How to completely clean Xiaomi Redmi Note 8 Pro: 4 proven ways

Xiaomi Redmi Note 8 Pro is one of the brand’s most popular smartphones, but over time even it starts to “brake” due to accumulated debris, viruses or system errors. Complete cleaning of the device can return it to its former speed, but it is important to do it correctly so as not to lose important data or turn the phone into a “brick”.

In this article, we’ll take a look at all the possible resets to factory settings, from the standard method through the MIUI menu to the hard options through Recovery and Fastboot. You’ll learn how to prepare for the cleanup, which data can be saved and which will be deleted irrevocably, and we’ll also look at the nuances associated with unlocking the bootloader and recovering from a failed reset.

If your Redmi Note 8 Pro is stuck on the logo, doesn’t respond to clicks, or just works too slowly, this guide will help bring it back to life.

1.Preparation for complete cleaning: what to do before discharge

Before you reset the Redmi Note 8 Pro to factory settings, you need to perform a few critical actions, and ignoring this step can lead to loss of photos, contacts and even blocking the Mi Account.

First, back up all the important data, and even if you're planning to reset through the settings menu, there's always a risk of failure.

• 📁 Cloud storage: Google Drive, Mi Cloud or Yandex Disk for photos, videos and documents.
• 📱 Local Copy: Connect your phone to your PC via USB And copy files from folders. DCIM, Downloads and Pictures.
• 🔄 Account Sync: Make sure your contacts and notes are synced with Google or Mi Account.
• 🎮 Game savers: if you play mobile games (e.g. Genshin Impact or PUBG Mobile, link your Facebook account or Game Center.

Second, check your Mi Account binding. After resetting, the phone may require you to enter a username and password from your Xiaomi account, especially if you have previously activated the Find Device feature. Make sure you remember the login details or untie your account in advance in the Mi Account settings → Devices.

⚠️ Note: If you forgot the password from Mi Account, and the phone is tied to the account, after resetting it can be unlocked only through the official Xiaomi service (you need a check or box with a check). IMEI).

Third, charge the battery to at least 50%, and the reset process, especially through Recovery or Fastboot, can take up to 10-15 minutes, and discharging at this point will lead to serious system errors.

Make backup photos and videos|Synchronize contacts with Google/Mi Account|Charge the phone before 50% more|Make sure you have a password from your Mi Account|Disable the memory card (unless you need to format it)-->

2. Method 1: Reset via the MIUI settings menu (the safest)

This is the easiest and most recommended method if the phone is turned on and responsive to taps, and it is suitable for most users and does not require additional tools.

Instructions:

1. Open Settings (the gear icon on the main screen).
2. Go to About Phone (or Additional → Recovery and Reset in older versions of MIUI).
3. Select Settings Reset.
4. Click Delete all data (or Reset to factory settings).
5. If necessary, enter PIN-code.
6. Confirm the action by clicking Reset.

The phone will reboot and start the cleaning process, which will take 3-5 minutes, and then you will see the screen of the initial setup, as after the purchase.

⚠️ Note: If your phone has a microSD, the system will prompt you to format it. If there are important files on the card, uncheck the box from "Clear" SD-map».

Advantages of this method:

• ✅ Does not require computer or special knowledge.
• ✅ Minimum risk of error (if the battery is charged).
• ✅ Save unlocked bootloader (if it was unlocked earlier).

Method 2: Hard Reset via Recovery Mode (if the phone doesn't turn on)

If the Redmi Note 8 Pro is stuck on the logo, does not respond to clicks or is blocked by a password you forgot, resetting via Recovery will help.This method works even without access to the system, but requires care.

Steps to Enter Recovery:

1. Turn off the phone (press the power button for 10-15 seconds if it freezes).
2. Press the Power button and the Volume up simultaneously.
3. Hold them until the Mi logo appears (usually 5-10 seconds).
4. Release the buttons when the Recovery menu (black screen with yellow text) appears.

In the Recovery menu, the volume buttons (Up/Down for navigation) and the power button (Select) are controlled.

1. Select Wipe Data (or Wipe & Reset in some versions).
2. Confirm the action by selecting Wipe All Data.
3. Wait until the process is complete (the screen will display the inscription Data wipe complete).
4. Go back to the main menu and select Reboot to reboot.

If after resetting the phone requires you to enter a password from Mi Account, and you do not remember it, you will have to contact the Xiaomi service center with proof of purchase.

Method 3: Complete Fastboot Cleanup (for power users)

This method is suitable if:

• 🔧 The phone doesn’t even load in Recovery.
• 🔓 You need to delete all data, including partitions of the system (for example, after a failed firmware).
• 📱 You need to unlock the loader before the firmware custom ROM.

The work will require:

• 💻 Computer with drivers installed ADB/Fastboot (You can download from the Android Developers website).
• 🔌 Cable USB Type-C (preferably original).
• 🔋 Battery charge of at least 30%.

Instructions:

1. Turn off the phone.
2. Press Volume Down + Power and hold until the Fastboot screen appears (Android robot labeled Fastboot).
3. Connect the phone to the PC.
4. Open the command line (cmd) in the folder with the platform-tools.
5. Enter the command to check the connection: fastboot devices If the phone is determined (its serial number will appear), continue.
6. Run full reset: fastboot erase userdata fastboot erase cache fastboot reboot

After the reboot, the phone will be completely cleaned, including internal memory, and all data (photos, apps, settings) will be deleted without the possibility of recovery.

⚠️ Note: If the phone has unlocked the bootloader, after reset via Fastboot, you may need to re-unblock. Also, this method does not bypass the Mi Account lock - if the phone was linked to the account, after the reset, you will need to enter a login and password.

5. Method 4: Using MIUI Tools for deep cleaning (for advanced)

If standard methods do not help (for example, the phone is locked after a failed firmware), you can use the utility MIUI Tools.

• 🔄 Reset your settings even on a locked phone (in some cases).
• 🔓 Bypass the Mi Account lock (only for older versions) MIUI).
• 📦 Remove unnecessary system applications.

Instructions:

1. Download MIUI Tools from an official website or a trusted source (e.g., XDA Developers).
2. Install ADB/Fastboot drivers (see previous section).
3. Connect your phone in Fastboot mode (clip Volume Down + Power).
4. Start MIUI Tools and select the Redmi Note 8 Pro (begonia) model.
5. In Unlock, click Clean All and Lock (this will delete all data and block the bootloader).
6. Wait for the process to be completed and restart the phone.

Important: This method can block the bootloader if it has been unlocked before, and it does not guarantee the bypass of Mi Account on newer versions of MIUI (12 and above).

💡

If the phone does not turn on after resetting through MIUI Tools, try flashing it with the official firmware through the Mi Flash Tool. You can download the firmware for the Redmi Note 8 Pro on the Xiaomi Firmware website.

6.What to do after the reset: initial setup and data recovery

Once cleaned, the phone will start in its initial setup mode.

1. Choose the language and region (Russia or Global is recommended if you have international firmware).
2. Connect to Wi-Fi – this is necessary to restore backup and update the system.
3. Sign in to your Mi Account (if your phone has been tied) without this step, some features (such as themes or cloud storage) won’t work.
4. Restore data from backup: If you used Google Account, select Restore from Google. If the copy was on Mi Cloud, select Restore from Mi Cloud. If you copied files to your PC, connect your phone to USB and transfer them back.

Update the system.

Settings → About the phone → System update

If the phone is slower than before after reset, it may not be the garbage that caused the problem, but the worn memory or battery, in which case the replacement of the components will help.

💡

After reset, don’t install all the apps at once – check the phone’s “clean” state first.

7 Frequent errors in resetting and how to avoid them

Even when following the instructions, users often encounter problems, and here are the most common mistakes and solutions:

If none of the methods worked, there may be a hardware problem (e.g., a damaged flash memory) in which case, contact the service center.

FAQ: Answers to Frequent Questions