After the release of any official firmware, most users install new versions of them in order to ensure better performance of the device, although this is not at all necessary. If you still decide to improve your operating system, in this article we will tell you how to do it correctly. Partial consideration will be taken into account Xiaomi update Mi5 and some other devices. We will also talk about installation new version software produced by air.
What is OTA
To be precise, in simple, understandable language, OTA (Over The Air) updates do not require a connection to a computer, that is, you can update via 3G Internet, EDGE or Wi-Fi, this method is often called “over-the-air update”. Having a user account, we will be able to synchronize our device only with new firmware modules, this function also allows you to receive notifications about released products regarding the OS, your data is not lost, but remains saved, in short, this method saves you a lot of time and effort. Absolutely every Xiaomi owner will be able to cope with updating the system to the new version, and we will talk about device compatibility later.
Current firmware on at the moment is an update to MIUI 8, so in the future we will talk specifically about it. We will tell you who can afford to upgrade to the current MIUI 8 build, and also advise what to do if you still have not received the firmware for your device. We will not talk about its pros and cons, we will only say that such an innovation will change appearance interface, will add a multi-screen mode that allows you to work with a number of special programs, in general, your Android will transform well, and there will be something to look at.
Compatibility
It is also important which devices can be installed on new firmware, so it is important to understand this issue. According to official sources, the firmware will be available on all Android 6.0 devices, including devices such as Xiaomi Mi4, its earlier representatives of the Mi series, that is, Mi 2, Mi 2S, Mi 3 and so on. Popular update Xiaomi Redmi Note 3 Pro, and indeed the entire Redmi line along with Mi Note, is a given.
True, there is one thing. The fact is that the firmware is not yet available to everyone, since it is released in “waves” for certain series of devices, but if you have all the necessary files, you can install it manually, which we will briefly discuss later.
Firmware update
Updating the firmware is not the easiest process, at least it used to be. Now, with the help of OTA, you can do everything in a few clicks, and you don’t need a computer, a connection cable, and you’ll also be able to do without searching necessary files, their correct location and other things. Since you already know about over-the-air updating, let’s move on directly to the process, looking at three simple steps:
- Make sure that your device is charged to the maximum, but even 30% of the battery is enough to carry out such an operation; for some, 60%. But it’s better not to risk it after all full charge devices;
- Of course, up to Android 6 and older you need official firmware, that is, custom and root rights are not suitable here, and there should not be any changes in the firmware;
- Then you just have to follow the standard path to check for updates: “Menu” – “Settings” – “About phone” – “System updates” – “Check now”. When the system sees that there is an update, agree to install it, restart the device, and then wait.
Having figured out how to update your Xiaomi devices Redmi 3 Pro and some others, I would like to mention that for the same Xiaomi Redmi Note 2, Xiaomi Redmi 3S at the time of writing this article only has the Chinese version of the firmware and you can’t do anything about it, so you’ll have to wait. We remind you that the latest version of MIUI firmware is not released immediately and not for all devices. They will still be translated (global version), so there is no rush, of course, unless you want to get a device in Chinese.
Other installation options
Since many people want to upgrade their device to MIUI now, there are options manual installation via Recovery and Fastboot, but this is a topic for another article. It is also worth considering that the approximate similarity of devices, say Redmi 3 and 3 S, does not promise us that they will be able to officially update at the same time, although everyone really hopes for this.
If for some reason you are unable to update your device, you should try a little more the hard way, but no less correct; more about this in the article about device firmware.
Distribution has begun, but many Xiaomi devices have not yet received the update, even those for which the OTA update is already available. Despite this, the firmware can be installed manually if all the necessary files are available. How to do this - read our instructions.
First of all, here is a list with the necessary MIUI 8 firmware files:
- Redmi 3 / Redmi 3 Prime MIUI 8 Stable Global - Recovery (947 MB) and Fastboot (1.09 GB).
- Redmi 3S/Prime MIUI 8 Stable Global - Recovery (1.4 GB) and Fastboot (1.7 GB).
- Redmi 2 MIUI 8 Stable Global - Recovery (737 MB) and Fastboot (1.04 GB).
- Redmi 2 Prime MIUI 8 Stable Global - Recovery (700 MB) and Fastboot (1 GB).
- Redmi Note 2 MIUI 8 Stable Global - Recovery (1.08 GB) and Fastboot (1.3 GB).
- Mi 2 / Mi 2S MIUI 8 Stable Global - Recovery (769 MB) and Fastboot (1 GB).
- Mi Max 32 GB MIUI 8 Stable Global - Recovery (1.3 GB) and Fastboot (1.5 GB).
- Redmi 1S MIUI 8 Stable Global - Recovery (728 MB) and Fastboot (911 MB).
- Mi 3 / Mi 4 MIUI 8 Stable Global - Recovery (767 MB) and Fastboot (1.01 GB).
- Mi 4i MIUI 8 Stable Global - Recovery (961 MB) and Fastboot (1.1 GB).
- Mi 5 MIUI 8 Stable Global - Recovery (1.4 GB) and Fastboot (1.5 GB).
- Mi Note 4G MIUI 8 Stable Global - Recovery (921 MB) and Fastboot (1.2 GB).
- Redmi Note 4G MIUI 8 Stable Global - Recovery (737 MB) and Fastboot (919 MB).
- Redmi Note 3G MIUI 8 Stable Global - Recovery (750 MB).
- Redmi Note 3 Qualcomm MIUI 8 Stable Global - Recovery (1.2 GB) and Fastboot (1.4 GB).
- Redmi Note 3 Special Edition MIUI 8 Stable Global - Recovery (1.3 GB) and Fastboot (1.6 GB).
- Redmi Note Prime MIUI 8 Stable Global - Recovery (793 MB) and Fastboot (1.07 GB).
Update using recovery
Attention: this method does not work on Xiaomi smartphones with MediaTek processors, as well as on devices with a locked bootloader. Also make sure that you already have the latest version installed before upgrading. latest version global MIUI.Instructions for Xiaomi smartphones with Mi 2.0.1 recovery:
Instructions for smartphones with the new recovery interface:
Updating using Fastboot
It's worth starting with the fact that to update via Fastboot you must first unlock the bootloader. This applies to new devices, starting with Mi 5, Mi Max and others. The bootloader is locked in them. If your device already has an unlocked bootloader, then skip the next instructions.How to unlock the bootloader in Xiaomi smartphones:
Now let's move on to the firmware itself. It is recommended to do this first backup copy devices.
Flashing via Fastboot:
Let us remind you that you carry out all these operations with the device at your own peril and risk. If something goes wrong, the device can turn into a “brick”.
We don’t often tell our readers about flashing devices, but in the case of Xiaomi this is most relevant, because those who bought a company device will probably be faced with the need to install localized firmware or firmware with weekly updates, called Developer firmware.
By the way, you can flash the device with custom firmware only through the Developer version. We will use Xiaomi Redmi Note 3 Pro as an example. To install official version Xiaomi firmware As a rule, there is no need to submit a request for the opportunity to unlock the bootloader on the official Xiaomi website. If you plan to engage in similar activities in the future, you can submit a request to unlock your device.
Let's proceed directly to installing the firmware with weekly updates ( must be done before installation backup all your data). The first step is to register. Then, by going to , you should select your device. Next, look for “Developer ROM” and click on “Download Full ROM”. After which the download of the firmware will begin, the size of which in our case is 1.2-1.3 gigabytes.
After downloading, connect the smartphone via USB cable to the computer and transfer the firmware file to the “downloaded_rom” folder.
You can then disconnect the device from the computer. Next, go to settings, select the “About phone” section and click on the round button in the bottom middle with the inscription “System update” (Option 2: open the “Update” shortcut on the desktop). Then click on the 3 dots, then tap on “Select firmware file”, after which we will be transferred to Explorer. Here you should go to the “downloaded_rom” folder and select our firmware file.
Then click on the checkmark that says “OK” at the bottom of the screen. After which the installation of the weekly version of the system should begin. If the error “Could not verify installation file", try to download more old version. If attempts to install earlier versions were unsuccessful, you need to download the Mi Flash program and directly install the firmware file through it.
The editors are not responsible for any consequences of performing the manipulations given above
Based on materials from MIUI
After the MIUI update is released, it may take a week or two, or even a month, before you receive it on your phone. Sometimes Xiaomi even stops sending updates. In order not to wait for MIUI update over the air (via wi-fi), there is an option to update Xiaomi via “three points”.
How to update MIUI via three dots?
“Three dots” are symbols that open additional features in the System Update menu. In order to update without waiting for an over-the-air update, we need to download the required MIUI firmware. You can find them either on the official MIUI website or the Mi forum.
Be careful, you can only upgrade the current version through the Update application:
China – China
Global – Global
When upgrading the version, the data is preserved; if you roll back, the data is deleted.
You can't update like this:
China – Global
China –custom
Global – China
Global –custom
Custom– China
Custom– Global
In our example, the firmware was used.
Download the update for MIUI to your computer and transfer it to your phone or memory card. In our case, the firmware file ended up in the root of the smartphone.
Before updating, make sure your smartphone is charged!
Open on Xiaomi “Settings” - “About the system” button at the bottom "System update"
The application will open "Update", click on the image three points on the right and select the item "Select firmware file".
Through Explorer, specify the file with the firmware and click "OK", after selecting, parsing the update file will begin immediately.
Xiaomi equipment is distinguished not only by its excellent price-quality ratio, but also by the desire of developers to constantly improve their devices with the help of updates. Transparency and full support are what people love about the manufacturer. Unfortunately, localization of OTA updates does not always happen smoothly and successfully, which leads to problems for owners of certain devices, regions, etc. Next, we will show you what to do if your Xiaomi is not updated over the air.
Most often, owners face this problem Xiaomi phones: Redmi Note 3-4-4x, Redmi Pro 3-4, Mi5, Mi Max and others. By the way, some statistics - on gadgets with Chinese firmware there are no such problems. In rare cases, it is recommended to install it in order to protect yourself from bugs.
What to do?
First, check the following: whether Auto Update is enabled in the settings, whether your model has the latest firmware, and whether the Internet is stable. If everything is ok with this, then move on to the steps below. Some options are effective, but difficult for inexperienced people, while others, on the contrary, are easy, but not always effective. Let's study them in detail.
Attention! Before applying anything described below, check if your bootloader is unlocked on your smartphone. There are a lot of instructions on the Internet about this.
Selecting a location
If the over-the-air update does not occur, you can try changing the region. In some cases, this helps solve the problem. You can choose as your region of residence: Indonesia, India, Vietnam, China or other Eastern countries. Here are the instructions for changing the region in Xiaomi:
Manual updates
If with automatic update If it doesn’t work out, you’ll have to take on the procedure yourself. As is known, any manual update is a potential risk. If you want the device to remain under warranty, then you must do everything according to the instructions and use only the factory firmware specifically for your device. Otherwise, there is a risk of not only losing free service, but also turn the device into a “brick”.
Before carrying out all procedures, you need to find out the version and type MIUI firmware. You can define it in the settings by selecting "About the phone". Pay attention to the digital version and firmware type. Firmware type refers to the following options:
- Global Stable And Global Developer;
- China Stable And China Developer.
Please note that the number of digits in these cases is 4; if there are more digits, then this is a device with custom firmware. For example, 8.1.5.0. - official, and 8.1.51.0. – custom.
If you want to change the Stable version to Developer, you must first check compatibility. Developer– a developer version that contains a lot of new things, but may have a large number of bugs. Stable– a stable version, which is maximally optimized, and the number of errors is reduced to a minimum. A couple of tips before starting the update.
- You cannot install a version lower than the current one.
- It is recommended to install updates of the same type.
In some cases, the device may not see the firmware file. To avoid this, download the file directly through the device, followed by moving it to the root of the directory via file manager. An alternative is to transfer the rom file to MicroSD (if such a slot is available), insert the USB flash drive into the phone, transfer it to the root internal memory.
Update “through 3 points”
Until the procedures are completed, do not press any buttons on the phone - only respond to prompts that appear on the screen. If you get an error "The installation file could not be verified" during downloading, then you can use the program on your computer Mi Flash or Mi PC Suite, through which you can easily install updates.
Installation via Recovery
After rebooting, your phone will be updated and ready to use. Do not forget that personal data will be erased. We also recommend moving important information on PC or removable media and remove it.
