How to Reset Xiaomi Redmi 5 to Factory Settings: The Complete Guide

Resetting the Xiaomi Redmi 5 to factory settings is a procedure that can be required in a variety of situations, from preparing a device for sale to fixing software failures. This smartphone, released in 2017, is still popular due to its reliability and availability. However, over time, even the most stable system can start to slow down, emit errors or simply stop meeting your needs.

Factory resetting is not just deleting data, it's rebooting MIUI to its original state, but before you start, it's important to understand that all your photos, contacts, messages and installed applications will be permanently deleted. So the first step is always backing up. If you've never done a backup on Xiaomi, don't worry: in this article, we'll go into detail how to save important information and what tools to use to do it.

Just as important is choosing the right reset method, there are three: through phone settings, Recovery mode, and Fastboot (for power users), each has its own nuances, from ease of execution to the need to connect to a PC, and we'll look at all the options so you can choose the one that suits your situation.

If your Redmi 5 doesn't turn on, is stuck on the logo or is locked, don't rush it to the service center. In 80% of cases, you can solve the problem yourself, following our instructions, the main thing is not to interrupt the reset process and prepare everything you need in advance.

Preparing for resetting: how to save important data

Before you reset the Redmi 5 to factory settings, make sure you have backups of all critical data. Even if the phone is unstable, you can usually copy at least some of the information.

• 📱 Contacts and messages: sync them to your Google or Mi Account account. Go to Settings → Accounts. → Google and enable backup for contacts, calendar and Gmail. SMS You can use applications like this. SMS Backup & Restore.
• 📷 Photos and videos: transfer them to your computer USB-cable or upload to the cloud (Google Photos, Mi Cloud, Yandex.Disk). Do not forget about hidden folders - for example, DCIM/.thumbnails.
• 🎵 Music and documents: check Download, Documents and Music folders. Use a file manager (like Mi File Explorer) to find large files.
• 🔑 Passwords and settings: export saved passwords from the browser (in Chrome this is done through Settings). → Passwords) and take screenshots of important settings (such as mobile network or Wi-Fi settings).

Pay special attention to applications that are not synced to the cloud by default, for example, data from messengers (WhatsApp, Telegram, Viber) must be saved manually:

1. Open the messenger settings.
2. Find the “Chat” or “Backup” section.
3. Create a backup on Google Drive or locally (for WhatsApp, the file will lie in /sdcard/WhatsApp/Databases).

⚠️ Note: If you use Mi Account for backup, make sure you have access to the linked phone number or email. After the reset, you will need to confirm the account to recover the data.

If the phone is already off or slowing down, try connecting it to your PC in MTP mode. Sometimes even the "hang" Redmi 5 can be unlocked for a few minutes to copy the data, and in extreme cases, you can remove the memory card (if you have one) and read it through the card reader.

Method 1: Reset via phone settings (the easiest one)

If your Xiaomi Redmi 5 is turned on and more or less stable, the safest way to reset is through the standard settings menu.This method requires no additional tools and is suitable even for beginners.

Step instructions:

1. Open the Settings app (the gear icon on the home screen).
2. Scroll down and select Additional (or Advanced Settings in newer versions of MIUI).
3. Go to Restore and Reset (on some firmware, this item may be called Resetting).
4. Slip on Resetting (or Delete all data).
5. The system will ask you to enter a pattern lock or PIN-code (if any) if installed).
6. Confirm the action by clicking Reset phone settings.

After that, the phone will automatically restart and start the cleaning process, which will take 3 to 10 minutes, and when it's done, you'll see the screen of the initial setup, just like after you bought it.

⚠️ Note: Some custom firmware may not have Recovery and Reset. In this case, use Method 2 (via Recovery).

If after resetting the phone hangs on the logo of Redmi for a long time (more than a few days). 15 Don't panic. It might be optimizing applications. Give it more. 20-30 If nothing changes, then go to alternative methods.

Battery charge of at least 50%|All accounts are disabled (Google, Mi, social networks)|Backup of important data is made|Removed memory card (unless you need to format it)-->

Method 2: Reset via Recovery (if the phone is not turned on)

If Redmi 5 doesn't load beyond the logo, it freezes or locks, it helps to reset through Recovery mode, which is a built-in recovery menu that works even in case of serious system failures.

How to log in to Recovery:

1. Turn off the phone (press the power button for 10-15 seconds if it freezes).
2. Press the power and volume buttons up simultaneously.
3. Hold them until the Mi logo appears (usually 5-10 seconds).
4. Release the buttons when you see the Recovery menu (black screen with blue text in English or Chinese).

In the Recovery menu, you can control the volume buttons (up/down for navigation) and the power button (to confirm your choice).

1. Select Wipe Data (or Clear Data in Chinese firmware).
2. Confirm the action by selecting Wipe All Data (or similar).
3. Wait until the process is complete (the screen will display the inscription Data wipe complete).
4. Go back to the main menu and select Reboot → Reboot to System.

If your Recovery menu is in Chinese, focus on the following characters:

• 📛 — «Clear the data" (analogue of Wipe Data).
• 🔄 — «Reboot the system».

⚠️ Note: On some versions MIUI Recovery may need to enter a password from Mi Account if the device's association was previously activated. If you don't remember the password, use the instructions from the FAQ.

If the phone doesn't turn on or gives an error after resetting via Recovery, the firmware may be damaged, in which case only method 3 (via Fastboot) will help.

Method 3: Fastboot Reset (for power users)

This method requires connecting Redmi 5 to a computer and using the Mi Flash Tool.

• 🔧 The phone does not turn on or respond to buttons.
• 📱 Recovery damaged or blocked.
• 🔄 We need to reflash the device to clean. MIUI.

The work will require:

• 💻 Windows computer (7/10/11).
• 🔌 USB-cable (preferably original).
• 📥 Mi Flash Tool (download from the official website of Xiaomi).
• 📦 Redmi 5 firmware (select Fastboot version, not Recovery!).

Step-by-step:

1. Install the Mi Flash Tool and unpack the firmware archive into a folder without Cyrillic characters (e.g, C:\redmi5_fastboot).
2. Turn off the phone and put it in Fastboot mode: Press Power + Volume down. Hold until the hare appears in the hat-out (Fastboot logo).
3. Connect Redmi 5 to your PC via USB.
4. Launch the Mi Flash Tool, press Select and specify the path to the firmware folder.
5. Press Refresh – your phone should appear in the list of devices.
6. Select firmware mode: Clean all – complete cleanup (recommended). Save user data – save user data (not suitable for resetting!).

Flash

5-10 minutes

Once the firmware is successful, the phone will automatically restart. The first run can take up to 15 minutes - don't interrupt the process!

⚠️ Note: If the Mi Flash Tool is an anti-rollback error, you are trying to install an older version. MIUI, In this case, download the firmware of the same or newer version.

On the Redmi 5 with the Snapdragon 450 processor, you can not flash firmware from other models (for example, from the Redmi 5 Plus or Redmi Note 5), this will lead to a “brick” (complete inoperability) of the device!

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If the phone does not turn on after firmware through Fastboot, try re-entering Recovery (Power) + Volume up) and make Wipe Data. This often helps with the first run after flashing.

What to do after resetting: initial setup

After the successful reset of Redmi 5, you will have to go through the initial setup process.

• 🌍 Language and region choice: Install Russian and Russian (or your country) for the proper operation of Google and Mi Account services.
• 📶 Wi-Fi connection: You can skip this stage, but without the internet, you won’t be able to recover data from the cloud or update your firmware.
• 🔐 Sign in: First, you will be asked to sign in to Mi Account (if your phone was tied to it before the reset), then to Google Account (required if you want to use Play Market).
• ☁️ Data recovery: If you’ve been backing up through Mi Cloud or Google, the system will offer you to restore contacts, apps, and settings.

After the basic setting, we recommend:

1. Check for MIUI updates in Settings → About Phone → System Update.
2. Install an antivirus (such as Dr.Web or Kaspersky) and scan the device.
3. Enable protection against malicious applications in Settings → Security.
4. Set up backups on a regular basis (e.g. once a week).

If your phone is running slower than before, check:

• 🔋 Battery status (C Settings) → Battery check out the wear graph).
• 🧹 Number of background processes (c Settings) → Annexes → Launched).
• 📉 Storage load (optimally leave free) 10-15% memory).

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After resetting Redmi 5 may seem "brake-free" for the first 1-2 days — that's okay. The system optimizes the application in the background. If the lags last longer, check the device for viruses or reset again.

Common mistakes and their solutions

Even with the right instructions, sometimes there are problems, and we've collected the most common errors and ways to fix them:

If your problem is not described in the table, try the following generic steps:

1. Check the battery charge (minimum 30%).
2. Try another one. USB-cable.
3. Make sure that you have Qualcomm drivers installed on your computer (for Redmi 5 with Snapdragon processor).
4. If you use custom Recovery (such as TWRP), upgrade to the latest version.

If none of these methods helped, it may be a hardware problem (for example, damaged motherboard or memory), in which case it is better to contact the Xiaomi service center or a proven wizard.

FAQ: Frequent questions about Redmi 5 reset