How to reset Android settings on Xiaomi: a complete guide with photos and videos

Reset settings on Xiaomi, Redmi or smartphones POCO — It's a radical but effective way to get your device back on track. MIUI, You've got a virus, or you just want to sell your gadget and delete all your personal data, and either way, the procedure has nuances, from losing data to the risk of building up the wrong behavior.

In this article, we will analyze all current methods of resetting (including hidden ones), explain how to prepare to not lose an important one, and what to do if the smartphone does not respond to the screen or is blocked by the Mi Account. IMEI How to recover data after a hard reset".

If you've never done a reset yourself, don't worry. We've detailed each step with pictures and warnings of possible errors, and the rule of thumb is, don't miss the training and follow the instructions for your model carefully.

1.Resetting preparation: what to do before

Resetting is not just a matter of pressing a button, but it can lead to loss of photos, contacts, or even locking your device.

✅ Save important data. Even a soft reset over the menu deletes it:

• 📸 Photos and videos (including hidden folders)
• 📞 Contacts (unless synced with Google or Mi Cloud)
• 🎮 Game saving (if not linked to an account)
• 📥 Downloads, documents and notes

🔹 How to save data before resetting?

1. Copy files to your computer through USB-cable (enable File Transfer mode in notification curtain).
2. Use cloud services: Google Photos for Media, Mi Cloud for Contacts and Notes.
3. For messages, install an app SMS Backup & Restore from Google Play.

Make sure battery charge > 50%|

Copy photos and videos on PC|

Sync your contacts with Google/Mi Cloud|

Remember the username and password from the Mi Account (if tied)|

Untie cards and banking applications (SBP, Google Pay)

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⚠️ Note: If your Xiaomi is tied to your Mi Account (and this is almost all models after 2018), after reset, you will need to enter a login and password. Without this data, the phone will turn into a “brick” – you can unlock it only through the official Xiaomi service.

🔋 Battery charge. Make sure it's at least 50 percent charge level. If the reset is interrupted by a discharge, it can damage the system files.

📶 Wi-Fi or mobile Internet, and after the reset, you'll need to download updates and log in to your accounts.

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

This method is suitable if the phone turns on, responds to touches, and you remember a pattern lock or PIN-The instructions are relevant for all smartphones on MIUI 12–14, including Xiaomi 13/14, Redmi Note 12, POCO F5 other modern models.

📌 Step-by-step instruction:

1. Open the settings (cog icon on the desktop).
2. Scroll down and select About Phone.
3. Slip on Reset (in some versions of MIUI this item is called Reset and Reset).
4. Choose to erase all data (or Reset settings).
5. The system will prompt you to enter a password/pattern lock, and after confirmation, the process will begin (it will take 5-15 minutes).

🎥 Video Instructions: If you find it easier to watch than read, here is the official video from Xiaomi (available in Russian):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EXAMPLE_VIDEO_ID

EXAMPLE_VIDEO_ID

⚠️ Note: On some models (Redmi) 9A, POCO M3) After reset, the connection to the network may disappear (IMEI). It's due to a firmware error, so you can avoid a problem before you dump:

1. Go to Settings. → SIM-maps and mobile networks.
2. Take a note or take pictures of the numbers IMEI (They're listed in status. SIM).
3. If the network is not reset, restore it. IMEI through the engineering menu (instructions in section 5).

Xiaomi (series) 11/12/13/14)|

Redmi (Note, K, A)|

POCO (F, X, M)|

Other brand (specify in the comments)

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

If the smartphone is stuck on the logo, does not respond to the screen or is locked after a failed update, hardware reset via Recovery will help.This method works even without entering a password, but requires accuracy - improper actions can lead to loss of access to the device.

🔧 How to Sign In to Recovery Mode:

1. Turn off the phone (press the power button for 10-15 seconds).
2. Press the button combination: 📱 For most models: Volume up + Nutrition. 🔄 For older devices (Redmi) 4X, Mi A1): Loudness up + Loudness down + Nutrition.

Mi

📝 Next up on the Recovery menu:

1. Use volume buttons for navigation and power button for selection.
2. Select Wipe Data (or Clear Data)
3. Confirm the action by selecting Wipe All Data (sometimes you need to enter Yes manually).
4. Once completed, select Reboot to reboot.

🔄 What to do if Recovery does not open?

1. Try another button combination (see table below).
2. Connect your phone to charge for 30 minutes – sometimes a discharged battery blocks the entrance to Recovery.
3. If the screen flashes or goes out, the firmware may be damaged, and only the firmware through Fastboot (section 4) will help.

Method 3: Reset via Fastboot (for power users)

If the first two methods fail (e.g., Recovery is damaged or the phone asks for a password even after reset), the firmware remains on Fastboot, USB-cable and command line knowledge:

• 🔓 Unlock the bootloader (bootloader).
• 📱 Restore "bricks" (devices that are not included).
• 🔄 Installation of official firmware from scratch".

⚠️ Note: Fastboot erases all data without recovery, including IMEI And you'll also need to unlock the bootloader, which resets the device to a factory state and deletes all accounts.

🛠 Step-by-step instruction:

1. Download and install Mi Flash Tool (official utility from Xiaomi) from the site https://new.c.mi.com/global/miuidownload/index.
2. Download the firmware for your model (choose the Fastboot version, not Recovery).
3. Turn off the phone and put it in Fastboot mode: Clip Volume Down + Power before the hare appears in the hat-ear (Fastboot logo).

Connect your phone to your PC through USB-cable (preferably original).

Mi Flash Tool

Refresh

Flash

🔹 Unlocking the loader (if required):

If you see a device is locked error when you are firmware, you need to unlock the bootloader:

1. Go to the site. https://en.miui.com/unlock/ Download the Mi Unlock Tool.
2. Sign in to your Mi Account (should match the one tied to your phone!).
3. Connect your phone in Fastboot mode and follow the program instructions.

5. Recovery IMEI after reset (if the network signal is missing)

One of the most frustrating issues after resetting on some Xiaomi models is missing IMEI. This leads to no network, no ability to call or use the mobile Internet, and the reason is that files in the partition are damaged. /nvram or /nvdata.

🔧 How to repair IMEI:

📌 Method 1: Engineering menu (for MediaTek processors)

1. Open the phone app and dial: ##4636##
2. Select Phone Information and scroll down to Set preferred network type.
3. If IMEI missing (empty field), go to the engineering menu via the code: ##36446337##
4. Select Connectivity → CDS Information → Radio Information.
5. In the field AT+ enter a command for the first SIM: AT +EGMR=1,7,"IMEI_1" and SIM: AT +EGMR=1,10,"IMEI_2" (substitute IMEI_1 and IMEI_2 Original numbers that were previously reset).
6. Reboot the phone.

📌 Method 2: Through the application MTK Engineering Mode (for MediaTek)

If the engineering menu is not available, download the application MTK Google Play Engineering Mode and Repeat Steps 4-6 from the Previous Method.

📌 Method 3: For Qualcomm processors (via QPST)

If you have a smartphone with Snapdragon (Xiaomi 12 Pro, POCO F4 GT), You will need a computer and a program QPST:

1. Download and install. QPST + Qualcomm drivers.
2. Turn on the phone Diagnostic mode via the code: ##717717##
3. Connect your phone to the PC and open it. QPST → Software Download.
4. Select a firmware file with the correct IMEI (You can get it from the official firmware).
5. Press Start and wait until it is completed.

⚠️ Attention: If you are not sure of your actions, it is better to contact the service center. IMEI This can lead to a network blocking by the operator (IMEI blacklisted).

6 What to do if after resetting the phone requires an account Mi

All Xiaomi smartphones after 2018 are tied to the Mi Account through the Mi Cloud Activation Lock function. After a reset, the system requires you to enter the username and password from the account that was tied before the reset. If you do not remember the data or bought the phone “with your hands”, there are several ways to bypass the lock.

🔓 Legal ways to unlock:

• 📧 Restore access to your Mi Account via email or phone number on the site https://account.xiaomi.com.
• 📞 If the phone was bought from the previous owner, ask him to untie the device through Settings. → Mi Account → Devices.
• 📄 Providing a check or box with IMEI, You can contact the official Xiaomi service for unlocking (paid service, ~1500–3000 ₽).

⚠️ Note: All "bypass" methods (through ADB, Test firmware or engineering menus violate Xiaomi’s user agreement, and may also cause problems after unofficial unlocking:

• 🚫 Blocking Mi Accounts for Suspicious Activity.
• 📵 Loss of guarantee.
• 🔄 Automatic updates MIUI stop working.

🔹 If you want to take a risk, here’s the most common method (not all models work):

1. Download the firmware China Stable ROM for your model from the site https://xiaomifirmwareupdater.com.
2. Sweep it through Fastboot (instruction in section 4).
3. After the firmware, log in to Mi’s Chinese region account (create a new one if there is no old one).
4. Reset again through the settings menu.

❗ This method may not work on new models (Xiaomi) 13/14, Redmi Note 12) because of the increased protection.

7.How to recover data after reset (if you did not make a backup)

If you forgot to save files before reset, the chances of recovery are there, but they depend on how the reset was performed:

• 🔄 Soft reset (via the settings menu) – data can be partially restored.
• 🔧 Severe discharge (through Recovery/Fastboot) — recovery is almost impossible.

🔍 Data recovery programmes:

📌 Instructions for recovery through Dr.Fone:

1. Install the program on your PC and connect your phone via USB.
2. Turn on the debugging. USB Developer settings (if the phone is working).
3. Select the file types to scan (e.g. Gallery or Messages).
4. Wait until the scan is finished (may take a few hours).
5. View the files found and save them to your computer.

⚠️ Warning: The more you use your phone after a reset, the less likely you are to recover data. New files overwrite old ones, so:

• 🛑 Don't install apps.
• 📵 Do not copy new photos/videos.
• 🔌 Connect your phone to your PC as soon as possible.

💡

If you are recovering photos, try searching them in a folder. DCIM/.thumbnails — Sometimes the miniatures remain even after the reset.

8. Frequent mistakes and how to avoid them

Even experienced users sometimes make mistakes when resetting Xiaomi, and here are the most common problems and solutions:

🔴 Error: The phone does not turn on after resetting

• 🔋 Check the battery charge (plug in to charge for 30 minutes).
• 🔄 Try logging into Recovery and repeat the reset.
• 📱 If the screen is black, but the phone vibrates, it may have crashed.

🔴 Error: After resetting, there is no network (IMEI invalid)

• 📡 Restore. IMEI Menu of Engineering (Section 5).
• 🔄 If it doesn’t work, run the official firmware through the Mi Flash Tool.

🔴 Mi Flash Tool: Flash Not Done

• 🔌 Try another one. USB-cable.
• 🖥 Install drivers for your processor (Qualcomm or MediaTek).
• 📥 Download the firmware again (maybe the archive is damaged).

🔴 Error: Phone asks for old password after reset

• 🔐 If it is a pattern lock, try entering the last used key.
• 📧 If it is a Mi Account, restore access through https://account.xiaomi.com.
• 🔧 If nothing helps, run your phone through Fastboot (section 4).

🔴 Error: Touchscreen does not work after reset

• 🔄 Reset again through Recovery.
• 📱 If it does not help, perhaps the plume of the touch screen is damaged (repair is needed).

💡

If after resetting the phone behaves unstable (spontaneously restarts, brakes), install the official firmware through the Mi Flash Tool - this will solve most software problems.

FAQ: Answers to Frequent Questions