What happens if you click Wipe Data on Xiaomi: consequences and recovery

The Wipe Data (or "Data Cleanup") feature in Xiaomi's recovery menu is one of the most radical tools that can both save a smartphone from software failures and lead to the loss of all personal information, POCO Or Mis have to use this mode when they freeze, update errors, or when they're ready to sell, but what exactly happens when you click on this option? Why is it often confused with Factory Reset from Android settings, and what's the difference?

In this article, we will discuss in detail:

• 🔹 What is removed when choosing Wipe Data in TWRP or drainage recovery
• 🔹 Differences from reset via phone settings (Settings) → The phone. → Resetting settings)
• 🔹 When to use this method (and when it is useless)
• 🔹 How to Prepare to Avoid Losing Important Data
• 🔹 Step-by-step instructions for beginners with photos and warnings

We will focus on the hidden consequences that are rarely discussed, such as why Mi Account may stop working after Wipe Data or why some Xiaomi models require additional unlocking of the bootloader.

What is Wipe Data and Where to Find It on Xiaomi

Wipe Data (literally, “erase data”) is a command in the recovery mode menu that performs low-level partition formatting. /data, stored:

• 📱 All installed applications and their data (including cache)
• 👤 Google, Mi, Social Media and Other Accounts
• 📁 Personal files: photos, videos, documents (if not on the SD-map)
• 🔧 System settings (wallpaper, sounds, network parameters, etc.)
• 🔐 Wi-Fi passwords, fingerprints, graphic keys

It's important to understand that Wipe Data in recovery is not the same as resetting through Android settings.

You can find Wipe Data in two ways:

1. Through Stock Recovery: Click Power + Volume up when the phone is turned off, select the language, then the Wipe Data item (on some models – Wipe & Reset).
2. Through custom recovery (TWRP): Wipe → Format Data (requires you to enter Yes to confirm).

What exactly is deleted when you press Wipe Data

Many people mistakenly think that Wipe Data erases all of your phone's memory, including firmware, and in fact only affects certain parts:

• 📂 Section /data — It stores all user data (applications, settings, files) and it is the one that is formatted completely.
• 📂 Section /cache — Temporary system files (cleaned automatically when Wipe Data is in drain recovery).
• 🚫 Not removed: 📱 Firmware (/system, /vendor) 📱 Core and loader (/boot) 📱 External SD-Card (unless you have selected Wipe Internal Storage) 📱 Files in a folder MIUI/Backup (if there is)

A critical nuance for Xiaomi owners with a Mi Account binding: after Wipe Data, the phone may require you to enter a username and password from your Mi Account, even if you previously disabled it. This is due to the Mi Cloud Activation Lock feature, which links the device to the account at the hardware level. If you do not remember the login data, it will be extremely difficult to unlock the phone (you will need to contact Xiaomi with proof of ownership).

Another little-known fact: on some Xiaomi models (for example, Redmi Note 10 Pro or other models). POCO X3 Pro) Wipe Data can reset the firmware region, which means that the phone will automatically switch to the Chinese or global version. MIUI This may result in some features being lost (e.g. Google Services on the Chinese versions) or unnecessary apps (e.g. Mi Video or Mi Music) being added).

When to use Wipe Data

Despite the radical nature of the method, there are situations where Wipe Data is the only solution:

• 🐢 The phone brakes heavily even after resetting through settings, which may indicate damage to the partition. /data, which is not corrected by a "soft" discharge.
• 🔄 Failed update MIUI, after which the system does not boot (hang on the logo or bootloop).
• 🦠 Viral infection that is not removed by antiviruses (some malware is embedded in partition system files) /data).
• 🔓 Preparing for the sale – so that the new owner can not recover your data.
• 🛠️ Switch to custom firmware (such as LineageOS or Pixel Experience) where a clean partition is required /data.

However, there are some cases where Wipe Data will not help:

• 🚫 Hardware breakdowns (faulty battery, broken screen, motherboard problems).
• 🚫 Damaged bootloader (phone doesn’t turn on at all or hangs on Fastboot).
• 🚫 Lockdown FRP (Google Factory Reset Protection – requires data input from your last Google account.

💡

If the phone is stuck on the logo MI After the update, try a more gentle method first: go to recovery and select Wipe Cache (no data formatting). 60% of the time, this solves the problem without losing information.

Xiaomi owners with a locked bootloader should be especially careful on such devices (for example, Redmi). 9A or POCO M3) A failed Wipe Data can lead to soft-brick, a state where the phone turns on but does not boot the system, and can only be restored through the Mi Flash Tool with an authorized Xiaomi account.

Next Next post: How to Make Wipe Data Right

If you decide to reset, follow this instruction to avoid errors:

Step 1 Enter recovery

1. Turn off the phone.
2. Press the power buttons. + Loud up and hold on 10-15 A few seconds before the Mi logo appears.
3. Release the buttons - you will see the recovery menu (Chinese firmware may have hieroglyphs; to change the language, click on the icon of the globe).

Step 2: Select the Wipe Data option

• In the drain recovery, select Wipe Data (or Wipe & Reset).
• V TWRP Go to Wipe. → Format Data, enter Yes to confirm.
• Confirm the action (usually a swipe or Confirm press is required).

Step 3: Waiting and restarting

The process will take 5 to 30 seconds.

1. Select Reboot System.
2. If the phone is stuck on the logo for more than 5 minutes, press the Power for 20 seconds for a forced reboot.

💡

Never interrupt the Wipe Data process by pressing buttons or removing the battery, which can damage the partition table and turn the phone into a brick that won’t even turn on in the fastboot.

Step 4: Initial setting

After the reset, the phone will turn on as new.

• Choose a language and region.
• Connect to Wi-Fi (required, otherwise you will not activate the Mi Account).
• Enter the data from Mi Account if the phone was tied.
• Restore data from the backup (if any).

What to do if your phone does not turn on after Wipe Data

If the device does not boot after reset, the reasons may be as follows:

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

1. Forced Rebuke: Clutch the Nutrition + Volume down for 20 seconds. If the phone vibrates, release the buttons.
2. Entrance to Fastboot: Clip the Power + Volume down when you turn off your phone. If you have a hare in your ear hat, plug it into your PC and use the Mi Flash Tool.
3. EDL-Mode (power users only): requires a special cable and QFil program. Wrong actions in this mode can permanently kill the phone.

💡

If the phone after Wipe Data asks for a password you didn't set, try entering the standard combinations for Xiaomi: 123456, 000000 or 111111.

For models with a locked bootloader (such as the Redmi Note 11 or Xiaomi 12), you may need to unlock through the official Xiaomi website.

1. Go to en.miui.com/unlock.
2. Sign in with the same Mi Account as you do on your phone.
3. Download the Mi Unlock Tool and follow the instructions (it will require a phone number binding).

How to Recover Data After Wipe Data

If you haven’t backed up, the chances of recovering data depend on what type of formatting was applied:

• 🔹 Fast formatting (default in sewage recovery): Data can be recovered using programs like DiskDigger or EaseUS MobiSaver, but only if you did not write new files after resetting.
• 🔹 Full formatting (b) TWRP When choosing Format Data: data is deleted irrevocably, recovery is impossible.

Instructions for recovery through DiskDigger:

1. Install the program on PC and connect the phone in mode MTP (After the reset, it may be necessary to include debugging USB developer-setting).
2. Select a section /data (It is usually displayed as an internal memory).
3. Start a deep scan (it will take a few hours).
4. Save the files found on your PC (not your phone!).

To restore messages, contacts and calls, you can use backup copies of Mi Cloud:

1. Go to i.mi.com under your account.
2. Go to the Devices section → [your phone] → Backup copies.
3. Download the last copy (if it was created before the reset).

Important: If you're planning to recover data, don't install new apps or copy files to your phone after you reset, and every new memory record reduces your chances of a successful recovery.

Frequent Mistakes and How to Avoid Them

Even experienced users sometimes make mistakes when working with Wipe Data.

• 🔋 Battery discharge: If the phone turns off during reset, it can damage the partition /data. Always charge the device at least until 50%.
• 🔌 Process interruption: Removing the battery or forced reboot during Wipe Data often results in soft-brick.
• 📱 Incompatible firmware: if you dropped data on a custom firmware phone and then tried to return the stock one, there may be a conflict of versions MIUI.
• 🔐 Forgotten Mi Account: If your phone was linked to your account and you don’t remember your password, it will be extremely difficult to restore access.
• 📁 Formatting SD-cards: in some recovery, the Wipe Data option affects external memory. Always remove the card before resetting.

To minimize the risks, follow this algorithm:

1. Check the phone model and version MIUI In Settings → The phone.
2. Make sure you have access to Mi Account and Google Account linked to the device.
3. Download the stock firmware for your model on en.miui.com (in case you need firmware reflashing).
4. Use the original cable to connect to your PC – cheap cables can interrupt data transmission.

💡

On Xiaomi phones with Qualcomm processors (e.g. Redmi Note 10 Pro or POCO F3) After a failed Wipe Data often helps flashing through the mode EDL. However, this requires an authorized Xiaomi account and the Mi Flash Pro program. Without experience, it is better to contact the service center.

If you are in doubt about your actions, use alternative methods:

• 🔄 Reset via Settings: Settings → The phone. → Resetting settings (less radical method).
• 🛠️ Recovery through Mi Assistant: the official utility from Xiaomi for software repair.
• 📱 Contact the service: if the phone is warranty, self-reset can cancel it.

FAQ: Answers to Frequent Questions