How to reflash the phone Xiaomi Redmi Note 4: Step-by-step instructions

Owners of the popular Xiaomi Redmi Note 4 smartphone often face the need to reinstall the operating system. This can be due to hanging up, removing the Chinese language, switching from CN to Global or wanting to upgrade to a newer version of Android, which the manufacturer no longer distributes “over the air.”

Before you start any manipulation of the system partition, it is important to understand the risks. Mistakes can lead to loss of warranty or, in rare cases, to turn the device into a brick. However, if you follow the proven instructions clearly and use the original drivers, the probability of success is 99%. In this article, we will discuss the method of firmware through a computer with the Mi Flash Tool utility, which is the most reliable way to restore and update.

There are two main types of firmware for this model: Recovery and Fastboot. Our instructions will require a Fastboot version that has the.tgz extension, as it allows you to perform complete data cleaning and partition re-marking, which is critical when changing the region.

Preparation of the workplace and necessary files

The success of the operation depends on 80% of the quality of preparation. You will need a personal computer or laptop running Windows (preferably version 7, 8 or 10, since Windows 11 sometimes has problems with signing drivers). USB-A cable, preferably original, that transmits data accurately, not just charges the device. Bad cable is the most common cause of connection errors in the firmware process.

The first step is to download the current version of the Mi Flash Tool.The official website may not be available, so it is better to use proven resources-aggregators firmware. Make sure you download the version at least 2018, as old builds may not work properly with the new drivers Qualcomm or MediaTek installed in the Redmi Note 4.

⚠️ Warning: Antivirus programs, including the built-in Windows Defender, can block the Mi Flash Tool, considering it suspicious. During the procedure, it is recommended to temporarily disable the protection or add a folder with the utility as exceptions, otherwise the process may be interrupted during the writing partitions stage.

You need to download the firmware itself. For Redmi Note 4 (codename nikel for MediaTek or prada for Snapdragon, although most commonly referred to as Snapdragon for mido), you need to choose the right file. If you have a Snapdragon version, look for an archive with a name that contains mido. For MediaTek version, nikel. Installing an inappropriate firmware is strictly prohibited and can bring the device down.

Installation of drivers and firmware preparation

The computer must correctly identify the smartphone in bootloader mode. To do this, the archive with the Mi Flash utility often already contains a folder with drivers, or they can be downloaded separately from the developer's website. After installing the drivers in the Device Manager, when connecting the phone in Fastboot mode, the Android Bootloader Interface device without exclamation points should appear.

The downloaded firmware archive (.tgz) needs to be unpacked. Importantly, the path to the folder should not contain Cyrillic or spaces. C:\mi_rom\ And you can unpack it there. Inside the folder, you should see files with.img,.bat, and other system files. If there's another archive inside, unpack it until you see the file list.

Check the integrity of the unpacked files. The firmware folder must have a file. flash_all.bat or flash_all_except_data_storage.bat. The first one cleans the phone completely, the second one saves user data (but when changing the region, it is recommended to use a full cleanup.

Translation of the smartphone to Fastboot mode

To enter firmware mode, turn off your smartphone completely. After turning off, press the Volume Down and power button simultaneously, and hold them until an image of a hare repairing an android appears on the screen or an orange or blue FASTBOOT label appears.

If the screen catches fire, but the Fastboot mode doesn't turn on (the Mi logo appears), you've either over-acted or you haven't pressed the buttons. Try again: press the volume button, then press the power without letting it go. Hold both buttons near. 10-15 In this mode, the touch screen is not working, the control is only carried out by buttons and the connection to the PC.

⚠️ Note: If the computer makes a connection sound but the Mi Flash Tool doesn’t see the phone, try another one. USB-Preferably use the ports. USB 2.0 at the rear of the system unit, as the front ports often give insufficient voltage or have poor contact.

In some cases, if the phone was previously unlocked, the first connection in Fastboot mode may require confirmation of unlocking the bootloader on the smartphone screen. If the bootloader is locked, the computer will still see the device, but you will not be able to flash the official firmware of another region (for example, Global on a Chinese phone) without unlocking Bootloader.

The process of firmware through the Mi Flash Tool

Run the Mi Flash Tool on behalf of the administrator. Press the Refresh button in the upper right corner. The list should show a device with a serial number. If it says something else instead of the number or the list is empty, check the drivers in the Device Manager and reconnect the cable.

Press select in the top left corner and point the path to the unpacked firmware folder. Once you select the path, the program will automatically check the files. At the bottom of the window, select firmware mode. Choose clean all for clean installation, save user data for data. When changing region, always choose clean all.

Once you select the mode, press the flash button. You start writing, and you get the status strings in the log. Don't touch the cable or turn off the computer. It takes 200 to 600 seconds. At the end, status changes to success, and the phone automatically reboots.