How to change the recovery on Xiaomi: the complete guide

Changing the standard recovery software module to a customized one is one of the key steps for enthusiasts who want to gain full control of their device. The standard recovery, which is pre-installed on all Xiaomi smartphones, has extremely limited functionality and allows you to only reset or update through ADB. Users who want to install informal firmware, make full system backups or get root rights are forced to look for alternatives.

The most popular solution in the world of Android is TWRP (Team Win Recovery Project), but for devices of the Chinese brand are also great OrangeFox and PitchBlack. the replacement process is not trivial and requires care, since interference in the system partition can lead to the inoperability of the gadget. However, if you act on the instructions and understand the essence of the processes that are happening, you can significantly expand the capabilities of your device.

Before you start practical actions, you need to be clear about the risks. Any manipulation of the bootloader and the recovery section is at your own risk. The manufacturer's warranty obligations in the event of software failures caused by user intervention are most often canceled. However, the presence of a functional recover allows you to save the system even in cases where the phone stops booting in normal mode.

Why do you need custom recavers and what are the options

The main reason users are taking this step is to install modified operating systems. Xiaomi's regular bootloader checks the digital signature of updates, preventing custom Android builds like LineageOS or Pixel Experience from being installed.

In addition, the advanced functionality allows you to create full copies of the boot, system and data partition. If you fail to modify the system, you can roll back to the previous state in a couple of minutes just by restoring the image from the archive, which is much more reliable than a standard reset that deletes all data without the possibility of recovery.

The Android market is dominated by several projects. TWRP remains the gold standard due to its huge base of supported devices and stability. OrangeFox is often chosen by Xiaomi owners for its optimized interface and built-in features to work with MIUI/HyperOS. The lesser-known PitchBlack focuses on minimalism and support for the latest versions of Android.

• 📱 Possibility of installing unofficial firmware and patches.
• 💾 Create full backups (Nandroid backup).
• 🔒 Obtaining Super User Rights through Magisk.
• 🧹 Deep cleaning of the system from garbage and cache.

Preparation of the device and unlocking the loader

Without an unlocked bootloader, you can’t write to the recovery section. On Xiaomi devices, this is a mandatory procedure that links the Mi Account to a specific device. You will need to register with the Mi Community service, obtain unlock rights and wait for the wait timer to expire, which can be from 7 to 168 hours.

To get started, activate the developer mode. Go to the settings, select About Phone, and quickly click on the version seven times. MIUI. After that, a new section will appear on the menu "Additional" or "Extended settings", where you need to find "Developers". OEM-unlocking and debugging USB.

⚠️ Attention: The process of unlocking the bootloader will automatically perform a full data reset (Factory Reset.

After you have attached your account and waited for the timer, download the official Mi Unlock Tool utility to your computer. Launch the program, log in to your account and put your smartphone into Fastboot mode, holding down the volume and power buttons at the same time. Connect the device with a cable and press the unlock button in the program.

Required tools and drivers

To successfully run a recovery firmware, you will need not only the smartphone itself, but also a properly configured workspace. A Windows computer is the most preferred option because of better driver compatibility, although power users can use Linux or macOS.

The critical element is to install the right drivers, and the system must correctly recognize the device in ADB, Fastboot, and Recovery modes, often when the device is identified by the Device Manager when the system sees “Unknown Device.”

It is recommended to download the universal driver package Xiaomi USB Driver or Universal ADB Driver. After installing the drivers, check the connection by executing the command adb devices in the command line. If a serial device appears in the list, then the connection is established correctly.

Finding and downloading the right Recovery image

Finding the right image file (.img) is a task that requires care. Xiaomi devices have a huge number of modifications even within the same model. For example, the Redmi Note 10 has versions for the global market, India, China and Russia, and firmware recovers from one version to another can lead to a brick device.

The number one source of information is the XDA Developers forum, where you usually have a top of your model with verified builds on it, and you can also use the official TWRP website, but updates for new Xiaomi models may be delayed.

Pay attention to the type of memory of the device. Some recaps are designed only for devices with memory such as eMMC, others are optimized for UFS. Installing an inappropriate option can cause problems with speed or reading data.

• 🔍 Check the code name of the device (e.g. mojito, vayu, davinci).
• 📥 Download files only from verified sources.
• ✅ Make sure the Android version in Recovery matches your firmware.

Once downloaded, the image file should be renamed recovery.img for convenience and placed in the root folder on the computer where the ADB and Fastboot tools are installed.

The process of installing TWRP or OrangeFox via Fastboot

Now, to the most critical stage, put your smartphone into Fastboot mode, and then turn it off completely, and then press the volume button, and then hold it back and plug it in. USB-The Fastboot logo should appear on the screen with a picture of a rabbit repairing an android.

Open the command prompt (CMD) or PowerShell in the tool folder. First, check the visibility of the device with the command:

fastboot devices

If the serial number is displayed, you can start the firmware. The command to install the temporary Recovery is as follows:

fastboot flash recovery recovery.img

However, on many modern Xiaomi devices with A/B partitions or dynamic partitions, this command may fail or overwrite the active slot, in which case the command is used to load the image directly into RAM without writing to flash memory:

fastboot boot recovery.img

⚠️ Warning: Do not reboot your phone into the system in the usual way immediately after firmware! the regular Android system often replaces the custom recavator back to the stock one when booting.

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After executing the command fastboot boot recovery.img, immediately while the phone is still connected or immediately after disconnecting, press the volume button "up" and power to get into the installed receiver, bypassing the loading of the main system.

After successfully booting into the TWRP or OrangeFox interface (usually in Chinese or English), it is recommended that you immediately disable modifications to the system partition if the recovery asks about it. Select "Keep Read Only" so that the system does not try to restore the original bootloader at the next start.

Customization, backups and elimination

After successfully installing a new recovery module, the first step is to back up your current operating system. From the Backup menu, select the Boot, System (or System Image), Vendor, and Data sections. This file will take several gigabytes, so make sure that the internal memory or SD-map.

For owners of data-encrypted devices, a situation may arise where the recovery requires a password. This is the password from your screen lock (pattern lock, PIN-If you forget your password or it is not accepted, you will have to format the Data partition through the Wipe menu. → Format Data by entering the word yes. This action will delete all user data.

A common problem is the inability to boot into the system after installing a custom recavator. This is often due to the fact that the dm-verity or avb (Android Verified Boot) antivirus check blocks the start of the modified bootloader.

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Successful custom recavator installation is only the first step.Stable system often requires additional setup, such as patching vbmeta or installing Magisk to hide modifications from banking applications.

If you plan to (long-term use) custom recavers, don't update the official airborne firmware (OTA) update to rewrite the recovery section to stock and you'll lose access to TWRP, and in the worst case scenario, get a cyclical reboot if system files have been changed.