How to reset Xiaomi Mi 9 to factory settings: a detailed guide

Why would you want to reset the Xiaomi Mi 9?

Resetting the settings on the Xiaomi Mi 9 is a radical but effective way to restore the smartphone to work, most often resorted to when the device begins to brake, spontaneously reboot or “hang” on the MIUI logo. 80% of the time the problem lies in software conflicts: accumulated cache of applications, update errors or viruses that penetrated through third-party APKs.

Another common reason is to prepare for the sale, and even if you have carefully deleted all files manually, a full reset is guaranteed to erase personal data, including accounts, photos in hidden folders, and call history, which protects your privacy better than any manual cleanup, and finally, a reset may be required after a failed firmware or bootloader is unlocked when the system refuses to boot.

It is important to understand the difference between types of discharge:

• 🔄 Soft reset (via settings) – saves files in memory but deletes applications and their data.
• 🧹 Hard reset (via Recovery) – completely clears internal memory, including photos and music.
• 🔧 Fastboot reset – used if the smartphone is not turned on or locked.

Preparation for resetting: what to do in advance

Before starting the reset, be sure to check the battery level - it should be at least 50%. Otherwise, the risk of interruption increases by 3 times, which can lead to a "brike" (complete inoperability) of the device. If the smartphone is discharged, connect it to the original charger for 30-40 minutes.

The next step is to back up your data. Even if you plan to do a soft reset, errors happen. Use the built-in Settings → About phone → Backup or third-party services:

• ☁️ Mi Cloud – syncs contacts, notes and certain settings (requires a Xiaomi account).
• 📱 Google Drive – saves photos, SMS and call log (configure in Settings) → Google → Backup).
• 💻 Local Copy – Transfer files to your computer through USB-cable (enable File Transfer Mode).

⚠️ Warning: If you forget the password from your Mi Account account linked to your phone, the reset may lock your device! Before the procedure, make sure you remember your login and password, or untie your account in Settings → Xiaomi account.

Make sure the battery is charged >50%|Create a backup copy of important data|Remember the username/password from Mi Account|Disable protection with a pattern lock (if any)|Get out. SIM-card and memory card (optional)-->

Method 1: Reset via the settings menu (soft reset)

This is the easiest and safest method to use if your smartphone is activated and responsive to touch, suitable for software lags, but not for hardware problems, and is relevant for MIUI 12-14 (on older versions, the path may be slightly different).

Open Settings and follow the following steps:

1. Go to the About Phone section.
2. Slip on Reset (may be called Recovery and Reset).
3. Select Reset all settings (not to be confused with Network Reset!).
4. If required, enter PIN-code.
5. Confirm the action by clicking Delete Everything.

It takes 3-7 minutes. When it's done, the smartphone automatically reboots and prompts you to set it up as new. Don't interrupt the process -- even if the screen goes out for 1-2 minutes, that's fine.

⚠️ Note: Some firmware may require re-assignment of Xiaomi account after reset. If you forget your password, use the recovery function at account.xiaomi.com.

Method 2: Hard Resetting with Recovery Mode

If the smartphone doesn’t turn on, freezes on the logo or doesn’t respond to touch, you’ll need to use Recovery mode, which completely clears internal memory, including user files. The Xiaomi Mi 9 has MIUI Recovery installed by default, but if you’ve previously installed custom Recovery (like TWRP), the steps may differ.

To enter Recovery:

1. Turn off the phone (press the power button for 10 seconds if it freezes).
2. Press the Power button + Volume Up button at the same time.
3. Hold them for 5-10 seconds until the Mi logo and Recovery menu appear.

In the Recovery menu, use the volume buttons for navigation and the power button to confirm the selection.

1. Select Wipe Data (or Clear Data).
2. Confirm the action by selecting Wipe All Data.
3. Wait until the process is completed (usually takes 2-5 minutes).
4. Go back to the main menu and select Reboot → Reboot to System.

If the phone doesn't turn on after the reset, the firmware may be damaged, in which case you'll need to flash it through Fastboot (see next section).

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If the volume buttons don’t work, connect the phone to your computer and use the adb reboot recovery command (ADB drivers are required).

Method 3: Fastboot Reset (for power users)

This method is used in extreme cases: when the smartphone does not load even in Recovery or is locked at the bootloader level. ADB/Fastboot original USB-Don't use cheap cables, they can interrupt the process because of unstable connections.

Download the official firmware for Xiaomi Mi 9 (codename cepheus) from MIUI Download. Unpack the archive in the folder with Fastboot tools (for example, platform-tools from Android SDK).

Resetting instructions:

1. Turn off the phone.
2. Press the Power button + Volume Down button to enter the Fastboot Mode (a hare in a hat-eared image will appear).
3. Connect the phone to the computer.
4. Open the command line in the firmware folder and execute the commands: fastboot devices (should display the serial number of the device) fastboot erase userdata fastboot erase cache fastboot reboot

⚠️ Note: The fastboot erase userdata and fastboot erase cache commands will completely delete user data and cache. If you want to reflash the device, use fastboot flash all instead (but this is a separate procedure that requires full firmware).

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Fastboot resets don't delete the firmware, only user data. If the problem is in the system itself, you'll need a complete firmware reflash.

What to do after resetting: the initial setting

After a successful reset, the Xiaomi Mi 9 will offer to go through the initial setup, as after the purchase.

• 🔌 Connect to a stable Wi-Fi network (mobile internet may be slow due to background updates).
• 🔑 Sign in to Xiaomi account (if you forgot the password, restore it before logging in, otherwise the phone may be blocked).
• ☁️ Restore data from backup (if you created it in advance).
• 🛡️ Disable unnecessary system applications (such as Mi Video or Mi Music) to free up memory.

Pay attention to the privacy settings:

1. Go to Settings. → Confidentiality.
2. Turn off personalized advertisements.
3. Check the permissions for applications in Application Permissions.

If the phone is slower than before after reset, MIUI background processes may have been activated to optimize performance:

• Turn off animation: activate Developer Mode (7 times tap on the MIUI version in About Phone), then set Windows Animation = 0.5x in the Developer Settings.
• Limit background activity: Settings → Battery → Background Limitation.

Common Post-Dump Problems and Their Solutions

Even after a successful reset, problems can occur, and here are the most common ones and ways to fix them:

If the IMEI is missing after the reset (the phone does not catch the network), this may indicate damage to the modem partition.

fastboot flash modem NON-HLOS.bin

(NON-HLOS.bin is part of the official firmware.)

⚠️ Warning: If the phone stops charging after resetting or turns off when connecting to charging, the problem may be in the power controller.

FAQ: Frequent questions about resetting Xiaomi Mi 9