How to get root rights to Xiaomi Redmi 8: the complete guide

Owners of Xiaomi Redmi 8 often face the limitations of the standard MIUI shell, which prevents you from removing system debris or fine-tuning the processor. Getting root rights opens up access to the deep layers of the Android operating system, giving you full control of the device. This action turns your gadget from a regular phone into a powerful tool for experimentation.

However, the procedure requires careful and rigorous algorithmic follow-up, as incorrect actions can lead to locking the device. In this article, we will examine each step in detail, from unlocking the bootloader to implementing the Magisk manager, you will learn how to secure your data and what to do if something goes wrong.

Before you start, you need to realize that obtaining administrator rights voids the official manufacturer's warranty.In addition, some banking applications can stop working without additional manipulations to hide root rights.The process of unlocking the Xiaomi bootloader requires a mandatory wait of 168 hours (7 days) after submitting an application.

Preparation of the device and necessary tools

You should start with a thorough preparation of the workplace and the smartphone itself. You need a Windows computer that is working. USB-And without these basic components, you can't do the next steps.

On the smartphone itself, you need to activate the developer mode. Go to Settings → About Phone and quickly click on the MIUI version seven times. After you see a message about activation of the developer mode, go to Settings → Advanced Settings → For developers.

In the menu open, find and include the items “Debugging by” USB» And make sure that the Mi Account you're using is tied to the device, which is a critical step, without which the unlock tool will not be able to identify the phone.

• 📱 Charge your smartphone to at least 60% so it doesn’t turn off at a critical moment.
• 💾 Make a full backup of all important data as the memory will be completely cleared.
• 🔗 Download and install drivers ADB and Fastboot on your computer.
• 📥 Download the latest version of the Mi Unlock Tool from the official website.

⚠️ Attention: All data on the internal drive will be permanently deleted during the process of unlocking the bootloader.

Unlocking the bootloader (Bootloader)

The longest step is waiting for permission from Xiaomi to unlock, after linking the account in the phone settings, you need to wait exactly 168 hours, before that, Mi Unlock will not allow you to perform the procedure, even if all the settings are correct.

After a week, turn off your smartphone and press down the volume and power buttons at the same time to switch to Fastboot mode. Connect your phone to your computer and launch the Mi Unlock Tool. Sign in to the same Mi Account that was used on your phone.

The program will check the status of the device. If the waiting time has expired, press the "Unlock" button. The device will restart and begin the unlocking process, after which all data will be erased. This is a standard security measure,implemented by the manufacturer.

Installation of custom TWRP Recovery

To implement superuser rights, we will need a modified restore menu known as TWRP. Standard Recovery does not allow you to make changes to the system partition. You need to find the current version of the image (.img file) designed specifically for the Redmi 8 model (codenamed olive).

Copy the TWRP image file into the ADB tool folder on your computer. Rename it to twrp.img for convenience. Put your phone into Fastboot mode and connect to your PC. Open the command line in the ADB folder and enter the command to check the connection: fastboot devices.

If the device is displayed, enter the command to temporarily load the Recovery: fastboot boot twrp.img. It's important not to flash it right away with the flash command unless you're sure of build stability, but installing root usually requires firmware. twrp.img.

Immediately after the firmware command is executed, you need to press the power and volume buttons "Up" so that the phone boots immediately into TWRP. If this is not done, the system can overwrite the recovery partition back to the stock one at the first boot.

⚠️ Attention: Image use TWRP, It is designed for a different model (e.g. Redmi). 8A or Redmi 7), which can cause the device to "brick.

Magisk installation and root rights

Now that we have access to the custom Recovery, you can install the manager of the rights. APK-Magisk file from the official GitHub repository. Rename the file extension from.apk to.zip so that the recaveri can read it, or simply copy the apk inside as new versions are available. TWRP Often see apk as a zip.

Boot to TWRP. If the menu is in Chinese, you can switch to English or Russian in the settings (cogs). Press the "Install" button and select the downloaded Magisk file in the list.

Slide the slider to confirm the installation. The process will take a few seconds. Once completed successfully, press the button "Reboot System." When you first boot the Android system can update longer than usual - that's normal.

• 🚀 After downloading, find the Magisk icon in the application menu.
• 🔒 Open the application and agree to install additional components if requested.
• ✅ In the main window opposite the item Magisk should be the version number, which confirms the success of the game.

Now your Xiaomi Redmi 8 has superuser rights, you can install modules, change system files, and delete preinstalled software, but remember that with these rights comes the responsibility for system stability.

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If the Magisk app doesn’t see root rights, try turning on Settings → Set up Magisk → Zygisk and rebooting the device. In some cases, you need to rename the Magisk app through the app’s settings before rebooting.

Compatibility table and software versions

The success of the procedure depends on the version of the installed operating system and regional firmware, and below is a table that will help you navigate the compatibility of unlock methods with different versions of MIUI.

As you can see from the table, newer firmware versions may be more difficult to implement additional security checks. For MIUI 12.5 and higher versions, it is often necessary to patch the vbmeta file to disable the integrity check of the boot image.

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Key point: On newer versions of Android, simply installing TWRP isn’t enough – it’s often necessary to patch the original boot.img through Magisk on your computer and flash it through Fastboot.

Possible problems and solutions

In the process of system modification, users often encounter typical errors, one of the most common is the "Bootloop", where the phone is endlessly rebooted, this happens if an incompatible module is installed or the system partition is damaged.

If the phone is stuck in a reboot cycle, try recovering (if stock) and resetting. In the case of TWRP, you can try removing the last installed modules through the file manager or recovering a backup of the boot partition if it was made.

Another problem is that banking applications fail, which is a standard root-rights response, and the solution is to enable the “Zygisk” function in Magisk settings and add banking applications to the Denis List, and may require hiding the Magisk app itself by renaming the package.

⚠️ Note: If you get a Waiting for Device error in Mi Unlock Tool, try replacing it. USB-cable or connect the device to another USB-port, preferably USB 2.0, installed directly on the motherboard.

Safety and return to the original state

Sometimes you have to get the device back to factory, for example, for sale or before you go to the service center, and it's not enough to just uninstall the Magisk app. You have to completely reflash the phone with stock firmware.

Download the official firmware for your model and region. Use the Mi Flash Tool to install the firmware in clean all mode. This action will block the bootloader again (unless you choose a special mode) and remove all traces of modifications.

Remember that an unlocked bootloader makes the device vulnerable to physical access by attackers, as they can read data from memory. Always use a strong screen lock password and data encryption, which is enabled by default in modern Android.