Owning a smartphone Xiaomi Redmi Note 8 T opens up the user to the wide possibilities of standard Android, however, to fully unlock the potential of the device often requires access to system files. Obtaining root rights on this device allows you to remove system debris, install specialized modules and finely adjust the processor. The process is not trivial and requires care, since interference with the bootloader can lead to software failures.
Modern methods of obtaining superuser rights are based on the use of a patched boot.img image and the Magisk utility. Unlike the old methods with SuperSU, today's approach is less invasive and allows you to hide the fact of modifying the system from banking applications. The owner of the Redmi Note 8 T should understand that the official warranty is canceled, and the risk of turning the phone into a brick completely falls on the shoulders of the experimenter.
Before you start taking action, you need to understand the importance of backing up all the relevant data. Any error when you run a boot or recovery partition can lead to loss of access to the operating system. The following instructions describe the current and most secure algorithm for the Xiaomi Redmi Note 8 T model (codenamed ginkgo or willow).
Preparation of the device and necessary tools
The first step is to carefully prepare the workplace and the software, and you'll need a personal computer with Windows operating system that is working. USB-cable and fully charged smartphone, you need to install drivers on your computer. ADB and Fastboot, which provide communication between the PC and the phone in bootloader mode.
- 📱 Charge the Redmi Note battery 8 T minimum 70-80% Avoiding shutdown at critical times.
- 💻 Download and install the current version of the platform SDK Platform-tools from the official website of developers.
- 📥 Download an exact copy of the firmware (Fastboot) ROM), The version you have installed on your smartphone right now.
- 🔐 Create a Mi Account and link it to your device in the settings.
Special attention should be paid to the firmware version. If you try to unlock the boot boot.img from another version of Android, the device can go into a cyclical reboot. Check the current version in the Settings → About Phone menu. You also need to download the archive with the Magisk utility in APK format from a trusted source, for example, from the official GitHub repository.
⚠️ Note: Using drivers from unverified sources can lead to the installation of malware on your computer.Download tools only from official resources of Google and Xiaomi.
Once you have all the components installed, check the device. Turn on the phone to debug USB in the "Developers" menu. Connect the smartphone to the PC and enter the command line adb devices. If you see the serial number of the device in response, the drivers are installed correctly and the system is ready to go.
Unlocking the Bootloader bootloader
Without the unlocked bootloader, superuser rights cannot be implemented. Xiaomi has implemented strict restrictions, so the procedure requires waiting and action through the official Mi Unlock Tool utility.
You first need to apply for an unlock. Go to your phone settings, select Developer's Form, and find Mi Unlock Status. Click Add Account and wait for the binding notification. Then you have to wait for a certain period of time, which is usually 7 to 168 hours (7 days).
What to do if the timer does not start?
Once the waiting time is up, you can unlock it. Put your smartphone into Fastboot mode, holding both the power and volume buttons together. Run the Mi Unlock Tool on your computer, log in to the same account and press the Unlock button. The process will erase all data from the device, so data is mandatory.
Removing and patching the image of Boot.img
The key to the whole operation is to modify the boot image, and it's the boot section that introduces code to allow the system to run with administrator rights. It's critical for the Redmi Note 8 T to use the image of the exact version of the firmware that's currently installed on the phone.
Unpack the downloaded Fastboot ROM on your computer. Inside the images folder, find the boot.img file. Copy it into your smartphone memory. Next, install the Magisk app (rename the.apk file to.zip for installation if required, or simply install it as a regular app) and open it.
- 🛠️ Click the "Install" button in the Magisk block (usually on the right at the top).
- 💾 Select and Patch a File (Select and Patch a File).
- 📂 Specify the path to the copied file boot.img phone-memory.
- ⏳ Wait for the process to be completed, and then a file will appear in the Download folder. magisk_patched_[random].img.
Copy the resulting patched file back to your computer in a folder with platform-tools tools. Rename it to boot.img for convenience, so you don't get confused about the names when you type commands. Now this file is ready to be written to the device's memory.
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Always save the original boot.img in a safe place.If a patched file causes an error when downloading, you can return the original via Fastboot and save the phone.
Installation of TWRP and Magisk firmware
While it is theoretically possible to flash a patched boot.img directly through Fastboot, using the TWRP (Team Win Recovery Project) custom recovery greatly simplifies the process and gives more control. There is a stable version of TWRP for the Redmi Note 8 T (codename ginkgo) that works correctly with the file system.
Put your phone in Fastboot mode and connect it to your PC. Open the command line in the tool folder and type a command to temporarily load the receiver:
fastboot boot twrp-ginkgo.imgIf you have a TWRP menu on your smartphone, you are compatible. Now you need to fix the changes. In the TWRP menu, go to the "Install" section, select "Install Image" and specify your patched boot.img file. As the firmware section, select Boot. Confirm the action with a swipe.
| Fastboot Team | Description of action | Risk of error |
|---|---|---|
| fastboot devices | Checking the device connection | Low. |
| fastboot boot twrp.img | Temporary launch of the Recaveri | Medium. |
| fastboot flash boot boot.img | Permanent recording of the patched image | High-pitched |
| fastboot reboot | Reboot to the system | Low. |
After you have firmware, press the button "Reboot System." The first download may take more than usual, from 5 to 10 minutes. If the phone is turned on and you see the Magisk application with the active button "Install", then the operation was successful.
☑️ Checklist of successful installation
License Check and Basic Setup
Once the system is successfully booted, you need to make sure that the superuser rights are working correctly. Open the Magisk app. In the upper corner, the green "Installed" label with the version should be lit, which confirms that the binary su file is embedded in the system.
To check, you can download the Play Market app "Root Checker." Run it and press the check button. If you see a green screen with confirmation, you can access the root files open. Now you can install modules like Systemless Hosts to block ads or audio enhancement modules.
⚠️ Note: Some banking applications may stop working if root rights are detected. Use the "Magisk Hide" or "Zygisk" function in the application settings to hide the presence of modifications from specific programs.
It is also recommended that you enable the "Zygisk" function in Magisk settings, which allows you to load code into the Zygote process, which is necessary for the operation of modern root hiding modules.
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Having a working Root should not interfere with everyday payments. The correct concealment setting in Magisk allows you to use Sberbank and other applications without restrictions.
Possible problems and ways to solve them
The process of obtaining administrator rights on Xiaomi Redmi Note 8 T is not always smooth, most often users face problems at the stage of unlocking the bootloader or when firmware image. Understanding the causes of errors helps quickly restore the device to work.
One of the common problems is bootloop, which happens when you've been stitched in. boot.img from another firmware version or damaged during recording.In this case, you need to re-enter Fastboot mode and flash the original (not patched) boot image with the fastboot flash boot command original_boot.img.
- 🔌 Phone is not defined in Fastboot: replace USB-cable or port, reinstall drivers manually through Device Manager.
- 🚫 Anti-rollback error: you can not stitch an older version of the firmware than installed, this will lead to a hard breech.
- 📉 Magisk does not open root access: check if debugging is enabled USB and whether rights are given in the Magisk application itself.
If the bootloader is not unlocked due to the error "Currently running MIUI version isn't compatible", make sure that in the Mi Unlock settings you switch to mobile Internet.