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

Modern smartphones Xiaomi and Redmi have a powerful hardware and a thoughtful interface, but even they sometimes require radical measures. Situations when you need to return the device to its original state arise for various reasons: from a banal desire to sell the gadget to the need to fix critical system errors. If your Redmi began to work unstable, slow down or you just forgot the pattern lock, the reset procedure will be the only right solution.

This process does not require deep knowledge in programming, but it requires care and adherence to the sequence of actions. Incorrect execution of steps can lead to the loss of important data or, in rare cases, to software errors of the MIUI system. Therefore, before starting any manipulations, we strongly advise you to familiarize yourself with the theoretical part and prepare the device.

In this guide, we will take a look at all the options available to get back to factory settings, how to prepare your phone, what are the methods of resetting through the menu and the special Recovery menu, and how to act if the device is locked. Follow the instructions carefully to ensure that the procedure is successful.

Preparation for full data dumping

Before you start cleaning, you need to realize that Hard Reset will completely destroy all user information, which means that contacts, photos, installed apps and correspondence will be permanently deleted. Recovery Mode reset only bypasses Google FRP protection if you delete your Google account from your phone settings before resetting. If you do not, after turning on, the phone will require you to enter a password from an account that was previously synced.

The first step is to back up. The Xiaomi ecosystem has convenient tools for this, you can use Mi Cloud cloud storage or local storage on a memory card or computer, and it's worth checking if your contacts are synced with your Google account, as this is the most reliable way to save phone numbers.

Be sure to check the battery level. The data partition formatting process can take 5 to 15 minutes depending on the amount of information. If the phone turns off at this point, the file system may be damaged. Charge the device to a minimum of 60-70% to have a margin of safety.

Method 1: Reset via the Android settings menu

This is the easiest and most secure method available if you remember the unlock password and have access to your smartphone desktop, and it's perfect for preparing your device for sale or transfer to another user, and you don't need any additional tools, just a finger and a screen.

To start, open the Settings app. Depending on the version of the MIUI shell (12, 13, 14 or HyperOS), the interface may vary slightly, but the logic remains the same. You need to find the section that deals with the general system settings, usually called About Phone or Advanced Settings.

The algorithm of actions is as follows:

• 📱 Find the item “Settings reset” or “Factory reset».
• 🗑️ Click on the “Erase all data” button).
• 🔒 Enter the screen unlock password or pattern lock to confirm.
• ⏳ Wait for the process to finish, which will take a few minutes.

Once confirmed, the system will alert you that all data will be deleted, which is the last line of defense against accidental reset, and once you press the final button, the phone will restart and the formatting process will begin, and the Android or MIUI logo with a progress indicator can be displayed on the screen.

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If you plan to sell the phone, do not sign in to your Mi Account when you first set up after the reset so that the new owner can activate the device with his profile.

Method 2: Reset via Recovery Mode (Hardware)

If your smartphone doesn't turn on, you're stuck on your logo, or you've forgotten your lock password, the standard settings menu will be unavailable, and in this case, a recovery mode known as Recovery Mode comes to the rescue, a low-level menu built into the firmware that allows you to control the system bypassing the main interface.

To get into this menu on Xiaomi and Redmi devices, you need a button combination that is executed. It's important to do this quickly and clearly. First, turn the device off completely. Make sure it's actually off, not in sleep mode. Then press the volume button and the power button at the same time.

Keep the buttons clamped until the MI logo appears, after which the power button can be released, continuing to hold the volume. When a menu with a black background and a few lines of text appears (often in English or Chinese), the buttons can be released. Navigation is done with volume buttons (up/down), and the choice of item is the power button.

Step-by-step reset instruction in Recovery

Once you're in the Recovery menu, you'll see a list of options. If you have a global firmware version, the menu will be in English. If Chinese is in Chinese, the key item we need is Wipe Data. In the Chinese version, it's the second item on top. Select it with the power button.

On the next screen, the system will ask you to confirm the action, select Wipe All Data (or Chinese), and then you will need another confirmation, Confirm, and the system will warn you that the data will be deleted, which is a standard precaution.

The process will go automatically. The progress bar will be displayed on the screen. Once the formatting is complete, the message will appear "Data wiped successfully." Now you need to go back to the main menu, select Back to Main Menu, and click Reboot -> Reboot to System. The phone will restart, and the first setup will begin, like the new device.

Solving Problems: FRP Protection and Accounts

One of the main problems that users face after a reset is activation of the device.Factory Reset Protection (FRP) is designed to protect against theft. If the phone was linked to a Google or Mi Account account, after the reset, it will require you to enter the username and password from this account.

This means that if you find a phone or buy it from your hands and the previous owner has not untied your account, you will not be able to use it. In case it is your phone, just enter your data. If you forget your password, you need to restore it through the Google or Xiaomi website from another device (computer).

⚠️ Attention: Attempts to circumvent FRP Using third-party software or crutches can lead to a complete lock of the device or the installation of malware. The best way to avoid problems is to delete your Google account (Settings -> Accounts -> Google -> Delete your account) before resetting.

Also worth mentioning is the Mi Account lock, which means that if the phone has been enabled to search for a device, it will require a password from the Mi Account after the reset, and without it, the phone will turn into a brick. Owners of used Redmi devices should be especially careful when buying: check if the seller has untie the device from their cloud.

Frequent errors and ways to fix them

Sometimes the reset process goes wrong, users may experience logo getting stuck, a cyclic bootloop, or a formatting error, most often due to interruption of the process or damage to system files before reset.

If the phone is stuck on the logo after reset, try to perform a forced reboot by holding the power button for 10-15 seconds. If that doesn't help, you may need to flash the device through your computer using the Mi Flash Tool utility. This is a more complex procedure that requires an unlocked bootloader.

Another common error is “Device is locked” when trying to log in to Recovery or Fastboot. This means that the bootloader is locked. For a normal reset via the Recovery menu, this is not an obstacle, since standard Recovery allows you to do Wipe Data even on a locked bootloader.

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Cyclical reboots after resets are most likely to indicate a system partition damage or update conflict, and 90% of the time, a complete PC flash is the solution.

FAQ: Frequently Asked Questions