How to reflash the Xiaomi phone completely: the complete guide

Fully reflashing Xiaomi’s smartphone is a radical but often the only way to bring the device back to life after critical system errors or software failures. If your device has turned into a brick, restarts endlessly, or malfunctions even after being reset, deep reinstallation of the operating system will be a lifesaver. This process requires care, but the result is worth it: you get a clean, stable version of MIUI or HyperOS.

There are several recovery methods, but it is the full firmware through Fastboot that allows you to completely remove all traces of old files and conflicts. Unlike a conventional air update, this method affects all parts of the device's memory, USB-A little patience and a little patience to complete all the steps correctly.

Before you start taking action, you need to be clear about the risks and prepare the workplace. Incorrectly following the instructions can lead to a lockdown of the loader or complete inoperability of the gadget without the possibility of recovery at home.

Preparation of equipment and choice of firmware method

The first step is to choose the right firmware type. Xiaomi users have two main formats available: Recovery and Fastboot. The Fastboot image is needed to completely clean and reinstall the system we're talking about. It has a.tgz extension and weighs significantly more than a regular update, since it contains all system partitions.

You'll need a personal computer or laptop running Windows. On a Mac or Linux, the process is possible, but requires additional manipulation of the terminal, which makes it difficult for a beginner. Make sure that disk C: at least 10-15 GB of space is available for unpacking archives and working temporary files.

⚠️ Warning: The full reflash process permanently deletes all data from the internal drive.Photos, contacts and apps will be lost if you don't back up in advance.

Quality. USB-The cable plays a critical role in the stability of data transmission. Cheap "charging only" cables often do not withstand the load when writing large amounts of data, which leads to errors in the middle of the process.

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Use it. USB-port located directly on the motherboard (back of the system unit), rather than on the front panel or through the USB-hub to avoid power surges.

Required tools and drivers

To make it work, you'll need specialized software, and the main tool is the Mi Flash Tool, developed by Xiaomi engineers for service centers, and without it, you won't be able to install Fastboot firmware, because standard Windows tools can't work with Android partitions at this level.

In addition, the correct installation of drivers is critical. The computer must correctly recognize the phone in Fastboot and ADB mode. Often problems arise during the identification of the device by the task manager. If the drivers do not automatically stand up, they will have to be installed manually through the Device Manager.

• 💻 USB-cable - serviceable wire with good screening.

It is also worth checking the version of Windows installed. On older versions, such as Windows 7, there may be problems with signing drivers, so current users are advised to use Windows 10 or Windows 11. Before starting work, it is better to temporarily disable the antivirus, since it can block the work of low-level scripts of the firmware.

Step-by-step: Enter Fastboot mode

In order for the computer to interact with the phone at a deep system level, the device must be switched to a special boot mode. For Xiaomi devices, this is the Fastboot mode, which is characterized by the image of a rabbit repairing an android on the off screen.

The login process is simple, but it requires precision in timing. First, turn off your smartphone completely. Then press and hold the volume down button (down button). USB-The screen should show a picture of a hare and a sign that says FASTBOOT.

If the phone reacts to the connection with vibration or charging sound, but the screen remains black, then you did not press the button on time or connected the cable too late. In this case, turn off the cable, turn off the phone (if it is turned on) and repeat the procedure. In some cases, you may need a combination of up and down volume buttons at the same time, but for most Redmi and Poco models, only the bottom button is enough.

The process of installing firmware through Mi Flash

Once you successfully log in to fast boot and connect to your PC, you can run the Mi Flash Tool. Run the executable file on behalf of the administrator to avoid problems with access rights to system ports. In the main window of the program, you will see a list of connected devices; if the drivers are installed correctly, your device's serial number will be displayed there.

The next step is to choose the path to the firmware files. Press the Select button and specify the folder where you pre-unpacked the.tgz archive. Importantly, the path must not contain Cyrillic characters or spaces, otherwise the program will give an error. Inside the folder, you should see files with the.bat and.txt extensions.

At the bottom of the utility window, it is critical to choose the right firmware mode. To clean and reinstall the system completely, select Clean all. This option completely erases all userdata and cache partitions, returning the phone to the "out of the box" state. Other options, such as "Save user data", are not suitable in this context, since our goal is complete firmware reflashing.

⚠️ Warning: Make sure you select Clean all. If you choose Clean all and lock, your phone may lock if you change your firmware region (e.g. from China to Global).

Once you select the mode, press the Flash button in the upper right corner, and it will start a process that will take 300 to 600 seconds, during which time it is strictly forbidden to touch the cable or close the program, and the progress bar will be filled in green, displaying the current stage of writing partitions.

Comparison of System Recovery Methods

Users often confuse full flashing with a regular update or reset, and understanding the difference between these methods helps you choose the right tool for a particular situation. Below is a table showing the key differences.

As you can see from the comparison, Fastboot is the most aggressive and effective tool to combat software bugs, not just updating files, but rewriting the structure of the file system, especially if the phone came to you after another owner or was bought on Chinese sites.