operating system, each with its own characteristics and risks: you can upgrade over the air, use a local file, or apply a deep method through a computer, and the choice of a particular path depends on the current state of your gadget and the final goals you pursue.

In this article, we will discuss all the steps of the procedure, the necessary tools and precautions. It is important to understand that any manipulation of the system partition carries a potential threat of data loss, so backup is a must before starting any work.

Preparation of the device and necessary tools

Before you start any action with the software, you need to assemble a certain set of tools, USB-High quality cable (preferably original) and a computer running Windows or Linux. Also make sure that the battery is at least 60%, as a sudden power outage at a critical moment can lead to irreversible consequences.

A key element of preparation is to create a full copy of your data. Photos, contacts, instant messenger correspondence — all of which can be lost when you flash it, use Google Drive or Mi Cloud cloud services, and a built-in backup tool in your phone settings.

• 📱 Charge your smartphone to a minimum 60-70%.
• 💾 Make a full backup of the data to an external medium.
• 🔌 Prepare quality. USB-cable and a good port of the computer.
• 🆔 Remember or write down the password from your Mi Account.

⚠️ Warning: If your phone has Mi Account lock enabled, be sure to log out before you run the firmware, otherwise the device will request the password from the old account after you reboot, and it will be extremely difficult to get around this protection.

You also need to download the current firmware version, files with the.zip extension for menu recovery or.tgz for computer firmware, and only the official miui.com site or trusted resources like xiaomifirmwareupdater.com should be sourced.

Unlocking the Bootloader bootloader

One of the main features of the Xiaomi ecosystem is the presence of a locked bootloader, a security mechanism that prevents the installation of untested software. For official flashing from the Chinese version to the global version or installing custom recavators, unlocking Bootloader is mandatory.

The unlocking process takes time. You need to apply at the official miui.com/unlock site, link your account to your device and wait for permission. Usually, the wait is 3 to 7 days, but sometimes it can take a month, a measure of protection against device theft.

Once you get permission, you download the Mi Unlock Tool to your computer, and then you put the phone into Fastboot mode, and the program unlocks it, and it's important that all the data on the device is completely deleted during the unlock process.

There is a myth that unlocking the bootloader will void the warranty. In most Xiaomi service centers, this is true, but the software lock can be returned by locking the bootloader back, although this does not always guarantee the restoration of warranty status.

Recovery Update Method (Local Update)

The easiest and safest way to reflash Xiaomi is to not have to connect to a computer, but to upgrade MIUI or HyperOS versions, and to switch between regional versions of a single branch (e.g. from Russia to Global) if the update policy permits.

To start, download the firmware file in.zip. Don't unpack the archive. Rename the file if necessary, but it's not usually required for new versions. Place the file in the root folder of the smartphone's internal memory.

Next, go to the phone's settings menu. The path usually looks like: Settings → About Phone → MIUI version. Click on three dots in the top right corner of the screen and select "Select firmware file." The system will find the archive and suggest starting the installation.

• ⏳ The process can take anywhere from 10 to 20 minutes.
• 🔋 Do not touch the device during installation.
• 📉 The screen can go out and light up several times.
• ✅ Once completed, the phone will restart automatically.

⚠️ Note: If the system says "Impossible to upgrade", it means that you are trying to roll back to an older version or install an incompatible region.

Sometimes the standard menu doesn't see the firmware file, and you can use the hidden Recovery menu, and you can do this in the Update app by clicking on the MIUI logo several times before the "Additional Features Enabled" message appears, and then you'll see new items in the menu.

Firmware via Fastboot on your computer

Fastboot is the most powerful tool in the user’s arsenal, allowing them to completely clear memory partitions, change device region (for example, from China to Global), and restore the brick if the phone doesn’t boot.

You'll need the Mi Flash Tool. Download it from the official source and install it on your computer. You'll also need to install the ADB and Fastboot drivers, which are often bundled or installed separately, and without them, your computer won't see the phone in the right mode.

Download the firmware image in.tgz format. Unpack the archive in the root of the C disk so that the path is short, for example: C:\xiaomi_rom\. It is important that there are no Cyrillic symbols or spaces on the way, otherwise the firmware can pass with errors.

adb reboot bootloader

You can type this command in the command line if you have USB debugging connected to put your phone into Fastboot mode. Or just turn off your phone and press the volume button when you connect the cable to your PC. In the Mi Flash utility, click the "Refresh" button and the device must be determined.

At the bottom of the program window, select firmware mode. It is usually recommended to choose clean all or clean all and lock. Save user data allows you to save files, but it often causes errors when changing regions.

After selecting the mode, press the "Flash" button. The process will take 200 to 600 seconds. You absolutely cannot turn off the cable or interrupt the process until the progress bar reaches 100% and the green success label appears. The phone automatically reboots.

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If the Mi Flash Tool gives an error at the end of the process, but the progress has been complete, try simply restarting the phone manually. Often the firmware is already recorded, and the error is only related to the final status confirmation.

Installation of custom Recovery TWRP

For advanced users, standard backup may not be enough. TWRP (Team Win Recovery Project) is a modified recovery menu that allows you to install unsigned firmware, make full system backups and obtain root rights.

TWRP is only available for devices with an unlocked bootloader, and it's done through a computer using ADB commands. First, you download a twrp.img image that's specially assembled for your model, and then you put it into Fastboot mode.

In the command line on the computer, a command is entered to write the image to the recovery section:

fastboot flash recovery twrp_image_name.img

Immediately after the command is executed, you need to press the button combination (usually volume up + power) so that the phone boots immediately into the new recave. If you just restart the system, the standard Xiaomi recave can overwrite the TWRP back.

• 🛠 Allows you to back up sections EFS Persist.
• 📦 Installation of custom ROM (LineageOS, Pixel Experience).
• 🧹 Deep cleaning of cache and dalwick cache.
• 🔒 Possibility of installing patches to bypass locks.

Using custom recavators opens the door to installing Google services on Chinese versions of phones if they have not been installed before, or to introducing system modifiers that change the interface and functionality.

⚠️ Attention: When installed TWRP Make sure the version is strictly consistent with your model. Firmware of the image from another device can lead to a broken touchscreen in the Recovery or a complete system failure.

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Installing a custom recavator is a point of no return for warranty, but the best way to get full control of the device's file system is to get a full hand on the device.

Common mistakes and ways to solve them

Users often face a variety of problems during the firmware process, one of the most common being the MI logo getting stuck (bootloop), which can happen if a corrupted firmware has been installed or data has not been cleaned when changing region, solved by re-flashing through Fastboot with a clean all mode choice.

Another common problem is that there is no connection or broken Wi-Fi after flashing, which often indicates damage to the persist or modem partitions. If you have backup of these partitions through TWRP, they can be restored, otherwise you may need to contact a service center for soldering or software restoration through special boxes.

And users complain about the "Mi Account Locked" error after the firmware is a theft protection, and if you forget your password, you can only restore access through i.mi.com, with access to a linked phone number or mail, without which the phone becomes a brick.

If your computer doesn’t see your phone in Fastboot mode, try:

• 🔌 Connect the cable to another USB-port (preferably) USB 2.0).
• 💻 Reinstall drivers through Device Manager.
• 🔋 Check the cable on another device.
• 🔄 Restart your computer and phone.