Xiaomi Redmi 4X firmware: official and custom methods

Xiaomi Redmi 4X (codenamed santoni) remains a popular budget smartphone even in 2026, but its owners often face the need to reflash the device, the reasons vary from wanting to install a fresh version of MIUI to having to restore the “brick” after a failed update. In this article, we will analyze all the current methods of firmware, from official to custom, taking into account the nuances of unlocking the bootloader and choosing the right version of software.

It’s important to understand that firmware isn’t just an update through Settings → About the phone. It’s a deep interference with system files that can both revive the device and ultimately kill it. We won’t scare you with standard “guarantee” phrases (on Redmi 4X it’s long over), but we’ll warn you of the real risks: the wrong firmware can lead to a loss of IMEI, a broken camera or perpetual boot.

The article is aimed at users with different levels of training, from beginners who first hear about Fastboot, to experienced users looking for a solution to a specific error (for example, anti-rollback or E3004). All instructions are updated for 2026, taking into account changes in Xiaomi policy (for example, new rules for unlocking the bootloader).

1. Firmware Preparation: What You Need to Know Before You Start

Before you download the firmware, answer three key questions:

• 🔹 Why are you browsing? If the goal is to fix bugs, maybe you can just reset to factory settings (Settings). → Additionally. → Recovery and reset. The firmware is only needed to change the version. MIUI, install custom OS (such as LineageOS) or recover from a failure.
• 🔹 What's your version? MIUI? Find out her in Settings → The phone. → Version. MIUI. This is critical: firmware of the old version on top of the new (downgrade) can block the device due to the mechanism of anti-rollback.
• 🔹 Is the bootloader unlocked? Check this by turning off the phone and holding Volume down. + If you see a lock that says Locked, you have to unlock it.

If you're flashing Redmi 4X for the first time, start with the official firmware through the Mi Flash Tool. Custom ROM (like Pixel Experience) requires an unlocked bootloader and a TWRP installed, which is more complex and risky.

• 📱 Stable - Stable versions (recommended by most).
• 🧪 Developer – weekly builds with new features but possible bugs.
• 🌍 Global – for the international market (support for Google services).
• 🇨🇳 China – Chinese firmware (without Google, but with local chips).

⚠️ Warning: Firmware on top of the global version (and vice versa) without a full wireless will cause errors in the communication module!

Download the firmware only from official sources:

• 🔗 Official website MIUI (Choose a Redmi model 4X or santoni).
• 🔗 Xiaomi Firmware Updater (alternative archive with version history).

2 Unlock the bootloader: without it anywhere

Xiaomi blocks the bootloader on all devices, including the Redmi 4X. This is a security measure, but it also complicates the firmware.

• 🔓 Installation of custom firmware (LineageOS, Havoc-OS, etc.).
• 🔧 Installations TWRP (custom recovery).
• 📉 downhreid MIUI (If the current version is newer than the one you want to go to).

The unlocking process changed in 2023, and now it consists of two stages:

1. Linking Mi Account to the device. To do this, you need to enter Settings → Xiaomi account and add the device to the list of trusted. Without this, the Mi Unlock Tool will not unlock the bootloader.
2. Wait 168 hours (7 days) Yes, Xiaomi has introduced a mandatory weekly pause between account binding and unlocking, a rule that has been in place since 2022 and is impossible to circumvent.

After waiting:

1. Download Mi Unlock Tool (version no lower than 5.5.224.30).
2. Turn off the phone and press Volume Down + Power to log into the Fastboot.
3. Connect Redmi 4X to your PC and start the Mi Unlock Tool. Log in to the same Mi Account that is linked to the device.
4. Press Unlock and wait until it is completed (usually 10–30 seconds).

⚠️ Note: If you see a Couldn't unlock error or Current account is different from the account info on the device, you are not tied to the device or less than 168 hours have passed. → Xiaomi account → Mi Unlock status.

Once successfully unlocked, the phone will automatically reset to factory settings. All data will be deleted, so back up in advance through Settings → Additional → Backup and Reset.

💡

If the Mi Unlock Tool doesn’t see the device, install the Fastboot drivers manually through Windows Device Manager. Download the Android SDK Platform-Tools and update the driver for the exclamation marker device.

3. Firmware through Fastboot: the official method

This method is suitable for installing the official MIUI firmware (both stable and development). It does not require an unlocked bootloader if you are running the same version of MIUI that is already installed (for example, update from MIUI 12.5 to MIUI 12.5.3).

You'll need:

• 🖥️ Windows computer (7/10/11).
• 🔌 Cable USB (preferably original).
• 📁 Firmware in.tgz format (download from the official website).
• 🛠️ Mi Flash Tool (version 2020.3.14.0 or later).

Step-by-step:

1. Unpack the downloaded firmware (for example, santoni_global_images_V12.5.3.0.RDFCNXM_20220314.0000.00_10.0_global_1234567890.tgz) a folder without Cyrillic symbols on the way.
2. Install the Mi Flash Tool and run on behalf of the administrator.
3. Turn off Redmi 4X and press Volume Down + Power to enter the Fastboot (a screen with a rabbit in a hat-eared).
4. Connect your phone to your PC. In the Mi Flash Tool, press Select and specify the folder with the unpacked firmware.
5. Select firmware mode: Clean all - complete cleaning (recommended when changing the version of MIUI); Clean all and lock - cleaning + lock the bootloader (only if you do not plan to stitch the custom); Save user data - saving data (risky, can lead to bugs).

Flash

If the process is 99 percent frozen or there is a Flash done. Reboot device to system manually error, don't panic. Turn off the phone with a long press on Power, then turn it on manually. The first boot after the firmware can take up to 15 minutes.

Download firmware for santoni | Unpack the archive into a folder with a short path |Install Mi Flash Tool | Log in Fastboot (Loudness down + Power) | Connect the phone to the PC and start the firmware-->

4.Firmware through Recovery: Fastboot alternative

This method is suitable if:

• 🔄 You want to upgrade without losing data (but it’s risky!).
• 🔧 You already have custom recovery installed (TWRP).
• 📱 The phone is not included in Fastboot (for example, stuck on the logo).

For official Recovery (without TWRP):

1. Download the firmware in.zip format (for example, miui_HM4XGlobal_V12.5.1.0.RDFMIXM_1234567890_10.0.zip).
2. Rename the file to update.zip and place it in the root of internal memory.
3. Turn off the phone and press Volume Up + Power to enter Recovery.
4. Select the language (if you have a choice), then Install update.zip to System.
5. Confirm the installation and wait for completion.

If you have a TWRP installed:

1. Download the firmware (.zip) and, if necessary, Magisk (for root rights).
2. Load to TWRP (Loudness Up + Nutrition).
3. Backup → Select Partitions → Swipe to Backup.
4. Click on Wipe → Advanced Wipe and tick Dalvik, Cache, System, Data (if you need a clean installation).
5. Return to the main menu, click Install and select the firmware file.
6. After installing the firmware (if necessary) flash Magisk for root rights.
7. Reboot to the system (Reboot → System).

⚠️ Note: If after the scaling of the TWRP The phone is stuck on the Xiaomi logo, so the firmware is incompatible with your anti-rollback version.

5. Install custom firmware: LineageOS, Pixel Experience and others

If you don't like MIUI, you can install custom firmware based on Android (for example, LineageOS, Pixel Experience or Havoc-OS).

• 🚀 More smooth work (no heavy interface) MIUI).
• 📱 Fresh versions of Android (such as Android) 12 Android 7/8 firmware).
• 🔒 More control over permission and privacy.

But there are downsides:

• 📸 Camera issues are possible (no full GCam support).
• 🔋 Fast battery discharge (castom cores are not always optimized).
• 📶 Mobile communication problems (especially on firmware without VoLTE support).

Step-by-step instructions for installing Pixel Experience:

1. Unlock the bootloader (see Section 2).
2. Install. TWRP for Redmi 4X: fastboot flash recovery twrp-3.6.2_10-0-santoni.img fastboot boot twrp-3.6.2_10-0-santoni.img
3. Download: 📁 Pixel Experience firmware (e.g., Pixel Experience, PixelExperience_santoni-12.1-20230512-UNOFFICIAL.zip). 🔑 Magisk (if you need a root). 🔄 Open GApps (if the firmware is without Google services).

TWRP

Wipe → Format Data → yes

GApps

Magisk

Reboot. The first download can take up to 20 minutes.

After installation, check:

• 📶 Mobile Network Operations (Type ##4636## and select Phone Information).
• 📷 Camera operation (install GCam with settings for santoni).
• 🔋 Battery charge (if the discharge is too fast, try another core).

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Custom firmware requires an unlocked bootloader and a TWRP installed. Without this, installation is impossible.

6. Solving common firmware errors

Even if you follow the instructions accurately, you can get errors.

If the sound is lost after firmware, the sensor is not working or is not determined SIM-map:

• 🔊 For sound: check if it is disabled in Settings → Sound or sew separately the seller section.
• 👆 For the sensor, it's possible that the firmware is not compatible with your version of iron.
• 📶 For SIM-maps: check if the firmware supports your region (e.g. Global vs China).

If the phone is stuck on the Xiaomi logo and does not load:

1. Press Volume Up + Power to enter Recovery.
2. Choose Wipe Data → Wipe All Data.
3. If it doesn’t help, run the official firmware through Fastboot with a full cleanup.

7.Brick recovery: if firmware went wrong

If the Redmi 4X is off, doesn't respond to buttons, or crashes on the Fastboot, don't panic. 90% of the time, it can be restored.

• 🧱 Soft-brick: phone turns on but doesn’t load (hangs on logo, bootloop).
• 🧱 Hard-brick: phone doesn’t respond to buttons, doesn’t detect PC.

For Soft-brick:

1. Try logging in to Fastboot (Loudness Down + Power) and if you can, run the official firmware through the Mi Flash Tool in Clean all mode.
2. If Fastboot is not available, try logging in to Recovery (Loudness Up + Power) and making a wipe.
3. If nothing helps, use it. EDL-mode (emergency loading mode).

For Hard-brick:

It will. EDL-This is the last chance to restore the phone:

• 🖥️ Windows PC.
• 🔌 Cable USB (preferably original).
• 🛠️ Mi Flash Pro or QFilm.
• 📁 Firmware in.mbn format for santoni.

Instructions for EDL:

1. Turn off the phone.
2. Close the contacts test point (on the motherboard) and connect USB-The phone should be designated as Qualcomm. HS-USB QDLoader 9008.
3. Run Mi Flash Pro, select firmware and press Flash.
4. After completion, turn off the cable and turn on the phone.

⚠️ Attention: Working with EDL If you're not sure about your skills, you should go to a service center. If you don't close your contacts correctly, you can kill the device.

If the phone doesn’t recover after all the manipulations, it may be damaged memory (eMMC), in which case only a replacement of the chip or motherboard will help.

FAQ: Frequent questions about Redmi firmware 4X