Xiaomi smartphone owners often face the need to return the device to its original state. A complete reset may be required when selling the gadget, transferring it to another user or to eliminate critical software errors that cannot be corrected by conventional methods. In the case of the Redmi 9 model running on the MIUI shell, the procedure for returning to factory parameters has its own nuances, ignoring which can lead to the loss of important data or locking an account.
Hard Reset or a program reset through the menu completely destroys all user information, this applies not only to photos, videos and contacts, but also to installed applications, saved passwords in the browser and system settings. If your goal is just to speed up the device, you may want to first try less radical optimization methods, which we will mention below.
However, if the decision is made, it is important to act consistently and in a cool manner. In this article, we will discuss all the available ways to return the Redmi 9 to factory status, from the standard settings menu to using the Recovery engineering menu if the phone has stopped responding to touch. We will also focus on the security of the Google account and Mi Account, so that after the reboot you do not encounter the activation lock screen.
Preparing the device for a complete data reset
The critical step to start is to back up your data, and the built-in MIUI tools allow you to save almost everything from call history to desktop layout. Go to Settings → Phone → Backup and Restore. You can choose to save data to internal memory or external storage, which is safer because the internal storage will be formatted when you reset.
The second aspect of preparation is accounts, and many users forget to unplug accounts before resetting, which leads to activation of theft protection, you need to log out of your Google account and Mi Account, and if you don't, the system will require you to enter a password from the last synced account after rebooting, and without it you will not be able to log in.
⚠️ Warning: Make sure the battery is at least 50-60%. The process of formatting partitions and reinstalling system files may take 10 before 30 If the phone turns off in the middle of the process due to a discharge, it can damage the bootloader and turn the smartphone into a brick».
It’s also worth checking for important files in messengers. WhatsApp, Telegram and Viber store correspondence locally or in the cloud, but it’s better to manually export important chats. WhatsApp does this through Settings → Chats → Backup chats. Don’t rely only on automatic synchronization, which may have been long since it was updated.
☑️ Checklist before Redmi 9 reset
Method 1: Reset via the settings menu (standard method)
The safest and easiest way to get the Xiaomi Redmi 9 back to factory status is to use the operating system’s regular menu, which is suitable for most situations where the phone is turned on, the screen is responsive to touch, and you have access to the desktop. The algorithm is extremely transparent and requires no special knowledge.
Open the Settings app and scroll down to the bottom of the About Phone section. At the bottom of the screen, you'll find "Reset" and click on it and the system will offer two options: "Reset" (without deleting data) and "Erase all data" (full reset). We're interested in the second option. After selecting, the system will ask you to enter the unlock password for confirmation of operation.
Then you'll see a warning that all data will be deleted. If you've already made backups, feel free to press the confirmation button. The device can reboot several times, and the Android or MIUI logo with a progress indicator may be displayed on the screen.
What to do if your phone requires a Mi Account password?
The waiting time for completion depends on the amount of memory filled. On Redmi 9 with its Helio G80 processor, the formatting of the userdata partition can take up to 15 minutes. Once completed, the phone will turn on as a new one, suggesting you choose a language and connect to Wi-Fi.
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Standard resetting through settings is the safest method, as the system correctly closes all processes before formatting, minimizing the risk of file system errors.
Method 2: Hard Reset with Recovery Mode (if the phone is not turned on)
If the smartphone is stuck on the logo, does not respond to touch or cyclically reboots, the only way out is to use Recovery mode.This low-level interface loads independently of the main operating system and allows you to clean up memory partitions even in emergency situations.
To enter recovery mode on Redmi 9, you need to turn the device off completely. Then press the Volume + and Power button at the same time. Hold them until the Mi logo appears, then release the power button, but keep the volume down until the Main Menu menu appears.
From the menu, select Wipe Data, then Wipe All Data. The system will ask for confirmation — select Confirm. Once the cleanup process is complete, select Back to Main Menu and then Reboot → Reboot to System. The first download after such a reset always lasts longer than usual.
| Parameter | Description of action | Risks. |
|---|---|---|
| Wipe Data | Complete deletion of user data | Irreversible loss of photos and contacts |
| Wipe All Data | Formatting all memory sections | Possible data loss on internal SD |
| Connect with MIAssistant | Connection mode to PC for firmware | It requires drivers and ROM-file |
| Reboot | Rebooting the device | Minimum if no discharge is selected |
It is worth noting that in newer versions of MIUI, the Recovery menu can be blocked with a screen unlock password for security reasons. If after selecting a cleanup point, the system requests a password and you do not remember it, this method also does not help without first resetting the password through the account.
Method 3: Remove the forgotten unlock password
A common reason for resorting to the reset procedure is a forgotten pattern lock or PIN-Unfortunately, Android and Xiaomi’s security policies do not include a “magic button” to reset your password without losing data.
If the phone is turned on but locked and you can’t get into the settings menu, use the Recovery Login button combination (as described in the previous section). If the device requires a password when you try to log in to Recovery, try entering the wrong password several times. On some versions of MIUI, after 5-10 failed attempts, a button appears “Forgot your password?” or “Forgot your pattern lock”.
Clicking on this button will require you to enter a password from Mi Account or Google Account that was synced with the device before. If you remember the data from the account, but not the password from the screen, this will save the situation. Enter credentials, and the phone will suggest resetting the screen lock.
⚠️ Warning: If you don't remember the password from either the screen or the accounts you're attached to, it's almost impossible to recover your own access without losing your data. Beware of paid services on the Internet that promise to unlock without reset - 99% of the time it's a fraud.
In cases where accounts are also forgotten, only the device is flashed through the computer using the Mi Flash Tool utility and the official firmware in Fastboot mode. This is a more complex procedure, requiring an unlocked bootloader, which takes from 7 to 168 hours of waiting after submitting an application to Xiaomi.
Cleaning only the application cache and system
It doesn't always take a radical step of completely deleting data. If Redmi 9 is slowing down, or if an interface artifact appears, or if a particular application is behaving incorrectly, it's enough to clear the cache. These are temporary files that speed up the loading of commonly used data, but can get corrupted over time.
To clear the cache of the entire system, go to Settings → Advanced Settings → Memory. Find “Clean the cache” or “Clean the memory” here. The system will analyze the amount of junk files and suggest that they be deleted. This is safe and will not affect your personal files.
If the problem is in a particular app (e.g. YouTube or Instagram crashing all the time), don’t delete it completely. Go to Settings → Apps → All apps, find the problem program and select Memory → Clear cache. If that doesn’t work, use the Clean Everything (or Reset) button to return the app to its state immediately after installation, while saving your logins (if they haven’t been deleted).
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Use the built-in Security app on Redmi 9 to clean your cache regularly, and it automatically finds residual files and junk that accumulates in your Android folders.
Post-discharge problems and their solution
Once Hard Reset is complete and Xiaomi Redmi 9 is turned on, you may encounter a number of typical situations: the first and most common is the requirement to enter a password from a Google account (FRP - Factory Reset Protection), which is a security mechanism that confirms that the phone was not stolen. Enter the same account that was used on the device before the reset.
The second problem is that the battery is running out quickly and heating up in the first hours of use. That's OK. After the reset, the system starts to index files again, update applications in the background and adjust the processor algorithms, give the phone 1-2 hours of Wi-Fi running with the screen on, so that it "comes to its senses."
The third situation is that there are no system applications or a strange interface. Make sure you choose the right region when setting up. If the settings menu is India or China, the interface and set of preinstalled services may differ. Change region to Russia or your country in the Settings menu → Additional settings → Region.
Sometimes users complain that after the reset, the mobile Internet does not work (APN). Often they are reset or incorrectly selected. Go to Settings → SIM-maps and mobile networks → Access points (APN) and click the reset button to the default settings in the lower menu.