Forgot the pattern lock on Xiaomi? Phone brakes after the MIUI update? Or just want to sell the device and completely clear it of personal data? Resetting through the computer is the most reliable way to return the smartphone to factory status, especially when standard methods through the Settings → Reset menu are not available. Unlike resetting through the receptacles, connecting to a PC allows you to bypass screen locks, restore "bricks" after a failed firmware, and even refuse the device to a clean version of MIUI.
In this article, we will discuss 3 working PC reset methods (including the Fastboot, Mi Flash Tool and ADB) relevant to 2018-2026 models: from Redmi Note 7 to Xiaomi 14 Ultra. We will discuss how to prepare a computer, where to download official tools, and what to do if the process is frozen in the flashing stage.
1.Reset Preparation: What to Do Before Connecting Xiaomi to a PC
Before you start resetting, make sure you follow all the critical steps. Skipping even one item can lead to data loss without the ability to recover or turn the phone into a brick.
First, check the battery charge: it must be at least 50%. At low charge, the device can turn off during firmware, which can damage the boot partition. USB-cable (better the one that came with the phone) – cheap cables often don’t transmit data in Fastboot mode.
- 🔋 Battery charge ≥ 50% (optimum 70–80%)
- 🔌 Original. USB-cable (Type-C or Micro-USB depending on the model)
- 💻 Windows computer 7/10/11 (MacOS does not support Mi Flash Tool)
- 📥 Qualcomm or MediaTek Drivers (depending on your Xiaomi processor)
- 📂 Backup of important data (reset will delete everything, including photos in the data) DCIM)
Pay special attention to drivers. If your Xiaomi is running on a Qualcomm Snapdragon processor (like the POCO F5 or Redmi K60), download the QDLoader HS-USB Driver. MediaTek chips (like the Redmi Note 12 or POCO M5) will require MTK Driver Auto Installer. Without the right drivers, the PC will simply not see the phone in Fastboot mode.
⚠️ Note: If you are resetting Xiaomi with a locked bootloader, first unlock it through the official Xiaomi tool. otherwise, after the reset, the phone will not turn on!
2. Method 1: Reset via Mi Flash Tool (for firmware clean MIUI)
Mi Flash Tool is the official utility from Xiaomi, which allows you to flash a device with a full reset.
- 📱 The phone is not turned on or stuck on the logo MI
- 🔒 You forgot your password/pattern lock
- 🐌 The device is severely braked after the update MIUI
- 📦 You need to install a global or Chinese version of the firmware
Download the official firmware for your model (choose the Fastboot version, not Recovery!). Unpack the archive into a folder without Cyrillic characters (e.g., C:\Xiaomi\ROM).
- Turn off the phone.
- Press Volume Down + Power to enter the Fastboot (screen with a hare in a hat-eared).
- Connect the device to the PC.
- Launch the Mi Flash Tool, press Select and point the path to the unpacked firmware.
- At the bottom, select Clean all (full reset) or Clean all and lock (reset + lock bootloader).
- Press Flash and wait until it is completed (usually 5-10 minutes).
If the process is stuck on waiting for a device, check:
- 🔌 Is the cable connected to the port? USB 2.0 (Blue port on PC is the first port on PC) USB 3.0 that may not work)
- 🛠️ Drivers installed (check in Device Manager – Android Bootloader Interface should be displayed)
- 🔄 Try restarting your PC and phone, then reconnect.
Download Fastboot firmware for your model | Unpack the archive into a folder without Cyrillic |Install Qualcomm/MediaTek | Enter Fastboot (Vol Down + Power) |Connect the phone to USB 2.0 port-->
| Mistake in Mi Flash | Reason. | Decision |
|---|---|---|
| Can't find 'flash_all.bat' | The firmware is unpacked incorrectly or downloaded the wrong version | Download the firmware again and unpack through WinRAR |
| Anti-rollback check fail | Trying to flash the old version of MIUI after the new one | Download the firmware of the same or newer version |
| Device is locked | The bootloader is not unlocked | Unlock with the Mi Unlock Tool |
| Flash not done, unknown error | Problems with drivers or cable | Reinstall drivers, try another cable/port |
Method 2: Reset via Fastboot commands (without firmware)
If you don’t need to reflash your phone, you just need to reset your settings, you can do without the Mi Flash Tool. You will need ADB and Fastboot, tools from Google that allow you to manage Android devices through the command line.
Download Google’s Platform Tools and unpack it into C:\platform-tools.
- Turn on Fastboot on your phone (press Volume Down + Power).
- Connect the device to the PC.
- Open Command Prompt in the platform-tools folder (click Shift + right mouse button → Open the PowerShell window here).
- Enter the command to check the connection: fastboot devices If the device is displayed (e.g. 1234567890abcdef fastboot), you can continue.
- Reset one of the commands: fastboot erase userdata or to reset completely (including cache): fastboot -w
Once you do the command, the phone will automatically restart. This method doesn't remove the firmware, it just resets user data, so it's safer than flashing through Mi Flash.
⚠️ Note: If you are following the fastboot command -w phone is stuck on startup the boot, try resetting the cache separately: fastboot erase cache
bcdedit /set testsigning onand reboot the PC.-->
Method 3: Reset via ADB (if the phone is turned on but locked)
If your Xiaomi is turned on but you can’t unlock the screen (forgot your password or pattern lock), you can reset your settings via ADB without losing data in some cases.
- 🔓 The phone's debugging on. USB (Even if the screen is locked)
- 🖥️ You previously connected this device to this PC (there is an adbkeys file with permissions)
Instructions:
- Connect the phone to the PC.
- Open the Command Prompt in the platform-tools folder.
- Check the connection: adb devices If the device is displayed as 1234567890abcdef device, enter: adb shell
- Enter the reset command (works on MIUI 12–14): am start -a android.settings.SETTINGS If it didn't work, try: pm clear com.android.providers.settings
These commands sometimes allow you to bypass the lock screen and access settings where you can reset in a standard way, but on newer versions of MIUI (14+), this method may not work due to enhanced protection.
What if the ADB can’t see the device?
5. Frequent errors and their solutions
Even with the exact instructions, the PC reset process may not go according to plan.-5 errors and ways of correcting them:
| Problem. | Possible cause | Decision |
|---|---|---|
| Mi Flash does not see the device | No drivers or incorrect version | Installation of Xiaomi Driver Installer |
| Invalid sparse file format at header | A damaged firmware file | Download the firmware again, check the checksum MD5 |
| Phone doesn't come out of Fastboot | Failed firmware or failure | Press the Power for 20-30 seconds for a forced reboot |
| ADB issues unauthorized | No debugging authorization granted. | Unlock your phone and confirm access on the screen |
| After reset, there is no net (IMEI reset) | Modem section damaged | Sweep non-HLOS.bin through Mi Flash or restore IMEI through Maui META |
If after reset the phone does not turn on or hovers on the logo MI, Try to put it through EDL-The mode (emergency loading:
- Turn off the phone.
- Press Volume Up + Volume Down and connect to the PC.
- Install the Qualcomm HS-USB QDLoader 9008 driver.
- Flush the firmware through Mi Flash or QFil.
💡
If a Fastboot reset doesn’t help and the phone doesn’t turn on, the last chance is firmware in the phone. EDL-But this method requires authorization of Xiaomi account and can block the device if you do not do the right thing.
6. Data recovery after reset
A PC reset deletes all user data, including:
- 📸 Photos and video (folder) DCIM)
- 📱 Contacts (unless synced with Google or Mi Account)
- 💬 Messages in messengers (WhatsApp, Telegram, etc.)
- 🎮 Game saving (if not linked to an account)
- 📄 Documents in the Download folder
It is almost impossible to recover data after a complete reset, but there are several ways to return at least some of the information:
- 🔍 Use programs like DiskDigger or Recuva to scan internal memory (works if the phone is defined as a drive).
- ☁️ Check backups in Google Drive (settings) → Accounts. → Backup).
- 📱 If sync with Mi Cloud was enabled before reset, restore data via the web version.
⚠️ Warning: Do not write new files to your phone after a reset if you plan to restore data! New files can overwrite old ones, making recovery impossible.
7.Reset on locked devices (linked to Mi Account)
If your Xiaomi is linked to your Mi Account and is blocked after a reset (this device is locked) you will need to:
- Sign in to the same Mi Account that was linked to the phone.
- Confirm the rights of the owner via SMS or email.
- If you do not remember your account details, try to restore access through the official website.
If the phone is bought by hand and the previous owner has not untied the account, contact him to unlock. In extreme cases, you can contact the Xiaomi service center with proof of purchase (check, purchase agreement).
Some models (such as the Redmi Note 10 Pro or POCO X3 Pro) may require you to enter the old Mi Account password after reset, even if you are logged in, in which case only a call in support of Xiaomi will help.