How to Reset on Xiaomi: A Step-by-Step Guide

Modern Xiaomi smartphones have a powerful MIUI shell or a new HyperOS, but even the most advanced systems sometimes fail. Users often face a situation where the device starts to work slowly, applications stop responding, or you just forgot the graphical lock key, in which case the only right solution is a complete return to factory settings.

Known as Hard Reset, it removes all user data and puts the software back out of the box, a radical but often necessary method of restoring the device to work, and it's important to understand that when the process is complete, there will be no photos, no contacts, no apps installed.

In this article, we will take a look at all the ways you can reset, from the standard settings menu to using Recovery mode through physical buttons, and we will also discuss the important nuances of protecting your Google account and Mi Account so that you do not encounter a device lock after a reboot.

Preparation of the device before resetting settings

Before taking decisive action, a number of critical preparatory steps must be taken: ignoring this stage can lead to irretrievable loss of valuable information or problems with activating the phone after a reboot.

Make sure you remember your account data. Android security has FRP (Factory Reset Protection) feature, which requires you to enter a password from a Google account that was linked to the device before the reset. If you forget this data, unlocking the phone will be extremely difficult.

It's also worth checking the battery level. The process of formatting memory partitions can take 5 to 15 minutes, and if the phone turns off in the middle, it can damage system files. It's recommended to have a charge of at least 60%.

💡

Remove before resetting SIM-microSD card and memory card so that you don’t accidentally format external storage or lose contacts saved on the SIM card.

Reset via the settings menu (standard method)

The safest and easiest way to get Xiaomi back to factory is right from the operating system interface, which is suitable when you remember the unlock password and have full access to the smartphone menu.

The algorithm may vary slightly depending on the version of the MIUI shell or HyperOS, but the overall logic remains the same. You need to find the section that deals with the general parameters of the system.

Go to Settings, then select About Phone. In the list that opens, look for the Reset button (sometimes it is in the Reset or Advance sub-menu). Click on the Delete all data at the bottom of the screen.

The system will give you a warning that all files will be deleted, you will need to enter the unlock password or the pattern lock, after confirmation, the preparation process will begin, the phone will restart, and the deletion will begin.

💡

Resetting through the settings menu automatically removes the Mi Account binding if you know the password from it, eliminating the need to re-authorize after you enable it.

Use Recovery Mode for Hard Reset

If the phone is stuck, doesn't respond to touch, or you forget your lock password, the standard path through the settings will be unavailable, and in this case, Recovery mode comes to the rescue, which is a special recovery environment built into the device's memory regardless of the state of the main system.

To enter this mode on a switched-off Xiaomi phone, you need to press both the Volume Up and Power button at the same time. Hold them until the Mi logo appears, then release the power button, continuing to hold the volume button until the menu appears.

Recovery navigation is done with volume buttons (up/down), and the choice of item is confirmed by the power button. In some models with touchscreen recovery, you can control with your finger. You need to select Wipe Data.

Then select Wipe All Data and confirm the action by selecting Confirm. The process will take some time. Once successful, the message will appear "Data wiped successfully." Click Back to Main Menu, and then Reboot -> Reboot to System.

⚠️ Note: When reset via Recovery, the phone may require a Wi-Fi connection and a password from a Google account or Mi Account when first downloaded.This is anti-theft protection that can't be circumvented by a simple reset.

Reset via Find Device

There is another method that allows you to do a full reset remotely, which is useful if the phone is lost but connected to the Internet, or if the touch screen is partially not working, not allowing you to enter the settings, using Google Find My Device service or the Xiaomi Cloud service.

Go from your computer or other device to google.com/android/find or i.mi.com, log in to the same account that was used on the problem smartphone, and if the device is online, you will see it on the map.

In the list of available actions, select the option to Clean the device (Erase Device). Once the command is confirmed, the phone will receive a signal to complete the operation. Once it connects to the network, the process will start automatically.

Solving problems after reset (Bootloop and errors)

Sometimes, after the Hard Reset procedure, the phone can get into a so-called “bootloop” – an endless reboot on the manufacturer’s logo. This can be caused by corrupting system files, a failed update, or a conflict of software modules.

If the phone is stuck on the logo for more than 10-15 minutes, try to perform a forced reboot by holding the power button for 10-20 seconds.If this does not help, you may need to flash the device through the computer using the Mi Flash Tool utility.

Also, the first run after a reset lasts significantly longer than usual, and the system re-indexes files and updates components, so don't panic if the phone warms or runs slowly for the first 10-20 minutes.

💡

If the phone discharges quickly after reset, let it lie on charging for about an hour, and then turn it on. The system must recalibrate the power controller.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)