How to flash Xiaomi Redmi 5A: all the ways and step-by-step instructions

Xiaomi Redmi 5A is one of the most popular budget smartphones released in 2017. Despite its age, the device is still in active use, and its owners face the need to flash it. The reasons can vary from wanting to install a fresh version of MIUI to having to restore performance after a failure. In this article, we will discuss all the current ways of firmware Redmi 5A, including official and custom methods, and also explain how to avoid typical errors.

Smartphone firmware is a responsible process, but not as complicated as it seems. The key is to follow the instructions and not miss important steps. We will describe each step in detail, from preparing the device to finalizing after installing a new firmware. We will pay special attention to choosing the right version of the software, since incompatible firmware can turn your Redmi 5A into a brick.

Preparation for firmware: what to do before the start

Before you start firmware, you need to follow several mandatory steps, which minimizes risks and simplifies the process.

First, back up all the data. The firmware erases the device's internal memory, so photos, contacts, messages and apps will be lost. Use Settings → Additional → Backup and Reset or third-party utilities like Titanium Backup (require root rights).

Second, check the battery power. The level should be at least 60% to avoid a sudden shutdown during the process. Also prepare a USB cable (preferably original) and a computer with Xiaomi drivers installed.

• 📱 Battery charge: at least 60%, better 80%+
• 🔌 Cable USB: Original or certified (low-quality cables may interrupt the connection)
• 💻 Computer: Windows 7/10/11 administrator
• 🔧 Drivers: Mi PC Suite or manual installation via Device Manager

⚠️ Attention: If your Redmi is 5A It was purchased in China, check if the bootloader is unlocked. Devices with the bootloader locked will require additional action (see section on unlocking).

Selection of firmware: official MIUI or custom

There are several types of firmware available for Redmi 5A, and the choice depends on your goals:

• 🔄 Official. MIUI: Xiaomi stable and beta versions are suitable for most users, guaranteeing stability and support OTA-update.
• 🛠️ Custom firmware: for example, LineageOS, Pixel Experience or Havoc-OS. Give more options for customization, but may contain bugs.
• 🔙 Stock firmware: the original version MIUI, It is useful for recovery after unsuccessful experiments.

For beginners, we recommend starting with the official stable MIUI, which can be downloaded from en.miui.com (choose Redmi 5A, riva encoding).

Custom firmware is downloaded from XDA Developers or 4PDA forums, but installing it requires an unlocked bootloader and may void the warranty. Also note that Redmi 5A does not support Project Treble, so some custom firmware may not work smoothly.

Method 1: Firmware via MIUI Updater (without PC)

The easiest method is to update through the built-in Update app, which is suitable for installing official OTA-Packages or manual selection of firmware file.

Instructions:

1. Download the firmware file (.zip format) and place it in the root directory of internal memory.
2. Open Settings → About the phone → System update.
3. Click on the three dots in the upper right corner and select Select the firmware file.
4. Specify the path to the downloaded file and confirm the installation.

The device will reboot to Recovery mode and automatically install firmware.This method only works for official firmware and requires the current version of MIUI to be close to the installed version (for example, upgrade from MIUI 11 to MIUI 12, but not from MIUI 9 to MIUI 12).

⚠️ Warning: If the device is stuck on the Mi logo after the reboot, try to go to Recovery (click Power). + Volume up) and make Wipe Cache. If that doesn't work, you'll need firmware on Fastboot.

Download the firmware for your model (riva)|Check the battery charge (60%+)|Put the file in the root of the memory|Disable screen lock (PIN/graphical)-->

Method 2: Fastboot Firmware (from PC)

Fastboot is suitable for installing official firmware when other methods fail (for example, if a brick or system crash) and requires a computer with Mi Flash Tool installed and Xiaomi drivers.

Step-by-step:

1. Download the Fastboot firmware (.tgz or.zip file) for Redmi 5A from the official website.
2. Unpack the archive into a folder on the C:\ disk (e.g., C:\MIUI\).
3. Turn off the phone and press Volume Down + Power to enter Fastboot mode (the image of a hare in a hat-eared will appear).
4. Connect the device to your PC and start the Mi Flash Tool.
5. In the program, click Select, specify the path to the folder with the firmware, then Refresh (the device should appear).
6. Select firmware mode: Clean all – clean (recommended in case of failures) Clean all and lock – clean + lock Save user data bootloader – save user data (not always stable)

Flash

Once the firmware is successful, the phone will automatically restart. If the process is stalled by 99% or an anti-rollback error occurs, see the "Error Solving" section.

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If the Mi Flash Tool doesn’t see the device, try reinstalling the drivers manually through Device Manager (select “ADB Interface” for Xiaomi).

Method 3: Firmware through TWRP Recovery (for custom firmware)

Custom firmware installation requires TWRP Recovery, an alternative recovery that supports.zip installation, which is suitable for advanced users because it requires an unlocked bootloader.

Steps:

1. Unlock the bootloader through the Mi Unlock Tool (instructions in the next section).
2. Download TWRP for Redmi 5A (version 3.6.2 or later) from twrp.me.
3. Install TWRP via Fastboot: fastboot flash recovery twrp.img fastboot boot twrp.img
4. In TWRP, make a full backup (Backup option), then wipe the Dalvik, Cache, System, Data partitions.
5. Install the firmware through Install by selecting the downloaded.zip file.

After installing custom firmware, you may need to flash GApps (Google Services) and Magisk (for root rights). Note that some custom firmware does not support VoLTE on Redmi 5A.

How to unlock the bootloader on Redmi 5A

To install custom firmware or TWRP, you need to unlock the bootloader. Xiaomi officially allows this, but the process requires waiting and confirming the account.

Instructions:

1. Connect your device to your Mi Account in Settings → Accounts → Mi Account.
2. Turn on Developer Options (7 times click on the MIUI version in About Phone) and activate OEM Unlock.
3. Download Mi Unlock Tool from the official website.
4. Launch the tool, log in to your account and connect your phone in Fastboot mode.
5. Click Unlock and wait until the account is completed (it may take up to 72 hours to wait after the first account is linked).

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If the firmware through Fastboot ends with a critical partition flashing error is not allowed, it means that the bootloader is locked. Unlock it through the Mi Unlock Tool.

What to do after the firmware

After successfully installing a new firmware, follow a few steps to optimize the device:

1. First setup: Go through the initial configuration (selecting language, connecting to Wi-Fi, logging in to your Google/Mi Account).
2. Check for updates: Go to Settings → System Update and install available patches.
3. Data recovery: If you’ve been backing up through Mi Cloud or Titanium Backup, restore contacts, messages, and apps.
4. Optimize: Disable unnecessary system applications through Settings → Applications (e.g. Mi Video, Mi Music, if not used).

If you have installed custom firmware, check the key functions:

• 📞 Calls and mobile internet (enable VoLTE in settings) SIM-map).
• 📷 Camera (some custom firmware requires a separate patch for the camera).
• 🔋 Battery Charging (Make sure the indicator shows the correct percentage).

To improve performance, turn off animation in Developer Options (Window animation scale is 0.5x) and limit background processes.

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After firmware custom ROM is recommended to calibrate the battery: completely discharge the phone, then charge to 100% without interruptions.

FAQ: Frequent questions about Redmi firmware 5A