How many years Xiaomi updates its smartphones: honest terms and hidden nuances

If you own a Xiaomi smartphone or are just planning to buy, the timing of software support becomes critical. Unlike Apple or Google, where update policies are transparent, the Chinese brand is not so clear. Officially, the company claims 2-4 years of updates, but in practice it depends on the series of devices, the region of sales and even a specific firmware (MIUI or HyperOS).

In this article, we will look at how Xiaomi determines the support timeline, which models get updates longer than others, and what to do if your smartphone has stopped receiving updates. We will analyze data from the past 5 years, compare policy with competitors and give a checklist to check the status of your device. Spoiler: flagship Xiaomi 13/14 series and Redmi K60 receive updates 1-2 years longer than the budget Redmi Note or POCO.

Xiaomi’s official policy: what the manufacturer promises

On paper, things look optimistic: Xiaomi is reporting 2-3 years of major updates (including a transition to new Android versions) and 1 additional year of security patches for most models.

• 📱 The series defines everything: flagships (Xiaomi) 12/13/14, MIX Folds get updates longer than budget Redmi A or POCO C.
• 🌍 Sales Region: Devices for China (CN ROM) Updates are 3-6 months longer than global versions (Global) ROM).
• 🔄 Firmware type: With the transition to HyperOS in 2026, the rules have changed - some older models lost support ahead of schedule.

For example, Xiaomi 11T Pro (2021) received Android 13 in 2023, but the upgrade to Android 14 is already in question, despite the initial promises. Xiaomi 13 Pro is guaranteed to receive Android 15 in 2026-2026. This difference is explained by the prioritization of the lines: flagships are supported up to 4 years, and budget – from 1.5 to 2.5 years.

⚠️ Note: If your smartphone is purchased in China with firmware CN ROM, but used outside the country, updates may be discontinued earlier due to regional restrictions. ROM This does not always solve the problem – you need to officially unlock the bootloader.

Real support timeline: Xiaomi series comparison

To avoid relying on promises, we analyzed the update history for 30+ Xiaomi models over the past 5 years, data collected from official announcements, XDA Developers forums and user reports.

You can see from the table that even within the same series there is a scattering, for example, the Redmi Note 11 Pro+ received Android 13, and the regular Note 11 did not. This is due to hardware limitations: models on Snapdragon 6xx chips are updated less often than on Snapdragon 7/8xx.

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Before buying, check the model release date on Xiaomi's website. If the smartphone is over 1.5 years old, there is a high risk that it is already in the last year of support.

How to check if your smartphone is supported

To be sure if your model is getting an update, follow this algorithm:

1. Check out the current version of MIUI/HyperOS: Go to Settings → About Phone → MIUI Version. If the version is older than Android 12 (for 2021 models and newer), this is a worrying sign.
2. Compare it to the official list: Xiaomi publishes lists of supported devices for new versions of Android on the download page. If your model is not there, there will be no updates.
3. Use tracking services: Sites like XDA Developers or MIUI ROM maintain databases based on support status.

Pay special attention to the date of the last update. If more than 3 months have passed since the last security patch, support is likely terminated, except for flagships, for which sometimes they release “farewell” updates with fixing critical vulnerabilities.

⚠️ Attention: Some models (e.g, POCO X3 Pro continues to receive updates to CN ROM, but not for Global ROM. If you use unofficial firmware, the risk of remaining without updates is higher.

What to do if support is over

If your smartphone has stopped receiving updates, you have 4 options:

• 🔄 Switch to custom firmware: LineageOS, Pixel Experience or ArrowOS can extend the life of the device, IR-blaster NFC on some models).
• 🛡️ Install alternative launcher and antivirus: Without security updates, malware risk increases. Apps like Bitdefender or Malwarebytes will help minimize threats.
• 📱 Buy a new smartphone: If a model is older than 3 years, it is worth considering replacing.The current state-owned (Redmi Note 13) is often more powerful than the flagships of 2020.
• 🔧 Reverse Firmware: In rare cases, rollback to the old version MIUI It can be a risk, but it can be a risk (hard brick).

The most reliable way is custom firmware, but it requires unlocking the bootloader, which Xiaomi can take up to 720 hours (30 days) due to security policy.

1. Link Mi Account to device in Settings → Xiaomi account → Mi Unlock Status


2. Download Mi Unlock Tool from the official website




3. Connect the phone in Fastboot mode (clamp Power + Vol−)




4. Follow the instructions of the program (the wait can take up to 30 days!)

Comparison with competitors: who updates longer

To evaluate Xiaomi’s policy objectively, compare it with other brands (data for 2026):

• 🍎 Apple: 5-7 years of updates (iPhone) 6s 2015 received iOS 15 in 2021).
• 🤖 Google: 5 years for Pixel (from 2026 – 7 years for Pixel 8).
• 🌐 Samsung: 4 major-year updates + 1 patch year (for Galaxy flagships) S/Z).
• 📱 OnePlus: 3 years for flagships, 2 years for state employees (from 2023).
• 🔳 Xiaomi: 2-4 years (flagships) / 1-2 years (state employees).

Compared to Apple or Google, Xiaomi is losing out but outperforming many Chinese competitors (like Oppo or Vivo, which update devices for 1-2 years), Xiaomi’s main advantage is its openness to custom firmware, which allows it to extend support on its own.

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If you want to keep up with long updates, choose the flagship Xiaomi 14 or Redmi K70 series – they get updates 1-2 years longer than budget models.

HyperOS vs MIUI: How the transition to the new OS affected support

In late 2023, Xiaomi announced HyperOS, a new operating system that replaced MIUI, which led to a change in the update policy:

• ✅ Pluses: 🚀 More optimized code (less lag on older devices). 🔒 Improved security (isolated environments for applications). 🔄 Some models have HyperOS instead of Android 14 (for example, Redmi Note 12 Pro).+).
• ❌ Cons: ⏳ Update delays: HyperOS for Xiaomi 12 was released only in March 2026, although promised in December 2023. 🗑️ Refusal of support for old models: Xiaomi 11 Lite NE HyperOS has not been released despite 3 years of updates. 🌍 Regional restrictions: some HyperOS features only work in China.

The transition to HyperOS also affected the update schedule, and Xiaomi now divides updates into two types: major (change Android + HyperOS version) and incremental (security patches and minor fixes).

⚠️ Note: If your smartphone is released before 2022, the chances of getting HyperOS are minimal. POCO F3 or Redmi K40, for which the community may issue unofficial ports.

Forecasts for 2026-2026: which models will receive updates

Based on Xiaomi announcements and leaks from XDA Developers, we have made a forecast for the support of key series:

For models in 2023 (Xiaomi 13, Redmi K60) updates to Android 16 are unlikely, but security patches can be released until 2026, but owners of Xiaomi 14 or Redmi K70 can count on support until 2027-2028.

If your model did not get into the table, check its status on the official website or in the Telegram channel MIUI Updates.

FAQ: Frequent questions about Xiaomi support