Owning a Xiaomi smartphone with Chinese firmware (CN ROM) is often a compromise between wanting top hardware at an attractive price and having to put up with the lack of familiar Western software. Buyers of such devices face an empty screen after the first turn on, where there is no Google Services Framework and application store. However, do not be afraid of this, since the architecture of the Android system allows you to implement the necessary components quite quickly.
Modern versions of the MIUI shell and the new HyperOS already contain the hidden system files needed to run the Google ecosystem. You don't have to search for complex patches or scour the device through your computer unless you want to risk warranty.
In this article, we will discuss in detail the algorithm of actions that will turn the “Chinese” into a full-fledged working tool, you will learn how to avoid typical errors, why notifications may not come and what nuances are in working with banking applications after installing services.
Preparation of the device and verification of the MIUI version
Before you start any manipulation, you need to make sure that your device really requires the installation of services. Global ROMs already contain everything you need, while Chinese ROMs do not. You can determine the version in the Settings → About Phone menu by paying attention to the letter index in the build number.
Make sure your smartphone is connected to a stable Wi-Fi network. To download installation packages and then log in to your account, you will need a stable Internet connection, and check the battery level – it should be at least 40-50%, so that the process does not interrupt due to energy-saving algorithms of the system.
⚠️ Note: Before installing any system components, we strongly advise you to back up your important data. Although the procedure is safe, any changes to the system partition could theoretically lead to unpredictable device behavior.
If the device has an older version installed MIUI (In the 10th version, the built-in installer method may not work, so owners of ancient models will have to look for third-party installers. APK-Files for 99% of Redmi smartphones, POCO Xiaomi has a fairly standard settings.
Main method: activation through built-in installer
The most reliable and easy way to work on most devices released after 2019 is to use the built-in system application. Xiaomi developers left this tool for the convenience of users and testers.
To start, go to the settings menu and look for Accounts and Sync. In some firmware versions, this may be simply called Users and Accounts. The interface may vary depending on the regional settings, but the logic remains the same. Inside this menu, you need to find an item related to the basic services.
Find a line called Google Basic Services (or "Basic Google Services"). By default, the slider next to this item will be turned off. You need to activate it. The system will request confirmation of action because it affects system components. Once consent, a brief initialization process will begin, which will take 10 to 30 seconds.
☑️ Checklist of activation of services
After turning on the slider on the desktop or in the menu of all applications, the Play Store icon should automatically appear. If this does not happen immediately, try to restart the device. After turning on, the system itself will adjust the necessary updates for the correct operation of the store.
Alternative method: manual installation APK-file
In the rare cases where the built-in switch is missing or not functioning, you have to manually install it, which is a method that requires more care, because you're going to install the system components manually, and you're going to need to download four key files in a very specific sequence.
To implement this plan, you will need the following components: Google Services Framework, Google Play Services, Google Play Store and Google Account Manager, and download them only from trusted sources, such as the official APKMirror repository, to avoid the introduction of malicious code.
The order of installation of APK-files:
1. Google Services Framework
2. Google Play Services
3. Google Account Manager
4. Google Play StoreOnce you download files, open the file manager and run installers sequentially. The system can warn you about the security of the installation from unknown sources — you need to give permission for the browser or file manager. It is important not to miss any step, as a violation of the sequence will lead to authorization errors.
Why is the Android version important when choosing an APK?
Once you have installed all four components, you need to reboot your smartphone, and only after you have fully logged in and on, will the services function properly, and if you see an error when you sign in, try clearing the Google Play Services app data from the application management menu.
Account setting and data synchronization
Once the icon is successfully displayed, the configuration phase begins: When you first start Play, the Store will ask you to add a Google account, enter your data by observing the character register, and at this stage, the system can request a sign-in confirmation via SMS or an authenticator application if two-factor protection is enabled.
You should pay special attention to sync settings. Go to Settings → Accounts and Sync → Google. Here you will see a list of services: Contacts, Calendar, Drive, Photos, etc. Make sure that the items you need are activated so that data does not disappear when you reset in the future.
Often, users are faced with the fact that contacts are not loaded automatically, this is solved by forced sync. Click on three dots in the corner of the account screen and choose Sync Now, which will update the database of the phone and servers of Google.
| System component | Function | Can I remove it? |
|---|---|---|
| Google Services Framework | Basic application communication with servers | No (critically) |
| Google Play Services | Geolocation, notifications, security | No (critically) |
| Google Play Store | App and game store | No (needed for updates) |
| Google One | Backup and storage | Yes (optional) |
Remember that navigation in Google Maps and some games require geolocation enabled and permission to access the location in the background to work properly. Chinese firmware aggressively saves charge, so these permissions must be issued manually.
Solving Notifications and Work Problems in the Background
One of the most common problems after installing Google services on Xiaomi is the lack of push notifications from messengers and mail, which is due to the peculiarities of the Chinese version of Android, where the system severely limits the background activity of applications to save energy.
To fix this, you need to configure each important application individually. Go to Settings → Apps → All apps, select the desired messenger (such as Telegram or WhatsApp) and find AutoRun. Turn it on so that the application can run with the system.
Next, in the menu of the same app, find the battery settings and select No Limits mode, which will prevent the system from "killing" the messenger process, even if you haven't opened it in a long time. Without this step, messages can only come after the application is opened.
⚠️ Warning: Do not install third-party memory cleaners or antiviruses that promise to speed up work. MIUI They often conflict with the system’s memory management mechanisms, leading to even more aggressive shutdowns of Google’s background processes.
It is also recommended to pin important applications to the list of recent tasks: Open the menu of running applications, press the desired window and click on the lock icon, which is a signal to the system that this process cannot be completed when cleaning the memory.
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Tip: If notifications still don't come, try turning off Flight mode for 10 seconds and then turning it back on.This will restart network modules and can restore connection to Google FCM servers.
Working with banking applications and NFC
Chinese smartphone owners often wonder about banking software and contactless payment. Google’s installation of services does not block banking applications, but Google Play Protect’s security system can respond to an unlocked bootloader if you unlock it.
If the bootloader is locked (standard state), SafetyNet and its new Play Integrity API must be checked automatically after installing certified services, which means that Sberbank, Tinkoff and other applications will work normally.
To set up NFC-You must add a bank card to the Google Wallet app (or Google Pay if the version is old). NFC The default payment application is selected. NFC It can be located in the section Connections and Sharing.
If the bank refuses to work, citing an “unsafe device”, you can try to clean the data of the Google Play Services application, sometimes it helps to remove updates to the Play Store itself through the app menu and then update it again through the official installer.
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Chinese versions of Xiaomi smartphones fully support NFC-Payment after installing Google services, as chips NFC They are universal and have no regional restrictions on reading maps.