Owners of Xiaomi Redmi 8 Pro will sooner or later face the need to return the device to its original state. This can be caused by the sale of the gadget, critical errors in the system or the desire to clean up the memory of accumulated digital debris. The procedure of returning to factory parameters is standard for all Android smartphones, but has its own nuances in the shell of MIUI.
Before any manipulations are initiated, it is important to understand that a complete reset irreversibly deletes all user data, photos, contacts, installed applications and logins will be erased without the possibility of recovery through standard methods, which is why pre-prepared devices play a crucial role in the success of the operation.
In this guide, we will take a detailed look at all the options available to reset your Redmi 8 Pro, including methods for when your phone is not turned on or locked, how to properly prepare your gadget, what steps to follow in the Recovery menu, and what to do if the system requests a Mi Account after a reboot.
Preparation of the device for the discharge procedure
The first and most important step is to back up your data. Even if you plan to sell your phone or just clean it, saving important information to a cloud service or computer is a must. MIUI's built-in tools allow you to backup contacts, SMS and call histories to the Xiaomi or Google cloud.
Be sure to check the battery level. To safely perform the procedure, the charge should be at least 50-60%. If the system partition formatting process runs out of power, there is a risk of damage to the bootloader or software errors that will have to be corrected by flashing.
You also need to unplug accounts, especially if you don't remember passwords, and this applies not only to your Google account, but also to your Mi Account, and ignoring this step will cause the device to require the username and password of the previous owner to be entered after the reset, which is a feature of FRP (Factory Reset Protection) security.
⚠️ Warning: Make sure you remember passwords from your Google and Mi accounts. Once reset, the system will require them to confirm ownership, otherwise the phone will remain locked.
Don't forget to remove the memory card. SD, Although modern versions of Android do not normally format external drives when reset, there is a risk of accidentally deleting data from the card. SIM-flash memory and cards before starting.
☑️ Redmi 8 Pro Preparation for Reset
Resetting settings through the smartphone menu
The easiest and safest way to bring the Xiaomi Redmi 8 Pro back to factory settings is to use the built-in system menu, which is suitable for cases when the device is turned on, the screen responds to touch, and you have access to settings.
To start, go to the main menu and select Settings. Then scroll down the list and find the About Phone section. This is where the main system management tools are located. In the menu that opens, select Reset option, which is usually at the bottom of the list.
The system will offer several cleanup options. You need to erase all data (reset to factory settings). Once you click on this button, you will notice that all files will be deleted. Confirm the action by entering a graphical key or unlock password, if installed.
Once confirmed, the preparation process will begin, which can take anywhere from seconds to minutes, and then the phone will automatically restart and start the formatting process, which visually looks like the Redmi logo and boot bar, at which point you can not interrupt the process.
What to do if the menu does not open?
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If you sell a phone, don't sign in to your Google account after a reset. Just turn off the device so the new owner can activate it with their data.
Hard Reset via Recovery Mode
Hard Reset is required if the smartphone is not loading, stuck on the logo or the touch screen has stopped responding.This method allows you to reset at the system level, bypassing the Android interface. For Redmi 8 Pro, the procedure for entering recovery mode is standard for Xiaomi devices.
Turn off your smartphone completely. Make sure it's not in sleep mode. Then press two buttons simultaneously: Volume Up and Power. Hold them until the Mi logo appears, and then the power button can be released while you keep holding the volume key.
The device will go to the Main Menu main menu, where you can navigate with volume buttons (up/down), and the power button selects the item, and you can select Wipe Data, then Wipe All Data, and confirm the action by selecting Confirm.
After finishing the cleanup, which can take a few minutes, select Back to Main Menu, then Reboot and Reboot to System.The phone will restart and the initial setup will begin, as when you first turn on out of the box.
| Action. | Button | The result |
|---|---|---|
| Navigating the menu | Volume Up/down | Moving the cursor |
| Selection of a paragraph | Nutrition | Entry to the menu/confirmation |
| Exit/Back | Food (in some versions) | Back to level one |
| Entrance to Recovery | Volume Up + Nutrition | Launch of the recovery regime |
⚠️ Warning: In Recovery mode, the touch screen is not working. All actions are performed exclusively with mechanical volume and power buttons.
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Hard Reset via Recovery is the only way to reset settings if the phone doesn’t boot or the sensor doesn’t respond.
Deleting Google Account and Protecting FRP
One of the most common issues after a reset is FRP (Factory Reset Protection) locking, which is an Android security mechanism that prevents the stolen device from being used. If a Google account is added to the Redmi 8 Pro, the system will remember it.
Once reset and connected to Wi-Fi, the smartphone will require you to enter a password from the last synchronized Google account, if you reset the phone for yourself and remember the password, there will be no problems, but when selling the device to a new owner, you will need your password, which is not always convenient or secure.
To avoid blocking, manually delete your account before reset. Go to Settings → Accounts and Sync (or just Accounts). Select Google, click on the address you want, and select Delete Account. Repeat the procedure for Mi Account.
Only after deleting all accounts can you safely reset settings, in which case, after the reboot, the system will not ask for old passwords, and the new user will be able to activate the device with their data without restrictions.
Solution: Forgotten password or pattern lock
It's a common situation where users forget their lock password. Unfortunately, modern versions of Android and the MIUI shell don't allow you to just reset your password without losing data. Resetting is the only way out, but it will delete all files.
If your phone is locked, use the Hard Reset method through Recovery described above. However, if your device has been enabled with internet and sync, data can be stored in the cloud. Check Google Photos for photos and contacts.google.com for phone numbers from your computer.
Importantly, there are Google's Find My Device and Xiaomi's Find Device services that allow you to remotely erase data, which only works if the phone is on, connected to the network, and the corresponding search function is activated on it, and you can send a command to reset through the web interface.
If the phone is not connected to the network, you just have to wait for a Wi-Fi connection or use Recovery. There are no “magic codes” to unlock without losing data in modern security systems, and third-party programs are often frauds.
⚠️ Warning: Attempts to unlock someone else’s phone or use questionable password-bypassing software can cause the device to fail completely (brick).
Actions after resetting settings
Once you've successfully completed the procedure and booted it up, you'll see a welcome screen. Choose a language, connect to a Wi-Fi network. The system may suggest that you restore data from a backup -- this is true if you've previously created a backup on Google Drive or Mi Cloud.
Take your time to install all the apps at once. Give Android a complete update to Google Play. Optimization processes can run in the background that consume CPU power and resources. Full stabilization usually takes 15-30 minutes of active use.
It is recommended to check for system updates immediately. Go to Settings → About Phone and click on the MIUI version. Installing the latest security patches will improve the stability of the Redmi 8 Pro after reset.
If you notice that the battery is discharged faster than usual in the first days after reset, it's normal. The system re-indexes the files and trains the energy saving algorithms to suit your use style. After 2-3 days, the autonomy should return to normal values.