When Android 12 will be released on Xiaomi Redmi: official deadlines, supported models and how to update

Introduction: What you need to know about Android 12 on Xiaomi Redmi smartphones

The release of Android 12 was a landmark event for Xiaomi’s ecosystem, especially the Redmi lineup, the most popular among budget and mid-budget smartphones. This version of the operating system brought not only visual changes within Material You, but also deep performance optimizations, new privacy features and improved notification management.

Unlike the Mi or POCO flagship lines, where updates are faster, Redmi smartphones often receive new versions of Android with a delay. This is due to Xiaomi’s policy that prioritizes devices by price and popularity. For example, the Redmi Note 10 Pro received Android 12 a few months earlier than the Redmi 9A. In this article, we will analyze the official release date, the list of supported models and give step-by-step instructions on how to upgrade without the risk of “bricking” the device.

It is important to understand that Xiaomi does not always adhere to the stated deadlines. For example, in 2021, the update to Android 11 for some Redmi models was delayed by 3-6 months due to bugs in the MIUI firmware. With Android 12, the situation repeated: the first beta versions appeared at the end of 2021, but stable releases for most devices were released until mid-2022. Today, in 2026, this information remains relevant for owners of older models who are still waiting for an update.

Android 12 release date for Xiaomi Redmi: what the company says

Xiaomi has traditionally not disclosed the exact release dates for each model, but it has published roadmaps on its official forums and communities. According to recent data, most Redmi smartphones received Android 12 between Q4 2021 and Q3 2022. However, for some budget models (such as the Redmi 9C or Redmi 8A), the update has not come out – their support is limited to Android 11.

Here are the key stages of releases:

• 📅 October–December 2021: First Beta Versions for Flagships (Redmi) K40 Pro, Redmi Note 10 Pro).
• 📅 January–March 2022: stable releases for mid-budget models (Redmi Note 10, Redmi 10).
• 📅 April–June 2022: Updates for budget devices (Redmi 9, Redmi) 9T).
• 📅 July 2022 – February 2023: Delays and final releases for remaining models (Redmi Note 9 Pro, Redmi 8 in some regions).

Important: If your model is older than 2019 (like the Redmi 7 or Redmi Note 7), it will never get Android 12 – the maximum supported version for them is Android 11 or even 10.

Full list of Xiaomi Redmi models with support for Android 12

Below is a table of Redmi models that officially received or should have received Android 12, based on information from Xiaomi and the MIUI developer community.

If your model is not on the list, it means one of two things:

1. The device does not support Android 12 (e.g. Redmi 7 or Redmi Note 8 in most regions).
2. The update has not yet been released, but it is planned (relevant for some budget models of 2020-2021).

💡

To check the relevance of information for your model, go to Settings → About Phone → System Update and compare the MIUI version with the data in the table.

How to check if Android 12 update is available on your Redmi

Before you search for firmware manually, make sure that the update has not yet arrived automatically.

1. Open the settings on your smartphone.
2. Go to the About Phone (or About Device) section.
3. Select System Update (or MIUI Update).
4. Click Check for updates.

If the system offers an upgrade to MIUI 13 or newer, chances are it includes Android 12.To make sure, check out the Android version in About Phone → Android version.

Check the vacant space (minimum 3 GB)|Connect to charging (battery) >50%)|Connect to Wi-Fi|Make a backup copy of the data|Shut down. VPN (It can block Xiaomi servers)-->

If the update is not available, the following reasons are possible:

• 🔄 Your model hasn’t yet received a stable version (check out the Xiaomi roadmap).
• 🌍 The update was only released for certain regions (for example, first for China, then for the global version).
• 🔒 Your device is blocked by the operator (for example, smartphones from MTS or Beeline can receive updates later).
• 🛠️ You use custom firmware (like LineageOS or Pixel Experience).

Step-by-step: how to upgrade to Android 12 on Xiaomi Redmi

If an update is available, you can install it in two ways: through automatic download or manually (if the system does not find an update).

Method 1: Automatic update (recommended)

1. Connect to Wi-Fi (update can weigh 1.5-3 GB).
2. Go to Settings → About the phone → System update.
3. Click Download and Install (if an update is available).
4. Wait for the loading and confirm the installation. The device will restart.

Method 2: Manual installation (via Recovery or Fastboot)

If the automatic method doesn't work, you can manually install the update.

1. Download the official firmware for your model from MIUI Downloads (select the Stable version for your region).
2. Transfer the.zip file to the root directory of internal memory.
3. Go to Settings → About the phone → System update.
4. Click on the three dots in the upper right corner and select Select the firmware file.
5. Specify the downloaded file and confirm the installation.

💡

Manual installation via Recovery doesn’t reset data, but if you use Fastboot, all files will be deleted!

⚠️ Note: if you download firmware from unofficial sources (for example, 4PDA or XDA Developers, risk getting unstable version or malware. Always check the hash amounts of files (MD5 or SHA-1) on official Xiaomi resources.

Frequent issues when upgrading to Android 12 and how to fix them

Even after successful Android 12 installation, Redmi users may encounter bugs, and here are the most common problems and ways to fix them:

• 🔋 Quick battery drain: After the upgrade, the system indexes files, which increases energy consumption. Give the smartphone 2-3 days to adapt. If the problem persists, reset the cache to Settings. → Memory. → Clear the cache.
• 📶 Mobile network problems: reset network settings (Settings) → SIM-maps and mobile networks → Resetting network settings).
• 🔊 Distorted audio in headphones: Update the Mi Sound Enhancer app on Google Play or turn off audio enhancement in your settings.
• 🚫 Apps crash: clear the troubled apps data or reinstall them.

If after the update, the smartphone began to overheat or slow down, try:

1. Turn off animation in developer settings (Settings → About Phone → MIUI Version (click 7 times) → Developer Settings → Animation Scale → Select No Animation).
2. Limit application background activity (Settings → Battery and Performance → Application Power Management).

⚠️ Warning: If the smartphone does not turn on after the update or hovers on the Redmi logo, do not try to reset the settings through Recovery - this can lead to data loss:

1. Connect the device to the PC.
2. Launch the Mi Flash Tool and run the official firmware in Fastboot mode.
3. If it doesn’t work, go to the Xiaomi service center.

Alternative ways to get Android 12 on unsupported Redmi models

If your Redmi hasn’t received an official update to Android 12, but the hardware allows it (like the Redmi Note 8 Pro with a Helio G90T processor), you might want to consider installing custom firmware.

• 📱 LineageOS 19 (based on Android 12) - stable firmware with minimalist interface.
• 🎨 Pixel Experience – firmware with pure Android and features from Google Pixel.
• ⚡ ArrowOS – Optimized for Performance Version.
• 🔧 MIUI Mix - modified MIUI with Android 12 features.

⚠️ Note: Installation of custom firmware requires unlocking the bootloader (Bootloader Unlock), which:

• Resets all data on the device.
• It strips of the official warranty of Xiaomi.
• It can lead to a “brick” (inoperability) in case of an error.

If you decide to take this step, follow the instructions:

1. Unlock the bootloader through the official Xiaomi tool.
2. Install custom Recovery (such as TWRP).
3. Download the firmware from a trusted source (e.g. XDA Developers or 4PDA).
4. Please use TWRP (instructions are available on the forums).

Before installing, make sure to check if the firmware you choose supports your model! for example, the Pixel Experience may not work on the Redmi 9A due to a weak processor.

FAQ: answers to frequent questions about Android 12 on Xiaomi Redmi