Reset Xiaomi Mi 8 to factory settings: 3 working ways (2026)

Why Xiaomi Mi 8 may be needed and when not to do it

Resetting the settings on the Xiaomi Mi 8 is a radical but sometimes necessary step to get the smartphone back to “clean” state. You may find yourself in a situation where the phone starts to brake after a year of active use, apps spontaneously close, and the battery goes down in a few hours. In 80% of these cases, a soft reset (through settings) or hard reset (through Recovery) solves the problem without going to the service center.

However, a reset is not always a panacea. If your Mi 8 stopped turning on after a fall, it has a broken screen or does not respond to charging, the problem is likely hardware. In such cases, the reset will not help, and may even aggravate the situation (for example, if memory is damaged), It is also not recommended to reset the settings before selling, unless you delete the attached Mi Account - the new owner will not be able to activate the device.

Another nuance: Resetting to the Mi 8 with MIUI 12 firmware and later may require re-authorization in some services (e.g. Google Pay or banking applications), due to a change in the device ID, if you use your phone to work with financial data, save backups in advance or untie the device from critical services.

Preparation for resetting: what to do before the start

Before you start resetting, make sure you follow all the critical steps. On the Xiaomi Mi 8, a reset without backup will lead to irretrievable loss of data, including photos, instant messenger messages and game saving. Even if you plan a hard reset via Recovery, files on internal memory will be erased.

Here is the minimum checklist before resetting:

Pay special attention to the Mi Account. If you forget the password or email associated with the device, after reset, you can get an activation lock (FRP), in which case you can unlock the Mi 8 only through the official Xiaomi service with proof of ownership.

1. Go to Settings → Xiaomi Account → Mi Account.
2. Make sure that the Devices section shows your Mi 8.
3. Write down your email and password or link backup login method (phone/Google).

If you are using the Mi 8 with custom firmware (like LineageOS or Pixel Experience), the reset process may be different. In some cases, after a hard reset, you will have to re-install the firmware via fastboot or TWRP. Check this information on the 4PDA or XDA Developers forum for your specific build.

Method 1: Soft reset via settings (without data loss)

This method is suitable if your Xiaomi Mi 8 is turned on, touch-responsive and you have access to the settings menu. It allows you to return factory settings, but with the ability to save some data (for example, files on internal memory).

Step instructions:

1. Open Settings (the gear icon on the main screen).
2. Go to About Phone (in some versions of MIUI – Additional → Recovery and Reset).
3. Select Resetting (or Resetting Factory Settings).
4. Click Delete all data (if you want to save media files, select Save Media, but this does not guarantee 100% safety).
5. Enter the password from the lock screen (if installed).
6. Confirm the action by clicking Reset.

It takes 3-5 minutes to do this, and after you restart, you'll be asked to set your phone up as new. If you have a "failed to reset" error at this point, try:

• 🔋 Charge your phone to 70% and try again.
• 📱 Delete SD-card (if installed) – sometimes it blocks the process.
• 🔄 Restart your phone in Safe Mode (click the power button) →"Restart in safe mode”) and repeat reset.

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If after resetting, the Mi 8 asks you to enter an old Wi-Fi password but you don’t remember it, connect to the network via mobile data or other Wi-Fi. The system only requests a password to automatically connect to previously stored networks.

Method 2: Hard reset via Recovery (if the phone doesn't turn on)

If the Xiaomi Mi 8 doesn’t respond to touch, is stuck on the logo or doesn’t turn on at all, you’ll have to use Recovery mode, which erases all data without recovery, but will return the phone to working condition even in case of serious software failures.

Note: on the Mi 8 with the bootloader locked, a hard reset may result in an error "This device is locked" in which case you will need to officially unlock through the Mi Unlock Tool.

Step-by-step:

1. Turn off the phone (press the power button for 10 seconds if it freezes).
2. Press the Power button + Volume up at the same time and hold for 10-15 seconds until the Mi logo appears.
3. Release the buttons and you will be taken to the Recovery menu (in English or Chinese).
4. Use volume buttons for navigation and power button for selection.
5. Select Wipe Data (or Chinese firmware).
6. Confirm the action by selecting Wipe All Data (or similar).
7. Once completed, select Reboot (or ) to reboot.

If the Recovery menu is in Chinese, focus on the location of the items:

If the phone is booted into a bootloop after reset, the firmware may be damaged, in which case you will need to reflash the device via fastboot using the Mi Flash Tool. Instructions for your model can be found on the 4PDA forum on the Xiaomi Mi 8 topic.

Method 3: Reset via Mi PC Suite (for power users)

If the first two methods didn’t work or you prefer to control the process from a computer, you can use the official Mi PC Suite utility. This method is suitable for the Xiaomi Mi 8 with an unlocked bootloader or if you have a backup in the Mi Cloud.

The advantage of the method is that you can choose which data to recover after reset (for example, only contacts and messages).

• 💻 Windows computer 7/10/11 (MacOS utility is unstable).
• 🔌 Original. USB-cable (cheap cables may not transmit data).
• 🔐 Debugging authorization USB (included in the settings → The phone. → Version. MIUI — Press 7 times, then return to Additional → For developers → Debugging by USB).

Instructions:

1. Download and install Mi PC Suite from the official website.
2. Connect the Mi 8 to your computer and allow access to the phone.
3. In the utility, select the Backup tab and create a backup.
4. Go to Restore and select Factory Reset.
5. Confirm the action and wait until it is completed (may take up to 20 minutes).

If the Mi PC Suite can’t see the phone, try:

• 🔄 Reinstall Xiaomi drivers via Mi Flash Tool.
• 🔌 Use the other USB-port (preferably) USB 2.0).
• 📱 Enable File Transfer Mode (MTP) phone-curtain.

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Mi PC Suite resets are the only official way to save Mi Account data (such as notes or calendar entries) before selling a phone.

Frequent mistakes after resetting and how to fix them

Even after a successful reset, the Xiaomi Mi 8 can be unstable, and here are the most common problems and solutions:

1.The phone asks you to enter the old password from Google (FRP-block)

This is Factory Reset Protection, which works if you have a Google account on your phone, and you can unlock:

• 📧 Enter the email and password from the last Google account that was on the phone.
• 🔑 If you don’t remember the data, use the access restoration.
• 🚫 If the phone is bought with hands and the previous owner has not untied the account, contact him or contact the service (proof of purchase is mandatory!).

2. after resetting there is no net (no catches) SIM-map)

The problem often arises from a failure in the modem settings.

• 📶 Restart your phone and wait for the automatic network setup (can take up to 10 minutes).
• 🔧 Manually select the operator in Settings → SIM-maps and mobile networks → Choice of network.
• 📱 Update the firmware through Settings → The phone. → Updating the system.

3.The battery discharges quickly after discharge

In the first 2-3 days after reset, the phone can discharge faster than usual.

• 🔄 Re-indexing files and optimizing the system.
• 📱 Background updates to applications.
• 🔋 Calibration of the battery controller.

If the problem persists for longer than a week, check the settings in Settings → Battery → Battery Use and turn off power-hungry applications.

4 Fingerprint or Face Unlock not working

Once reset, the biometrics are erased to reconfigure:

1. Go to Settings → Passwords and Security → Fingerprint.
2. Add a new print (you will need to enter it). PIN-code).
3. For Face Unlock, select Face Recognition from the same menu.

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If you lose the speaker after reset, check the settings of Settings → Sound → Media Volume. Sometimes the reset drops the volume sliders to zero.

How to avoid problems during resetting: tips from service centers

We interviewed the masters of service centers specializing in Xiaomi, and collected their recommendations:

1.Do not reset your settings immediately after the MIUI update

If you just updated your firmware, wait 2-3 days. Newer versions of MIUI often have bugs that are patched. Resetting on raw firmware can lead to a reboot cycle.

2. Use the original firmware for your region

The Mi 8 has firmware for different regions (Global, China, EEA) and if you have been flashing your phone with the unofficial version, you may have problems with:

• 📡 Support 4G-networks (for example, some bands do not work on Chinese firmware).
• 🗣️ Localization (Chinese characters on the menu).
• 🔒 Blocking Google Services (on some Chinese firmware).

3.Verify the IMEI after resetting

In rare cases, a reset can erase the IMEI (especially on custom firmware phones).

1. Please enter the phone app *#06#.
2. If zeros or an error are displayed instead of IMEI, restore it via Qualcomm Tool or contact the service.

4.Do not use resetting as a way to remove viruses

If your Mi 8 is infected with malware, resetting may not help if the virus is embedded in the system files.

• 🛡️ Scan your phone through Malwarebytes or Dr.Web before resetting.
• 🔄 Install a clean firmware through fastboot.

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If you are selling Xiaomi Mi 8, after reset, be sure to check the status of the Mi Account on account.xiaomi.com. the device should appear as "unbound".

FAQ: Answers to Frequent Questions About Xiaomi Mi 8 Reset