The process of modifying the Android operating system on Xiaomi smartphones often begins with the installation of a custom recovery. For the popular Redmi Note 9 Pro (codename curtana), the de facto standard has become the TWRP utility (Team Win Recovery Project), which provides advanced file system management, allows you to create full backups and install informal firmware.
Before you take action, you need to be aware of the risks. Any interference with the software code of the device can lead to loss of warranty or, in the worst case, to turn the smartphone into a “brick”. The Redmi Note 9 Pro model uses the A/B file system, which requires a special approach to partitions and recovery when you are firmware. Carefully study the theoretical part to avoid critical errors.
You will need a computer running Windows or Linux, the original USB-We're going to take a very slow turn: shutting down the cable at the wrong time can disrupt the system's load. Next, we're going to go through each step in detail, from getting rights to first downloading to the modified menu.
Preparation of the device and obtaining root rights
The first step is to activate the hidden capabilities in the system. Without this step, communication with debugging software will not be possible. Go to Settings → About your phone and quickly press 7-10 times on the MIUI version until you get a message that you have become a developer.
Then go to the extended menu Advanced settings → For developers, you need to activate two critical parameters: Debugging by USB and Unlock. OEM. The first allows the computer to give commands to the phone, the second removes software restrictions on the bootloader.
- 🔒 Enable the “Find Device” function in your Mi Account and link SIM-card, if not already done, is a mandatory requirement to unlock.
- 📱 Make sure your device has Wi-Fi enabled and mobile internet access to check the status of Xiaomi servers.
- 💾 Back up all important data, as unlocking the bootloader will completely remove the information from the internal drive.
⚠️ Note: After applying for unlock through the utility on the PC, you may need to wait from 7 to 168 hours.Do not try to bypass the repeated attempts timer, this will lead to the account being blocked.
You'll need the official Mi Unlock Tool to work, download it from the developer's website, install the drivers, and log in to the same Mi Account as you do on your smartphone. Put your phone into Fastboot mode, pressing Volume Down and Power simultaneously, then connect the cable to your PC.
Required tools and drivers
Process stability is directly dependent on the quality of the software on the computer side. The operating system must correctly identify the device in different modes of operation. For the Redmi Note 9 Pro, ADB and Fastboot drivers are critical.
It's a set of console slits that is the industry standard. Unpack the archive to the root of the disk, like the C:\platform-tools folder, so that the paths to executables are short and clear.
adb devices
fastboot devicesExecuting these commands in the command line (cmd) after connecting the phone in the appropriate modes should display the serial number of the device. If the word unauthorized is displayed instead of the number, look at the smartphone screen and confirm debugging.
☑️ Verification of PC readiness
You'll also need the recavery image file itself. There are various builds for the curtana model, but the developer versions are considered the most stable. neobuddy89 or wzsx150. Download files only from trusted sources, such as the forum 4PDA or XDA Developers.
Unlocking the bootloader (Bootloader)
This is the most important step after which the phone will be cleaned: make sure you save all contacts, photos and documents. The unlocking process changes the bootloader status from locked to unlocked, which allows you to modify the system partitions.
Run Mi Unlock Tool on your computer. Click Check Now to log in. If your account is logged in correctly, it will show the status of your device. Click Unlock. A risk warning will appear, confirm the action.
| Status at Mi Unlock | User action | The result |
|---|---|---|
| Unlock successfully | Nothing (automatically) | The phone will reboot and reset. |
| Waiting for 168 hours | Wait for the time specified | Try again through a timer |
| Error 10008 | Check the Internet/account | Server communication error |
| Device locked | Recheck the binding | The account doesn't match. |
Once successfully unlocked, the phone will restart. The boot screen will display an open padlock icon. This is normal behavior for an unlocked device. The system will boot as new, you will have to re-set your original Android setting.
Why are data being dumped?
The process of installing TWRP via Fastboot
Now that the bootloader is open, you can start recording the image of the Recovery. Unlike the old models, on the Redmi Note 9 Pro, you can't just flash recovery and reboot into the system - standard firmware will scratch the modified partition on the first boot, so we use a temporary start.
Place the downloaded image file (e.g., twrp-3.x.x-x-curtana.img) in the folder with the platform-tools tools. Open the command line in this folder. Put the smartphone in Fastboot mode (clamping Volume down + Power) and connect to the PC.
Run a command to temporarily load the image:
fastboot boot twrp-3.x.x-x-curtana.imgDo not use flash command at this stage, if you do not want to risk. boot command uploads the image to RAM without affecting the permanent memory, which is safer for the first input.
Once you've done the command, the phone has to go to the TWRP menu. If you see the command logo, swipe the slider to the right to allow modifications. Now the menu works, but it's temporary. To save it, you have to run the firmware.
Fixing the recaveri and switching to the A/B system
While inside the TWRP, go to the Install section. In the lower right corner, click the Install Image button. Find the same.img image file you used to download, and select it.
In the list of sections for firmware select Recovery_A and Recovery_B. Because of the Redmi Note 9 Pro uses a partition scheme A/B, writing to only one partition will result in the fact that after updating the system or resetting you will lose access to the system. TWRP. Firmware in both slots guarantees the safety of the Recovery.
- 📂 Select the Recovery Image File.
- ⚙️ In the list of sections, mark both: Recovery_A and Recovery_B.
- ▶️ Swipe to confirm Flash (Swipe to confirm Flash).
⚠️ Warning: Do not select System or Vendor when installing the recavator itself, which will result in the loss of operating system boot files and the need to flash through the backlink. EDL.
After a successful firmware, press Reboot and then Recovery. If the phone boots back into TWRP, congratulations, the installation is complete successfully. Now the modified menu is written into permanent memory.
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The key point of installation on the Redmi Note 9 Pro is the mandatory firmware of the recovery image in both slots (A and B) from the inside of the TWRP itself, otherwise the system will overwrite it when it is updated.
Install Magisk to obtain Root rights
One of the main goals of custom recavers installation is often to gain superuser rights. For modern MIUI-based Android versions, Magisk is the best solution. It allows root access in a systemless way.
Download the current Magisk apk file and rename it from.apk to.zip (or use the built-in TWRP zip archive installer). From the TWRP menu, go to Install, select the archive and confirm the installation by swipe.
Once you install Magisk, you need to clear the Dalvik/Cache partition. This is done in the Wipe → Advanced Wipe menu. Mark only Dalvik and Cache, then swipe for cleaning. Don't erase the Data partition if you want to save files, or do this only when you cleanly install a new firmware.
Boot in. If you did it right, you'll see the Magisk icon on the app menu. Open it, the app can suggest you add components -- you can agree and restart. Now your Redmi Note 9 Pro has full admin rights.
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If after installing Magisk, the phone goes to bootloop (cyclic reboot), boot in the TWRP, Go to Advanced. → Terminal and enter the command: magisk --remove-modules. This will shut down all modules and allow the system to boot.
Possible errors and their solution
Unforeseen situations can occur during the modification process. One of the common problems is the black screen when loading into TWRP. This is often associated with data encryption, in which case the recovery menu may require entering a password to unlock the screen or full formatting of the Data partition (Wipe Data Format).
Another common error is "Signature verification failed" when trying to install a zip archive, which means that the file signatures do not match the expected ones. TWRP This is solved by installing a patch. Disable_Dm-Verity_ForceEncrypt, which disables the integrity check of download files.
If your computer stops seeing your phone in Fastboot mode, try:
- Replace USB-cable to the original or quality analogue.
- Connect the device to another USB-port, preferably USB 2.0.
- Reinstall drivers through Windows Device Manager.