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Step-by-Step Guide: How to Install Xiaomi ROMs on Your Device

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Upgrading or changing the ROM on your Xiaomi device can unlock a world of customization and performance enhancements. Whether you’re looking to install a custom ROM like Xiaomi.eu for additional features or revert to a stock ROM, understanding the process is crucial. This guide will walk you through the necessary steps to flash a ROM onto your Xiaomi phone, ensuring a smooth and successful installation.

Before we begin, it’s important to understand that flashing a ROM carries inherent risks. Incorrect procedures can potentially brick your device, rendering it unusable. Therefore, proceed with caution and ensure you understand each step thoroughly. Neither obd2scanner.store nor the author is responsible for any damage caused to your device during this process. Proceed at your own risk.

This tutorial is designed to be comprehensive and easy to follow, even if you’re new to ROM flashing. We’ll cover everything from unlocking your bootloader to installing a custom recovery and finally flashing your chosen ROM.

Prerequisites and Preparations

Before diving into the installation process, let’s gather everything you’ll need:

  1. A Windows PC: While some steps can be performed on Linux, certain Xiaomi tools are designed for Windows.
  2. Xiaomi USB Drivers: These are essential for your computer to communicate with your Xiaomi device in Fastboot mode. They are usually installed automatically when you connect your phone to a Windows PC, but sometimes manual installation might be required.
  3. Mi Unlock Tool: This official Xiaomi tool is necessary to unlock your device’s bootloader, a prerequisite for flashing custom ROMs. You can download it from the official MIUI website.
  4. ADB and Fastboot Tools: These command-line tools are crucial for interacting with your device in bootloader mode. You can download them as part of the Android SDK Platform Tools or as standalone packages. Ensure they are correctly installed and configured on your PC.
  5. TWRP (Team Win Recovery Project): This is a custom recovery image that replaces the stock recovery on your device. TWRP allows you to flash custom ROMs, create backups, and perform other advanced operations. Download the TWRP image specific to your Xiaomi device model from the official TWRP website or reputable sources like XDA Developers.
  6. The ROM File: Download the ROM you wish to install. For Xiaomi.eu ROMs, visit their official website and download the correct ROM for your device model. Ensure the ROM is compatible with your device.
  7. A USB Cable: A high-quality USB cable to connect your Xiaomi device to your computer. USB 2.0 ports are generally recommended for stability during flashing processes.
  8. A Xiaomi Account: You’ll need a Xiaomi account to unlock your bootloader. Ensure you have one and that it’s logged in on your Xiaomi device.
  9. Patience: The bootloader unlocking process may require waiting periods of up to 72 hours or more.

Part 1: Unlocking the Bootloader

Xiaomi devices come with a locked bootloader for security reasons. To flash custom ROMs, you must first unlock it.

  1. Enable Developer Options and OEM Unlocking:

    • Go to Settings on your Xiaomi device.
    • Navigate to About phone or About device.
    • Tap repeatedly on MIUI Version until you see the message “You are now a developer!”.

    Accessing Developer Options by tapping on MIUI Version

    • Go back to Settings.
    • Navigate to Additional settings or More settings.
    • Find and enter Developer options.
    • Enable OEM unlocking.

    Enabling OEM Unlocking in Developer Options

  2. Enable USB Debugging: In Developer options, also enable USB debugging. This is necessary for ADB communication.

  3. Add Your Account and Device in Mi Unlock Status:

    • In Developer options, find and tap on Mi Unlock status.

    Navigating to Mi Unlock Status

    • Tap on Add account and device and log in to your Xiaomi account. Ensure you are using your MIUI account, not a xiaomi.eu account. Make sure “Find My Device” is enabled and grant all requested permissions.
    • Wait for the Unlocking Period: Xiaomi may impose a waiting period (typically 72 hours or more) before you can unlock your bootloader. Attempting to unlock before this period will result in an error.

    Error message indicating waiting period for bootloader unlock

    • If your account doesn’t have unlock permissions, visit http://en.miui.com/unlock/ and apply for unlock permissions. Note that you can unlock only one device per 30 days per account.

  4. Boot into Fastboot Mode:

    • Power off your Xiaomi device completely.
    • Press and hold the Volume Down button and the Power button simultaneously until you see the Fastboot screen.

    Xiaomi device in Fastboot mode

  5. Unlock with Mi Unlock Tool:

    • Connect your device to your Windows PC using a USB cable (preferably USB 2.0).
    • Download the Mi Unlock Tool from http://en.miui.com/unlock/ and extract the downloaded ZIP file.
    • Run the MiUnlockTool.exe application.
    • Sign in with the same Xiaomi account you used on your device.

    Mi Unlock Tool Login Screen

    • The tool will verify your device and account.

    Mi Unlock Tool Device Verification

    Mi Unlock Tool Ready to Unlock

    • Click the Unlock button.

    Mi Unlock Tool Unlocking Process

    • Wait for the process to complete. Once finished, you’ll see a “Device unlocked successfully” message.
    • Reboot your device. The first boot after unlocking may take slightly longer.

    Troubleshooting message in Mi Unlock Tool – driver issues or vendor ROM

    • If the Mi Unlock Tool fails to recognize your device, ensure you have installed the correct USB drivers. Try reinstalling Mi PC Suite or switching USB ports. If you encounter a “Couldn’t verify device” error, it might indicate a vendor ROM, and you may need to flash an official ROM first.

Part 2: Flashing TWRP Custom Recovery

TWRP is a custom recovery environment that allows you to flash custom ROMs and perform other advanced operations.

  1. Download TWRP for Your Device:

    • Visit the official TWRP website or XDA Developers and find the TWRP image (.img file) for your specific Xiaomi device model.
    • Rename the downloaded TWRP image file to recovery.img for easier command execution.
    • Place the recovery.img file in the same folder where you have your ADB and Fastboot tools installed.

    Example of TWRP download page

    Recovery.img file in ADB folder

  2. Flash TWRP via Fastboot:

    • Ensure your device is still in Fastboot mode (Volume Down + Power button).
    • Connect your device to your computer.
    • Open Command Prompt (CMD) in the ADB and Fastboot tools folder. To do this, hold Shift, right-click in the folder, and select “Open command window here” or “Open PowerShell window here”.
    • In the Command Prompt, type fastboot devices and press Enter. This command checks if your device is properly connected and recognized in Fastboot mode. You should see your device’s serial number listed.

    Flashing TWRP using Fastboot commands

    • Type the following command to flash TWRP: fastboot flash recovery recovery.img and press Enter.
    • After the flashing process is complete (you should see “OKAY” and “finished” messages), type fastboot boot recovery.img to temporarily boot into TWRP recovery. This step is crucial to ensure TWRP is flashed correctly and to prevent stock recovery from overwriting TWRP on the first boot.

  3. TWRP Initial Setup:

    • Your device will now boot into TWRP recovery. The first boot might take a few minutes.
    • You may initially see Chinese text. If so, tap the button in the bottom-right corner to select the language.

    TWRP Chinese language selection screen

    • Choose English from the language menu.
    • Check the “Never show this screen during boot again” box if you wish to skip the language selection screen in the future.
    • Swipe right on “Swipe to Allow Modifications” to allow TWRP to make changes to your system.

    TWRP Main Menu in English

Part 3: Flashing the Custom ROM (Xiaomi.eu ROM)

Now that you have TWRP installed, you can flash your desired custom ROM.

  1. Copy the ROM File to Your Device:

    • Connect your device to your computer while in TWRP recovery mode. Your device should be recognized as a storage device.
    • Copy the downloaded Xiaomi.eu ROM ZIP file to the internal storage of your device. It’s recommended to place it directly in the root directory of your internal storage, not in any folders, for easy access.

    ROM file in the root directory of internal storage

  2. Backup Your Current ROM (Optional but Highly Recommended):

    • In TWRP, tap on Backup.
    • Select all partitions you want to backup (System, Data, Boot, etc.). You can also choose to backup to an external OTG drive for safety.
    • Swipe right to start the backup process. This backup allows you to restore your device to its previous state if anything goes wrong. An EFS backup is also highly recommended to safeguard your device’s IMEI and network information.

  3. Wipe Data, Cache, and Dalvik Cache:

    • In TWRP, tap on Wipe.
    • Select Advanced Wipe.
    • Check the boxes for Dalvik / ART Cache, Cache, System, and Data. Do NOT wipe Internal Storage unless you intend to completely erase everything on your phone.
    • Swipe right to perform the wipe. Note: Wiping Data will erase all your personal data, apps, and settings. Ensure you have backed up everything important before this step.

    TWRP Wipe Menu

  4. Install the ROM:

    • In TWRP, go back to the main menu and tap on Install.
    • Locate and select the Xiaomi.eu ROM ZIP file you copied to your device.
    • Swipe right to confirm the flash and begin the installation process.
    • Wait for the ROM flashing to complete. This may take several minutes.

  5. Reboot System:

    • Once the ROM is flashed successfully, tap on Reboot System.
    • The first boot after flashing a new ROM can take longer than usual (up to 5-10 minutes). Be patient and wait for your device to boot up completely.

Congratulations! You have successfully installed a custom ROM (Xiaomi.eu ROM) on your Xiaomi device.

Troubleshooting Tips

  • Driver Issues: If your computer doesn’t recognize your device in Fastboot mode, try reinstalling Xiaomi USB drivers or Mi PC Suite. Switching USB ports or using a USB 2.0 port can also help.
  • Unlock Errors: If the Mi Unlock Tool fails to unlock your device, ensure you have waited the required waiting period and that your Xiaomi account has unlock permissions.
  • Bootloop: If your device gets stuck in a bootloop after flashing, try wiping cache and Dalvik cache in TWRP again. If that doesn’t work, restore your backup or re-flash the ROM.
  • Vendor ROM Issues: If you encounter issues related to vendor ROMs, consider flashing an official Xiaomi stock ROM using Mi Flash Tool before attempting to install a custom ROM. (Note: Instructions for Mi Flash Tool are beyond the scope of this article but are available online).
  • TWRP Issues: If you face problems flashing or booting into TWRP, ensure you have downloaded the correct TWRP version for your device and followed the Fastboot commands accurately.

Remember to always refer to the official Xiaomi.eu ROM thread or other reliable sources for device-specific instructions and potential issues related to your chosen ROM and device model. Enjoy your newly flashed Xiaomi device!

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