When will MIUI 13 on Xiaomi Mi 9T Pro: full analysis of the situation

Owners of the legendary Xiaomi Mi 9T Pro (known in China as the Redmi K20 Pro) have been in a vacuum for months regarding the upgrade to MIUI 13. This smartphone, which became a symbol of the balance between price and performance in 2019, still receives community support, but the official statements of the company raise more questions than answer.

Complicating matters, Xiaomi has changed its policy to include waves based on region and chipset model. While some tests have already been done for the Chinese version of the Redmi K20 Pro, the global version of the Mi 9T Pro remains in limbo. In this article, we will analyze the current state of affairs in detail, examine the technical limitations and determine whether it makes sense to hope for an official global stable version of MIUI 13 for this device in the near future.

It's important to understand that waiting for a new firmware isn't just about getting new icons, it's about data security, battery optimization, and compatibility with modern applications, and let's look at what's going on under the hood and why the release date is constantly shifting.

Current status of update and official data

Xiaomi has not yet released a fixed release date for the global version of MIUI 13 specifically for the Mi 9T Pro. The official list of devices guaranteed to receive the update was presented at the presentation in China, and the global Redmi K20 Pro (Mi 9T Pro) was included, but the priority of the issuance remains low.

There is a significant difference between China’s ROM (CN) and Global (Global) and China’s Redmi K20 Pro has already been given access to beta testing, confirming the technical feasibility of launching a new Android 12-based system. However, the global build requires additional Google certification and adaptation to European and Asian markets outside of China, which always takes longer.

Notably, the lack of news doesn’t always mean that support is not being given up, and Xiaomi often releases updates for popular models “quietly,” without any press releases, especially when it comes to the last stages of the device’s lifecycle. Users are advised to regularly check the Settings section → The phone. → Version. MIUI, so OTA-Update (over the air) can come at any time.

Technical features and compatibility of Snapdragon 855

The heart of the Xiaomi Mi 9T Pro is Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 855 processor.This chipset is based on an architecture that formally supports Android 12 (the basis of MIUI 13), but is on the verge of compatibility with new optimization features.

One of the main problems when porting MIUI 13 to older flagships is memory and power consumption. The new shell contains many background processes for personalization, which can lead to accelerated battery discharge on devices with worn batteries. In addition, the drivers of the Adreno 640 graphics accelerator require careful debugging to properly work the animations of the new system.

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Before installing any updates manually, always do a full backup of data via Mi Cloud or locally to your computer, as switching between major versions of Android can result in file loss.

The table below shows a comparison of the technical characteristics that affect MIUI 13:

While the hardware is technically compliant, optimization remains a key factor: If the system is unstable, Xiaomi may decide to limit functionality or even abandon the release of the final build for the global market, leaving users of the Chinese version with updates.

Differences between China and Global versions of the firmware

Users often confuse firmware versions, leading to misunderstanding of the release dates. The Chinese version of MIUI always comes first, as testing takes place in the manufacturer's home market. For the Redmi K20 Pro, beta versions may have appeared before the official announcement of the global strategy, but this does not guarantee their appearance on the Mi 9T Pro.

⚠️ Note: Installation of the Chinese version of the firmware (CN ROM) on a global phone (Global) without unlocking the bootloader and flashing can lead to the inoperability of banking applications (Google) Pay/Mi Pay, ad appearance on the system and the absence of some languages!

Global firmware has strict privacy restrictions and a mandatory set of Google services. The Google GMS (Google Mobile Services) certification process for a new version of Android can delay the release of an update by several months compared to the Chinese counterpart, which is why the gap between the release of MIUI 13 in China and in Europe / CIS for the same model can reach 4-6 months.

Regional features also affect the feature set, such as some AI camera or NFC features that may work differently depending on the regional firmware binding, so Xiaomi prefers to release a separate build for each region, which also increases development time.

Risks of installing beta versions and custom builds

Impatient users often turn to forums like 4PDA or XDA Developers, where enthusiasts upload MIUI 13 ports or custom firmware based on Android 12/13. However, using such solutions carries serious risks. Beta versions, even official ones, can contain critical errors leading to cyclic restarts (bootloop) or data loss.

The main dangers of early testing:

• 📉 Unstable operation: System applications crashes, communication and Wi-Fi problems, fast battery discharge.
• 🔒 Security: Beta versions may have unpatched vulnerabilities, which is dangerous when using banking applications.
• 🚫 Loss of warranty: Unlocking the bootloader (necessary for custom installation) officially deprives the device of warranty.

If you do decide to experiment, be sure to make sure you have access to your computer and the Mi Flash Tool.Remember that rolling back from a newer version of Android to an older one is often impossible without a complete data cleanup or even blocked by Anti-Rollback protection.

Alternatives: Should I switch to custom ROM?

There is a huge support from the development community for the Xiaomi Mi 9T Pro. If the official MIUI 13 never comes out or runs slowly, clean versions of Android like LineageOS, Pixel Experience or crDroid are a great alternative. These firmware often run faster and smoother than the manufacturer's stock shell, especially on devices of the past.

Advantages of custom firmware for this smartphone:

• 🚀 Performance: The absence of a heavy layer MIUI speed-up.
• 🆕 You can get Android 13 or 14 even when Xiaomi stops supporting.
• 🎨 Customization: Deep customization of the interface to your needs.

But there are downsides: custom firmware cameras often take worse pictures because of the lack of original Xiaomi photo processing algorithms, and some specific features tied to proprietary software, such as certain screen modes or sensors, may not work, and weigh the pros and cons before changing the stability to novelty.

How to update when MIUI 13 comes out

When the long-awaited update finally arrives, it is important to do it correctly to avoid errors. There are several ways to install it: through OTA (over the air), through Recovery (local file) or through Fastboot (from a computer). For most users, the safest way is waiting for a notification in the system.

If you want to speed up the process and manually update through Recovery:

1. Download the current Recovery ROM (.zip) archive for your model and region.
2. Put the file at the root of the phone’s internal memory.
3. Go to Settings → About Phone → MIUI version.
4. Click on the menu (three dots) and select "Select firmware file".
5. Enter the downloaded archive and click "Update".

⚠️ Warning: Do not interrupt the upgrade process! If the phone turns off during installation, there is a high risk of damage to the system partition. Make sure that the battery is charged at least 60%, or better connect the device to the power source.

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The most reliable way to get MIUI 13 - Wait for the official OTA-Manual installation increases the risk of errors if you do not have sufficient technical skills.

Once upgraded, the system can run slowly in the first 15-30 minutes while app optimization is underway. Don't panic if the phone is warming up at this time - this is a normal process of rebuilding the Dalvik/ART cache.

Next Post:Do you want to update the owners of the Mi 9T Pro?

The situation with the release of MIUI 13 on the Xiaomi Mi 9T Pro remains tense. On the one hand, the powerful hardware allows you to count on the full operation of the system. On the other hand, the age of the device (released in 2019) is approaching the end of the standard support cycle, which usually is 2-3 years of major Android updates.

We're likely to see an update coming, but it could be the last major update for this model. If you value stability and the camera, it might make sense to stay on the debugged MIUI 12.5. If you need new features and are ready for bugs, follow the news on the official Mi Community forum.

Ultimately, the Mi 9T Pro remains one of the best smartphones in the company’s history, and even without the MIUI 13, it’s capable of meeting the needs of most users thanks to the clean performance of the Snapdragon 855.

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