How to wipe everything off Xiaomi phone: from reset to physical data destruction

Selling Xiaomi, repairing it, or just want to get rid of sensitive information? Regular file deletion or even factory resetting is not enough — data can be restored using special programs. In this article, we will discuss 5 ways to completely delete data from Redmi, POCO and other Xiaomi phones, including methods for locked devices and phones with damaged screens.

We’ll look at both software methods (via menus, fastboot, Mi Flash Tool) and hardware, from formatting internal memory to physically destroying the chip. Special attention will be paid to the unique feature of Xiaomi smartphones: even after resetting through settings, some of the data remains in the /data/media/0 section, which is not cleaned by standard methods, you will learn how to circumvent this limitation and guaranteed to delete everything, including photos, messages and application data.

1. Preparation for data deletion: what to do before resetting

Before you start cleaning, follow a few critical steps, and if you skip them, you risk losing access to your Mi Account or losing your backups.

Untie the device from your Xiaomi account. Once reset, the phone may require you to enter a login and password from the last associated account, as part of the protection against theft.

• 🔗 Go to Settings. → Xiaomi account → Delete your account (password required).
• 📱 If your phone is already locked, use the web version of Mi Account to remotely shut down your device.
• 🔐 Enable two-factor authentication in your account – this will protect it from hacking after resetting.

Keep backups. Even if you're planning to sell your phone, copy important data:

• 📁 Use the settings. → Additionally. → Backup and reset → Local backup to create an archive.
• ☁️ Upload photos to Google Photos or Mi Cloud (but remember that after deleting your account, your access to the cloud will be restricted).
• 📱 Move your contacts to a Google Account or export them to a.vcf file.

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If the phone is not turned on, remove the memory card and SIM-Card – they may contain data that will not be deleted when reset.

Check the battery status. If the phone is under 50%, connect it to charge. Interrupting the discharge process due to discharge can lead to a device blink (completely inoperable), especially with methods using fastboot or Mi Flash Tool.

2. Method 1: Reset via the settings menu (for working phones)

The easiest method, but it doesn't guarantee complete deletion of data, is if the phone turns on, the screen is working, and you know the unlock password.

Instructions:

1. Open Settings → About Phone → All settings (or Settings → Additional → Restore and Reset on older versions of MIUI).
2. Select Resetting (or Resetting to factory settings).
3. Check the box to clear internal memory (if there is such a item).
4. Confirm the action by entering a pattern lock or PIN-code.
5. Wait for the reboot (it will take 5-15 minutes).

What's left after this dump?

• 📸 Miniature photos in the folder DCIM/.thumbnails.
• 📄 Fragments of these applications in /data/data/ (You can recover with Autopsy or Scalpel).
• 🔑 Logs of system in /data/log/ (contain information about calls, SMS, geolocation).

Delete your Xiaomi account|Keep backup copies|Charge the phone. >50%|Disable Find My Device|Delete memory cards-->

To increase the chances of complete deletion, fill your phone’s memory with junk data after resetting:

1. Download several large files (for example, movies in 4K).
2. Install and remove some heavy games (such as Genshin Impact or Call of Duty Mobile).
3. Repeat the reset again.

3. Method 2: Reset via Recovery Mode (if the phone is not turned on)

If Xiaomi doesn’t boot or hangs on the logo, use Restore Mode, which works even when the screen is damaged (if you can connect the phone to your computer to control it via ADB).

How to log in to Recovery Mode:

• 🔄 Turn off the phone (press the power button for 10-15 seconds).
• 🔘 Hold the Loud up. + Power and hold for 5-10 seconds until the Mi logo appears.
• 📱 Release the buttons and you will see a menu in English or Chinese.

Resetting instructions:

1. Select Wipe Data (or Chinese firmware) using volume buttons.
2. Confirm the choice of the power button.
3. Select Wipe All Data (complete cleanup).
4. Confirm the action (you may need to enter a password if you have enabled Mi Account).
5. Once completed, select Reboot to reboot.

Limitations of the method:

• ⚠️ It doesn’t work if Recovery Mode is blocked by a password and you don’t remember it.
• ⚠️ On some models (Redmi Note) 8 Pro, POCO X3) Recovery reset does not affect the section /data/media/0.

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If the phone doesn’t respond to buttons, try connecting it to your PC and use the adb reboot recovery command to log in to Recovery Mode.

For models with locked Recovery (for example, Xiaomi 12T or Redmi K50) you will need to use fastboot or Mi Flash Tool (see the following sections).

Method 3: Complete Fastboot Cleanup (for advanced users)

The fastboot method allows you to completely re-mark the internal memory, which makes data recovery impossible, suitable for phones with an unlocked bootloader.

What you need:

• 🖥️ Computer with installed ADB and Fastboot.
• 🔌 Cable USB Type-C (preferably original).
• 🔓 Unlocked bootloader (if not, see the instructions below).

Step-by-step:

1. Turn off your phone and enter fastboot mode: (a) Press Volume Down + Power for 5-10 seconds. (b) Connect your phone to your PC.
2. Open the command prompt (cmd) in the folder with fastboot and check the connection: fastboot devices must display the serial number of the device.
3. Run the full cleanup: fastboot erase boot fastboot erase system fastboot erase userdata fastboot erase metadata fastboot erase frp fastboot erase misc
4. Remark memory (optional, but recommended): fastboot format:ext4 userdata fastboot format:ext4 system
5. Reboot the phone: fastboot reboot

Warnings:

⚠️ Note: The fastboot erase and fastboot format commands will irreversibly delete all data, including firmware, and once executed, the phone will not turn on until the firmware is re-exploited via the Mi Flash Tool.

⚠️ Note: On some models (POCO F3, Redmi Note 10 Pro: Format commands can cause error FAILED (remote:'Not allowed in Lock State'.This requires unlocking the bootloader.

How to unlock the bootloader on Xiaomi:

1. Apply for unlocking via Xiaomi’s official website (Mi Account required).
2. Download the Mi Unlock Tool and connect your phone in fastboot mode.
3. Follow the instructions (you may need to wait 7-15 days for new accounts).

5. Method 4: Firmware via Mi Flash Tool (guaranteed removal)

The most reliable way is to completely flash your phone using the official Mi Flash Tool.

• 🧹 Remove all memory parts, including hidden memory.
• 🔄 Installs clean firmware without traces of old data.
• 🔓 Bypasses the lock Mi Account (if stitched with clean all).

What you need:

• 🖥️ Windows computer (7/10/11).
• 📥 Fastboot firmware ROM For your model (download from the official website).
• 🛠️ The Mi Flash Tool.
• 🔓 Unlocked bootloader (see previous section).

Instructions:

1. Unpack the firmware archive into a folder without Cyrillic characters (e.g., C:\Xiaomi\ROM).
2. Install the Mi Flash Tool and drivers (if the phone is not identified, use Mi Phone Manager to install them).
3. Turn off your phone and log in to fastboot (Loudness Down + Power).
4. Connect your phone to your PC and start the Mi Flash Tool.
5. In the program: Press Select and point the way to the firmware folder. Select clean all mode. Press Flash and wait for completion (10-20 minutes).

After successful firmware, the phone will restart in clean condition.

Table: Firmware modes in Mi Flash Tool

Frequent mistakes and their solutions:

• 🚫 ERROR: Flash is not done → Check the cable connection or try another one. USB-port.
• 🚫 Anti-rollback check error → Download a newer version of the firmware.
• 🚫 Phone's not being determined. → Install drivers manually through Device Manager.

Method 5: Physical destruction of data (for paranoids)

If you sell a phone with sensitive information (such as corporate data or personal photos), even software methods may not provide a 100% guarantee, in which case consider the physical destruction of the drive.

How is the memory in Xiaomi smartphones:

• 📱 Most models use eMMC or UFS-smear-smeared.
• 🔧 Xiaomi phones (except flagships) usually do not have removable SSD, Like a PC, memory is integrated into a chip.
• 🔬 Data is stored in microscopic cells that can only be physically destroyed.

Methods of physical destruction:

• 🔥 Overheating: Disassemble the phone and heat the motherboard with a soldering hairdryer to 300°C in 5-10 minutes, it'll destroy the memory structure.
• 💥 Mechanical damage: Drill a hole in a memory chip (usually marked as an eMMC or a memory chip) UFS board-board).
• 🧲 Strong magnetic field: Use a neodymium magnet (from 10,000 Gauss) to destroy data (less reliable than the first two methods).
• 🧪 Chemical exposure: Load the board in nitric acid for 10-15 minutes (dangerous, requires protection!).

Warning:

⚠️ Attention: Physical destruction will render the phone unusable. Use these methods only if you are going to dispose of the device. There are only 1-4 ways to sell or transfer to another person.

If you are not sure about your disassembly skills, contact the service center with a request to dismantle the memory chip – it will cost less than buying a new phone after a failed repair.

7.Result verification: how to make sure data is deleted

Even after a reset or firmware, the data can be stored, and here's how to check how clean your phone is:

Methods of verification:

• 🔍 Manual inspection: Connect your phone to your PC and check folders DCIM, Downloads, WhatsApp (if they are empty, that’s a good sign).
• 🛠️ Use DiskDigger or Recuva to scan memory for recoverable files.
• 📱 Check through ADB: Follow the command: adb shell ls /data/data/ If the folder is empty, the application data is deleted.

Signs of incomplete removal:

• 📂 Folders with old app names (e.g. com.whatsapp or com.facebook.orca).
• 📷 Photo miniatures in hidden folders (.thumbnails,.cache).
• 📞 Logs of calls in /data/com.android.providers.contacts/databases.

If you find traces of data, repeat the cleanup using fastboot or Mi Flash Tool, selecting clean all mode.

FAQ: Frequent questions about data deletion with Xiaomi