How to return Xiaomi phone to factory settings: the complete guide

Every Xiaomi owner has a situation where it’s necessary to completely clean a smartphone, whether it’s selling a device, handing it over to a relative, or a trivial MIUI malfunction that requires radical intervention. Users often look for a way to bring Xiaomi’s phone back to factory, not understanding the difference between simply deleting data and deep formatting memory partitions.

In this article, we will take a look at all the available reset methods in detail, from the standard settings menu to the use of the Recovery engineering menu and tools for PC. You will learn how to properly prepare the gadget so as not to lose important contacts and photos, and how to avoid blocking your Mi Account after a reboot.

It is important to understand that the process of returning to the original state is irreversible. All your personal files, including photos, videos, music and installed applications, will be permanently deleted. Backup is the only way to save important data before starting the procedure.

⚠️ Before starting any action, make sure that the battery is at least 50-60%. Interrupting the reset process due to battery discharge can damage system files and inability to turn on the device.

Many people confuse a normal system restart with a full reset. A normal reboot simply turns off and turns on the phone, updating services but not affecting user data. A return to factory settings is a deep formatting of the user's memory partition, returning the software to the "out of the box" state.

Preparing the device for a complete data reset

Before you click Reset, you have to do a series of preparatory steps, a critical step that can lead to loss of access to your device or loss of valuable information, and first make sure you know the password from your Google and Mi Account.

Xiaomi's current smartphones are protected from theft. If you just reset your phone without leaving your accounts, the first time you activate it, you'll need to enter the username and password of the previous owner. Without that data, unlocking the device will be extremely difficult, sometimes requiring you to contact the service center with checks.

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Take screenshots of important settings or contact lists if you're not sure if you're syncing with the cloud, and it'll take a couple of minutes, but it'll save you from losing data.

The preparation process includes several mandatory steps:

• 🔒 Signing out of your Mi Account via phone settings.
• 📤 Disable the "Find Device" protection in the security menu.
• 💾 Create a full backup to a cloud service or computer.
• 📱 Extraction SIM-MicroSD cards and memory cards before the procedure.

Special attention should be paid to synchronization of contacts. In Xiaomi smartphones, contacts can be stored in three places: SIM-card, in the memory of the phone or in the account Google/Mi. Check the default save path in the Contacts app to avoid losing numbers.

Method 1: Reset via the standard settings menu

This is the easiest and safest method available to every user, if the phone turns on and responds to touch, it doesn't require a computer connection or knowledge of complex key combinations, you need to go to the main menu and find the settings section.

The MIUI interface may vary slightly depending on the firmware version, but the logic remains the same. Usually the path is as follows: Settings → About phone → Reset. In some shell versions, the item may be called “Advanced Settings” or located in the “Advanced” section.

Once you select "Erase all data," the system will ask you to enter a graphical key or screen unlock password, which is a security measure to prevent an attacker from resetting the phone if it falls into his hands, and then a warning will appear that all data will be deleted.

At the bottom of the screen, there is often an option to "Clear Files" that you can turn off if you want to just reset your settings but save your media. However, to fully return to factory settings, it is recommended to leave this option on. Press the "Next" button and confirm the action with a countdown timer.

Method 2: Hard Reset with Recovery Mode

If the smartphone is frozen, does not respond to touches or can not boot the operating system, the Hard Reset method is used. It is executed through a special Recovery recovery menu, which is sewn into the device memory regardless of the state of the main OS.

To enter this menu, you need to turn off your phone completely. Then press the Volume Up and Power button at the same time. Hold them until the Mi logo appears, then release the power button, but keep the volume up until the Main Menu menu appears.

⚠️ Attention: In the Recovery menu, the touch screen does not work. Navigation is done with volume buttons (up/down), and the choice of item is made by a short press of the power button.

In the menu that opens, select Wipe Data. The system will alert you to data loss. Confirm the choice by going to Wipe All Data. After completing the process, which can take a few minutes, select Back to Main Menu, and then Reboot → Reboot to System.

The first download after this reset will last longer than usual, sometimes up to 5-10 minutes. This is normal, because the system recreates the file structure and checks the integrity of the system files.

Deleting your Mi and Google account before resetting

One of the most common problems after a reset is locking the device with FRP (Factory Reset Protection) and Mi Cloud. If the account was not deleted beforehand, the phone will turn into a “brick” for the new owner, requiring authorization under the old login.

To avoid this, go to Settings. → Mi Account. At the bottom of the page, click "Get Out." The system will require you to enter a password. Only after successful exit, the account icon will disappear from the menu. → Accounts and synchronization → Google.

Why is this so important? Xiaomi and Google servers store the device's owner-to-owner binding. When you reset it through a menu, it's automatically removed, but when you reset it through Recovery or buttons, it's not. So manual deletion of accounts is critical when selling a phone.

• 🔑 The password from the account must be entered correctly, otherwise the exit will not occur.
• 🌐 An active Internet connection (Wi-Fi or mobile data) is required to exit).
• ⏳ Wait till you get out. 1-2 minutes for the servers to update the status of the device.

If you have forgotten your account password, recover it from account.mi.com or accounts.google.com from any other device before starting a reset, which will save you a lot of time and nerves in the future.

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Deleting accounts before reset is the only way to ensure that the phone does not lock when a new user activates.

Problem Solving: The phone is not switched on or got stuck

Sometimes standard methods don't work because of software errors. If a Xiaomi phone doesn't respond to taps but vibrates or shows a logo, you can try Fastboot mode. To do this, press the volume and power button when the phone is turned off.

In Fastboot mode, the screen usually shows a hare in headphones fixing an android, so you can reboot the device by selecting Reboot or connecting the phone to a PC for flashing through the Mi Flash Tool, a more complex method that requires original firmware.

If the phone turns on but the menu freezes immediately after loading, try entering Safe Mode. To do this, when the Mi logo appears, press the volume button. In this mode, only system applications are downloaded, which allows you to remove the recently installed conflict software.

When a phone goes into a bootloop, it often only helps to flash it back, but before you bring it to the service, try a combination of buttons to log in to Recovery and run Wipe Data, which solves 80% of software failure problems.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)