The root bootloader of the MIUI system is locked for security purposes - thus, Xiaomi smartphones protect their system from possible intrusions by third-party software. Initially, the system itself does not provide access to the registry. The MIUI add-on cannot be disturbed by any program, so the buyer can be confident in the security of the device.
However, many advanced users need access to all system parameters - for various visual changes, for flashing and customizing the smartphone, as well as for many other special settings that the average person does not even think about. Obtaining Root Xiaomi system rights is significantly different from a similar operation for “pure” Android systems. We'll tell you everything in the instructions below.
Benefits of being a “superuser”
“Superuser” is the Russian abbreviation for SuperSU, a program that gives you the rights to unlock and switch to superuser mode.
The advantages are mainly engineering. For example, root rights allow you to remove system restrictions on parameters such as sound volume or screen brightness - if in your device all this is initially calibrated to some average values, the firmware will allow you to change factory settings that were previously unavailable.
Using the firmware, you can overclock the processor, install many unofficial applications on the gadget, or, for example, disable some system settings. The multi-user function is also popular, when several profiles are created on a smartphone with their own system settings.
Enabling Xiaomi SuperProductor Mode
You need to find an application called Super Su or “Super User”. In some phone models, the item may be indicated by a different label. The application is launched in the standard way and goes into configuration mode. Check the box next to “Allow”.
The phone reboots without opening any programs. The operation is performed even in the absence of appropriate notification. If this is not done, the likelihood of your smartphone malfunctioning increases.
Pros of the mode
The benefits of Super Producer Mode include:
- Full control of device operation. It becomes possible to limit traffic and stop automatic updates of some programs.
- Optimizing charge consumption. Using the mode, you can slow down the processor when performing certain tasks. This does not affect the operation of the phone, but you will have to connect the charger less often.
- Improved processor performance. Root rights make it possible to install special utilities.
How to find out if my smartphone is locked
First of all, make sure that your smartphone has the MIUI operating system. Recently, a popular trend for Xiaomi has been the release of its flagships on a “pure” Android system - such as, for example, the A1, Redmi S2 and Mi Mix 2S. In this case, you do not need the steps described below.
To find out if your bootloader is unlocked, go to “Settings”, where you will find the columns “Advanced” => “For Developers”. The “Mi Unlock Status” item is responsible for this. If the item is active, then the smartphone is not blocked.
There is an even simpler way to check - just restart your smartphone. If “Bootloader Unlock” appears at the bottom of the screen, then root rights have already been obtained.
Installing TWRP
The procedure is as follows:
- Make a backup copy of your data.
- Unpack the adb\fastboot archive into a folder in the root of the local disk. Her name should not contain spaces or letters of the Russian alphabet. Unpack the zip archive there
- Follow steps No. 10,11 from the previous method.
- Open the flash_twrp.bat file and wait until the phone automatically reboots and the recovery starts.
- Agree to change the system memory partition.
- If the official firmware is installed (China\Global\Russia): Save the TWRP.img file to the flash drive\microSD.
- Click Install => Install image, select the TWRP.img file, specify the Recovery partition and confirm the start of installation.
- Click “Wipe” and “Format data” and confirm the start of the procedure.
Unlocking Xiaomi bootloader
If there is no inscription, we proceed in the following order:
- Go to the website https://www.mi.com/en/. Important - all actions up to point 3 do not need to be performed by those who already have a Mi-Account.
- We authorize - in the upper right corner, click on Sign Up.
- Fill out all the fields and register your Mi account.
- Go to the page https://www.miui.com/unlock/ and click the “Unlock” button. The screenshot shows the Chinese version of the site, but even there everything is clear.
- Here we fill in all the details of your account that you registered earlier.
Important! Write data in English. Write the number starting with +7.
- In one of the columns you need to indicate the reason for the application. Here we write the phrase “for a localized firmware version” (for a localized version of the firmware).
- We go to the next page, enter the code from the SMS, and just wait. This is the worst thing, because the processing time for the application is 3 days, but delays, as practice shows, are constant.
- When you receive a special unlock code via SMS, go to Google Market and download the Mi Flash Unlock program.
- Turn off the smartphone.
- We connect the smartphone with a charging cable to the computer and press the power button together with the volume down button. The smartphone will go into mode
- Turn on the Mi Flash Unlock program and log into your account using the received password.
- On the screen that appears, click “Unblock”.
Your phone is now unlocked to install third party software. It's time to move on to obtaining Root rights.
Checking with diagnostic utilities
You can find out root status without resorting to programs that are aimed at activating or deactivating rights. So, as an alternative, it is proposed to consider diagnostic utilities. These are special applications that fully show the characteristics of the device. These include the current root status.
A striking example of this kind of program is CPU-Z. The application is downloaded through the Play Market and also installed through a separate APK file. Once installation is complete, do the following:
- Launch the program.
- Go to the “System” tab.
- Check what value is displayed next to the “Root Acces” item.
The value “No” indicates that extended rights on the phone were not activated. The inscription “Yes” indicates the opposite, and in such a situation it makes sense to think about how to disable root access. Let us remind you that for this you need the SuperSU program or any other application through which root rights were obtained.
In conclusion, we note that CPU-Z is not the only diagnostic utility presented in the Google Play Market. There is also an alternative program AIDA64. It is just as popular and, similar to CPU-Z, shows a list of all the features of a smartphone, and not just standard characteristics like the name of the processor or screen resolution.
Applications for Root rights
We will need only three applications - one of them is official from Xiaomi (Kenzo-flash), the other two have long been used to update systems in various gadgets.
Instructions for obtaining Root rights for Xiaomi
- We reboot our smartphone, we see the inscription “Bootloader Unlock” at the bottom of the screen.
- Go to the website https://twrp.me/Devices/.
- Find your phone model in the list.
- In the Download Links section, download the Primary Europe image for your model.
- Download a special launch file from the official website https://mi-ru.ru/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/KENZO-flash.zip.
- We unpack Kenzo-flash into a folder specially created by you, and drop the previously downloaded image into it.
- Rename the image to kenzo-recovery.img.
- Launch flash.bat.
- Turn off the smartphone and connect it to the computer via USB.
- Press and hold the volume down and power buttons simultaneously and switch to fastboot mode.
- In the command line that appears, press any key, thus starting the firmware download.
- Now download this file https://yadi.sk/d/EgaBdZnI3F3yan and copy the archive somewhere to the root folder of the smartphone so that you can find it later.
- Turn off the smartphone and press the volume up key, then the volume down key, and then the start key. The inscription MI appears on the display, after which your engineering Recovery-mode will start.
- Here we click “Install” and indicate the path to the SuperSU file that you placed on your smartphone in step 12. Tap on the file and slide to the right. The smartphone will reboot with Root rights installed.
Root rights have been obtained, now you can change the system settings of your smartphone.
Opening root via Unlock root
Another simple PC program with an intuitive interface. It is distributed online for free. Download and install it on your computer, and then connect your smartphone in USB debugging mode.
The program identifies the device, after which in a small window you need to press the ROOT button. Next, we wait a few minutes until the download process takes place and root rights are installed. During the process, the smartphone may be automatically turned off - this is normal. At the end of the procedure, the program will offer to install additional software - you can refuse this. All that remains is to reboot the device, and when it turns on, root rights will be open.
Process differences for different models
The MIUI shell develops in parallel with Android updates, and therefore the instructions used to differ for different smartphone models. Over time, Xiaomi themselves took the initiative to unify the smartphone unlocking process and created a common Kenzo-flash program that allows you to flash all smartphones officially available for sale. But Twrp and SuperSU often don’t keep up with updates - and therefore it’s worth checking on the website of these programs to see if the firmware is available for your smartphone model. For example, the new Redmi Note 5 line is not there yet.
For convenience, we have divided all devices into several categories, depending on the version of Android and MIUI installed in them. Similar versions are interchangeable, and therefore the instructions for them are identical.
| OS | Model |
| Android 8.1 | Redmi 5 plus |
| Android 7.0, 7.1 | Redmi Note 5A, Mi 6, Redmi Note 4X, Mi Max 2 |
| Android 6.0 | Redmi 3S, Redmi 4X, Xiaomi Mi 5, Xiaomi Redmi Note 4, Redmi Pro |
| Android 5.1 | Redmi Note 3 |
It is also worth noting that today Super SU contains all the above-mentioned versions of devices, and therefore there will be no differences in obtaining Root rights for them - the application combines all versions in each new update. Only the latest models are at risk, so you should look for them on the Twrp website before downloading the utility.
But models like Xiaomi A1 or Redmi S2 come with “pure” Android on board, so the “unlock” procedure for them is radically different.
In short - what needs to be done
- If you have “developer firmware” installed, then root on Xiaomi Redmi 3 pro and many other phones is enabled in the settings, in the Permissions tab, where these rights are also provided for individual applications, which significantly increases the security of the device being used. If standard firmware is installed, read on.
- Phones manufactured after 2015 first need to unlock the bootloader, which protects the operating system from unauthorized access.
- Phones manufactured before 2015 do not need to unlock the bootloader (you can skip the previous step). You can immediately begin installing extended recovery (TWRP recovery).
- After installing the recovery, you need to flash a special archive that inserts root into the system for the Xiaomi Redmi Note 3 Pro phone and other phones.
Mission completed
To find out if your device is now unlocked, simply restart the device and the message “Bootloader Unlock” will appear at the bottom of the boot screen. If the inscription does not appear, there is another way to check .
To do this, turn off the smartphone, connect it to the computer using a cable, hold down the volume down and power buttons and on the computer go to the “Start” tab, where in the status bar write the “cmd” function to call the command line.
On the black screen that appears, enter “Adb”, after which we register the fastboot oem device-info function.
The screen will display Device unlocked: true (if the device is unlocked) / Device unlocked: false (if not unlocked).
Root rights to Xiaomi allow you to seriously change the parameters of your smartphone, but in reality not everyone needs it. Therefore, think about whether it is worth logging into the system in order to obtain some minor visual or sound changes - the consequences may be irreversible.
Root rights using KingoROOT
Find this application online, download it and install it on your computer. Next, in the general settings of the smartphone, enable USB debugging and allow the installation of programs from unknown sources.
With the help of KingoROOT, superuser rights on Xiaomi are opened in a few taps on the screen. Source: apklust.com
First, launch Kingo on your smartphone. After this, you can connect your smartphone to your PC via a USB cable. The installation of drivers will begin automatically, and a window with a red ROOT button will appear on the monitor screen. You need to press it, after which you will have to wait a few minutes for the process to complete. This is enough to get superuser rights on Xiaomi.
