Owners of the legendary Xiaomi Redmi 5 Plus (codename vince) often face a situation where the device stops receiving official system updates.This is a popular model released in 2017, which earned a reputation for being a “people’s” gadget due to its excellent autonomy and balance of characteristics. However, time is running out and support from the manufacturer is inevitably coming to an end, which raises questions among users accustomed to regular improvements.
The absence of new MIUI versions or security patches can be caused by software failures in the verification process itself, as well as a fundamental end to the device lifecycle. In some cases, the problem lies in the regional features of the firmware or the conflict of the modified system partition.
In this article, we’ll take a look at all possible scenarios, from the banal errors of the network to the hardware limitations of the Snapdragon 625 processor.You’ll learn whether to try to “revive” automatic updates or it’s time to think about manually installing more recent versions of Android through custom firmware.
Official Support Status and End of Life Cycle
The first thing that you need to realize the owner of any gadget is the finite software support. Xiaomi Redmi 5 Plus entered the market with the Android operating system 7.1 Nougat and the shell MIUI 9. During its active existence, the device received an update to Android 8.1 Oreo and MIUI 11/12. However, Xiaomi, like most manufacturers, limits the period.major Android updates two years for devices of the mid- and budget segment.
⚠️ Attention: Official support for Redmi 5 Plus is over.Attempts to find an official update to Android 10 or 11 via the About This Phone menu are doomed to failure, as servers no longer contain new versions for this model.
The Snapdragon 625 processor, while very energy efficient and popular, is based on an architecture that chipmakers (Qualcomm) stopped optimizing for new versions of Android a few years ago.Without Qualcomm drivers, Xiaomi is technically unable to port new system features to the chipset within the official lineup.
And then there's the notion of resource budgeting: Engineering teams focus on current models like the Redmi Note 10, 11, 12 series and flagships. Supporting devices five years ago is not economically feasible for a vendor. So if your phone writes "No Updates," it's standard behavior for a device that has reached the end of its software lifecycle.
However, there are ways to extend the life of a smartphone, with enthusiasts and independent developers creating unofficial firmware versions based on newer versions of Android, but this is already beyond official support and requires intervention in the user's system.
Technical reasons for the lack of updates in the menu
If you know that there could be updates in theory (for example, your global firmware version had a security patch), but your phone doesn’t see them, it could be technically nuanced, and often the problem is that the update service is not working properly or that the system applications are cache is crowded.
One of the common reasons is a conflict of versions, if the phone has firmware installed for the Chinese region (CN), If you're trying to get an update for the global version (Global), the server won't respond to the request, and vice versa: change of region. SIM-Mi Accounts or cards sometimes block receipt OTA-packet.
Also, check system time and date if the settings have a time-off, SSL-The update server certificates may be invalidated, and the connection simply won't be established.
The table below shows the main technical reasons and methods of their diagnosis:
| Reason. | Symptoms. | Method of verification |
|---|---|---|
| End of support | MIUI version hasn't changed in years | Compare with the 4PDA version or official forum |
| Change of region | Error "Can't check the updates" | Checking the region in Settings → Advanced settings → Region |
| Root rights | No response to the update button | Check for a SuperSU or Magisk app |
| Modified Recovery | Inability to install official packages | Download to Recovery Mode and Logo Check (Mi-Recovery vs TWRP) |
It is important to understand that having a modified bootloader can also block receiving. OTA-The security system checks the integrity of the partitions before installation, and if there is an interference, the process is interrupted.
Problems with network connection and servers
Sometimes the problem is not with the smartphone itself, but with the communication channel. Xiaomi update servers are located all over the world, and in some regions access to them may be limited by the provider or difficult due to technical work. If your Redmi 5 Plus is not updated, try changing the connection type.
Switch from Wi-Fi to Mobile Internet (3G/4G) or vice versa. Often static. IP-The home router address can be temporarily blocked by the server when you have frequent requests. DNS. Use of public use DNS Google (8.8.8.8) or Cloudflare (1.1.1.1) Often helps to establish a connection with the download servers.
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Try to temporarily disable VPN or, conversely, enable it by selecting a country where Google and Xiaomi services work without restrictions (for example, Germany or the United States).
Another important aspect is the lack of space: the system requires a significant amount of internal memory to download and unpack the update, and if it is less than 2-3 GB free, the process may not even be initiated or interrupted during the boot phase.
Don’t forget to keep the voltage stable. Although modern smartphones have protection, the system can prevent updates from being installed when the battery is under 50%, a precaution to avoid damaging system files in the event of a sudden power outage.
The Impact of Root Rights and Unblocked Bootloader
If you previously obtained superuser (Root) rights or unlocked the bootloader to install custom recavators, it is almost guaranteed that automatic updates will not work. OTA (Over-The-Air checks the hash sums of the system partition.
If you have modifications, integrity checks don't work. Even if you just installed a file manager with access to the system folder /system, signatures can change, and as a result, when you try to update, you'll see an error message or an endless verification process that won't end.
⚠️ Warning: Attempting to install an official update on a phone with an unlocked bootloader and Root rights can result in a “bootloop” (cyclic reboot) or complete data loss.
To get the upgrade back (if there are updates), you need to go back to the runoff state.
- 🔒 Block the bootloader through the Mi Flash Unlock utility on PC.
- 💾 Complete Fastboot Flashing with Clearing All Data.
- 🚫 Removal of all traces of obtaining Root-rights (Magisk, SuperSU).
- 🔄 Recovery of the original Recovery menu.
The process of drain recovery is complex and requires strict adherence to instructions. A mistake in the bootloader locking phase can turn the phone into a brick that cannot be turned on without using a programmer, so if you are not confident in yourself, you should stay on the current version of the software.
Alternative ways to upgrade: manual installation
There is a way to manually update your smartphone without going through the standard menu, and this method works if you want to upgrade to a newer version of MIUI that is available for your model but doesn’t come by air (for example, when changing the firmware region).
You will need to download the full firmware archive (Recovery ROM) from the official website or proven resources. The file should have a.zip extension and weigh about 1.5-2 GB. After downloading the file, you need to place it in the root of the phone's internal memory.
☑️ Checking before hand firmware
Then activate the hidden menu. To do this, in the Update app, click several times on the MIUI version logo (center of the screen) until the message “Additional Features Enabled” appears. Then click on the three dots in the upper right corner and select “Select firmware file.”
Find the downloaded archive and confirm the installation. The phone will restart and start the upgrade process. It's important not to interrupt this process and not to press buttons. If the version in the archive is newer than the current one, the installation will be successful. If the version is older or matches, the system will give an error.
Custom firmware as an exit for Redmi 5 Plus
Since official support for Redmi 5 Plus has stopped with Android 8.1, the only way to get the latest versions of Android (10, 11, 12, and even 13) is to install custom firmware. For the vince model, there is a huge base of developers who create stable ports.
Popular projects like LineageOS, Pixel Experience or Xiaomi.eu (beta) allow you to get a clean Android without ads and with the latest security patches.This radically changes the experience of using an old smartphone, making it fast and modern.
Risks of installing custom firmware
To install such firmware will require:
- 🔓 Unlock the bootloader (officially via Mi Unlock, waiting 168 hours).
- 🛠 Install custom recaps, for example, TWRP.
- 📥 Download the right firmware and GApps (Google Apps) if they are not built-in.
- ⚙️ Perform a complete data wiping (cleaning) before installation.
It's the best option for those looking to keep the Redmi 5 Plus as a primary or second device.The development community continues to release updates for this processor, giving it a second life.
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Installing custom firmware is the only legal way to get Android 11+ on the Redmi 5 Plus after the official support for Xiaomi is terminated.