Xiaomi’s Redmi line of smartphones are deservedly popular due to their excellent price-performance ratio, but over time, even a reliable device can require radical measures. If your Redmi Note 5 starts to work slowly, glitch or you just forgot the pattern lock, the only right solution is a complete system reset, which will return the gadget to the state “out of the box” by removing all user data and applications.
The factory reset procedure doesn't require any special technical skills or expensive software. All the necessary tools are already built into the MIUI operating system that runs your phone, and it's important to clearly understand the difference between a regular reset via a menu and deep formatting through Recovery mode to choose the right method for your situation.
Before you take decisive action, you need to realize the irreversibility of the process. Once the operation is confirmed, you will lose access to all photos, contacts, correspondence and installed programs, if you do not take care of their safety in advance. Below we will discuss in detail all the stages of preparation and direct execution of the reset to minimize risks and ensure a successful outcome.
Preparing the device for a complete data reset
Start with the critical backup phase: MIUI's built-in backup allows you to quickly create a backup system, but for complete security, it's better to use cloud services or transfer files to your computer, make sure your contacts are synced with your Google or Mi Account account, and photos are uploaded to the cloud.
The second mandatory step is to check the battery level. The process of formatting internal memory and reinstalling system files can take 10 to 30 minutes, and a sudden power outage at this point is fraught with serious consequences. Charge the smartphone to a minimum of 60-70% to have enough power to complete all background procedures.
⚠️ Note: If the device has Find Device enabled, the system will require you to enter your Mi Account or Google account password after reset. Make sure you remember this information, otherwise the phone will turn into a brick with activation blocking.
It is also recommended to remove microSD cards and SIM-While modern versions of Android often offer choices about what to format, physical extraction of media ensures that you don't accidentally delete important files from an external memory card. SIM-The card phone may request unlocking the screen, which is a normal protective reaction.
☑️ Checklist before reset
Method One: Reset via the standard settings menu
The safest and easiest way to get the Xiaomi Redmi Note 5 back to factory status is to use the standard operating system interface. This method is ideal if the phone turns on, the screen responds to touch, and you have access to the desktop. The algorithm for actions in different versions of MIUI may differ slightly, but the overall logic remains the same.
To start, open the Settings app and scroll down to the bottom. You need a section that can be called Advanced Settings or About Phone, depending on the firmware version. Inside, look for Reset settings, and the system will alert you that all data, including music, images and apps, will be deleted.
Once you select the "Erase all data" option, the phone will ask you to confirm the action by entering a digital password or a graphical unlock key, which is a protective mechanism against accidental reset by children or unauthorized persons. Be careful when entering, because after triple-check confirmation, there will be no going back.
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Before you click the final Reset button, take screenshots of important settings, such as access point or Bluetooth settings, to restore them faster after turning them on.
Once confirmed, the smartphone will reboot and the MI logo will appear on the screen with a progress indicator. at this point, the /data and /cache partitions are cleared. Don't try to interrupt this process, even if it seems to be hanging - modern Android mechanisms just take time to safely wipe the memory sectors.
Method Two: Hard Reset with Recovery Mode
If the device doesn't boot, freezes on the logo, or the touch screen stops responding, Recovery Mode Recovery Mode comes to the rescue. This low-level interface allows you to control the system bypassing the main bootloader. To log into it on the Redmi Note 5, a combination of physical buttons is used.
Turn off your smartphone completely and wait for the vibrations. Then simultaneously press the Volume Up and Power buttons. Hold them until the Mi logo appears, and then the power button can be released, continuing to hold the volume button until the Recovery menu opens.
In this mode, the touch screen is not working, the navigation is done with volume buttons (up/down), and the choice is confirmed by the power button. You need to find the Wipe Data item and select the Wipe All Data option. Confirm the action by selecting Confirm.
What happens if Recovery does not open?
After the cleaning is completed, which will take a few seconds, the system will prompt you to return to the main menu (Back to Main Menu) or reboot (Reboot).
Resetting network settings and connection parameters
It doesn't always require a complete deletion of all data from your phone. Often, problems with mobile Internet, Wi-Fi or Bluetooth can be solved in a less radical way, resetting network settings, which returns the connection settings to factory values without affecting your personal files, photos or installed applications.
To perform this operation, go to the settings menu, select the section «SIM-Maps and mobile networks" or "Wi-Fi. At the bottom of the screen or in the optional menu (three dots), find "Reset Wi-Fi, mobile networks, and Bluetooth" (Reset Wi-Fi, and Bluetooth) and the system will warn that stored Wi-Fi and Bluetooth passwords will be deleted.
This is an effective method if your Redmi Note 5 has stopped “seeing” the network, constantly loses signal or can not connect to a known router.After reset, you will need to re-enter the password from your home Wi-Fi network, but this often solves problems with the drivers of the communication module that may have accumulated errors.
| Parameter | Full reset (Factory Reset) | Resetting network settings | Resetting all settings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Personal files (photos, videos) | Removed | Preserve. | Preserve. |
| Annexes | Removed | Preserve. | Preserve. |
| Wi-Fi and Bluetooth passwords | Removed | Removed | Dropped. |
| Settings of alarm clock | Dropped. | Preserve. | Dropped. |
Data recovery after formatting
After successfully completing the reset procedure and first setting the language and time, Xiaomi Redmi Note 5 will offer to restore data from the backup. If you used Mi Cloud or Google Drive, the process will go automatically when you connect to Wi-Fi. Otherwise, you will have to restore data manually.
To recover from your local backup (if you did it through the built-in Services app and saved it to your PC or cloud), go to Settings → About Phone → Backup and Restore. Here you can select a backup file and tick the categories of data you want to return. Don't restore everything immediately if you're not sure about the cleanliness of the backup - it's better to start with contacts and messages.
Apps will have to be re-downloaded through Google Play Market or GetApps, which is even useful because it allows you to install the latest versions of programs without any accumulated garbage, and photos and documents will return to their places if you sync them to the cloud or flip them from your computer after you turn on your phone.
⚠️ Note: Do not attempt to restore the full backup system from a newer version of Android or MIUI It's a phone that's just dropped, and it's an older version of the firmware, and it can cause a system library conflict and a cyclical reboot.
Solving Common Problems After Resetting
Sometimes, even after a successful reset, users are faced with unexpected behaviors, such as a phone that can turn on or heat up for a long time in the first minutes of operation. This is normal: the operating system indexes files and optimizes applications in the background. Let the device lie on charge for about 30-60 minutes without active use.
If, after a reset, the phone requires an account you don't remember to be activated, it means that FRP (Factory Reset Protection) protection has worked, and you can only get around it legally by entering the account data that was synchronized with the device before the reset, otherwise you will need to contact the service center with a check for purchase.
If the phone hangs on the Mi logo indefinitely (bootloop), it is possible that the system partition is damaged or the update is interrupted. Here only the flashing through the computer using the Mi Flash Tool utility will help. Recovery in this case is no longer effective, since the bootloader cannot initialize the operating system.
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The first 10 minutes after resetting the phone may be slower than usual – it is a process of system optimization, not a sign of malfunction.