How to change boot animation on Xiaomi: 3 working ways (without the risk of bricks)

Xiaomi’s standard boot animation with the Mi or Redmi logo on the background of an orange circle has already been put to shame by many users. The good news is that it can be replaced with your own picture, gif or even video – the main thing is to know the nuances of the process. In this article, we will discuss three proven methods of changing boot animation that work on most Xiaomi, Redmi and POCO devices running MIUI 12-15 (including hyperos).

But before you start, remember that changing system files always carries risks. Wrong actions can lead to endless loading or even bricking up of the device, so we will describe each step in detail, point out pitfalls and give recommendations for recovery if something goes wrong.

If you’re new to smartphone modification, start with the easiest way – through MIUI themes. Power users can jump straight to TWRP or ADB methods that offer more customization options.

Important: Before any manipulation of the system, back up your data. It is best to use Mi Cloud or third-party solutions like Swift Backup. Also check the battery power - it should be at least 60% to avoid sudden shutdown during the process.

1. Method: Replace boot animations through MIUI themes (no root)

This is the most secure method that doesn’t require unlocking the bootloader or superuser rights.It’s suitable for most devices on MIUI 12-15, but has a limitation: you can only install animations available in the official theme store.

The algorithm of action is simple:

1. Open the Themes app on your smartphone.
2. Go to Download (or Boot Animation in English).
3. Select the animation you like and click Apply.

If the boot animation partition is missing, your version of MIUI doesn't support this feature, and then you'll have to use alternative methods.

⚠️ Warning: Some of the themes in the store may contain ads or collect data. Before installing, check other users' reviews and the theme's rankings.

2. Method: Install custom boot animation via TWRP

This is a free-for-all method, and you can install any animation in.zip format, including animated GIFs or videos, but you need to:

• 🔓 Unlocked bootloader (bootloader)
• 📱 Installed custom recaveri TWRP
• 📁 Archive with boot animation in the correct format

If you don't already have TWRP, install it first. Instructions for popular Xiaomi models can be found on the XDA Developers forum or on the 4PDA website. Note that unlocking the bootloader resets all data on the device, so backup in advance.

When everything is ready, follow the instructions:

Download archive with boot animation (.zip format)|Check compatibility with screen resolution|Copy archives into phone memory|Reset to mode TWRP (Power + Vol Up)|Make a backup of the current firmware (optional)-->

1. Download your favorite boot animation in.zip format. Popular sources: 🌐 XDA Developers (section Themes, Apps, and Mods) 🌐 4PDA (themes for MIUI) 🎨 Create your animation using BootAnimation Factory (Android app)

Place the archive in the root folder of internal memory (not in folders!).

Power button + Volume up

TWRP

Install

Reboot System

If the animation hasn’t changed after the reboot, check:

• 📌 Archive compatibility with your model (screen resolution must match).
• 📌 Correct installation path (some animations require installation in /system/media).
• 📌 Presence of a desc.txt file in the archive (it describes animation parameters).

3. Method: Replace boot animation via ADB (without root, but with unlocked bootloader)

This method is suitable for those who do not want to install TWRP, but are ready to unlock the bootloader.It requires the presence of ADB- debugging and basic knowledge of working with the command line.

The advantage of this is that you can test the animations before you actually install them, and the disadvantage is that if you make a mistake, you'll have to restore the system through Fastboot.

Instructions:

1. Activate Developer Mode: Go to Settings → About Phone. Click 7 times on the MIUI Version until you become a developer notification appears. Go back to Settings → Additional → Developer and enable USB Debugging.

adb devices

Your device should be displayed.

part0

part1

desc.txt

adb push path to folder part0 /sdcard/bootanimation/part0


adb push path to folder part1 /sdcard/bootanimation/part1




adb push path to filu desc.txt /sdcard/bootanimation/desc.txt

adb shell


su




mount -o rw,remount /system




mkdir /system/media/bootanimation




cp -r /sdcard/bootanimation/* /system/media/bootanimation/




chmod -R 755 /system/media/bootanimation




chown -R root:root /system/media/bootanimation

reboot

⚠️ Warning: If the phone is stuck on the logo after the reboot, the animation files are incompatible with your model. Restore the original animation by copying the files from stock firmware:

adb pull /system/media/bootanimation C:\backup_bootanimation

💡

Before you install custom animation, check it in the emulator, and you can use the Boot Animation Preview app from Google Play to show you how the animation will look on your screen.

4. Where to download boot animations for Xiaomi?

Not all animations are suitable for Xiaomi devices.

• 📏 Screen resolution (e.g., 1080×2400 for Redmi Note 10 Pro).
• 🎞️ File format (should be.png for static images or.png+desc.txt for animation).
• 🔄 Compatible with MIUI (some animations only work on MIUI 13+).

The best sources for downloading:

Before downloading, check the comments of other users – often they indicate which models Xiaomi is suitable for this or that animation.

5. How to bring back standard boot animation?

If you don’t like custom animation or cause problems, you can return the original in several ways:

Method 1: Through TWRP

1. Download the stock firmware for your model from the Xiaomi website (official page).
2. Remove the boot.img file from the archive or find the /system/media/bootanimation folder.
3. Install the original animation via TWRP (similar to custom).

Method 2: Through ADB

1. Connect your phone to your PC and execute: adb shell su rm -rf /system/media/bootanimation reboot
2. After the reboot, the system will restore standard animation.

Method 3: Resetting settings

If nothing works, reset via Settings → Additional → Restore and Reset → Reset. This will return all system files to their original state, but delete user data.

💡

Always save the original boot animation files before experimenting, which will allow you to quickly roll back if something goes wrong.

6. Frequent errors and their solutions

Even with the exact following of the instructions, there can be problems.

Problem 1: The animation doesn’t change after installation.

• 🔹 Check the installation path: files must be in /system/media/bootanimation.
• 🔹 Make sure the archive is unpacked correctly (there must be folders part0, part1 and the desc.txt file).
• 🔹 Reboot the device twice — sometimes the animation is not applied the first time.

Problem 2: The phone is getting stuck on the Mi logo (bottleope).

• 🔹 Go to TWRP and delete the animation files installed.
• 🔹 If TWRP is not available, run the device through the Fastboot using the Mi Flash Tool.
• 🔹 Check the compatibility of the animation with your model (especially screen resolution).

Problem 3: The animation is not displayed correctly (stretched, cropped).

• 🔹 The animation resolution is probably not the same as your screen resolution. For example, POCO X3 Pro requires a resolution of 1080×2400.
• 🔹 Edit the desc.txt file in the animation archive by specifying the correct parameters: 1080 2400 30 p 1 0 part0 p 0 0 part1 where 1080 2400 is the width and height of the screen and 30 is FPS.

⚠️ Warning: If the boot animation has been manipulated, check the file bootanimation.zip — it may not have an audio folder. Restore it from the original firmware.

7. Tips for Creating Your Boot Animation

You want a unique animation? You can create it yourself! Here are the basic requirements:

• 🎨 Image format: PNG with transparency (if necessary).
• 📏 Resolution: Must match exactly the screen resolution of your device.
• 🎞️ Duration: Optimally 5-10 seconds (too long animation will be annoying).
• 📁 Archive Structure: bootanimation.zip ├── desc.txt ├── part0 (static images) └── part1 (animation)

To create animation, you can use:

• 🖥️ Adobe After Effects + BootAnimation Creator plugin.
• 📱 BootAnimation Factory (Android)
• 🌐 Online services like EZ Boot Animation Maker.

An example of a desc.txt file for two-part animation:

1080 2400 30


p 1 0 part0




p 0 0 part1

where:

• 1080 2400 - Screen resolution.
• 30 is the number of frames per second (FPS).
• p 1 0 part0 is the first part of the animation (number 1 means that it is played once).
• p 0 0 part1 is the second part (number 0 means looped reproduction).

FAQ: Answers to Frequent Questions