How to reinstall firmware on Xiaomi Redmi: 3 proven ways

Introduction: Why reinstall MIUI on Redmi?

Xiaomi Redmi smartphones are known for their stability, but even they eventually start to slow down, give out errors or pick up viruses. Reinstalling the firmware is a radical but effective way to return the device to its previous performance.

You’ve bought a used device with junk from the previous owner, experienced a cyclical reboot after a failed update, or just want to install a clean version of MIUI without unnecessary applications. Unlike a regular reset via settings, full firmware removes all system files and replaces them with the original ones, which ensures that there are no hidden bugs.

It’s important to understand the difference between methods: Recovery resets the current version of MIUI but clears user data, and Fastboot completely overwrites the system partition. The choice of method depends on your purpose and the condition of the phone.

Method 1: Reset to factory settings via Recovery

The simplest method, which doesn't require a computer, is if the phone turns on but is unstable, and it takes 5-10 minutes to delete all user data, but it keeps the current version of MIUI.

Turn off your smartphone first. Then press Volume Up + Power for 10-15 seconds until the Mi logo and Mi Recovery menu appear. Some models (Redmi Note 10 Pro, Redmi 9T) may need to first press Volume Up + Power, and after vibration release the power button, holding the volume.

• 🔄 Select Wipe Data (use volume buttons for navigation, power to confirm)
• 🧹 Confirm Wipe All Data – it will remove all apps, photos and settings
• 🔙 Go back to the main menu and select Reboot. → Reboot to System
• ⏳ The first switch on after the reset will take 3-5 minutes - do not interrupt the process

⚠️ Note: If the phone is stuck on the Mi logo for longer than 15 minutes after reset, the system files are damaged).

Save important data on a PC or cloud

Charge your phone to at least 50%

Make sure you know your Mi Account (if you have been linked)

Get out. SIM-card and memory card (optional)-->

Method 2: Fastboot Firmware (complete reinstallation)

This method is suitable for “brick” devices that do not turn on or boot only in Fastboot Mode. You will need a computer with Xiaomi drivers installed and the official firmware for your model.

First, download the correct version of the firmware from the site. MIUI Download. Pay attention to the region (Global, China, EEA) and the code name of the device (e.g. mojito for Redmi Note) 10). Unblock the file to a short-cut folder (for example, C:\MIUI\).

• 🖥️ Install the QDLoader driver for Qualcomm or ADB-drivers for Mediatek
• 📱 Turn off the phone and press the volume down. + Power to enter the Fastboot Mode
• 🔌 Connect the device to the PC through USB-cable (preferably original)
• 💻 Run MiFlash.exe from the firmware folder, press Refresh – your Redmi should be determined
• 📁 In the Select field, specify the path to the folder with unarched firmware
• ⚙️ At the bottom, select Clean All (Full Cleaning) or Clean All and Lock (Locking bootloader) mode)
• 🚀 Press Flash and wait until the process is complete. 5-15 minute)

⚠️ Warning: If you choose clean all and lock on a device with an unlocked bootloader, after firmware, the phone may require authorization to the Mi Account that was tied before unlocking. Without this data, the device will become a brick".

Method 3: Update via OTA with data storage

If your Redmi is stable, but you want to upgrade MIUI until the latest version without data loss, use the built-in mechanism OTA (Over-the-Air is safer than hand firmware because it passes compatibility tests.

Go to Settings → About Phone → System Update. If a new version is available, download it (preferably via Wi-Fi). After download, click Reboot and Update. The process will take 10-20 minutes, depending on the size of the update.

To force the updates to check, you can use a hidden menu: enter the code ##542## in the Phone application - this will open the test menu, where you can manually initiate an OTA search in the Software Update section.

• 🔄 If the update is stuck during the Preparation Update phase, restart your phone and try again.
• 📶 To speed up downloads, connect to a 5 GHz network (if supported)
• 🔋 Make sure your battery is over 30% or the system will block the update.
• 🛑 If you have a bug after the update, reset the cache in Recovery (Wipe Cache)

Once a month, when a new version comes out.

Only when critical bugs appear

Never update – everything works.

Only six months after the release of the new MIUI-->

Solving Typical Reinstallation Errors

Even if you follow the instructions, you can have problems, and let's look at some of the most common mistakes and how to fix them.

The error "This package is for xxx devices" appears if you are trying to flash the firmware for a different model. Check the code name of the device in Settings → About Phone → MIUI version (e.g. ginkgo for Redmi Note 8).

Fastboot firmware ends in error "flash_preloader "Failed" means you're trying to flash the firmware with a newer version of anti-rollback. Solution: Find firmware with the same or older version of anti as the current one.

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If your IMEI is missing or your mobile network is not working, restore it using the engineering menu. Enter in the phone application ##4636##, select Phone Information and click Select SIM → Restore IMEI.

How to save data before reinstallation

Flashing inevitably leads to loss of user data, but you can save the most important thing. For contacts and messages, use the built-in sync functions with Mi Account:

Go to Settings → Xiaomi Account → Mi Cloud and enable sync for Contacts, Messages, Notes and Photos. Use Settings → Additional → Backup and Reset → Local Backup to back up apps.

To transfer files to the PC:

• 📁 Put the phone on. USB file transfer (MTP)
• 🖥️ Copy the folders. DCIM (Photos, Download (downloads), WhatsApp (chat backups)
• 🔐 Export passwords from the browser through Settings → Passwords.
• 🎮 For games, use cloud saves (Google Play Games or built-in game features)

⚠️ Warning: Do not copy the folder MIUI Or Android to a memory card are system files that can cause conflicts after firmware. Also avoid backing up through Titanum Backup on devices with a computer. MIUI 12+ — This often leads to errors in recovery.

Frequently asked questions

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Before any firmware reflash, check the firmware compatibility with your model by codename. Using firmware for another version of Redmi (for example, the Redmi Note 9 Pro firmware on the Redmi Note 9S) will cause the device to fail.