How to reflash Xiaomi Mi 8 Lite: a complete guide to unlock the bootloader

Xiaomi Mi 8 Lite (codename platina) is a popular smartphone of 2018, which is still actively used thanks to powerful hardware and support for custom firmware. However, over time, official MIUI updates stop coming out, and users face slowdowns, bugs or the desire to install a more recent version of Android. Flashing the device can solve these problems, but requires careful approach: a mistake at any stage can turn the phone into a brick.

In this guide, we will discuss in detail all ways to flash the Mi 8 Lite, from the official update via MIUI Updater to install custom firmware via TWRP or Fastboot. Particular attention will be paid to unlock the bootloader, without which you can not install unofficial software. You will also learn how to avoid common errors (for example, Anti-Rollback or Invalid IMEI) and restore the phone if something goes wrong.

Before you start, make sure your Mi 8 Lite meets the following requirements:

• 🔋 Battery charge of at least 60% (to avoid shutdown during the process).
• 📱 The phone model is the Xiaomi Mi 8 Lite (check in Settings → About the phone).
• 🔐 Unlocked bootloader (if you plan custom firmware).
• 💻 Computer with Windows/Linux and USB- cable (preferably original).

If you are new to firmware, we recommend starting with the official method through MIUI Updater.Savvy users can immediately jump to the TWRP or Fastboot sections.

1. Firmware preparation: Backup and unlock the bootloader

The first and most important step is to save all the data, and flashing it, especially through Fastboot or TWRP, completely erases the phone's internal memory.

• ☁️ Cloud Backup: Sync contacts, photos, and notes through Google Account or Mi Cloud (in Settings → Accounts).
• 💾 Local copy: copy files to your computer or external drive (folders DCIM, Downloads, WhatsApp, etc.).
• 📱 Backup applications: Swift Backup (requires root) or Titanium Backup (retains these applications).

Special attention is paid to saving IMEI, MAC- Wi-Fi addresses and serial number, which data is stored in the NVRAM section and can be lost if the firmware is incorrect.

1. Install MTK Engineering Mode (available in the Play Market).
2. Launch the app, go to MTK Settings → Connectivity → CDS Information → Radio Information.
3. Select Phone 1 (or Phone 2 for the second SIM slot), copy AT+EGMR=1,7 and AT+EGMR=1,10 are your IMEI.

If you plan to install custom firmware (like LineageOS or Pixel Experience), you need to unlock the bootloader. Xiaomi locks it by default to protect against unauthorized changes. The process takes 72–168 hours (3–7 days) and requires:

• 📱 Linked Mi-account to phone (with a confirmed number).
• 🌐 Stable Internet connection (Wi-Fi or mobile network).
• 🔧 The Mi Unlock Tool (download from the official website).

⚠️ Warning: Unlocking the bootloader will reset the phone to factory settings! and Xiaomi may refuse to unlock if the device was purchased less than 30 days ago or linked to another account.

Enable debugging on USB In Settings → The phone. → Version. MIUI (press 7 times)|Link Mi-account to Settings → Accounts.|Download Mi Unlock Tool on PC|Connect your phone to your PC in Fastboot mode (Off. → Hold the Power. + Vol−)-->

Method 2: Official update via MIUI Updater (without unlocking)

The easiest and safest method is to upgrade through the built-in MIUI Updater app, which is suitable for installing official stable or beta versions of MIUI, but does not allow custom firmware.

• ✅ Does not require unlocking the loader.
• ✅ Stores all data (unless "Clean Installation" is selected).
• ✅ Minimum risk of “bricking».

Instructions:

1. Open Settings → About the phone → System update.
2. Click on the three dots in the top right corner and select Select Service Pack.
3. Download the official firmware for the Mi 8 Lite (platina) from MIUI Downloads. Choose a version for your region (e.g. Russia, Global, EEA).
4. Move the firmware file (.zip format) to the root folder of internal memory.
5. In MIUI Updater, select the downloaded file and confirm the installation.

If the update is not automatically available, check:

• 🔌 Internet connection stability (Wi-Fi is preferred).
• 📡 Firmware region (installing firmware for China on a global model could cause problems with Google services).
• 🔋 Battery charge (less than 20% blocks the upgrade)

⚠️ Warning: If the phone is stuck on the MI logo after the upgrade, hold Power + Vol+ to reboot to Recovery and reset (Wipe Data).

💡

The official update via MIUI Updater is the only method that does not require unlocking the bootloader and is suitable for beginners.

3. Method 2: Fastboot firmware (for official and custom ROM)

Fastboot is suitable for installing official firmware (including downgrades) or custom ROMs (e.g. Xiaomi.eu) requiring an unlocked bootloader and a computer with ADB/Fastboot drivers installed.

Tools required:

• 🖥️ Mi Flash Tool (download from official website).
• 📁 Firmware in.tgz or.zip format (for Mi 8 Lite, look for files marked platina).
• 🔌 USB- cable (preferably original to avoid connection breaks).

Step-by-step:

1. Unpack the firmware archive into a folder without Cyrillic characters (e.g., C:\platina_fastboot).
2. Turn off the phone and put it in Fastboot mode: hold Power + Vol− until the hare appears in the hat-eared.
3. Connect your phone to your PC. In Device Manager, check that the device is identified as Android Bootloader Interface.
4. Launch the Mi Flash Tool, press Select and specify the path to the firmware folder.
5. Select firmware mode: Clean all - complete cleaning (recommended when changing the version of MIUI), Clean all and lock - cleaning + lock bootloader (only for official firmware!), Save user data - data storage (not always working correctly).

Flash

If the Mi Flash Tool is an Anti-Rollback error, you're trying to install an older version of MIUI than the one on the phone before.

• 🔄 Install the middle firmware (for example, if the current version V12.5.1.0 and you want V11.0.2.0, first file V12.0.1.0).
• 🚫 Or refuse to downgrade the version (the risk of bricking is high).

💡

If the Mi Flash Tool is 99% hanging, don't turn off the phone! wait 10-15 minutes - sometimes the process is completed with a delay.

Method 3: Install custom firmware via TWRP

Unofficial firmware installations (such as LineageOS, Pixel Experience or Xiaomi.eu) require custom recovery TWRP. This method gives full control over the system, but the risks are higher: improper actions can lead to the loss of IMEI or a broken camera.

What to do before installing TWRP:

1. Unlock the bootloader (see Section 1).
2. Download the current version of TWRP for platina (for example, from the official website).
3. Download firmware (e.g. Xiaomi.eu from the forum) and Magisk (for root rights, if necessary).

Instructions for installing TWRP:

1. Turn your phone into Fastboot (Power + Vol−) mode.
2. Connect to your PC and check the connection with the command: fastboot devices must display the serial number of the device.
3. TWRP: fastboot flash recovery twrp-3.7.0-platina.img fastboot boot twrp-3.7.0-platina.img
4. The phone will reboot to TWRP. Immediately backup the current firmware: press Backup, select Boot, System, Data partitions and save the card to SD-.

Installation of custom firmware:

1. In TWRP, click Wipe → Advanced Wipe and tick Dalvik, Cache, System, Data (don’t touch Internal Storage and MicroSD!).
2. Return to the main menu, select Install and specify the path to the firmware file (.zip).
3. After installing the firmware (if necessary), scrolle Magisk for root rights.
4. Reboot your phone: Reboot → System.

⚠️ Warning: After installing custom firmware, you may not be able to: 📶 Mobile Network (unless IMEI is prescribed). 📷 Camera (requires a patch ANX Camera for some firmware). 🔑 Banking applications (due to Magisk or uncertified Android). To restore IMEI, use Maui META or SN Write Tool (instructions are available on 4PDA.

5. Solving common problems after firmware

Even with the right firmware installation, there may be problems. Let's look at the typical cases and how to fix them:

🔄 Phone is looped on boot (bootloop)

Reasons:

• Incompatible firmware (e.g. firmware for Mi 8 on Mi 8 Lite).
• Incomplete cleaning before installation.
• Damaged firmware files.

Decision:

1. Download to TWRP (Power + Vol+).
2. Run Wipe → Format Data (enter yes to confirm).
3. Reinstall the firmware.

📵 No network (IMEI missing or incorrect)

This is one of the most common problems after running through Fastboot or TWRP. Check IMEI in Settings → About Phone → General information. If the numbers are zeros or Unknown:

• Restore the IMEI via Maui META or SN Write Tool (see spoiler above).
• Check the permissions to /data/nvram folder (should be 777).
• If nothing helps, run the official firmware through the Mi Flash Tool with the Clean all and lock option.

🔋 Fast battery discharge after firmware

Often associated with:

• 🔄 Background processes of new firmware (give the phone a 2-3 charge/discharge cycle for calibration).
• 📱 Unoptimized kernel (try firmware with another kernel, like Xiaomi.eu instead of Global).
• 🔋 Reset the battery settings (reset to Settings → Battery → Reset statistics).

📷 Camera is not working (Cannot connect to camera error)

In custom firmware (especially AOSP-based) the camera often breaks due to the lack of proprietary MediaTek drivers.

• Install the ANX Camera patch (available on 4PDA or XDA).
• Use the GCam or Open Camera.
• Return to the official firmware if the camera is critical.

💡

90% of the problems after firmware are solved by re-installation of firmware with full cleaning (Format Data in TWRP).

6. How to return the official firmware (unbrick)

If the phone doesn't turn on after a bad firmware (the so-called "brick"), don't panic - in most cases it can be restored. The main thing is to determine the type of "brick":

• 🟢 Soft-brick: The phone vibrates or lights up the screen, but doesn't load beyond the logo. Solved via Fastboot or TWRP.
• 🔴 Hard-brick: The phone does not respond to buttons, is not determined by the PC. Requires EDL- mode and boxing Mi Flash Pro (or help service center).

Instructions for Soft-Brick:

1. Try downloading Fastboot (Power + Vol−) or Recovery (Power + Vol+).
2. If the phone is identified in Fastboot, run the official firmware through the Mi Flash Tool (select Clean all).
3. If Fastboot is not available but there is TWRP, install any working firmware through recovery.
4. If the phone doesn't respond at all, try switching it to EDL- Mode: Turn off the phone. Press Vol+++ Vol− and connect the USB- cable to your PC. Hold the 10-15 buttons for seconds until the PC identifies the device as Qualcomm HS-USB QDLoader ZXPH0005QXZ.

EDL- Mode

Mi Flash Tool

platina_edl.img

⚠️ Warning: To run in EDL- mode, you need an authorized Xiaomi account (or a patched version of the Mi Flash Tool) without which your PC won't see the phone in 9008 mode.

If nothing helps, contact the service center. the cost of recovery through EDL usually does not exceed 1-2 thousand rubles.

7. FAQ: Frequent questions about the Xiaomi Mi 8 Lite firmware

If your question isn’t covered in the FAQ, explore the topics on the 4PDA or XDA Developers forums, which are the latest discussions and patches for the Mi 8 Lite.