How to Factory Reset Xiaomi / Redmi / POCO Phone (Soft & Hard Reset)

Factory resetting your Xiaomi phone erases all personal data and restores it to factory-fresh condition. Use this as a last resort for persistent issues or before selling the phone.

⚠️ Back Up First

A factory reset permanently deletes:

• All photos, videos, and downloaded files
• Installed apps and their data
• Accounts and Wi-Fi passwords
• Call logs, messages, contacts (if not synced to cloud)

Back up to Mi Cloud, Google, or PC before proceeding (see Article 80).

Method 1: Soft Reset via Settings (Phone is Working)

1. Go to Settings
2. Tap Additional Settings
3. Tap Backup & Reset
4. Tap "Erase All Data (Factory Reset)"
5. Enter your PIN/password to confirm
6. Tap "Erase Phone" — process takes 3–10 minutes

The phone restarts into the setup wizard as if brand new.

Method 2: Hard Reset via Recovery Mode (Phone Can't Boot)

Use this when the phone is stuck in a boot loop or won't open Settings:

1. Power off the phone completely
2. Hold Power + Volume Up simultaneously until the Mi logo appears, then release Power but keep holding Volume Up
3. Recovery Mode menu appears (white text on black background)
4. Use Volume keys to navigate to "Wipe Data"
5. Press Power to confirm → select "Wipe All Data"
6. Select "Reboot System Now"

After Factory Reset: Setup Tips

• Sign in with your Google Account to restore apps and data from Google Backup
• Sign in with your Mi Account to restore Mi Cloud data
• Update HyperOS immediately before installing apps
• Re-enable Developer Options and all custom settings

Factory Reset ≠ Removing Mi Account Lock

If Find My Device (Mi Account lock) was enabled, you'll be asked for your Mi Account credentials after the reset — this is an anti-theft feature that cannot be bypassed without the account details.