Xiaomi, Redmi and Poco are all famous for their performance, but even the most stable MIUI or HyperOS system can fail. Sometimes the device stops responding to touch, is blocked by an ad virus or loads endlessly. In such situations, a standard reset through the settings menu becomes unavailable, and the only salvation is Recovery Mode.
This mode is a low-level environment embedded in the phone's firmware that allows you to control the system bypassing the main interface, and that's where you can do Wipe Data -- completely erase all user data and return to the original state -- and it's a radical, but often the only way to reanimate the machine.
Before you start, you need to be aware of the consequences, and it will affect all the memory areas where your photos, contacts, and apps are stored, and it will be permanently destroyed if you don't back up in advance, so if the phone still works, try to copy important information to the cloud or to your computer.
Preparation of the device for the discharge procedure
The success of the operation depends on proper preparation. First of all, check the battery level. The process of formatting and reinstalling system files is energy intensive, and if the phone turns off in the middle, you risk getting a brick with non-working firmware. The charge should be at least 60%, and it is better to connect the device to the network.
The second critical point is the Google account and the Mi Account, and once reset, the theft protection will work, and the phone will require you to enter the username and password that were previously synced, and if you forget this data, it will be extremely difficult to unlock the device, sometimes even through a service center, write it down or remember it right now.
⚠️ Warning: Make sure you remember the password from your Mi Account. Once reset, the system will require authorization, and without this, the phone will remain locked by the activation screen.
It is also worth removing the memory card. SD and SIM-Although modern versions of Recovery do not normally format external drives by default, there is a risk of accidental damage to the memory card file system.
☑️ Pre-reset check
How to Enter Recovery Mode on Xiaomi
The login procedure on Xiaomi devices is standardized, but requires accuracy in timing. First, turn off your smartphone completely. If the screen does not go out or the system is frozen, press the power button for 10-15 seconds until the device vibrates and goes out.
Once the screen is out, you can press two buttons at the same time: Volume Up and Power. Keep them tightly pressed. Don't let go of the buttons until you feel the vibration and see the brand logo. At that point, the power button can be released, but Volume Up needs to keep holding for a few more seconds until the Recovery menu comes along.
Navigation on this menu is done exclusively by hardware buttons, because the touch screen doesn't work here. Volume buttons are used to move the cursor up and down, and the power button confirms the choice. Be careful: in some custom recavers, the sensor can work, but in the Orange Recovery from Xiaomi, rely only on the buttons.
What to do if the menu does not appear?
Recovery Menu Discussion and Language Choice
Once you're successfully logged in, you'll see the main menu, which usually has a black background and white or orange text. The first item is often the choice of language. The default can be Chinese or English. Use the volume swing to go down to English, and press the power to confirm.
Xiaomi's stock recavator interface is minimal. You'll see 5-6 basic options. We're interested in the data cleanup section. Depending on the version of MIUI, it can be called Wipe Data or it can be inside the submenu. Don't confuse this with Reboot, which just reboots the phone without changing.
There may also be options inside the language selection menu to connect to Wi-Fi, but you don't need them for the reset procedure. If you accidentally chose the wrong language, just restart the device by holding the power button and selecting Reboot, and log in again.
Data Cleaning (Wipe Data)
This is the most important step. In the main menu, select Wipe Data, the system will warn you that all data will be deleted, and the screen will show a list of sections that will be affected, usually Data, Cache and sometimes All Data.
It is important to distinguish between two types of cleaning if the menu offers a choice:
- 🧹 Wipe Cache only cleans temporary system files, it's secure and doesn't delete your photos or contacts. Use this to eliminate small glitches.
- 💣 Wipe All Data is full formatting. It removes everything, bringing the phone back out of the box.
To confirm the action, the system will ask you to press the confirmation button again or enter the code if the function is activated. After the confirmation, the formatting process will begin. The screen may display a progress bar or just the words Formatting.
⚠️ Note: During the formatting process, do not attempt to turn off the phone or pull out the battery (if it is not removable.
The duration of the process depends on the amount of internal memory and the speed of its operation. On current models with memory of 128 GB or more, this can take from 2 to 5 minutes.
Reboot and first start of the system
Once the cleanup is completed, you will return to the main Recovery menu, then select Reboot, then Reboot to System. The phone will start rebooting. The first run after a reset always lasts longer than usual, 5 to 10 minutes, as the system optimizes applications and creates new configuration files.
Don't worry if the phone hangs on the MI or Redmi logo for a few minutes, that's standard behavior. If it's stuck on the logo for more than 15 minutes, you might need to flash it back, but 95 percent of the time, it's a successful boot.
Once you download, you'll be greeted by a welcome screen similar to the one you had when you bought your device: select a language, connect to Wi-Fi, then check your accounts, enter the Google and Mi Account data that you used before, and if the phone was linked to your account, you can't go any further without this step.
💡
When you first start, turn off the Internet if you're afraid of being blocked, but remember that this is a temporary solution. You won't be able to use your phone fully without unlocking your factory account.
Common mistakes and ways to solve them
Sometimes the process goes wrong, and here is a table of common problems that users face when resetting through Recovery and how to fix them.
| Problem. | Possible cause | Decision |
|---|---|---|
| The phone is included in Fastboot instead of Recovery | The button is pressed Volume Down | Remove the battery (if possible) or hold the power for 15 seconds. Repeat the entrance, clamping Volume Up. |
| Cyclical reset after reset | Damage to system files | It requires a full flashing through the computer (Mi Flash Tool). |
| Requires a password after resetting | FRP protection activated | Enter the Google/Mi Account that was before the reset. There's no other way. |
| The sensor is not working in Recovery. | Feature of stock menu | Use volume buttons for navigation and power to select. |
And one of the things that I'm talking about is that when you have a phone that requires a lock screen password right after you reset, it's called FRP, which protects the owner's data in the event of a theft, and if you bought the phone with your hands and you don't know the previous owner's password, it's almost impossible to legally unlock it.
If the phone warms up or discharges quickly after reset, give it 1-2 hours in quiet mode. The system performs background indexing of files and setting up services. If the problem persists for a day, you may need to reset your network settings or reinstall the firmware.
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Cyclical reboot after Wipe Data most often indicates damage to the system partition, which requires flashing rather than re-resetting.