Mi ADB Fastboot Tools: A Complete Guide to Use for Xiaomi

What is Mi ADB Fastboot Tools and why Xiaomi owners need it

If you’ve ever tried to remove unnecessary system applications on Xiaomi, unlock the bootloader or optimize the work of your smartphone, you’ve probably faced the limitations of standard settings. Here comes Mi ADB Fastboot Tools, a powerful utility for Windows that, through ADB and Fastboot commands, allows you to deeply customize devices under the Xiaomi, Redmi and POCO brand.

The program was created by community enthusiasts XDA Developers specifically to simplify work with the "hidden" features of MIUI. It can be used to remove the built-in bloatware (for example, Mi Browser, Mi Music, Mi Video), unlock the bootloader without officially waiting 72 hours, disable advertising in MIUI, and perform operations that are not available through the standard menu. It is important to understand that the utility works at the level of system commands, so caution is required - improper use can lead to soft-brick (soft "brick") of the device.

The main advantage of Mi ADB Fastboot Tools over manually entering commands in the terminal is an intuitive graphical interface with pre-configured scripts for popular tasks. For example, instead of manually prescribing adb shell pm uninstall -k --user 0 com.miui.browser, just select the appropriate item on the menu and press a button. This saves time and reduces the risk of errors.

Preparation of Xiaomi smartphone to work with utility

Before you start using the Mi ADB Fastboot Tools, you need to get the device right, and this is a critical step, because without it, the utility simply can't interact with the smartphone. USB:

1. Go to Settings → About Phone and click on MIUI Version 7 times until the notification “You became a developer” appears.
2. Return to the main settings menu, open Additional settings → For developers.
3. Activate USB Debugging and OEM Unlock switches (important for unlocking the bootloader!).
4. Connect your smartphone to your PC via the original cable (it is advisable to use a USB 2.0 port for stability).

Next, install the ADB and Fastboot drivers on your computer. If you haven't worked with these tools before, download Google's official Platform Tools package and unpack it to the root of the C:\ drive (e.g., C:\platform-tools).

• 🔹 Open Device Manager on PC (Win) + X → Device Manager).
• 🔹 Find a connected smartphone (usually displayed as Android Device or Xiaomi... with a yellow exclamation point) on the list).
• 🔹 Right-click. → Update the driver → Search for drivers on this computer and specify the path to the platform-tools folder.

⚠️ Note: If drivers are not installed automatically, download the universal driver from the XDA and install it manually through Device Manager.

Developer mode is on|Debugging activated USB|Unblocking permitted OEM|Drivers installed ADB/Fastboot|Smartphone connected with original cable-->

Installation and first launch of Mi ADB Fastboot Tools

Now, to install the utility itself, the latest version of the Mi ADB Fastboot Tools can be downloaded from the official repository on GitHub. Choose the MiADBFastbootTools.zip file, which is a portable version that doesn't require installation. Unpack the archive into a separate folder (e.g., C:\MiTools).

When you first start the program (MiADBFastbootTools.exe), you will see the main window with tabs ADB, Fastboot, Tools and Settings. Before you start, follow the following steps:

1. Go to the Settings tab and check the path to ADB/Fastboot (should match the platform-tools folder you unpacked earlier).
2. Click Check ADB – if everything is set up correctly, the ADB Device Detected message will appear.
3. On the smartphone will be a request for debugging permission via USB - tick "Always allow from this computer" and click Allow.

If the utility does not see the device, try:

• 🔄 Reconnect the cable (use the back) USB-port).
• 🔄 Reset the service ADB Adb kill-server and adb start-server
• 🔄 Disable the antivirus (sometimes it blocks) ADB).

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If the Mi ADB Fastboot Tools gives you a “Waiting for device” error, try manually running the adb device command in the terminal (from the platform-tools folder). If the list of devices is empty, the driver or cable problem is.

The main functions of the utility: what can be done

Mi ADB Fastboot Tools offers a wide range of features, divided into two key areas: ADB commands (to work in the enabled system) and Fastboot (to interact with the bootloader).

One of the most popular surgeries is to remove the bloate, for example, to get rid of unnecessary applications:

1. Go to the tab. ADB → Uninstaller.
2. Select from the list of apps you want to remove (for example, com.miui.browser – Xiaomi browser).
3. Press Uninstall Selected and confirm the action.

⚠️ Warning: Do not remove system components with the names com.android., com.qualcomm. or com.miui.home - this may cause your smartphone to fail.

Unlock the bootloader through Mi ADB Fastboot Tools

Unlocking the bootloader is a must for custom firmware (LineageOS, Pixel Experience) or recovery (TWRP). The official way from Xiaomi requires an account binding and waiting 72 hours, but Mi ADB Fastboot Tools allows you to speed up the process. Important: unlocking erases all data on the device!

Step-by-step:

1. Connect your smartphone to your PC and put it into Fastboot mode: turn off the device, then press the Power Button + Volume down until the Fastboot logo appears.
2. Go to the Fastboot → Unlock Bootloader tab.
3. Click Check Device – If the device is selected, click Unlock.
4. On the smartphone will appear a warning – confirm the unlock button Volume Up.

Once successfully unlocked, the device will automatically reset to factory settings. Now you can flash TWRP or custom firmware. Note: Some models (Xiaomi 12/13 series, Redmi Note 11/12) may require additional confirmation via Mi Account even after unlocking.

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Unlocking the bootloader will void the Xiaomi warranty. If you plan to contact the service center, return the device to its original state through the Mi Flash Tool (clean all and lock option).

Disconnecting Advertising and Telemetry in MIUI

One of the most annoying features of MIUI is the built-in advertising in system applications (Browser, Music, Settings), which can be permanently disabled with Mi ADB Fastboot Tools, blocking the advertising services at the system level.

1. Go to the ADB → Debloat tab.
2. In the Ads & Tracking section, tick all items (e.g. com.miui.analytics, com.xiaomi.midrop).
3. Press Uninstall Selected and wait for the process to be completed.

To completely disable telemetry (collect usage data), additionally execute commands manually through the ADB terminal:

adb shell pm disable-user --user 0 com.miui.analytics


adb shell pm disable-user --user 0 com.xiaomi.joinmi




adb shell pm disable-user --user 0 com.xiaomi.mipicks

Once the device is restarted, the ads in the system applications will disappear. Please note that some MIUI updates can restore deleted packets, in which case the procedure will have to be repeated.

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To check if advertising services are disabled, use the adb shell dumpsys package com.miui.analytics command.

Solving common mistakes and problems

When working with Mi ADB Fastboot Tools, users often encounter typical errors. Let’s consider the most common ones and how to fix them:

• 🚫 Waiting for device - device not identified. Solution: Check drivers, try another cable or port USB. Start the Adb Devices command manually.
• 🚫 Unauthorized: Denial of access when debugging. Solution: On your smartphone, revoke debugging permission (in the developer settings) and reconnect.
• 🚫 Fastboot not recognized - Fastboot commands do not work. Solution: Make sure the path to the platform-tools is correctly indicated in the utility settings.
• 🚫 The device hung on the logo after removing the packages.Solution: Load to Fastboot and reset via Mi Flash Tool (clean all option).

If the phone stopped booting after the manipulation, don't panic. In most cases, flashing through Fastboot helps:

1. Download the official firmware for your model from the Xiaomi Firmware website.
2. Unpack the archive and place the firmware folder in C:\MiTools\firmware.
3. In Mi ADB Fastboot Tools Go to the Fastboot tab → Flash Firmware and select the file flash_all.bat.

⚠️ Note: If after firmware, the device requires authorization of the Mi Account (anti-Rollback protection), use the official Mi Unlock Tool to unlock.

FAQ: Answers to Frequent Questions