Owning a modern Xiaomi or Redmi smartphone often involves dealing with software failures, locking the screen, or simply wanting to sell the device by clearing your personal data. When the device stops responding to touch or you forget the pattern lock, drastic measures are required. In such cases, the standard path through the settings menu becomes unavailable, and the only right solution is Hard Reset, executed by physical buttons.
This procedure, also known as Wipe Data in Recovery mode, allows the gadget to return to its original state, as it was when it was purchased from the factory. It is important to understand that this process is irreversible and completely destroys all user information stored in internal memory. However, if the system is locked or malfunctions, this is often the only way to resuscitate the device.
In this guide, we will take a detailed look at the algorithm for different models, explain the nuances of logging into the engineering menu and answer frequent questions, learn how to distinguish between Fastboot and Recovery modes, and learn how to avoid common errors that can lead to a complete failure of the device.
Preparation of the device for forced discharge
Before you start active actions with the buttons, you need to conduct a number of preparatory activities. If your Xiaomi smartphone is still responding to commands or you are planning a reset for sale, it is critical to back up data. Once you run Wipe Data, you will not be able to recover photos, contacts and correspondence without prior backup in the Mi Cloud cloud or on your computer.
Make sure the battery is at least 40-50%, the process of flashing and cleaning system partitions requires stable power. If the device turns off at the time of writing system files, this can lead to critical bootloader errors, after which the phone will turn into a “brick” and require complex recovery through the computer.
☑️ Checklist before reset
It is also worth removing the microSD card and SIM-The card before the procedure, although the current versions MIUI and HyperOS usually does not affect external drives when reset, the risk of accidental damage to the file system of the card exists. SIM-Cards can sometimes interfere with the correct determination of network status after a reset.
⚠️ Warning: If the device has enabled the "Mi Find Device" function, after resetting the phone will require entering the username and password from the Mi Account to which it was associated.
Differences between Fastboot and Recovery Mode
Many users confuse the two basic low-level access modes, as they are logged in by a similar set of physical buttons. Fastboot is a mode primarily designed to firmware a device through a computer using a USB cable and special slits. In this mode, the screen usually depicts a hare in an eardress cap fixing an android.
We're also interested in Recovery mode, which is a special diagnostic menu that's written into a separate memory partition that allows you to control the system independently of the main OS. This is where you reset, update and clean the cache, and you enter these modes by pressing different combinations of volume buttons when you turn off the device.
Table of button combinations for different modes
If you're in Fastboot mode, don't panic. You just have to press the power button on the back of the bunny. 10-15 So for our purposes, we need a Recovery menu that looks like a list of items on a black or orange background.
Instructions: Enter Recovery and reset buttons
The most common and versatile method, suitable for 95% of Xiaomi, Redmi and POCO models, requires a precise sequence of actions. First, turn off the smartphone completely. If the screen does not go out, press the power and volume button down until forced reboot, then immediately proceed to the next step.
Once the screen is out, press the Volume Up (+) button and the Power button at the same time. Keep them tightly pressed. In a few seconds, when you feel the vibration or see the Mi or Redmi logo, release the power button, but keep holding the volume button up.
Hold the volume button until the main Recovery Mode menu appears, which can be presented as a list in English or, in older versions, as an orange menu with icons. Navigation in this menu is done with volume buttons (up/down), and selection of the item with a short press of the power button.
Wipe Data Process and Partition Cleanup
Once you've successfully logged in, you need to find the Wipe Data item, which, depending on the firmware version, may simply be called Wipe Data/Factory Reset, use volume buttons to move the cursor, and power button to confirm the selection, and the system will alert you that all data will be deleted.
On the next screen, select Wipe All Data and confirm the action. The formatting process will start, which can take from a few seconds to a couple of minutes. The screen will display the progress bar. At this time, you should absolutely not interrupt the process or try to turn off the phone.
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After cleaning, you will see the words “Data wiped successfully”, which means successful completion of the operation.
When the process is complete, the system will prompt you to return to the main menu (Back to Main Menu). Select this item, then click Reboot and confirm the reboot in Reboot to System. The first turn on after the reset will take longer than usual, as the system will reconfigure all the parameters.
Specificity of reset for different versions of MIUI and HyperOS
The recovery mode interface may vary depending on the operating system version. Owners of devices with MIUI 12, 13, 14 and the new HyperOS will see a modern menu with large buttons. Here, navigation can be carried out both by buttons and by touching the screen, if the touchscreen is running in Recovery mode.
In older versions of MIUI (e.g. 9 or 10), menus often have an orange color scheme and lack touch control. In such cases, navigation is possible only with mechanical volume buttons. In older versions, you may need to confirm the login to Recovery by pressing a combination of buttons when you request the corresponding one.
| MIUI/HyperOS version | Recovery menu type | Management | Features |
|---|---|---|---|
| MIUI 9-11 | Orange (Classic) | Volume buttons | Requires confirmation of entry |
| MIUI 12-14 | Black (Modern) | Buttons/Touch | Automatic entry |
| HyperOS 1.0+ | Black (Modern) | Buttons/Touch | Extended error log |
| Global ROM | Black/Orange | Depends on the version. | It may be different from the CN version. |
Owners of Chinese firmware (CN ROM) versions may find that the menu will be entirely in Chinese, in which case you should focus on the icons and the location of the buttons.
Solving the problem: if the phone is not reset
Sometimes, after doing all the work, the device restarts normally, ignoring the reset command, or gets stuck on the logo, and one of the common causes is damage to the bootloader's system files or blocking from a Google account (FRP).
If the Recovery menu opens but the reset doesn't occur, try cleaning the cache before the main reset, and in some cases, repeating the procedure 2-3 times in a row helps, and if the phone goes into a cyclic restart, the system itself may be allowed and you will need to flash it through the computer.
⚠️ Warning: If after a reset, your phone requires a Google account that you don’t remember, this is protection. FRP. Bypass it by legal means without data from the account is extremely difficult, and often impossible without contacting the service.
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If the volume buttons are stuck or do not work, you can log in to Recovery using the ADB-commands: adb reboot recovery, provided debugging is enabled USB.
In a situation where the physical buttons are not working, you can try software login. Connect the phone to your PC, install drivers and ADB. In the command line, type in the adb reboot recovery command. This will force the device to go into the desired mode, even if the buttons are faulty.
adb reboot recoveryRemember, hardware button reset does not delete data encrypted at the Mi Account level before logging in, but completely erases the user partition. If after a reset the phone behaves strangely, warms up or discharges quickly, it may be hardware in nature and not solved by software methods.