Owning a Xiaomi, Redmi or Smartphone POCO Many users are faced with an unpleasant surprise: the device does not have Google Play, menus in Chinese or English, and some applications simply do not work outside of China. It's what's called. CN-version (China) ROM), which is originally intended for the domestic market.
Installing global firmware (Global ROM) solves these problems by translating the interface into the right language and adding the necessary services. The process requires care, as careless actions can lead to device locking or data loss. In this article, we will discuss secure flashing methods, necessary tools and nuances that need to be considered in 2026.
Before you start to act, you need to figure out which method is right for your case. There are two main ways: simply changing the region through the menu (it doesn't always work) and completely reflashing to unlock the bootloader, depending on your model and the current version of the software.
Determination of the current version and preparation
The first step is to thoroughly diagnose the device, and you need to know exactly which operating system is installed now and what region it has. → About the phone and carefully study the line "Version" MIUI" or "HyperOS version." If the name ends with a letter CN, So you have the Chinese version.
It is also critical to check the status of the bootloader. Without it, installing global firmware through your computer is impossible. On the About Phone menu, click on the build number several times to activate the developer mode. Then, in the advanced settings, look for the bootloader status.
⚠️ Warning: Unlocking the bootloader will completely remove all data from the device (photos, contacts, apps). Be sure to back up important information before starting any manipulations.
The preparation includes not only the software, but also the physical aspects. 60-70%. Use the original. USB-cable USB 2.0 or 3.0 Instable connection is a common cause of firmware errors.
To work, you will need a Xiaomi account tied to the device. If you plan to unlock the bootloader, this account must be active on the smartphone for at least 7 days (for new models, the requirements may be stricter), this is a security measure introduced by the manufacturer.
Required tools and drivers
The success of the operation depends on 90% of the correct preparation of the workplace. You will need a computer running Windows (with Linux and macOS, the process is more complicated and requires additional utilities), on the PC, you must install specialized drivers to interact with the device in boot mode.
The main set of software includes:
- 📦 ADB Fastboot tools – basic tools from Google for debugging and managing the bootloader.
- 💻 Xiaomi USB Drivers – drivers that allow the system to see the phone in different modes (MTP, ADB, Fastboot, EDL).
- 🔧 Mi Flash Tool – the official utility for firmware Xiaomi devices in Fastboot mode.
- 📱 Firmware archive: file in.zip (for Recovery) or.tgz (for Fastboot) format).
You need to download firmware only from trusted sources, such as the official website miui.com or authorized resources like xiaomifirmwareupdater.com. Pay attention to the type of firmware: for the Fastboot method, you need an archive, in the name of which there is the word Fastboot.
Once you have the drivers installed, check them. Connect your phone in Fastboot mode (press Volume Down + Power when the phone is off) and start the command line. Enter the command of fastboot devices should display the serial number of the device. If the number appears, the connection to the computer is established correctly.
☑️ Checklist of preparations
Unlocking the bootloader (Bootloader Unlock)
This is the most difficult stage, and often the stumbling block, where Xiaomi artificially restricts the ability to flash it, requiring official permission, using the Mi Unlock Tool, which you need to download from the official website.
The process is, you log into your Mi Account in your phone settings, you link the device to your account, then you run Mi Unlock on your PC and follow the instructions, and the system checks the status of the device on the server, and if all is well, you get permission to unlock.
⚠️ Note: On new HyperOS models, the permission procedure can take up to 30 days and require an active community on the high-activity Mi Community forum.
After obtaining the status "Unlocked" in the Mi Unlock application, you need to transfer the phone to Fastboot mode (clamp Volume Down). + Power. Connect the cable to your PC, press the "Unlock" button in the program and confirm the action. The phone will reboot and reset all data.
What if Mi Unlock says "Couldn't verify device"?
It is important to understand that once the bootloader is unlocked, some security features will stop working, in particular, there may be problems with banking applications (Google Pay / Wallet) and high-quality content in streaming services (Widevine L1 may be downgraded to L3).
Firmware via Fastboot (Recommended Method)
Fastboot is the most reliable method, and allows you to completely clear the device of old software by installing a clean global version. This eliminates file conflicts and system settings. This method, as mentioned, requires an archive in.tgz format.
Unpack the downloaded firmware archive into the root of the C disk so that the path to the folder is short and does not contain Cyrillic: C:\ROM\. Inside the folder you will find the file. flash_all.bat (Launch the Mi Flash Tool on behalf of the administrator.
In Mi Flash Tool, click Refresh. If the drivers are installed correctly, your serial number device will appear in the list. Press "Select" and specify the path to the unpacked firmware folder. At the bottom of the window, select clean all mode.
| Firmware mode | Description | Data retention | Recommendation |
|---|---|---|---|
| clean all | Complete cleaning and installation | No (all removed) | Recommended for region change |
| save user data | Updating with preservation | Yes. | Only if the regions are the same |
| clean all + lock | Cleaning and locking the loader | No. | Dangerous, only for the original region. |
Press Flash and wait until the process is over. The green bar that says "success" signals success. The phone automatically reboots. The first boot can last up to 10-15 minutes -- that's fine, the system is set up.
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If the firmware process is stuck at 1% or 99%, don't panic. USB-port (better at the back of the system unit) or other cable. Do not forcefully interrupt the process if the red indicator is on.
Installation via Recovery Mode (No PC)
If you can't unlock the bootloader, there's a method to upgrade "over" the current system, but it only works in other cases. For example, if you switch from Chinese stable to Global stable, the system may not allow you to install the firmware by giving an error "Can't verify update."
This method requires an archive in.zip (Recovery ROM) format. Download it, rename it to update.zip and place it at the root of internal memory. Go to Recovery mode (press Volume Up + Power). Select language (English or Chinese) and click "Install Update.zip".
But there's an important caveat: Cross-flash from CN to Global through Recovery is often blocked by signature verification. If you see an error message, you can't unlock the bootloader and Fastboot. The engineering menu workarounds in 2026 are closed by security patches.
However, if you're upgrading within a single region (e.g., from an older Global to a new Global), it's perfect. It's simple, fast, and doesn't require a computer. Just follow the instructions on the screen.
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Recovery is only suitable for an upgrade within a region or from Global to Global. To change CN to Global, you must unlock the bootloader.
Frequent mistakes and their solution
Users often encounter common problems during the firmware process, one of the most common being the Missmatching image and device error in the Mi Flash Tool, which means you are trying to flash firmware from another model. Always check the code name of the device (for example, raphael for the Redmi K20 Pro).
Another common problem is hanging on the MI or Xiaomi logo (Bootloop). If this happened after a failed firmware, try logging in to Recovery and doing Wipe Data. If it doesn't work, repeat the firmware procedure through Fastboot by selecting clean all mode.
⚠️ Note: If the phone is gone EDL (Only a red indicator or a black screen with a connection to the PC is lit. QUSB_BULK), You'll need an authorized Mi Account to run or disassemble the case to close the test points.
After flashing the global version on some models (especially Chinese exclusives), the camera may not work well or open due to driver incompatibility, in which case the installation of ported firmware (Xiaomi.eu), which is based on Chinese but has global languages and Google services, helps.
Remember that once you install global firmware on a Chinese device, some bandwidths (Band 20) may stop working, which affects the quality of communication in rural areas, a hardware limitation that cannot be fixed software.