Restore the system on the Xiaomi phone: from reset to flashing

When you need to restore the system to Xiaomi and what does it give?

Xiaomi, Redmi and POCO are powered by customized MIUI shells that can slow down, fail, or even refuse to boot, and system recovery is a universal way to get the device back on track without going to a service center, but not everyone understands when a reset is really needed and when a simple reboot is enough.

Main reasons to recover: Hanging and lags – if the phone started to slow down after updating or installing apps; Cyclical reboot (bootloop) when the device turns on shows the Mi logo and turns off again; Viruses or malware that block access to settings; Errors after a failed update (for example, via Fastboot or Recovery); Pre-sale – a complete cleanup of personal data.

It is important to distinguish between soft reset (through settings) and hard recovery (through Recovery Mode or Fastboot), the former saves files in memory but deletes applications and settings, the latter formats the device completely, returning it to the factory state, and the choice of method depends on the severity of the problem.

Once a year for prevention |Only when the phone starts to brake |Never did |After a failed update |I don't know what it is-->

Preparation for recovery: what to do before the reset

Before you start recovery, follow the necessary preparatory steps, otherwise you risk losing important data or completely "brick" the device. Even if the phone does not turn on, some of the information can be saved.

What to do: 1. Create a backup – if the phone is still working, use the built-in Settings tool → The phone. → Backup or third-party utilities like Mi Mover (for transferring data to another Xiaomi) If the device does not respond, try extracting files through the device. TWRP (if installed) or by connecting the memory as an external drive to the PC. 2. Check the battery power - the level must be at least 50%, otherwise the process may be interrupted due to discharge. 3. MIUI — This will be useful for downloading the correct firmware. → About the phone or on the device box. 4. Prepare the cable and PC - for a hard recovery you will need a computer with the Mi Flash Tool drivers installed (for Fastboot) or ADB.

⚠️ Note: If the phone is enabled Find Device (device search) or your Mi Account is tied, you may need to enter your login/password after reset!

Make backup contacts and photos|Charge your phone to at least 50%|Find out the exact model and version MIUI|Download the firmware (if you plan to re-flash)|Prepare. USB-cable and PC with drivers-->

Method 1: Soft reset via MIUI settings (without file loss)

If the phone turns on and responds to touch but is unstable, start by resetting, which removes apps, accounts, and personal settings, but stores photos, videos, and music in the device’s memory.

Step-by-step:

1. Open Settings (the gear icon on the main screen).
2. Go to the About Phone section. → Backup and reset.
3. Select Reset (on some versions of MIUI - Reset and Reset).
4. Tap Reset settings and confirm the action with a password (if installed).
5. Wait for the reboot (it will take 5-10 minutes).

Once completed, the phone will turn on with clean settings, but all files in memory will remain in place.

This method helps in 70% of cases when the problem is caused by:

🔹 Conflict of applications;

🔹 Errors after the update "over the air" (OTA);

🔹 Incorrect system settings.

⚠️ Note: Some models (e.g. Xiaomi) 12T or Redmi Note 11) after reset, you may need to re-activate your Mi Account. If you forget your password, restore it in advance at account.xiaomi.com.

Method 2: Hard Reset via Recovery Mode (full cleaning)

If the phone doesn't turn on, freezes on the Mi logo, or gives a "No command" error, you'll need a full reset via Restore Mode, which deletes all data without recovery, including files in memory, so use it only as a last resort.

How to log in to Recovery Mode:

1. Turn off the phone (press the power button for 10 seconds if it freezes).
2. Press the key combination: For most models: Volume up + Power. For POCO F3/F4, Redmi K40/K50: Volume down + Power.

Mi

Recovery

In the recovery menu, use the volume buttons for navigation and the power button for selection.

Further action:

1. Choose a language (usually English or English).
2. Go to Wipe Data → Wipe All Data (complete cleanup).
3. Confirm the action by selecting Confirm.
4. Once you’re done, go back to the main menu and select Reboot → Reboot to System.

It takes 10-15 minutes, and if you don't turn on again after you restart, you can go to Fastboot.

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If the phone doesn’t respond to the button combination, try plugging it into charging for 10 to 15 minutes, and sometimes a dead battery blocks the Recovery Mode entrance.

Method 3: Fastboot Recovery (for power users)

If Recovery resets don’t work or the phone doesn’t respond to buttons at all, Fastboot flashing remains a method that requires a computer, special utilities and commands, but allows you to restore the device even in the most severe cases (for example, after a failed update or damage to the boot partition).

What you need:

🔹 Windows computer 7/10/11 (on Mac/Linux trickier);

🔹 Cable USB Type-C (original, undamaged);

🔹 Mi Flash Tool (download from official website);

🔹 Firmware for your model (.tgz or.zip format);

🔹 Qualcomm or MediaTek drivers (depending on the phone’s processor).

Step-by-step:

1. Install Mi Flash Tool and drivers on PC.
2. Unpack the firmware in a folder without Cyrillic characters (for example, C:\Xiaomi\ROM).
3. Turn off the phone and press Volume Down + Power to enter Fastboot Mode (the image of a hare in a hat-eared).
4. Connect your phone to your PC. The Android Bootloader Interface should appear in the Device Manager.
5. Launch the Mi Flash Tool, press Select and specify the path to the firmware folder.
6. At the bottom, select firmware mode: Clean All – complete cleaning (recommended for serious failures); Clean All and Lock – cleaning + locking the bootloader (for security); Save User Data – saving user data (not always stable).

Flash

After successful firmware, the phone will automatically restart.

⚠️ Note: On models with a MediaTek processor (e.g. Redmi) 10A or POCO M4) If you want to use Fastboot, you need to unlock the bootloader, without which the Mi Flash Tool will give you the error "Flash is not allowed in Lock State", you can unlock it through the official Mi Unlock Tool application, but you need a tied Mi Account and a wait of 7-15 days (according to Xiaomi rules).

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Fastboot firmware is the most reliable way to recover, but requires strict adherence to instructions. An error in choosing a firmware or mode can lead to a complete loss of operation of the device ("brick").

Method 4: Recovery through EDL Mode (extreme case)

If the phone doesn’t respond to any button combinations, and isn’t even detected by the computer in Fastboot mode, the last chance is firmware via EDL Mode (Emergency Download Mode), a mode used by service centers to recover “bricked” devices, but requires special hardware or an authorized Xiaomi account.

How to know what an EDL is for:

🔸 The phone does not turn on, charge or respond to buttons;

🔸 The computer does not see the device in Fastboot or Recovery;

🔸 When you connect to the PC, the connection sound is heard USB, but the device is not determined.

What you can do on your own:

1. Download firmware for EDL (usually in.mbn or.elf format).
2. Install the Qualcomm HS-USB QDLoader 9008 driver (for smartphones on Snapdragon).
3. Connect the phone to the PC by holding both volume buttons (some models need to close test points on the board).
4. Device Manager should appear QHUSB_BULK qualcomm HS-USB QDLoader.
5. Use utilities like Mi Flash Pro or QFil for firmware.

Warning:

Xiaomi

Frequent Mistakes and How to Avoid Them

Even when following instructions, users often encounter problems, and here are the most common mistakes and ways to solve them:

1.The phone is not included in Recovery/Fastboot

🔹 Check the button combination for your model (see table above).

🔹 Try another one. USB-cable (low-quality cables can block entry modes).

🔹 Charge your phone at least 30% – a discharged battery can prevent you from loading.

2.Mi Flash Tool gives out the error "Flash is not allowed"

🔹 Unlock the bootloader via Mi Unlock Tool (requires a tied Mi Account).

🔹 Use the firmware marked Global or EEA (European devices).

🔹 Check that the Mi Flash Tool has the correct mode (Clean All).

3.After reset, the phone requires an old Mi Account

🔹 If you have forgotten your account details, restore them to account.xiaomi.com.

🔹 If your account is not yours (the phone is purchased by hand), contact the previous owner or the service to unlink (a check or box will be required).

4.The phone is stuck on the logo after firmware

🔹 Wait 10-15 minutes – the first load after firmware can be long.

🔹 If the logo burns for more than 30 minutes, repeat the firmware in Clean All and Lock mode.

🔹 Check that the firmware is right for your model (for example, Redmi Note 11 Pro and Redmi Note 11 Pro).+ differential!).

FAQ: Answers to Frequent Questions