Many users of Xiaomi, Redmi and POCO devices face the consequences of gaining extended administrator rights, known as root. This can be unstable banking applications, the inability to start Google Pay or simply wanting to return the phone to its original state before selling. Root access gives full control of the system, but at the same time removes important security barriers.
In this article, we will discuss what exactly this regime is, what risks it carries and how to safely get rid of it.
The process of removing superuser rights requires care, as incorrect actions can lead to software failures.
We’ll look at proven methods for different versions of MIUI and HyperOS firmware so you can get back the security guarantees.
What are root rights and why they are turned off
Root rights are analogous to an administrator account on Windows operating systems, but for Android, allowing users to make changes to system files, delete preinstalled applications, and modify the system kernel, but by gaining this control, the owner of the device often loses the manufacturer's warranty.
⚠️ Attention: Having root rights makes a device vulnerable to malware that can access passwords and personal information without restrictions.
The main reason users are trying to turn off root is that they can’t use applications with high security requirements: Banking programs like Sberbank Online or Tinkoff, as well as payment systems like Mir Pay or Google Wallet, block the work on modified devices, they see a violation of the integrity of the system and refuse to start.
In addition, many online games and streaming services (e.g. Netflix on the Internet) HD-The quality of the content is also checked for superuser rights, and if the system detects Magisk or other root managers, the content may not be available or the image quality may be reduced. That is why returning to a runoff state is often a necessity for comfortable smartphone use.
Checking the availability of superuser rights on Xiaomi
Before you start the removal process, you need to make sure that root rights are really active. Often users confuse the unlocked bootloader with the presence of superuser rights. These are different things, although they often come with a bundle. You can use specialized utilities or built-in tools to verify.
The easiest way to do this is to find the root rights manager icon in the app menu, which could be SuperSU, Magisk or KingRoot, and if you don't have one, you should use diagnostic software to scan the system and give you an accurate status report.
- 📱 Install the Root Checker app from Google Play and click the “Verify Root” button to get status.
- 🔍 Search the menu for folders with Superuser, Magisk or similar system utilities.
- 🛠 Use the terminal (su command) to see if the system responds to the request for administrator rights.
If the Root Checker app shows a green screen that says "Congratulations," it means that access is open. If you have a red screen that says "Sorry," root rights are missing or hidden, and it's important to understand that some programs can hide their presence, so comprehensive verification is the most reliable.
Hidden Signs of Root Access
Preparing a smartphone for root removal
The procedure for completely removing administrator rights and returning the system to its original state requires prior preparation. Any interference with the system partition carries potential risks, so it is important to minimize the likelihood of data loss or failure.
Make sure the battery is at least 60-70%. Interrupting the flashing or reset process due to battery discharge can cause the phone to turn into a brick and stop turning on, and it is also recommended to disable all third-party antivirus and optimizers that can block system changes.
☑️ Checklist before root removal
You should also pay special attention to your Mi Account and Google Account. Once you reset your license or flash it, your phone may ask for confirmation of the owner. If you forget your password, it will be extremely difficult to unlock your device, and in some cases, you need to completely remove your accounts from your settings before you start procedures.
| Parameter | Recommended value | Importance |
|---|---|---|
| Battery charge | More than 60% | Critically. |
| Backup copy | Done. | Tall. |
| Wi-Fi stability | Good. | Medium |
| Access to PCs | Desirable. | Medium |
Remove root through the application manager
If the rights were obtained officially or semi-officially through programs such as SuperSU or Magisk, the best way to remove them is to use the built-in uninstallation function, which allows you to delete the access rights files without affecting the user’s personal data (photos, contacts, applications).
For SuperSU users, the process is as simple as possible: you need to open the application, go to the Settings tab and find the option "Full Root Deletion". Once confirmed, the program will delete the su binary files and restore the original system files. The phone can restart once or twice in the process.
In Magisk, the algorithm is a little different, so you have to click the "Uninstall" button on the main menu of the app, select "Complete Uninstall" option, and the manager will delete itself and all the modifications that are embedded in the boot image, which is the cleanest way to return to the drain without losing data.
⚠️ Note: If you used Magisk to install modules, simply removing the application may not remove all changes.
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If standard removal through the app didn’t help and root persisted, try updating the manager app to the latest version before trying to delete again.
Reset to factory settings (Hard Reset)
When built-in deletion functions fail or root has been obtained by unknown methods, the only reliable option is a complete factory reset, which is guaranteed to delete all user data and return the software part of the phone to the “out of the box” state.
To perform Hard Reset, you need to do a sequence of things through the Recovery menu on Xiaomi. Turn off the smartphone completely. Then press the volume button and the power button at the same time. Hold them until the Mi logo appears, then release the power button while you keep the volume.
In the Main Menu, you can control the volume buttons (up/down) and the power button (select). Select the language (English), then go to Wipe Data. Then select Wipe All Data and confirm the action with the Confirm button. After you complete the process, select Reboot -> Reboot to System.
- 🔄 This method completely removes root rights and all data from the internal drive.
- ⏱ The process takes 5 to 15 minutes depending on the amount of memory.
- 🔒 Once turned on, the phone will require you to enter a password from a Mi Account or Google account that was previously synced.
It's important to understand that after this procedure, the phone will be like new, you'll have to reconfigure Wi-Fi, install applications and restore contacts from the backup, but this will ensure that any traces of the system modification are removed.
Reflashing the smartphone with the Mi Flash Tool
The most radical and effective method, which removes not only root, but also unlocked bootloader (in some regions), is a complete flashing of the device, using the official Mi Flash Tool utility and a firmware file in Fastboot format.
To start, you need to download the current firmware for your model from miui.com or xiaomifirmwareupdater.com. It is important to choose Fastboot firmware (usually has the.tgz extension), and not Recovery (.zip). Unpack the archive in the root of the C disk so that the path to the folder is short and does not contain Cyrillic.
adb reboot bootloaderThis command puts the phone into Fastboot mode. Connect the device to the computer through the original one. USB-In the Mi Flash Tool, press the Refresh button to let your PC see your phone. In the lower right corner, select Clear All mode, which will completely clear the memory and install a clean rootless system.
⚠️ Warning: Selecting Clear All will lock the bootloader again (if the firmware is global and the region matches). Make sure you don't need to unlock in the future, as re-unlocking is only possible after 7 days of waiting. Press Flash and wait for the process to end. The progress indicator will be filled in green, and the phone will automatically reboot. The first download can take up to 10 minutes, and you will get a completely clean device that has never had root permissions. 💡Fastboot flashing is the only way to guarantee root removal if deep changes have been made to system partitions that are not deleted by a regular reset (FAQ) Will the warranty disappear after root rights are removed? Formally, the fact of obtaining root rights is recorded on the manufacturer's servers and in the device flags. Even if you delete root and reflash the phone, the service center may see that the bootloader has been unlocked. So the warranty may not be restored automatically, the service center decides. Can you delete the root without losing photos and contacts? Yes, if you use methods through the SuperSU or Magisk (Complete Uninstall) application. However, if these methods do not help and you need Hard Reset or firmware, all data will be deleted. Always back up before any actions begin. Will banking applications work after removal? In most cases, yes. After correct root rights are removed and root reboots, how to reboot the system, if the bank reboots the application are connected to the bank, it will equal to reboot the bank's, or to reboot the bank's reboot it will reset. Unlocked Bootloader is a state that allows you to change the system partition. Root rights often require an unlocked bootloader to install. Root removal does not always lock the bootloader back, it requires a complete flashing with the stock version of the software.