Situations when the Xiaomi Redmi 9A smartphone starts to work unstable, is blocked due to a forgotten pattern key, or requires complete cleaning before sale, occur quite often. In such cases, the standard settings menu may not be available, and the only option is a hard reset through recovery mode. This process, known as Hard Resetreturns the device to its original state by erasing all user data and settings. It is important to understand that the procedure requires care, since it will be impossible to recover deleted information without a backup copy.
Using physical buttons to enter the mode Recovery is a reliable method that works even if the system is “bricked” or critical boot errors occur. For owners of the model Redmi 9A this method is especially relevant, given the specifics of the shell MIUI and possible blocking of the Mi account. Before starting any manipulations, you must make sure that the device is charged at least 50-60% in order to avoid a sudden power outage at the most crucial moment.
In this article we will analyze in detail each step of the procedure, from the correct combination of buttons to navigation in the engineering menu. You will learn how to bypass FRP protection in some cases, what nuances Chinese and global versions of firmware have, and what to do if the phone does not respond to presses. By following the instructions, you can independently revive your gadget without contacting a service center.
Preparing the device for a full reset
Before taking radical measures, it is necessary to perform a number of preparatory actions. This will minimize the risk of losing important data and prevent potential problems with device activation after a reboot. If you have access to the system, be sure to back up your contacts, photos and documents to cloud storage or to your computer.
⚠️ Attention: After performing the reset, all data in the internal memory will be permanently deleted. Make sure you save important files to an external storage device or to a Google account.
Particular attention should be paid to your account Google i Mi Account. If the FRP (Factory Reset Protection) protection function is enabled on the device, after resetting the phone will require you to enter the login and password from the last synchronized account. Forgetting this data means getting a locked device. Therefore, if possible, log out of all accounts through the menu Settings → Accounts and synchronization before turning off the phone.
☑️ Preparing for Hard Reset
It is also worth checking the integrity of the control buttons. The model Redmi 9A uses volume and power buttons. If the power button is stuck or the volume buttons have looseness, it may be difficult to enter recovery mode. Ideally, the device should be completely turned off, and not just locked by the screen.
Entering Recovery mode on Redmi 9A
The process of entering recovery mode on Xiaomi smartphones has its own characteristics that distinguish them from other Android manufacturers. The standard button combination may not work the first time due to the high sensitivity of the boot timer. For the model Redmi 9A the algorithm of actions is as follows:
- 🔌 Turn off the smartphone completely by holding the power button until the logo disappears.
- 🔘 Press simultaneously the Volume Up button (Volume Up) button and the power.
- ⏱Hold both buttons until the logo appears Mi or Redmi.
- 🚫 As soon as the logo appears, release the power button, but continue to hold the volume button.
- 📱 Release the volume button when appears on the screen menu Recovery.
Sometimes users are faced with the fact that instead of the recovery menu, an image of an Android robot with the inscription “No command” appears. This is not an error, but a standard menu state. To go to the list of options, you need to hold down the power button and briefly press the volume up button once. After this, the menu will become available for navigation.
What to do if the menu does not appear?
If after several attempts the Recovery menu does not load, try connecting the phone to a charger or computer via a USB cable while pressing the buttons. Sometimes the presence of external power changes the boot priority and allows you to enter recovery mode.
Navigation in this menu is carried out exclusively by hardware keys. The touch screen in Recovery mode does not work. The volume buttons are used to move the cursor up and down, and the power button performs the function of confirming the selection (analogous to the button Enter).
The process of clearing data and formatting
After successfully entering the menu, you will see a list of items in English or Chinese, depending on the regional version of the firmware. You need to find the section responsible for clearing data. In global versions it is usually called Wipe Data. If the interface is in Chinese, look for the characters corresponding to cleaning (often the second item from the top).
By selecting the item Wipe Data, you will be taken to a submenu. It is critical to select the option Wipe All Data. Wipe Cache, which clears only temporary files and does not delete the user's personal data. To completely reset to factory settings, a complete wipe is required.
| Action | Control button | Result |
|---|---|---|
| Move up/down | Volume + / - | Select menu item |
| Confirm selection | Power | Enter section / Start |
| Cancel / Back | Power (sometimes) | Return to the main menu |
After selecting the item Wipe All Data the system will ask for confirmation. Usually this is a button Confirm or OK. Confirm the action by pressing the Power button. The formatting process will take from a few seconds to a couple of minutes. A progress bar or simply a blinking cursor may be displayed on the screen.
If the process is stuck at the formatting stage for more than 10 minutes, force restart the device by holding the power button for 15-20 seconds. The retry may be successful.
When cleaning is complete, you will see a message Data wiped successfully. Press the power button to confirm (usually item Back to Main Menu). Now the device is ready to reboot in normal mode.
Reboot and initial system setup
Returning to the main menu Recovery, select item Reboot, and then Reboot to System. This will start a normal operating system boot. The first turn on after a reset will last longer than usual - from 5 to 10 minutes. Don't panic if the logo Mi or Android hangs on the screen for a long time; at this point, the system creates new partitions and configures basic settings.
After loading, you will see a welcome screen. You have to go through the standard setup procedure: select a language, connect to a Wi-Fi network and log into your Google account. It is at this stage that FRP protection may work if you did not log out of your account before resetting.
⚠️ Attention: If the phone asks for the password for your previous Google account, and you do not remember it, access to the device will be limited. In this case, you will need an FRP unlock procedure, which is more complicated than a normal reset.
Make sure that during the initial setup the device has a stable Internet connection. This is necessary to verify the license and activate Google services. If you plan to sell the phone, at this stage the setup can be stopped by simply turning off the device after selecting the language so that the new owner can customize it for themselves.
Possible problems and ways to solve them
Despite the simplicity of the procedure, users may encounter a number of technical difficulties. One common problem is a cyclic reboot (bootloop), where the phone constantly reboots before reaching the desktop. This may indicate damaged system files or an unsuccessful update.
If after resetting the phone does not turn on at all (black screen), try connecting it to the charger for a long time (at least an hour). Sometimes a deep battery discharge combined with a reset causes the charge indicator to not light up right away. It is also worth trying a different combination of buttons to enter the mode Fastboot (Volume Down + Power) and check if the device responds.
A cyclic reboot after a Hard Reset is often solved by re-entering Recovery and selecting the Wipe All Data item for the second time, or by flashing the device via a PC.
If the touch screen stops responding even after the system has fully booted, the problem may be hardware. However, if this happened immediately after the reset, try calibrating the screen through the engineering menu or third-party applications, if it is possible to install them.
Differences between the global and Chinese versions of MIUI
Owners Redmi 9A should take into account that the recovery menu interface may differ depending on the firmware version. On global versions (Global ROM), the menu is usually in English and has a clear structure. On Chinese versions (China ROM), which are often installed on parallel imported devices, the menu may be entirely in Chinese.
In the Chinese version, the procedure remains the same, but the visual cues change. Data clearing is usually second on the list. Use the same buttons to navigate. If you are not sure of your actions due to the language barrier, it is recommended to take a photo of the menu screen and use an image translator before pressing the buttons.
⚠️ Attention: Flashing the Chinese version to the global version requires unlocking the bootloader, which is officially possible only 7 days after linking your Mi account. Without unlocking, it is not possible to legally install global firmware.
It is also worth noting the difference in support for LTE frequencies and language packs. The global version has a full set of languages, including Russian, out of the box, while in the Chinese version, the Russian language may be absent or added only after manually installing the language pack through the settings.
How to distinguish the global version from the Chinese?
On the box of the global version there is a sticker with the inscription "Global Version" and the CE icon. In the phone settings in the "About phone" section, the global version in the firmware name has the letter "G" or the word "Global", and the Chinese version has only the letters "CN" or "China".
FAQ: Frequently asked questions
Will information be deleted from the SD memory card when resetting using the buttons?
Default command Wipe All Data In Recovery mode, it clears only the internal memory of the device. The data on the external SD memory card should be preserved. However, for complete security, it is recommended to remove the memory card before starting the reset procedure to eliminate the risk of accidental formatting or damage to the file system of the card.
What to do if the phone asks for a password for your Mi Account after a reset?
This is protection against theft. If you know the password, simply enter it. If you have forgotten your password, you can restore access through the official website of your Xiaomi account from another device. If access to the mail or phone number associated with the account is also lost, it will be extremely difficult to unlock the device using legal methods; you will need to contact support with a purchase receipt.
Is it possible to interrupt the reset process if it is frozen?
Interrupting the formatting process is not recommended, as this can lead to damage to memory partitions and the inability to boot the system. If the process does not move for more than 20 minutes, try a forced reboot (holding the power button for 15-20 seconds). In the worst case, you will need to flash it through a computer using the Mi Flash Tool.
A reset will help if the phone is infected with a virus?
Yes, a full reset to factory settings (Hard Reset) deletes all user applications and data, including most types of malware that do not have superuser rights and are not built into the system partition. However, if the virus has gained root access or has infiltrated system files, resetting may not help, and a complete flashing of the system image will be required.