How to completely reboot Xiaomi: all ways to reset to factory settings

When Xiaomi starts to slow down, make errors, or need to hand it over to a new owner, a complete reboot becomes necessary. But what exactly is hidden under the term "fully reboot"? It is not about a banal shutdown / turn on, but about resetting to factory settings - a procedure that deletes all user data, applications and returns the firmware to its original state.

In this article, we will analyze all the current ways of hard and soft reboot of Xiaomi, Redmi and other devices. POCO — From a standard reset through settings to forced recovery via Fastboot or Mi Account, we will pay special attention to the nuances: what to do if the phone does not turn on, how to bypass the lock after the reset and what data can be stored before the procedure. MIUI 12–14 HyperOS, including Xiaomi 13/14, Redmi Note 12 and POCO F5.

1.What does it mean to "completely reboot" Xiaomi?

The term “full reboot” in the context of Xiaomi most often implies one of three scenarios:

• 🔄 Soft Reset: Reboots the system without deleting data (similar to pulling the battery out on old phones) and is used for freezes.
• 🧹 Hard Reset: Reset to factory settings via menu or Recovery, removes all data except firmware.
• 🔧 Flashing – a complete replacement of the software via Fastboot or Mi Flash Tool, required in case of serious failures or blocking.

In 90% of cases, users need a hard reset – it solves problems with:

• 🐢 Slow system operation (lags, friezes).
• 🚫 A forgotten pattern lock or PIN-code.
• 📱 Persistent application errors (com.android.phone, Google Play Services).
• 🔄 Failed updates MIUI/HyperOS.

⚠️ Warning: After a hard reset, the phone will require you to enter the Mi Account data that was tied before the procedure. If you forget your username / password, read the section about unlocking.

2.Reset preparation: what to save and how not to lose data

Before a full reboot, Xiaomi is critical to keep important information, and even if the phone is getting stuck or doesn’t respond to touch, there are ways to pull the data out:

• 📁 Photo/video: Connect your phone to your PC USB (in file transfer mode) and copy folders DCIM, Pictures, Movies.
• 📱 Contacts: Export through Google Contacts (Settings) → Exports/imports → Exports to.vcf).
• 🔑 Passwords: If you used Google Smart Lock, they sync automatically to your account.
• 🎮 Game saves: Enable sync in Mi Cloud (Settings) → Mi Account → Mi Cloud → Synchronization).

For devices with an unlocked bootloader, you can use TWRP to create a full NANDroid backup. If the bootloader is locked, only manual copying through ADB remains:

adb pull /sdcard/

⚠️ Note: Do not copy the Android folder – it contains an app cache that is useless after reset. Also avoid saving files with the.db extension (app databases) – they may contain personal data.

3. Method 1: Reset via the settings menu (soft method)

The easiest way to fully reboot Xiaomi is to use the built-in reset feature.The method works if:

• 📱 The phone is turned on and reacts to touch.
• 🔓 You know. PIN-code-key.
• 🔋 Battery charge > 30%.

Instructions:

1. Open Settings → About Phone → Reset (on HyperOS: Settings → Additional → Reset and Recovery).
2. Select to erase all data (reset to factory).
3. Enter. PIN-lock-screen code.
4. Confirm the action by pressing Erase Everything.

It takes 5-10 minutes, and after the restart, the phone will suggest you set it up as new.

Charge your phone to 50%+

Keeping important data

Ensure the stability of Wi-Fi/mobile network

Remember the username/password from Mi Account-->

4. Method 2: Hard Reset via Recovery Mode

If the phone doesn’t turn on, hovers on the MI logo or doesn’t respond to touch, use Recovery Mode, a technique that works on all Xiaomi models, including the Redmi Note 11, POCO X5 and Mi 11.

Steps to Enter Recovery:

1. Turn off the phone (press Power + Volume up for 10 seconds).
2. Press Power + Volume up and hold for 10-15 seconds until the Mi Recovery logo appears.
3. Select the language (English/Chinese) with the volume buttons, confirm the power button.

Next:

• Select Wipe Data → Wipe All Data (Erase Everything, Including Internal Memory)
• Confirm the action (Confirm).
• Once you have finished, select Reboot → Reboot to System.

⚠️ Note: On some models (Redmi) K50, POCO X3 Pro) after resetting via Recovery, you may need to enter Mi Account data even if the account was not previously linked.

5. Method 3: Fastboot Reset (for power users)

If Recovery Mode is unavailable or the phone gives a "No command" error, the option of resetting via Fastboot remains, USB-cables and installed drivers ADB/Fastboot.

Step-by-step:

1. Install Platform Tools from Google.
2. Turn off the phone and press Power + Volume down to enter the Fastboot (the image of a rabbit in a hat-eared will appear).
3. Connect your phone to your PC and open the Command Prompt in the folder with the platform-tools.
4. Enter the command to check the connection: fastboot devices Must appear serial number of the device.
5. Run reset: fastboot erase userdata fastboot erase cache fastboot reboot

After this procedure, the phone will reboot to a “out of the box” state, but may require unlocking the bootloader if it has been locked.

fastboot format userdata


fastboot format cache

It formats sections, not just erases data.-->

6. Method 4: Reset via Mi Account (if the password is forgotten)

If you have forgotten the pattern lock or PIN-The code, but remember the Mi Account, you can reset your phone through the official Xiaomi service:

• 📱 The phone is connected to the Internet (Wi-Fi or mobile network).
• 🔗 Mi Account was tied to device prior to lockdown.
• 🔒 The phone has enabled the Find Device function (Settings) → Mi Account → Find Device).

Instructions:

1. Go to i.mi.com and log in.
2. Select a locked phone from the list of devices.
3. Click Erase Data and confirm the action.
4. Wait until the process is completed (it can take up to 30 minutes).

After the reset, the phone will reboot and prompt you to log in to the Mi Account that was used for remote cleaning.

⚠️ Note: If the phone has enabled two-factor authentication for Mi Account, you will need to enter the code from the phone. SMS Google Authenticator, without which you can't unlock.

7. Method 5: Flashing through the Mi Flash Tool (extreme case)

If all previous methods fail (e.g., the phone doesn't even turn on in the Fastboot), you'll be left with a complete flashing through the Mi Flash Tool.

• ✅ Removes critical firmware failures.
• ✅ Bypasses the Mi Account lock (if the official firmware with unlocked bootloader was used).
• ❌ Deletes all data without recovery.
• ❌ Requires unlocking bootloader (if it was blocked).

Instructions:

1. Download the Mi Flash Tool from the official website.
2. Select firmware for your model (e.g., fastboot-rom for Redmi Note 12).
3. Unpack the archive with firmware in a folder without Cyrillic characters.
4. Launch the Mi Flash Tool, press Select and specify the path to the firmware folder.
5. Connect your phone in Fastboot mode (clip Power + Volume down).
6. Press Refresh → Flash and wait for completion (10-15 minutes).

Once the flashing is done, the phone will boot with a clean system. If the bootloader has been locked, it will need to be unlocked through the official Xiaomi tool (the process takes up to 72 hours).

💡

Flashing through the Mi Flash Tool is the only way to bring a phone with a damaged firmware back to life, but it requires technical skills and risks voiding the warranty.

8. Frequent errors after reset and how to fix them

Even after a successful reset, Xiaomi can produce errors. Consider typical problems and solutions:

If after reset, the phone asks for a password from SIM-card in PUK-code (indicated on the plastic card with SIM) or contact the operator.

FAQ: Answers to Frequent Questions