Installation of drivers on Xiaomi: a complete guide for all models

Installing drivers on Xiaomi devices is a mandatory step for the correct operation of the smartphone with the computer, especially if you plan to flash the device, restore data or use the Fastboot and EDL modes. Without the right drivers, Windows does not recognize the phone, and specialized utilities like Mi Flash Tool or ADB simply will not see the connected device.

In this article, we will analyze all the current ways to install drivers for Xiaomi, Redmi and POCO — From automatic search through Device Manager to manual installation of official packages from the manufacturer. 43 Inspections are available in the Manager and how to fix them. 10/11 and all the smartphone models released after 2018 year-end.

Why do you need drivers for Xiaomi?

Drivers are software that allows a computer's operating system to interact with the hardware components of a smartphone. Without them, you can't:

• 🔄 Switching the device through Fastboot or EDL (emergency).
• 📱 Use it. ADB-commands for debugging or unlocking the loader.
• 🔧 Recover data through programs like Dr.Fone or Tenorshare.
• 🖥️ Connecting the phone as a media device (MTP) camera (PTP).

Even if a smartphone is defined as a “portable device,” specialized drivers are required to work with service utilities, for example, to unlock a bootloader through the Mi Unlock Tool you need a Qualcomm HS-USB QDLoader 9008 driver, which Windows does not install automatically.

Method 1: Automatic installation via Device Manager

The easiest method is to let Windows find and install drivers on its own, and it works for most modern models (Redmi Note 11/12, POCO X4/F4, Xiaomi 13T and later), but it may not work for older devices or Fastboot/EDL modes.

Connect your smartphone to your computer through the original USB-cable (using uncertified cables often leads to errors:

1. Open Device Manager (click Win + X → select the appropriate item).
2. Find a device with a yellow exclamation point (usually in the Other Devices or Ports section (COM and LPT)).
3. Right-click on it → Update the driver → Automatic search.

If the system does not find the driver, try to connect the phone in different modes:

• 📱 Normal mode (unlocked screen).
• 🔧 Fastboot (turn off your phone) → Hold the volume down + Nutrition).
• 🚨 EDL (emergency mode, requires special actions).

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If Windows does not find a driver for Android ADB Interface, download the Google USB Driver package from the Android Developers website and manually specify the path to it in the Manager.

Method 2: Manual installation of official Xiaomi drivers

For stable work with service utilities (Mi Flash Tool, QFil), it is recommended to install the official driver package from Xiaomi. It includes support for all modes, including EDL (for recovery of "bricks").

Download the archive with drivers from the official Xiaomi website (Tools section) or from XiaomiFlashTool. The archive will have files for:

• 🖥️ ADB-interface (debugging by USB).
• ⚡ Fastboot (firmware and unlocking).
• 🛠️ Qualcomm HS-USB (regime EDL for Qualcomm chips).
• 📱 MTP/PTP (file transfer).

Installation instructions:

Turn off your phone from PC | Unpack the downloaded archive in the folder | Launch DriverInstall.exe on behalf of the administrator |Plug your phone in Fastboot mode (Loudness down + Power) | Wait for the installation to be completed and restart the PC

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Important: If you install the Qualcomm HS-USB QDLoader 9008 driver error "Can not check the publisher", disable the verification of the digital signature of drivers in Windows (temporary solution).

Method 3: Installation via Mi PC Suite

Mi PC Suite is Xiaomi’s official software for managing your smartphone from your computer, and it automatically installs the basic drivers for file transfer and backup, but it does not support Fastboot and EDL modes.

Download the utility from the official website and follow the instructions:

1. Install Mi PC Suite (administrator rights required).
2. Connect your smartphone to your PC via USB (allow debugging over USB in your phone settings: Settings → About Phone → MIUI version → 7 times click on version → go back to Settings → Additional → For developers → Debugging over USB).
3. Run the program and wait for the device to be determined.

Advantages of the method:

• ✅ Automatic installation of drivers for MTP and ADB.
• ✅ Possibility of backup of data.
• ✅ Support for older models (Redmi) 4X, Mi A1).

Disadvantages:

• ❌ There is no support for Fastboot and EDL.
• ❌ The program may conflict with other utilities (for example, Mi Flash Tool).

Addressing common mistakes

Even after installing drivers, problems can occur, and below are the typical errors and ways to fix them.

If the phone isn’t identified in Fastboot, but it appears as Android in Device Manager, try:

1. Disconnect and reconnect USB-cable.
2. Reboot your phone in Fastboot (clamp Volume Down + Power for 10 seconds).
3. In the command line enter: fastboot devices If the list is empty - the problem is in the drivers.

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MediaTek chips (such as the Redmi Note 11 or POCO M4 Pro) require a MediaTek Preloader driver, which can be downloaded from the SP Flash Tool.

Drivers for specific modes (EDL, Diag)

EDL (Emergency Download Mode) and Diag are used to restore bricks or low-level firmware, and require separate drivers:

• 🔧 Qualcomm HS-USB QDLoader 9008 – for Qualcomm chips (most flagships Xiaomi and others) POCO F-series).
• 📱 MediaTek Preloader for devices on MediaTek (Redmi Note 10, POCO M3).
• 🚨 Diag Port – for network diagnostics (less commonly used by users).

To put the phone in EDL mode:

1. Turn off the device.
2. Hold the Loud up. + Loud down and plug in. USB-plug-in.
3. Hold the buttons for 10-15 seconds until the COM port appears in the Device Manager.

⚠️ Attention: Incorrect firmware in mode EDL This mode can only be used if you are confident in your actions or follow a proven instruction.

To install the QDLoader driver:

1. Download the Qualcomm Drivers package (for example, with XDA Developers).
2. Open Device Manager, find an unknown device code 9008.
3. Right-click → Update the driver → Search on this computer → specify the folder with the driver.
4. Ignore the warning about the unsigned driver (click Still Install).

Checking the operability of drivers

After installing drivers, check their performance:

1. For ADB: Adb devices, the serial number of the device must be displayed.
2. For Fastboot: fastboot devices, an identifier should appear similarly.
3. For MTP: Open This Computer – The phone should be displayed as a media device.

If the teams are not working:

• 🔄 Restart your computer and phone.
• 🔌 Try another one. USB-cable or port (preferably) USB 2.0 on the back of the PC).
• 🛡️ Temporarily disable the antivirus (it can block the installation of drivers).

To check the EDL mode:

1. Connect your phone in EDL mode (see instructions above).
2. Open Device Manager → check for Qualcomm HS-USB QDLoader 9008 (COMX) port.
3. Start the Mi Flash Tool – the device should be defined as COMX.

⚠️ Note: If the Mi Flash Tool displays the phone as Unknown, but the port COM There is a problem in the dispatcher, the problem may be incompatibility of the version of the utility and firmware.

FAQ: Frequent questions about Xiaomi drivers