How to remove firmware on Xiaomi: the complete guide

Xiaomi, Redmi and POCO users often face the necessary procedure for completely cleaning the device. When the phone starts to work unstable, critical errors appear or the device falls into an endless reboot cycle, standard methods of solving the problem may not be enough. In such situations, the question arises how to remove the firmware on Xiaomi to return the gadget to a factory state or prepare it for the installation of a new system.

The process of removing the Android operating system and the proprietary shell MIUI or HyperOS is irreversible. Full formatting of the data partition destroys all user information, including contacts, photos and settings. Before starting any manipulation, you must realize that data recovery without prior backup will not be possible, even if you use professional software.

There are several proven ways to do this: through the built-in recovery menu, through the computer and the Mi Flash Tool utility, and through the engineering menu. The choice of the specific method depends on the current state of your smartphone: whether it turns on, whether the screen reacts, and whether access to the settings menu is available. In this article, we will discuss each of these options in detail so that you can safely conduct the procedure.

Device preparation and security measures

Before you start deleting system files, you need to perform a number of preparatory steps. Ignoring these steps can lead to the fact that the device will turn into a “brick”, which will not be possible to start without complex hardware repairs. First of all, make sure that the battery charge is at least 60-70%, as a sudden power outage during formatting flash memory is critical.

The second important step is to create a full backup. Even if you plan to delete all your data, having a backup on your Mi Cloud cloud server or computer will allow you to quickly recover the content you need after you reinstall your system. Use Mi Mover or standard synchronization tools to save contacts, messages and call history.

You will also need quality. USB-cable, preferably original, and Android drivers installed on your computer. Without properly installed drivers, your computer will not be able to recognize your phone in Fastboot or Recovery mode.

Remember that removing firmware is often required when selling a device or transferring it to another user, ensuring that your personal data does not fall into the wrong hands. Once reset, it is almost impossible to recover information from internal drives of modern smartphones thanks to encryption algorithms.

Resetting method through Recovery Mode

The most affordable way to remove the current firmware and clear the memory is to use the built-in recovery mode. This method does not require a connection to the computer and special utilities, which makes it ideal for most users. However, it only deletes user data, leaving the system itself intact, which is often exactly what is needed to solve software failures.

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 logo appears, then release the power button, keep the volume up. A multi-point menu will appear on the screen, which is controlled by the volume button, and the power button will select.

In the recovery menu, you're interested in Wipe Data. Once you select this item, the system will request confirmation of actions, because this is a critical operation. Select Wipe All Data and confirm the action. The process will take from a few seconds to a couple of minutes, after which the device will prompt you to return to the main menu or restart.

⚠️ Note: This method does not delete the firmware itself completely, it only formats the data partition. If your goal is to completely erase the system partition for clean installation, this method will not work, you will need to use Fastboot.

Complete removal of firmware via Fastboot and PC

For those who want to completely remove the firmware, including the system partition, Fastboot mode is required. This method involves connecting the smartphone to the computer and using specialized software. This is a more complex, but also more effective way that is often used when flashing devices with an unlocked bootloader.

First, turn your phone into Fastboot mode. Turn off the device, then press the volume down and power button at the same time. The screen will show an image of a hare in a hat-out of a hat repairing an android, with the inscription: FASTBOOT. Connect your phone to your PC through USB-cable.

On your computer, you'll need the Mi Flash Tool. Run the program on behalf of the administrator. If the phone is identified correctly, its serial number will appear in the list of devices. Press the flash or load button to select the archive with the firmware (even if you want to just clean the device, you often need a stub file or choose the clean all option).

At the bottom of the Mi Flash Tool window, there are three options:

• 🟢 clean all – complete data cleanup with the bootloader saved (recommended for resetting).
• 🔵 Save user data – installing the system without deleting user files.
• 🔴 clean all + lock – complete cleaning and locking of the bootloader (use only with official firmware!).

After selecting the clean all option, press the Flash button in the upper right corner. You start erasing partitions. You'll see status lines in the program log. You'll wait for the Flash Done message, and then the phone automatically restarts with the clean system.

Using ADB commands for advanced users

For experts with access to ADB (Android Debug Bridge, which is the ability to remove firmware or parts of it through the command line, gives you full control of the device, but requires high qualifications.

First, you need to enable USB debugging in the Developer menu. Then connect your phone to your PC and open the command line in the platform-tools tool folder. Enter a command to check the connection:

adb devices

If the device is displayed in the list, you can go to formatting commands. However, it is worth remembering that modern versions of Android have protection against writing to system partitions without root rights. Therefore, completely removing the firmware through ADB is possible only on devices with unlocked bootloader and superuser rights.

The main commands for resetting are as follows:

• 🔧 adb reboot bootloader – transfers the device to bootloader mode.
• 🔧 fastboot erase userdata – clears the partition with user data.
• 🔧 fastboot erase cache – clears the cache of the system.
• 🔧 fastboot erase system – removes the system partition (dangerously!).

⚠️ Attention: The fastboot erase system command deletes the operating system. Once it runs, the phone won't boot until you install a new firmware. Use this command only if you're confident in your actions and have a recovery file on hand.

Comparison of cleaning and disposal methods

The choice of method depends on your goals and the technical condition of the device. Below is a table that will help you determine the best way to remove firmware or data for various situations.

As you can see from the table, for the average user who wants to just reset the phone, Recovery mode is enough. Complete removal of firmware is required in rare cases, for example, when changing the regional version of the device or deep modification of the system.

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If the phone continues to warm or discharge quickly after reset, try formatting through Recovery twice in a row.This helps clear residual cache files that may have been damaged.

Possible problems and solutions

Unforeseen situations can occur during the process of removing the firmware. Often users encounter an error "Phone is locked" when trying to flash the device through Fastboot. This means that the bootloader is locked, and to perform the operation clean all requires pre-unlocking through the official Mi Unlock service.

Another common problem is hanging on the Mi logo after a reset, which may indicate damage to system files or lack of space for temporary files when downloading, in which case re-entering Recovery and selecting the Wipe Cache option, followed by Reboot, will help.

If your computer doesn’t see your phone in Fastboot mode, check Windows Device Manager.The device may appear as “Unknown Device” or «QUSB_BULK». In this case, you need to manually update the driver, indicating the path to the folder with Xiaomi or Android drivers. SDK.

⚠️ Warning: Never interrupt a data recording process that flashes or shows progress bar. Breaking power or disconnecting the cable at this point can damage the partition table, which will require recovery through the EDL-Emergency Download Mode, available only in authorized service centers.

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The most common reason for a failed firmware is the use of poor quality USB-cable USB 3.0, which doesn't work properly with (old) devices. Use ports USB 2.0 on the back of the PC.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)