You ran an update on your Xiaomi, but it took hours — the boot indicator barely budged and the phone got hot? This problem is familiar to many owners of devices on MIUI, and the reasons can lie in both hardware limitations and software failures. Unlike iPhone or Samsung, where updates are usually installed in 15-30 minutes, Xiaomi smartphones often “hang” during the preparation, verification or installation. In this article, we will discuss 7 key reasons why your Redmi, POCO or Mi updates too long, and what to do about it – from basic checks to radical measures.
It's important to understand that a long upgrade doesn't always mean a failure. For example, on budget models like the Redmi 9A or POCO M3, slow firmware installation can be associated with a weak processor (Helio G25/G80) and low RAM. If the Xiaomi 13 Pro with the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 "thinks" for more than an hour, this is cause for concern. Next, we will understand where the norm and where the pathology is, and how to distinguish one from the other.
Xiaomi server congestion: why the update is “hanging” by 0%
The most common reason for the long download of the update is problems on the server side of Xiaomi. The company releases firmware in waves, and in the first days after release, millions of users simultaneously try to download the same file. Servers can not cope with the load, download speed drops to 10–50 KB / s, and sometimes the process stops altogether at the stage of “preparation for the update”.
How it manifests itself:
- 📉 The load indicator does not move or is updated in jerks (for example, from 0% immediately to 12%, then it is long).
- ⏳ Waiting time exceeds 1 hour with stable Wi-Fi.
- 🔄 When you try to download the update again, the process starts again.
Decisions:
- ⏳ Wait 1-2 days - usually after a day the load on the servers decreases.
- 🌐 Use it. VPN (For example, ProtonVPN or Warp – sometimes servers in other regions are less loaded.
- 📥 Download firmware manually from the site MIUI Downloads and install through Settings → The phone. → Updating the system → Three points. → Select a firmware file.
2.Weak hardware: why budget Xiaomi updates longer than flagships
If your smartphone is a budget or mid-range smartphone (Redmi Note 10, POCO X3, Mi A3, etc.), a long-term upgrade may be due to hardware limitations.
- 🧠 Processor performance for unpacking and checking files (e.g. Helio) G95 It will be faster than the Snapdragon 439).
- 📦 Free RAM – if it is less than 3 GB, the system can “hang».
- 💾 Read/write speeds of the drive – cheap flash memory eMMC 5.1 work 2–3 slower UFS 2.2/3.1.
For comparison, on Xiaomi 12T Pro with Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 and UFS 3.1, the update takes ~10 minutes, and on Redmi 8A with Snapdragon 439 and eMMC 5.1 - up to 40-50 minutes.
- 🔋 Charge your phone to 100% and connect to charging during the upgrade.
- 🧹 Close all background applications through Settings → Annexes → Launched.
- 📵 Shut down. SIM-map and Wi-Fi (if you download the firmware in advance via PC).
How to check the memory type in your Xiaomi?
Errors in the current firmware: when the system "breaks" the update itself
If the phone is stuck in the update check phase (e.g., “Package Check...” or “Optimizing apps”), the fault may be the damaged firmware that is running on it.
- 🔄 Interrupted previous updates (for example, if the phone was forced to turn off during installation).
- 🛠️ Rooting or modifying system files (e.g., via Magisk or TWRP).
- 🗑️ Residual files from old firmware (in the folder) /cache or /data/ota_package).
Symptoms:
- 🔄 Cyclical reboot on the logo MI.
- ❌ “Update failed” message with error code (ERROR_CODE_DOWNLOAD_FAILED, ERROR_CODE_VERIFICATION_FAILED).
- ⏳ Staying in the “Use Update” phase for longer than 30 minutes.
What to do:
- 🔄 Reset the cache via Recovery: 1. Turn off the phone. 2. Squeeze the power + Loudness up before the logo appears MI. 3.Select Wipe & Reset → Wipe Cache. 4. Reboot and try the update again.
- 📂 Delete old update files manually: Use a file manager (such as Mi File Manager) and delete folders: - /cache/ota - /data/ota_package - /sdcard/Downloaded_rom
- 🔧 If nothing helps, flash your phone manually through the Mi Flash Tool (instruction below).
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Before you cache or firmware, manually back up your data via Settings → Additional → Backup and Reset. Especially with contacts, SMS and notes – they can be erased when reset!
4 Connection problems: Wi-Fi vs mobile internet
The quality of the Internet connection directly affects the speed of downloading and installing updates. Many users mistakenly think that mobile Internet (4G/5G) can be faster than Wi-Fi, but in practice:
- 📶 Mobile Internet often limits the speed of downloading large files (firmware weighs 1.5-3 GB).
- 📡 Wi-Fi is more stable, but if the router gives a speed below 10 Mbps, the update will slow down.
- 🔌 Switching between networks (e.g., from Wi-Fi to mobile data) may interrupt the download.
How to check and correct:
| Problem. | Signs. | Decision |
|---|---|---|
| Slow Wi-Fi | Download speed < 1 MB/s | Connect to another network or use an Ethernet cable via a network. USB-OTG |
| Unstable connection | Update interrupted by 20-50% | Turn off traffic savings in Settings → SIM-maps and mobile networks |
| Antivirus blocking | The message "Download is blocked" | Add the domain bigota.d.miui.com to the exceptions of antivirus |
| Limitation of operator | Download stops at 99% | Use a VPN or download firmware via PC |
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If the update download speed is below 500 KB/s, the problem is exactly on the Internet, not on the phone. Try downloading the firmware to your computer and then transferring it to Xiaomi via USB.
5. User Data Conflict: Why “Optimizing Apps” Lasts Forever
The “Optimizing apps” phase can take hours if there is too much user data, cache or corrupted files on the system, which is because MIUI updates:
- 🔄 Reassemble cache for all installed applications.
- 📂 Checks the integrity of system files.
- 🗑️ Deletes outdated data (e.g. cache of older versions of Google Play Services).
If this process is delayed, try:
Remove unused apps | Clear cache through Settings → Storage → Clear cache | Disable auto-update apps in Play Market | Delete the Google Play Services app data (as a last resort)
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If you optimize for more than 2 hours, that's not the norm.
- Force the phone to restart (press Power + Volume down for 10 seconds).
- If the phone doesn’t turn on after the reboot, reset via Recovery (without data loss): 1. Go to Recovery (Power + Volume Up). 2. Select Wipe Data → Wipe All Data (Keep Media Files). 3. Confirm the reset.
6. Unofficial firmware and custom Recovery: risks and solutions
If you’ve ever installed custom firmware (LineageOS, Pixel Experience), modified Recovery (TWRP) or received root rights (Magisk), upgrading through a standard Updater can work unpredictably.
- 🔧 Modified system partitions (e.g, /system or /vendor).
- 🔒 Lack of signature verification – the phone cannot verify the official firmware.
- 📦 Core conflict (for example, if you were putting a kernel from another version) MIUI).
How to update in this case:
- 📥 Download the full firmware (not downloaded) OTA!) For the model from Xiaomi Firmware Updater.
- 🔧 Flush it through. TWRP Or Fastboot: For TWRP: 1. Copy the firmware into the phone memory. 2. Come in. TWRP. 3. Choose Install. → Select a firmware file → Swipe to Confirm Flash. for Fastboot: 1. Unpack the firmware on the PC. 2. Connect your phone in Fastboot mode (Power) + Loudness down). 3. Launch it. flash_all.bat (Windows or flash_all.sh (Linux/Mac).
- ⚠️ After the firmware, be sure to perform Wipe Dalvik/Cache into TWRP, Otherwise, the phone may not be loading.
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If after the firmware custom firmware phone stopped seeing SIM-Check if the map is the same as the firmware region (Global/EU/China) I'm talking about your model, like the Redmi Note. 10 Pro for India (sweet_in) It will not work properly with the firmware for Europe (sweet_eea).
7. hardware malfunctions: when it is not the software that is to blame, but the “iron”
If all of the above methods didn’t help and the phone still hangs on the upgrade or shuts down in the process, the problem may be in the hardware:
- 🔋 Worn-out battery – if voltage drops below 3.5V, The phone has to interrupt the process.
- 💾 Damaged flash memory – broken sectors prevent new files from being written.
- 🔥 Processor overheating – if the temperature exceeds 80°C, the system is forced to brake the installation.
How to diagnose:
- 📊 Check the status of the battery through AccuBattery (if the capacity is below 70% of the nominal value - it's time to change).
- 🔍 Run a memory test with the help of AIDA64 (tab → Read/Write Test).
- 🌡️ Install. CPU Monitor to track processor temperature during upgrade.
⚠️ Note: If the phone turns off during the installation phase and no longer turns on (black screen, no button response), do not try to flash it yourself - this can lead to complete loss of data. EDL-mode (emergency firmware).