What happens if you reset the settings to factory on the Xiaomi smartphone: a full analysis of the consequences and instructions

Resetting to factory settings on Xiaomi is a radical way to bring the device back to its “primordial” appearance, but many users are afraid to press this button for fear of losing important data. Is the procedure really as dangerous as it seems? What exactly will be removed and what will remain intact? And most importantly, can information be recovered after the reset?

In this article, we will examine the consequences of resetting for different Xiaomi models (from budget Redmi to flagship Mi and POCO), explain how to prepare for the procedure, and reveal hidden nuances that are not written in the official instructions, for example, why Mi Account can be lost after a reset, even if you remember the password, or how to return the device to work if it is stuck on the logo after a reset.

Spoiler: Not everything is as scary as it sounds. With the right preparation, not only will you save important data, but you can also clean your smartphone of system debris that slows down, and if you plan to sell or transfer your phone, factory resets are a must to protect your privacy.

What data is deleted when resetting to factory settings

The first thing that users care about is what information will disappear forever. Reset to factory settings on Xiaomi deletes:

• 📱 All installed apps (including games, instant messengers, banking programs) that are downloaded from Google Play can be restored through your account, but the settings inside them (for example, saved games or chats) will disappear.
• 📂 Files in the internal memory: photos, videos, music, documents, downloads. Everything that was stored in folders like DCIM, Downloads or Pictures, will be erased.
• 📞 Contacts, SMS Call logs, if not synced to Google Account or Mi Cloud, and local contacts (only saved on the phone) will disappear forever.
• ⚙️ All personal settings: wallpaper, sounds, shortcuts on the desktop, display settings, gestures, Wi-Fi passwords, Bluetooth device data.
• 🔒 Accounts (except Mi Accounts if it was linked to a device) such as social media, email or banking apps will have to be re-entered.

Here's what's not deleted:

• 💾 Files on a memory card (microSD) if it was not encrypted as part of internal memory. However, some Xiaomi models (for example, Redmi Note 10 Pro) may offer formatting the card - be careful!
• ☁️ Cloud data: Photos in Google Photos, Google Account contacts, Mi Cloud notes, and they will recover after re-entry.
• 📱 Firmware and system updates. Reset doesn't roll back version MIUI — The phone will remain on the same firmware as before the reset.

⚠️ Note: If your Xiaomi has enabled data encryption (in the Settings menu) → Additionally. → Encryption and accounts, and when you reset all the files in your internal memory, they're not readable, and even if you connect your phone to your PC, you can't recover them without a factory password.

What Happens to Your Mi Account After a Reset

One of the most common questions is, "Will Xiaomi account be deleted after reset?" No, but there are important nuances here:

• 🔑 Mi Account remains tied to the device unless you manually delete it before reset, which means that after the reboot, the phone will require you to enter a username and password from your Xiaomi account to unlock it.
• 📱 If you forget the data from Mi Account, the phone will turn into a “brick” – you can unlock it only through the official Xiaomi service (and this is a paid service).
• ☁️ Cloud data (photos, notes, backups) will be saved in Mi Cloud, but you will need authorization to access it.

This is especially true for FRP (Factory Reset Protection) devices. Since MIUI 12, Xiaomi has tightened its security policy: if the phone was enabled Mi Account and Find the device, then after reset without knowing the username / password, it will be impossible to unlock the device.

How do you check if your Mi Account is linked to your phone? Go to Settings → Xiaomi Account. If your email or phone number is displayed there, your account is active. To avoid problems after a reset:

Make sure you remember the password from your Mi Account

Untie your account in settings (if you plan to sell your phone)

Make a backup of the Mi Cloud data

Check that the “Find Device” function is disabled (if necessary)

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Step-by-step: how to reset settings on Xiaomi

If you are determined to reset your phone, follow this instruction to avoid mistakes:

1. Create a backup copy: 📱 Go to Settings. → The phone. → Backup and reset → Local backup. 💾 Select data to save (contacts, messages, applications) and click Create backup. ☁️ Alternative: Use Mi Cloud or Google Drive for cloud backup.
2. Untie the accounts: 🔑 Remove Mi Account in Settings → Xiaomi account → Delete your account (if you plan to sell your phone). 📧 Remove Google Account from Settings → Accounts and synchronization.
3. Launch the reset: ⚙️ Go to Settings. → The phone. → Backup and reset → Resetting settings. 🔄 Choose to erase all data and confirm the action. 🔐 If requested PIN-code or pattern lock, enter it.

It takes 5-15 minutes, and the phone will reboot and suggest that you set it up as new.

⚠️ Note: On some Xiaomi models (e.g, POCO F3 or Redmi K40) When you reset, you may have a "This device is locked" error, which means that the Mi Account has not been untied.

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If the phone is stuck on the logo after reset, try pressing the power button for 10-15 seconds to force a reboot. If that doesn't help, you'll need firmware through Fastboot.

What to do if after resetting the phone does not turn on or brakes

Sometimes the reset to the factory settings is not smooth, and here are the common problems and their solutions:

If your phone doesn’t respond to the buttons, try:

1. Connect to charging for 30 minutes (sometimes the battery is discharged during the reset process).
2. Press Power + Volume down for 10 seconds for forced reboot.
3. If nothing helps, then I can run the device through EDL-mode (cable and PC required).

How to recover data after reset: working methods

If you haven’t made a backup, the chances of returning the data are there, but they depend on the type of memory and the method of resetting:

• 📱 Recovery via Mi Cloud: If sync was enabled before reset, go to Settings → Xiaomi account → Mi Cloud and restore contacts, notes or photos.
• ☁️ Google Account: When you first turn on after reset, the phone will prompt you to recover data from Google Drive (apps, contacts, calendar).
• 🔍 Recovery software: If the data was stored in internal memory, you can try DiskDigger, Recuva or Dr.Fone. But success is not guaranteed - after reset, new data can be rewritten old ones. ⚠️ Warning: Don't install recovery software on your smartphone itself, it will reduce your chances of success. Connect your phone's memory to your PC via a computer. ADB Remove the memory chip (for experienced users).

For advanced users, there is a way to recover data through TWRP Recovery:

1. Install TWRP on your phone (if you haven't already).


2. Connect the phone to the PC and use the command:




adb pull /data/media/0/ C:\Xiaomi_Backup




3. Copy the files to the computer before overwriting.

However, this method only works if:

• 📱 There was no encryption on the phone.
• 🔄 Reset was done via Recovery, not Fastboot.
• ⏳ It has been no more than 24 hours after the reset (the later, the less likely it is).

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The most reliable way to save data is to back up before the reset, and recovery after the fact only works 30 to 50 percent of the time, and requires technical skills.

When resetting to factory settings is the only solution

There are situations when the reset is not just desirable, but necessary:

• 🐌 The phone is severely inhibited by memory or application conflicts, and resets will delete unnecessary files and cache, and return performance.
• 🦠 Virus or malware that is not removed by antivirus.Factory Reset will clean up the system of infected files.
• 🔄 Errors after the update MIUI: endless reboots, application departures, broken Wi-Fi.

But before you click on Erase all the data, check if a more gentle method will help:

• 🛠️ Resetting the settings of a particular application in Settings → Annexes.

Xiaomi models on which reset can cause problems

Not all Xiaomi smartphones are equally well tolerated reset, and here are the models that are more likely to be difficult to handle:

If you have one of these models, before resetting:

1. Check out the MIUI version in Settings → About the phone.
2. Make sure the battery is at least 50% charged.
3. Download the firmware for your model on the Xiaomi Firmware website (in case you need a recovery).

FAQ: Frequent questions about resetting settings on Xiaomi