Owners of Xiaomi, Redmi and POCO smartphones face the need to return the device to its original state, which can be caused by the sale of a gadget, critical errors in the operation of the MIUI or HyperOS system, as well as a forgotten pattern lock, a process known as Hard Reset, removes all user information, returning the phone to the state “out of the box”.
Despite its apparent simplicity, the procedure requires care, and misconduct can lead to the blocking of your Mi Account or loss of important data without the possibility of recovery, and in this article we will discuss in detail all the ways of resetting, from standard methods through settings to forced login to Recovery mode.
Before you take any drastic action, you need to make sure you understand the consequences. Reset erases photos, contacts, messages and installed apps. However, if you prepare in advance, this process will take a minimum of time and nerves. Let's look at how to safely perform this operation on your device.
Preparing the device for a complete data reset
The first and most important step is to back up. Even if the phone is unstable, try to copy valuable files to your computer or to the cloud. The MIUI shell has a built-in Settings tool → Advanced Settings → Backup and Reset, which allows you to save the structure of the system and application lists.
If you have Mi Cloud or Google Find My Device protection activated on your device, the system will require you to enter a password after you reboot.
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Take a picture of the screen with the passwords entered from your Google and Mi accounts before resetting so you don’t look for them when you activate them.
Also critical is the battery level: the process of formatting the data partition is energy intensive; if the phone turns off at the time of writing system files, it can damage the bootloader; make sure that the charge is at least 60-70% before starting any manipulations.
Check availability SD-While modern Android is good at isolating internal memory from external memory, removing the memory card minimizes the risk of accidentally formatting photos or documents stored on it.
☑️ Checklist before reset
Method 1: Reset via the settings menu (staff method)
The safest and most recommended way for working devices is to use the built-in functionality of the system. This method ensures that all processes are closed correctly and that partitions are formatted correctly without the risk of damaging system files. First, go to Settings → About Phone or Settings → Advanced Settings, depending on your firmware version.
In the menu that opens, find Reset or Delete all data. The system will warn you that all files will be destroyed.
What happens when you choose to “clean all data”?
Once confirmed, the phone will restart and the cleaning process will begin.The screen may display the Xiaomi logo or animation of the Android robot. The duration of the process depends on the storage capacity and the number of files, usually this takes 5 to 15 minutes.
It’s important to note that newer versions of HyperOS may have slightly different interfaces, but the logic remains the same: search for the security section or general management where the reset features are hidden. If the menu doesn’t open because of the freezes, move on to the next section.
After the reset is complete, the device will turn on as new, suggesting you choose a language and connect to Wi-Fi.
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A regular reset via the menu is the only method that properly untie the device from the activation servers, if you have previously logged out of accounts.
Method 2: Hard Reset with Recovery Mode
If the system doesn’t boot or the touch screen doesn’t respond, the only option is to use Recovery Mode, a low-level environment built into the phone’s memory that allows you to control the system bypassing the main Android interface.
To enter this mode, you need to turn the device off completely. Then press the Volume Up and the Power button at the same time. Hold them until the Mi logo appears, then release the power button, continuing to keep the volume.
Recovery
Navigation in this menu is done with volume buttons (up/down), and the power button selects the item. You need to find the Wipe Data or Clear Data section. Inside, select Wipe All Data and confirm the action by selecting Confirm.
⚠️ Attention: In Recovery mode, the touch screen most often does not work.
Once you have cleaned, select Reboot → Reboot to System. Phone will reboot. If the Recovery menu appears again after the logo, the system partition may be damaged and you will need to flash it through your computer.
Method 3: Resetting a forgotten password through Mi Account
The situation where the user forgets the pattern lock or password is one of the most common: if the phone has been turned on the Internet and activated Mi Account, there is a possibility of a remote reset, this will require access to a computer or other smartphone.
Go to the official i.mi.com cloud service website and log in under the same account as the locked device. From the menu, select Find Device. From the list, select your Xiaomi, Redmi or POCO model.
The device's control menu will open with a Wipe Device button, and if you press this command, it will send a signal to the phone, and if you have an Internet connection, it will automatically reset to factory settings.
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If the phone is offline, the command will run automatically as soon as the device connects to the network.
Remember, after this procedure, the phone will require you to enter a password from your Google or Mi Account when turned on (FRP protection), a security measure that prevents the use of stolen devices.
Comparison of discharge methods and their features
Different reset methods have their own technical nuances and applications, and understanding the differences will help you choose the best option in a particular situation.
| Parameter | Through Settings. | Through Recovery. | Remotely (Mi Cloud) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Requires the phone to be turned on | Yes. | No. | Yes (for receiving the team) |
| It works with a broken screen. | No. | Yes. | Yes. |
| Difficulty of implementation | Low. | Medium | Low. |
| Risk of error | Minimum | Medium. | Depends on the network. |
The settings menu is preferable because the system itself closes all background processes. The Recovery method is “rough”, it forcibly formats the data partition, which can sometimes lead to file system errors that require verification.
Remote reset is useful if the phone is lost or forgotten at home, but it has important data that needs to be destroyed for security, but this method is useless if the device is turned off or is out of range of the network.
Solving problems after discharge
After Hard Reset, users often face security issues, and the most common scenario is a request for a Google or Mi Account when you first set up, which is FRP (Factory Reset Protection) function, which is activated automatically if a Google account is added to the device before resetting.
If the phone says “Device locked” and requires a password you don’t remember, the situation gets complicated.
Can I get past FRP officially?
Another problem is a “bootloop” (cyclic reboot), when the phone is constantly hanging on the logo, which can mean that the reset process has been interrupted or damaged the system partition, in which case simply repeating the reset is not enough, you will need to completely flash the device through the computer using the Mi Flash Tool utility.
It is also worth considering that after resetting the phone may work slower in the first few days. 15-30 It re-indexes files and updates background services, and gives the device time to warm up before installing heavy applications.
⚠️ Warning: Never attempt to interrupt the reset process by removing the battery (if it is not removable) or clamping buttons if there is a progress bar on the screen.