How to remove all information from Xiaomi Redmi phone

The need to completely clean a mobile device arises for various reasons: before selling a gadget, when transferring it to another family member or to fix critical software failures. Owners of Xiaomi and Redmi smartphones often wonder how to guarantee the removal of all personal information so that it does not fall into the wrong hands, a process that requires care, since it will be impossible to recover data after certain procedures are performed.

Modern MIUI offers multiple levels of access to storage settings, each with its own unique features. Simply deleting files through a file manager or resetting them through a phone menu is just the tip of the iceberg. To be fully confident in data security, you need to understand the difference between logical deletion and physical overwriting of memory sectors.

In this article, we will take a look at all the cleaning methods available, from standard system tools to advanced recovery modes, how to properly prepare the device, which accounts you must untie and how to check the result, and how to approach the issue comprehensively so that after a reset you do not encounter activation blocking or leaking confidential photos.

Preparing a smartphone for complete data deletion

Before you start taking drastic measures, you need to perform a number of preparatory actions, ignoring this stage can lead to loss of access to accounts or locking the device with the security system Google or Mi Account.

Synchronizing with cloud services is the most reliable way to save information: make sure your photos are uploaded to Google Photos or the Mi Cloud. It is also worth checking for local copies on your computer if the data volume is large. Once you create a backup, double check its integrity.

The critical step is to untie accounts, and if you just reset your settings without logging out of your Google profile, you may need to enter your password from that account on your new device or after you reset (FRP), a theft protection mechanism that can become a problem if you forget your login details.

You also need to remove the microSD card and SIM-Formatting internal memory doesn't affect the external drive, but physical extraction ensures that you don't accidentally clean it or forget your data inside. If you don't need a memory card, you can format it separately through the storage settings menu.

⚠️ Warning: Make sure the battery level is at least 50-60%. The process of completely cleaning and overwriting data can take time, and a sudden shutdown of the device at a critical moment can damage the system partition.

Standard reset via the MIUI settings menu

The most common and safe way for most users is to use an embedded operating system interface, which is appropriate if the phone turns on, the screen responds to touch, and you have access to the menu. The algorithm for actions may vary slightly depending on the version of MIUI, but the overall logic remains the same.

To start, open the Settings app and find the About Phone section. Some firmware versions have the options set to a separate "Advanced Settings" or "Advanced." We need the "Settings Reset" (or "Factory Reset") section, and here the system will offer two options: "Reset all settings" (saving files) and "Clean everything."

When you select the "Clear Everything" option, the system will alert you to the irreversibility of the action, PIN-The unlock code or password to verify the identity of the owner is protection against accidental activation of the function by children or by strangers.

Once confirmed, the phone will restart and the deletion process will begin. The screen may display the Xiaomi logo or download animation. Do not attempt to interrupt the process or remove the battery (if it is not removable).

• 📱 Go to Settings. → The phone. → Resetting settings.
• 🗑️ Select the item "Erase all data).
• 🔐 Enter the screen unlock password to confirm.
• ⏳ Wait for the automatic reboot and the process to be completed.

Cleaning data through Recovery mode

If the smartphone is not turned on, stuck on the logo or not responding to the touch of the screen, Recovery mode is used. This is a low-level environment that allows you to control the system bypassing the main interface, and enter this mode by a combination of physical buttons when the device is turned off.

The login procedure can vary. Most Redmi and Xiaomi models need to press both the volume button and the power button at the same time. Hold them until the logo appears, then release the power button, continuing to hold the volume until the Recovery menu appears. Navigation is done with volume buttons (up/down), and selection is done with the power button.

In the Recovery menu, we're interested in Wipe Data, and when you select this, you'll see a submenu where you want to select Wipe All Data, and you may need confirmation by offering Confirm, and you can be careful: in Recovery mode, you can't cancel an action if you've already started the formatting process.

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If the Recovery menu is displayed in Chinese, look for the characters that match the Wipe Data item (usually the second or third item on the list).

Once the cleanup is complete, the message “Data wiped successfully” will appear. Then select Back to Main Menu, then Reboot → Reboot to System. The first run after such a reset will take longer than usual, since the system will recreate the cache and configuration files.

Deletion of accounts and protection of FRP

One of the biggest challenges in selling a smartphone is FRP (Factory Reset Protection), which is Google's mechanism that links the device to the last account you enter, so if you don't log out of your Google profile before you reset, the new owner won't be able to activate the phone without your password.

The same thing happens with Mi Account, where if you have Find Device enabled on your device, it will ask for a Mi Account password after you reset, which is designed to protect against theft, but makes it difficult to sell legally, so manual logging out is a must.

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Completely logging out of Google and Mi Accounts before resetting is the only guarantee that the customer will not face activation blocking.

Check your tied devices in your account security settings, too. Removing your device from the trusted list in Google or Mi Cloud will help you avoid any security questions in the future, especially if you change your phone frequently.

Don't forget to use two-factor authentication if you don't have access to it. SIM-The card (which you took out) may be difficult to restore access to your accounts. Make sure you have backup recovery codes or access to an alternative confirmation method.

⚠️ Note: Resetting through Recovery does not always automatically untie your Mi Account if you have enabled a search function.

Deep cleaning and data rewriting

For those who are worried about the possibility of recovering deleted data with special programs, there is a method of deep cleaning: in the usual deletion or reset, data is not physically erased, but only marked as “free space”; until new information is written to these cells, theoretically, it can be restored.

To make recovery impossible, you need to overwrite the free space with random data. After performing a standard reset, set the phone as new (without personal data), connect to Wi-Fi and shoot several videos at maximum resolution until the memory is full.

Then repeat the reset procedure. This fill-clean cycle can be repeated 1-2 times. Modern smartphones with data encryption (which is the standard for Android 6.0 and higher) make it almost impossible to recover data after a reset even without overwriting, since the encryption keys are destroyed.

Using third-party file shredder apps on Android is often less effective than built-in encryption and overwriting, as access rights in modern versions of Android restrict direct access to the file system.

Common mistakes and ways to solve them

Users often experience a situation where, after a reset, the phone requires a password from the previous owner or account that has been deleted, this happens if the correct procedure has not been followed, and an attempt to reset when the battery is discharged is also a common mistake.

If the phone is stuck on the logo after a bootloop, try re-entering Recovery mode and doing the cleaning again. If that doesn't help, you may need to flash the device through your computer using the Mi Flash Tool utility. However, this is already a more complex procedure that requires an unlocked bootloader.

Sometimes users forget that cleaning internal memory does not affect cloud storage. Deleting an account from your phone does not delete a photo from Google Photos if sync was enabled. Check the clouds separately if the goal is to completely disappear the digital trail.

• 🔄 Bootloop – solved by re-resetting through Recovery or flashing.
• 🔒 FRP Lock requires you to enter data from the last Google account that was on the device.
• 📉 Battery discharge – can interrupt the process, leaving the system idle; charge up to 60%.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)