The transition to custom firmware is a radical, but often the only sure step for owners of Xiaomi smartphones whose devices have stopped receiving official Android updates. Pixel Experience offers a clean operating system without advertising and heavy add-ons MIUI, turning a budget gadget into a fast and responsive device. Many users choose this path for the stability and relevance of versions of Android, which the manufacturer no longer provides.
However, the installation process requires technical literacy and strict adherence to the sequence of actions. Any violation of the algorithm can lead to the failure of the device, so before starting work, you need to soberly assess your skills and risks. In this article, we will discuss in detail each step, from preparing tools to first downloading to a new system.
It should be understood that installing custom software automatically voids the manufacturer's warranty if it was still valid, and some banking applications and services Google Pay may require additional manipulation to work properly, as the security system will see the modified bootloader.
⚠️ Note: All actions you perform at your own risk.The author of the article is not responsible for possible damage to the hardware or software of your device.
Preparation of the device and assembly of necessary files
The first step is to carefully prepare the workplace and find compatible files. You need a computer running Windows or Linux, a high-quality computer. USB-It is critical to find the version of Pixel Experience that is specifically designed for your smartphone model (codename of the device), since there are no universal firmware.
In addition to the system image itself, you will need ADB and Fastboot drivers, as well as Google’s Platform Tools utility. Without this toolkit, your computer will not be able to properly communicate with your phone in bootloader mode. It is also highly recommended to make a full backup of all important data, since the device’s memory will be completely cleared during the installation process.
☑️ Firmware readiness
Pay special attention to battery charge. The flashing process can take anywhere from 15 minutes to an hour, and suddenly turning off power when you write partitions of flash memory is fatal. If the battery is weak or swelling, it is better to replace it before work begins to avoid unforeseen situations.
Unlocking the Xiaomi bootloader
Xiaomi has implemented a strong protection against unauthorized installation of software, so the first step is to unlock the bootloader.This requires linking the Mi Account to the device through the Developer menu and waiting for the wait timer to expire, which can be from 7 to 168 hours, a mandatory procedure on the manufacturer's servers side.
Once you have permission from the Mi Unlock Tool app on your PC, you need to put your smartphone into Fastboot mode by holding down the Volume Down + Power button combination. By connecting the device to your computer, you can start the unlocking process. It is worth noting that after this procedure, all data on the phone will be deleted automatically for security reasons.
fastboot flashing unlock
or for older devices
fastboot oem unlockThere is a nuance with models with MediaTek processors, where the procedure may differ and require the use of specialized utilities like the MTK Client, but for most popular Redmi and Poco models based on Snapdragon, the standard method is used through Mi Unlock. Successful unlocking is confirmed by the appearance of an open lock image when the phone is turned on.
What to do if the timer is not going?
Installation of custom TWRP Recovery
The regular recovery menu does not allow you to install third-party firmware files, so you need to install TWRP (Team Win Recovery Project). This is a specialized environment with touch control that gives access to the file system of the device. The TWRP image also needs to be strictly compatible with your model, otherwise the touch screen may not work, which will make installation impossible.
The installation process is Fastboot. Once you connect your smartphone to your PC and you input a command to flash the image, you immediately switch the phone to Recovery mode. If you don't do this quickly, the device will try to boot into the system and replace the modified recovery with stock, which will require a repeat of the procedure.
fastboot flash recovery twrp.img
fastboot boot twrp.imgIn some cases, especially on default encryption devices, it may be necessary to format the Data partition before installing TWRP. This is done by the format data command inside the recovery itself in the Wipe partition. Without this step, you may find it impossible to write files to internal memory.
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If the sensor is TWRP It's not working, plug it in. USB-mouse-wise OTG-cable or use volume buttons to navigate the menu (Volume Up/Down - Selection, Power - Confirmation).
Installation of the Pixel Experience
Now, let's get to the main stage. ZIP-Pixel Experience firmware file in the phone’s internal memory or on SD-I went to the menu. TWRP, Select Install, find the firmware archive, and confirm the slider swipe installation. The system automatically determines the necessary partitions to replace.
If you try to upgrade "over" without formatting, you're likely to get bootloop. From the Wipe menu, select Advanced Wipe and select Dalvik, Cache, System, and Data.
| Section | Action. | The risk of skipping |
|---|---|---|
| System | Cleaning is mandatory | System file conflicts |
| Data | Formatting is mandatory | Bootloop, encryption |
| Cache | Cleaning is mandatory | Application errors |
| Dalvik | Cleaning is mandatory | System instability |
Once you have finished copying files, the installation process is complete, and you can immediately press the Reboot System button if you don’t need additional modifications, but you often need to install additional software to make Google services and advanced features work.
Install Google Apps and Additional Mods
Unlike Xiaomi’s stock firmware, Google services may already be built in in Pixel Experience builds (the “With GApps” variant), but sometimes they have to be installed separately. This uses the OpenGApps or NikGApps package, which you need to download in advance by selecting the processor architecture (usually arm64) and the firmware version of Android.
Google Apps packages are installed immediately after you have firmware, without restarting your phone. TWRP, Choose Install and point the way to ZIP-The way things work here is critical: first the system, then the add-ons, and then the first download.
For root enthusiasts, the Magisk magic module is available, and it is similar to installing GApps: the file is stitched through Recovery. The root rights allow access to system files, but can disrupt banking applications by requiring additional root hiding settings via Magisk Hide or Zygisk.
⚠️ Note: When installing Google Apps, make sure you don’t use the “Stock” or “Full” option if you don’t have enough free memory".
First download and initial setup
The first run after installing custom firmware always takes longer than usual. The system optimizes applications and configures runtime libraries. The screen can display the Pixel Experience logo or Android animation for 5-10 minutes. Don't panic or try to restart the device at this point.
Once you’ve finished downloading, you’ll be greeted with an interface that’s as close as Google Pixel smartphones can be. A clean launcher, no extra software, and smooth animations are the main advantages of this build, all you have to do is go through the standard Google account setup procedure and restore data from the backup.
It is recommended to check the main modules: camera, microphone, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth. In rare cases, corrective patches may be required if a particular firmware build has known bugs, information about them is usually published by developers in the firmware topic on the 4PDA or XDA Developers forum.
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The first download can take up to 10 minutes, and if the phone is hanging on the logo for longer than 15 minutes, it's probably a bug in compatibility or installation steps.
Possible problems and methods of solving them
Even with strict adherence to the instructions, it can be difficult. One of the common problems is a broken VoLTE or camera, and in such cases, installing fixing patches (Fixes) or changing the firmware version from another build from another developer can often help, as the quality of the code can vary.
If the device is booted (infinite reboot), you need to return to Recovery mode and complete the Format Data, and then repeat the installation. It is also worth checking the integrity of the downloaded firmware file by comparing the checksum (MD5 or SHA256) with the specified on the developer's website.
In case the phone stopped responding to buttons and didn’t turn on (EDL or Brick mode), you may need to use the Mi Flash Tool utility to return to Xiaomi’s stock firmware.This is the “last frontier” of recovery, which will completely rewrite all partitions of the device’s memory.