Owning a Xiaomi or Redmi smartphone involves accumulating a huge array of personal information, from photos and correspondence to passwords for banking applications. Sooner or later, you need to completely clean the device, this may be due to selling the gadget, transferring it to another family member, or simply wanting to start with a clean slate, fixing software bugs.
The process of deleting data requires careful attention, since it will be impossible to return deleted information after a complete reset without prior backup. In this article, we will discuss in detail all the available methods of cleaning memory, from standard system settings to deep formatting through Recovery mode.
Incorrectly preparing your device can result in the blocking of your Mi Account or loss of important contacts, so before you start any manipulations, you need to make sure that you understand the consequences of your actions and prepare all the necessary tools to recover data in the future.
Preparation of the device for complete cleaning
The first and most critical step is backing up, and the MIUI ecosystem and the new HyperOS have powerful backup tools that you can use to do this, and you can use Mi Cloud cloud storage or local storage to a memory card or computer.
Local backup allows you to save the list of installed applications, call history, SMS-Messages and system settings. Go to the Settings menu for this. → The phone. → Backup and restore. Here, select the desired data type and click the copy creation button.
- 📸 Save all the important photos and videos to Google Photos or to an external hard drive as they take up the most space.
- 📱 Make sure your contacts with your Google account are synchronized successfully by checking their availability at contacts.google.com.
- 🔐 Write down or remember passwords from your Google and Mi accounts, as after a reset, your device will request them to confirm ownership.
Two-factor authentication is a must. If you have a linked phone number to confirm your login to various services, make sure that you have a secure phone number. SIM-The card will be available after resetting, or configure alternative confirmation methods in advance.
☑️ Checklist before reset
⚠️ Attention: Extract SIM-microSD card and memory card before starting the reset procedure, this will protect your data on external media from random formatting and prevent problems with network activation.
Standard reset via system settings
The most secure and recommended way to delete data from Xiaomi Redmi is to use the built-in functionality of the operating system, which ensures that all processes are completed correctly and that memory partitions are formatted correctly without the risk of damaging system files.
To start, open the Settings menu and scroll down to About Phone. Depending on the version of the MIUI shell or HyperOS, the interface may vary slightly, but the logic of action remains the same. Find the section responsible for resetting or deleting data.
In some versions of the firmware, the path may look like Settings → Advanced Settings → Recover and Reset. Select the option to Delete all data (reset to factory settings).
The final step is to enter a screen unlock password or a pattern lock, a security measure that prevents unauthorized or accidental resetting of the device by unauthorized persons, and the cleanup process will begin after confirmation, which will take 2 to 10 minutes.
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Before resetting via settings, turn off the internet (Wi-Fi and mobile data) to avoid attempts to sync new data during the deletion process.
Using Recovery Mode for Deep Cleaning
If the operating system is not booting or you want to perform the deepest cleaning, Recovery mode is used, which allows you to delete data even in the case of software failures, when you can not log into the settings menu.
To enter recovery mode, you need to turn off your smartphone completely. Then press the volume button and the power button at the same time. Hold them until the Mi or Redmi logo appears, then release the power button, but keep the volume.
In the menu that appears, the navigation is done with volume buttons (up/down), and the choice is confirmed by the power button. You need to find the Wipe Data item and select it. Next, the system will suggest selecting Wipe All Data.
This method is especially useful when selling a device, as it eliminates the possibility of software recovery through a computer, but be careful: in Recovery mode, there is no way to cancel the action after confirmation.
What happens if Recovery does not open?
Deletion of accounts and protection against blocking
A critical step before selling or transferring a device is to untie accounts. Xiaomi and Redmi are actively working on the Mi Account (Find Device) protection system. If you just reset your phone without leaving your account, the new owner will face a lock activation screen.
To avoid a situation where the phone turns into a “brick” for a new user, you need to manually log out of all accounts. Go to Settings → Mi Account and click the “Out” button. The system will require you to enter a password for confirmation.
Also remember to log out of your Google account. Go to Settings → Accounts and Sync → Google, select your address and delete your account from your device. This will disable FRP (Factory Reset Protection) protection.
| Account type | Menu path | Consequences of ignoring |
| :--- | :--- | :--- | |
| Mi Account | Settings → Mi Account | Find Device, the phone will be useless |
| Google | Settings → Accounts → Google | Requesting the previous owner’s password when you first turn on |
| Samsung/Others | Settings → Accounts. | Possible data loss or blocking of services |
⚠️ Note: If you have forgotten your Mi Account password, restore it through i.mi.com before resetting. Once formatted, it will be extremely difficult or impossible to restore access without a password.
Cleaning through a computer and ADB-team
For advanced users who need guaranteed deletion of data with the ability to select specific partitions, there is a method of using USB debugging and command line, which requires the activation of the developer mode.
First, activate Developer Mode by quickly tapping 7 times on either MIUI Version or OS Version in About Phone. Then, in the Additional → Developer Menu, turn on the USB Debugging option.
Connect the phone to the computer that has the ADB toolkit installed. Open the command line and enter the command to restart in recovery mode:
adb reboot recoveryAfter the reboot, you can use commands to format specific partitions, but the standard reset command looks like this:
adb shell recovery --wipe_dataUsing this method gives you more control, but requires technical literacy. A mistake in the syntax of a team can lead to unpredictable results, so use this method only if you understand what you are doing.
What to do after resetting settings
Once the device has restarted and greeted you with the language selection screen, the initial setup phase begins, and if you've reset your phone for yourself, now is the time to restore the data from the backup.
When you connect to Wi-Fi, the system will suggest recovering data from Mi Cloud or Google Drive. Choose the last available copy. The process can take a long time depending on the amount of data and the speed of the Internet connection.
If the phone was intended for sale, make sure that no personal details, notifications or stored Wi-Fi networks are left on the welcome screen.The device should look brand new, requiring a choice of language.
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The full cleanup cycle includes not only memory formatting, but also mandatory uncoupling of Mi and Google accounts to avoid activation blocking.