Reset Xiaomi Redmi 8 to factory settings: the full guide

Xiaomi Redmi 8 is a popular smartphone with a balance of price and performance, but even it can eventually start to slow down, emit errors or require a complete reboot of the system. Resetting to factory settings is a radical but effective way to return the device to its original performance.

In this article, you will find three proven reset methods (through settings, Recovery Mode and Fastboot), learn how to prepare the device for the procedure and what to do if Redmi 8 does not respond to commands, and we will also analyze typical user errors and give recommendations for data recovery after the reset.

Important: The procedure removes all user files, apps and settings, including Google and Mi Account accounts. If you sell or transfer a phone, remember to log out of your accounts in advance.

When you need to reset to factory settings

Resetting is not a panacea, but in some cases it is the only solution, and here are the signals that your Redmi 8 needs a "hard reboot":

• 🐢 The phone is very slow, applications open or fly out for a long time even after cleaning the cache.
• 🔄 Cyclical restart (bootloop) – the device turns on, shows the Xiaomi logo and turns off again.
• 📱 The lock screen does not recognize the password/PIN, Although you are sure of the correctness of the input.
• 🦠 Suspicion of a virus or malware that is not removed by antiviruses.
• 📲 Before selling or transferring a phone to another user.

If the problem is related to hardware malfunctions (such as a broken screen, a broken camera or a charging connector), resetting will not help.

⚠️ Note: If you forgot your pattern lock or password and Google’s Find My Device feature is enabled on your phone, try unlocking your device via the web interface before resetting.

Preparing for resetting: how to save important data

Factory settings remove all internal memory contents, including:

• 📷 Photos and videos in the gallery (except for those in the gallery) SD-map).
• 📱 Contacts, SMS Call logs (if not synced with Google).
• 🎵 Music, downloads and documents.
• 🎮 Save games and customize applications.

To avoid losing data, follow the following steps:

Sync your contacts with your Google account |Copy your photos/video to your PC or cloud |Export SMS through apps like SMS Backup & Restore |Save backup to Mi Cloud (if enabled) |Write down or take photos of important passwords from Settings → Passwords and security

-->

For backup in Mi Cloud:

1. Go to Settings → About Phone → Backup and Reset → Backup to Mi Cloud.
2. Sign in to your Mi Account (if not logged in).
3. Select the data to save (contacts, notes, settings) and click Create a backup.

⚠️ Note: If the phone has enabled data encryption (optional in Settings) → Security → Encrypting the phone, after reset, you may need to enter the old password to decrypt it. Write it down in advance - without it, the data will not be available even after you restore it from the backup.

Method 1: Reset via the settings menu (the easiest one)

If the phone turns on and you remember the lock password, this method is the safest and fastest, it requires no additional tools and is suitable for most users.

Instructions:

1. Open Settings (the gear icon on the home screen or in the application menu).
2. Go to the About Phone section. → Backup and reset.
3. Select Reset (in some versions of MIUI – Reset all settings).
4. Scroll down and click Delete all data.
5. Enter. PIN-Screen lock code or password (if requested).
6. Confirm the action by pressing Ready or Reset.

The phone will automatically restart and start the reset process, which will take 3-10 minutes, and once completed, you will see the screen of the initial setup, as after the purchase.

If, after resetting, the phone asks you to enter the old Mi Account that was tied before the reset, it means Factory Reset Protection (FRP) is enabled to unlock the device:

1. Connect to Wi-Fi.
2. Enter the username and password from the Mi Account that was linked to the phone.
3. If you do not remember the data, restore access through the official website.

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

If Redmi 8 does not load beyond the Xiaomi logo, freezes on the lock screen or gives errors at startup, resetting through Recovery Mode - a special recovery mode will help.

For entrance to Recovery:

1. Turn off the phone (press the power button for 10-15 seconds if it freezes).
2. Press the Power button + Volume Up button at the same time.
3. Hold them for 10-15 seconds until the Mi logo and Recovery menu appear.

In the Recovery menu, you can control the volume buttons (up/down for moving) and the power button (select). Interface in English or Chinese - don't be afraid, the desired items are easily recognizable by the icons.

Next:

1. Select Wipe Data (or Chinese firmware).
2. Confirm the choice of Wipe All Data (or similar).
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 → Reboot to System.

💡

If you don't have Wipe Data in Recovery, try selecting Advanced first and then Wipe Dalvik Cache.

⚠️ Note: Recovery menu items may differ on some custom firmware (unofficial) and if you see unfamiliar options, don't choose them at random, which can damage the system, 4PDA.

Method 3: Fastboot Reset (for power users)

This method requires connecting the phone to a computer and is used in extreme cases where:

• 🔧 Recovery Mode is unavailable or damaged.
• 📱 The phone does not respond to buttons and does not turn on.
• 🔄 You need to reflash the device after a failed update.

To reset via Fastboot you will need:

• 💻 Windows computer (or Mac/Linux driverless ADB).
• 🔌 USB-cable (preferably original).
• 📥 The Mi Flash Tool or ADB/Fastboot Tools.

Step-by-step:

1. Download and install Xiaomi drivers for Redmi 8.
2. Download Mi Flash Tool (official utility from Xiaomi).
3. Turn off the phone and turn it into Fastboot mode: Press the power button + volume down button for 10-15 seconds. The hare in the hat-eared hat (Fastboot logo) will appear on the screen.
4. Connect the phone to the computer.
5. Open the Mi Flash Tool, click Select and select the firmware folder for Redmi 8 (download at xiaomifirmwareupdater.com).
6. Press Refresh – the program must detect the device.
7. Select Clean All mode and press Flash.

It takes 5-15 minutes, and when it's done, it automatically restarts with a clean system.

💡

If you're not sure what you're doing, you better give your phone to a service center. The wrong commands in Fastboot can turn the Redmi 8 into a brick, a device that's not powered on or detected by a computer.

Common Mistakes and How to Avoid Them

Even experienced users sometimes make mistakes when resetting, and here are the most common ones and ways to prevent them:

• 🔋 Battery discharge: If the phone turns off during reset, it could damage system files. Charge the device to at least 50% before the procedure.
• 🔌 Stop the process. Don't remove the battery or shut it down. USB-It's a cable that's being reset by Fastboot, and it can make the phone tick.
• 🔐 Forgotten Mi Account.If you don't remember the data from the Xiaomi account tied to the phone, after the reset, the device may lock. → Accounts. → Mi Account.
• 📱 Install firmware from another model (e.g. Redmi) 8A If you don't use Redmi 8, you'll have to check the name of the firmware file, which must contain the code for olive (codename Redmi 8).

If after resetting the phone:

• 🔄 Fixes on Xiaomi logo: try resetting via Recovery or flashing the device again via Fastboot.
• 📵 Not included at all: check the battery charge (plug in to charge for 30 minutes) or contact the service.

Data recovery after resetting

If you have made a backup (for example, in Mi Cloud or Google Drive), you can restore data directly during the initial setup of the phone, the system itself will prompt you to log in to the account and download the saved files.

If there is no backup, try the following methods:

• 📱 Recovery software: DiskDigger, Recuva (require root access, which is difficult to obtain after resetting).

To recover SMS and call logs:

1. Install the SMS Backup & Restore app from Google Play.
2. If you have previously made a backup, select a file with the.xml extension and restore messages.

⚠️ Warning: After reset, do not write new data to your phone before trying to recover! New files can overwrite old ones, reducing the chances of successful recovery.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)