How to roll back an update on Xiaomi: 3 working ways (2026)

A failed MIUI update can turn your Xiaomi, Redmi or POCO smartphone into a brick: permanent lags, a dead battery in an hour, broken sensors or even endless boot. The manufacturer rarely provides official tools for rolling back firmware, but there is a way out. In this article, proven methods of returning to the previous version of MIUI, including hidden Fastboot features, Recovery capabilities and bypass locks through MIUI bootloader.

The main problem with rollbacks is the risk of bootloader lock or data loss, and we will discuss how to minimize these risks, which models support downgrade without consequences, and which will require unlocking through the Mi Unlock Tool. All instructions are relevant for devices based on Qualcomm Snapdragon and MediaTek, Released after 2018.

⚠️ Critical warning: Firmware rollback on models with a locked bootloader (for example, Xiaomi 13 Pro or Redmi Note 12 Pro)+) Check the lock status through the fastboot oem device-info command - if Device unlocked: false, first perform the official unlock.

1.Preparation for rollback: what to do before the beginning

The first step is to determine the current and target firmware versions. Use the Settings → About Phone → MIUI version or the adb shell getprop ro.miui.ui.version.name command for the exact build number. Write down this information — it will be needed to find the correct firmware file.

Next, check:

• 🔋 Battery charge at least 60 percent. If you roll back through Fastboot, your phone should not turn off.
• 🔌 Cable USB — Use the original from Xiaomi (cheap cables can interrupt data transfer).
• 💻 Windows PC 10/11 — Fastboot and Mi Flash Tool are required 64-bit-system.
• 📁 Backup – copy photos, contacts, and files to the cloud or computer (rollback erases data!).

Download the necessary tools:

⚠️ Note: If your device was purchased in China (C-suffix version in the model, for example Redmi) K50C), Firmware for global (Global) is not suitable. Use only files marked China or CN.

2. Method 1: Recoil through MIUI bootloader (without data loss)

This is the safest method, but it only works for devices with unlocked bootloader and support for Downgrade in MIUI bootloader.Suitable for Xiaomi 11T, Redmi Note 10 Pro, POCO X3 Pro and later.

Instructions:

1. Download MIUI bootloader from Google Play.
2. Open the app and select your model in the Select Device section.
3. In the firmware list, find the version you want (e.g. MIUI 13.0.5 instead of 14.0.2) and click Download.
4. After downloading the file, go to Settings → About Phone → System Update.
5. Click on the three dots in the top right corner and select Select the Update File.
6. Specify the downloaded file and confirm the installation.

✅ Pros of the method: does not require a connection to the PC, saves user data.

❌ Cons: Not all models (e.g. Xiaomi 13 Ultra blocks downgrade).

bootloader unlocked (check through fastboot oem device-info)

Download the official firmware file with the extension.zip

Battery charge > 50%

All off. VPN Proxies (can block the download)-->

3. Method 2: Firmware via Fastboot (universal method)

This method is suitable for all Xiaomi models, but requires an unlocked bootloader and erases all data on the device.

• 📱 The phone is not turned on or stuck on the logo MI.
• 🔄 MIUI bootloader does not support your model.
• 🔧 We need to return stock firmware after unsuccessful experiments with custom ROM.

Step-by-step:

1. Download the official firmware for Fastboot (file with the extension.tgz). Unpack the archive in a folder on the disk. C:\ (for example, C:\miui_fastboot).
2. Install Xiaomi drivers using the Mi Flash Tool.
3. Turn off the phone. Press Volume down + Power to go to Fastboot mode.
4. Connect the device to your PC and check for detection by command: fastboot devices If the device is not displayed, install the drivers manually through Device Manager.
5. Launch the Mi Flash Tool, select the folder with the unpacked firmware and press Refresh.
6. At the bottom, select Clean All (Full Cleaning) or Clean All and Lock (Cleaning + Lock bootloader).
7. Press Flash and wait until it is completed (5-10 minutes).

⚠️ Warning: If after firmware the phone hangs on the logo, reset via Recovery (Loudness up). + Nutrition → Wipe Data).

💡

If the Mi Flash Tool gives an error critical partition flashing is not allowed, download the older version of the utility (for example, MiFlash 2018) - new versions block the firmware of old builds.

4. Method 3: Pushback through custom Recovery (TWRP/OrangeFox)

This method is suitable for power users, as it requires the installation of informal Recovery, the advantage of which is the ability to choose which partitions to flash (saving data or only system files).

What you need:

• 🔓 Unlocked loader.
• 📱 Established TWRP Or OrangeFox Recovery (download at twrp.me).
• 📄 Firmware in.zip format (for example, with Xiaomi Firmware Updater).

Instructions:

1. Download the firmware file and move it to internal memory or SD-map.
2. Turn off the phone and press Volume Up + Power to enter Recovery.
3. In TWRP, select Install → specify the firmware file.
4. Before you run your firmware, run Wipe → Advanced Wipe and mark Dalvik / ART Cache System Cache (don’t touch Data if you want to save files!).
5. Confirm the installation with a swipe and wait for completion.
6. Reboot to the system (Reboot → System).

⚠️ Note: On some models (e.g, POCO F3) firmware TWRP This can cause a dm-verity error. To avoid this, after installing the firmware, run the Disabler DM-Verity.

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Castom Recovery allows firmware to be stitched “in parts” — for example, only the system partition (system.img) without losing data — but this requires knowledge of the firmware structure and can lead to unstable operation.

5. Frequent errors and their solutions

Even with the right instructions, there can be problems.

If the phone stopped seeing after the phone rolled back SIM-Check the radio version of the modem:

1. Install MTK Engineering Mode (for MediaTek) or NetMonster (for Snapdragon).
2. Check the current modem version in the Band Selection section.
3. If the version does not match the firmware, run the modem.img file separately through Fastboot: fastboot flash modem modem.img.

6.How to avoid problems after a rollback

A successful rollback is only half the battle, so that the phone is stable:

• 🔄 Make reset to factory settings (Settings) → Additionally. → Resetting settings, even if the data is saved, will eliminate conflicts between old and new files.
• 🔒 Turn off automatic updates in Settings → The phone. → Updating the system → Three points. → Settings.
• 📡 Reconnect to Wi-Fi and mobile Internet – sometimes after a rollback, the settings are lost APN.
• 🔋 Calibrate the battery: discharge the phone to 0%, then charge to 100% without interruptions.

⚠️ Note: Some models (e.g. Xiaomi) 12S Ultra) after a pullback may be missing support 5G. It's about updating the radio module in the new firmware. 5G, file-stitch nv_data.bin squirrel-hard.

If Google services are lost after the rollback (for example, on Chinese firmware), install them manually:

1. Download Open GApps (select nano or pico).
2. Sweat through TWRP after installing the firmware.
3. Reboot and set up Google Account.

7 Xiaomi models that cannot be rolled back in standard ways

Some devices have hardware limitations that make rollback impossible without the risk of bricking.

• 📱 Xiaomi 13T/13T Pro – lock downgrade at the level of the loader.
• 📱 Redmi K60 Ultra – requires Mi Account authorization for firmware.
• 📱 POCO F5 Pro – check anti-rollback on the modem version.
• 📱 Xiaomi Civi 3 – no official firmware for Fastboot.

For these models, the only way out is to contact the Xiaomi service center with a request to flash the official firmware through the service. EDL-Regime (requires an authorized manufacturer account).

💡 Alternative: If a recoil is not possible, try it:

• Install custom firmware based on Android (for example, LineageOS or crDroid).
• Use Xiaomi.EU - modified MIUI without bloat and with backlash support.
• Disable problematic features via ADB (e.g., remove unnecessary system applications).

FAQ: Answers to Frequent Questions