Xiaomi: Difference between revisions

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For devices with a broken bootloader, recovery typically involves re-flashing firmware through {{Wplink|Qualcomm EDL mode|Emergency Download (EDL) mode}} (for Qualcomm-based devices) or Download Mode (for MediaTek-based devices). While [[Qualcomm]] and [[MediaTek]] provide software for these modes, they are only distributed internally to repair centers. However, open-source alternatives exist that can perform similar functions.

Despite this, Xiaomi implemented additional restrictions in 2020 by requiring online authentication, which is exclusively provided to authorized repair centers. This prevents users from restoring their own devices in cases of severe software failure.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Siddiqui |first=Aamir |title=Xiaomi needs a better way to unbrick its devices instead of Authorized Mi Accounts |url=https://www.xda-developers.com/xiaomi-edl-unbrick-authorized-mi-accounts/ |website=XDA |date=29 Feb 2020 |access-date=12 Feb 2026 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200229132629/https://www.xda-developers.com/xiaomi-edl-unbrick-authorized-mi-accounts/ |archive-date=29 Feb 2020}}</ref>

Despite this, Xiaomi implemented additional restrictions in 2020 by [[Forced account|requiring online authentication]], which is exclusively provided to authorized repair centers. This prevents users from restoring their own devices in cases of severe software failure.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Siddiqui |first=Aamir |title=Xiaomi needs a better way to unbrick its devices instead of Authorized Mi Accounts |url=https://www.xda-developers.com/xiaomi-edl-unbrick-authorized-mi-accounts/ |website=XDA |date=29 Feb 2020 |access-date=12 Feb 2026 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200229132629/https://www.xda-developers.com/xiaomi-edl-unbrick-authorized-mi-accounts/ |archive-date=29 Feb 2020}}</ref>

===Electric vehicle conditional serialization===

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===Advertisements in system apps===

[[File:Mi Video ~~Scareware~~.jpg|thumb|268x268px|A "scareware" advert is shown in Mi Video when media playback is paused.]]

[[File:Xiaomi device Mi Video scareware ad.jpg|thumb|268x268px|A "scareware" advert is shown in Mi Video when media playback is paused.]]

Xiaomi devices come with several pre-installed first-party apps that contain advertisements, including full-screen deceptive {{Wplink|scareware}} ads urging users to install malware. Workarounds exist to disable ads in some apps, including Mi File Explorer, Mi Browser, MIUI Downloads, MIUI Security, Mi Music, Mi Video and MIUI Themes.<ref>{{Cite web |author=jihad.ptk1

|title=Turn off ads on Xiaomi smartphones & MIUI using simple settings |url=https://c.mi.com/bd/post/10086 |website=Xiaomi |date=1 Mar 2021 |access-date=12 Feb 2026 |url-status=live |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20250708193043/https://c.mi.com/bd/post/10086 |archive-date=8 Jul 2025}}</ref> In many of their phones such as the cheaper Poco phones, a system app that can't be searched through normal means called "MSA" should also be revoked or uninstalled via ADB as it introduces ads most of the time a user opens up the phone.<ref>{{Cite web |author=maricthehedgehog |title=Revoking "msa" is the best decision in my phone |url=https://old.reddit.com/r/miui/comments/15jadut/revoking_msa_is_the_best_decision_in_my_phone/ |website=[[Reddit]] |date=5 Aug 2023 |access-date=12 Feb 2026 |url-status=live |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20250212160509/https://old.reddit.com/r/miui/comments/15jadut/revoking_msa_is_the_best_decision_in_my_phone/ |archive-date=12 Feb 2025}}</ref>

|title=Turn off ads on Xiaomi smartphones & MIUI using simple settings |url=https://c.mi.com/bd/post/10086 |website=Xiaomi |date=1 Mar 2021 |access-date=12 Feb 2026 |url-status=live |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20250708193043/https://c.mi.com/bd/post/10086 |archive-date=8 Jul 2025}}</ref> In many of their phones such as the cheaper Poco phones, a system app that can't be searched through normal means called "MSA" should also be revoked or uninstalled via [[wikipedia:Android_Debug_Bridge|ADB]] as it introduces ads most of the time a user opens up the phone.<ref>{{Cite web |author=maricthehedgehog |title=Revoking "msa" is the best decision in my phone |url=https://old.reddit.com/r/miui/comments/15jadut/revoking_msa_is_the_best_decision_in_my_phone/ |website=[[Reddit]] |date=5 Aug 2023 |access-date=12 Feb 2026 |url-status=live |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20250212160509/https://old.reddit.com/r/miui/comments/15jadut/revoking_msa_is_the_best_decision_in_my_phone/ |archive-date=12 Feb 2025}}</ref>

Most of the aforementioned apps can be substituted for {{Wplink|Free and open-source software|FOSS}} alternatives, but they cannot be uninstalled without advanced methods such as ADB.

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Xiaomi smartphones out-of-the-box run on their custom version of Android known as HyperOS (formerly MIUI), which comes bundled with a plethora of [[Bloatware|pre-installed]] first- and third-party apps. The pre-installed third-party apps can be easily uninstalled with a few clicks whereas the same is not applicable for the pre-installed first-party apps. The option to uninstall them is either grayed out or just outright missing, requiring advanced methods such as ADB to uninstall.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Shukla |first=Rakesh |title=Xiaomi Bloatware List (2025) – Debloat HyperOS (Guide) |url=https://technastic.com/xiaomi-bloatware-list-miui/ |website=Technastic |date=6 Jun 2025 |access-date=12 Feb 2026 |url-status=live |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20260113083620/https://technastic.com/xiaomi-bloatware-list-miui/ |archive-date=13 Jan 2026}}</ref>

=== Distribution of fake news through notifications ===

===Distribution of fake news through notifications===

In March 2026, German consumer organization Stiftung Warentest reported that Xiaomi phones had distributed system notifications posing as news from [[wikipedia:Tagesschau_(German_TV_programme)|Tagesschau]], Germany's highly regarded public broadcast news programme, which also has a popular app which has the ability to send notifications for breakting news.

@@ Line 26: / Line 26: @@
 For devices with a broken bootloader, recovery typically involves re-flashing firmware through {{Wplink|Qualcomm EDL mode|Emergency Download (EDL) mode}} (for Qualcomm-based devices) or Download Mode (for MediaTek-based devices). While [[Qualcomm]] and [[MediaTek]] provide software for these modes, they are only distributed internally to repair centers. However, open-source alternatives exist that can perform similar functions.
-Despite this, Xiaomi implemented additional restrictions in 2020 by requiring online authentication, which is exclusively provided to authorized repair centers. This prevents users from restoring their own devices in cases of severe software failure.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Siddiqui |first=Aamir |title=Xiaomi needs a better way to unbrick its devices instead of Authorized Mi Accounts |url=https://www.xda-developers.com/xiaomi-edl-unbrick-authorized-mi-accounts/ |website=XDA |date=29 Feb 2020 |access-date=12 Feb 2026 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200229132629/https://www.xda-developers.com/xiaomi-edl-unbrick-authorized-mi-accounts/ |archive-date=29 Feb 2020}}</ref>
+Despite this, Xiaomi implemented additional restrictions in 2020 by [[Forced account|requiring online authentication]], which is exclusively provided to authorized repair centers. This prevents users from restoring their own devices in cases of severe software failure.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Siddiqui |first=Aamir |title=Xiaomi needs a better way to unbrick its devices instead of Authorized Mi Accounts |url=https://www.xda-developers.com/xiaomi-edl-unbrick-authorized-mi-accounts/ |website=XDA |date=29 Feb 2020 |access-date=12 Feb 2026 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200229132629/https://www.xda-developers.com/xiaomi-edl-unbrick-authorized-mi-accounts/ |archive-date=29 Feb 2020}}</ref>
 ===Electric vehicle conditional serialization===
@@ Line 35: / Line 35: @@
 ===Advertisements in system apps===
-[[File:Mi Video Scareware.jpg|thumb|268x268px|A "scareware" advert is shown in Mi Video when media playback is paused.]]
+[[File:Xiaomi device Mi Video scareware ad.jpg|thumb|268x268px|A "scareware" advert is shown in Mi Video when media playback is paused.]]
 Xiaomi devices come with several pre-installed first-party apps that contain advertisements, including full-screen deceptive {{Wplink|scareware}} ads urging users to install malware. Workarounds exist to disable ads in some apps, including Mi File Explorer, Mi Browser, MIUI Downloads, MIUI Security, Mi Music, Mi Video and MIUI Themes.<ref>{{Cite web |author=jihad.ptk1
-|title=Turn off ads on Xiaomi smartphones & MIUI using simple settings |url=https://c.mi.com/bd/post/10086 |website=Xiaomi |date=1 Mar 2021 |access-date=12 Feb 2026 |url-status=live |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20250708193043/https://c.mi.com/bd/post/10086 |archive-date=8 Jul 2025}}</ref> In many of their phones such as the cheaper Poco phones, a system app that can't be searched through normal means called "MSA" should also be revoked or uninstalled via ADB as it introduces ads most of the time a user opens up the phone.<ref>{{Cite web |author=maricthehedgehog |title=Revoking "msa" is the best decision in my phone |url=https://old.reddit.com/r/miui/comments/15jadut/revoking_msa_is_the_best_decision_in_my_phone/ |website=[[Reddit]] |date=5 Aug 2023 |access-date=12 Feb 2026 |url-status=live |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20250212160509/https://old.reddit.com/r/miui/comments/15jadut/revoking_msa_is_the_best_decision_in_my_phone/ |archive-date=12 Feb 2025}}</ref>
+|title=Turn off ads on Xiaomi smartphones & MIUI using simple settings |url=https://c.mi.com/bd/post/10086 |website=Xiaomi |date=1 Mar 2021 |access-date=12 Feb 2026 |url-status=live |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20250708193043/https://c.mi.com/bd/post/10086 |archive-date=8 Jul 2025}}</ref> In many of their phones such as the cheaper Poco phones, a system app that can't be searched through normal means called "MSA" should also be revoked or uninstalled via [[wikipedia:Android_Debug_Bridge|ADB]] as it introduces ads most of the time a user opens up the phone.<ref>{{Cite web |author=maricthehedgehog |title=Revoking "msa" is the best decision in my phone |url=https://old.reddit.com/r/miui/comments/15jadut/revoking_msa_is_the_best_decision_in_my_phone/ |website=[[Reddit]] |date=5 Aug 2023 |access-date=12 Feb 2026 |url-status=live |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20250212160509/https://old.reddit.com/r/miui/comments/15jadut/revoking_msa_is_the_best_decision_in_my_phone/ |archive-date=12 Feb 2025}}</ref>
 Most of the aforementioned apps can be substituted for {{Wplink|Free and open-source software|FOSS}} alternatives, but they cannot be uninstalled without advanced methods such as ADB.
@@ Line 57: / Line 57: @@
 Xiaomi smartphones out-of-the-box run on their custom version of Android known as HyperOS (formerly MIUI), which comes bundled with a plethora of [[Bloatware|pre-installed]] first- and third-party apps. The pre-installed third-party apps can be easily uninstalled with a few clicks whereas the same is not applicable for the pre-installed first-party apps. The option to uninstall them is either grayed out or just outright missing, requiring advanced methods such as ADB to uninstall.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Shukla |first=Rakesh |title=Xiaomi Bloatware List (2025) – Debloat HyperOS (Guide) |url=https://technastic.com/xiaomi-bloatware-list-miui/ |website=Technastic |date=6 Jun 2025 |access-date=12 Feb 2026 |url-status=live |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20260113083620/https://technastic.com/xiaomi-bloatware-list-miui/ |archive-date=13 Jan 2026}}</ref>
-=== Distribution of fake news through notifications ===
+===Distribution of fake news through notifications===
 In March 2026, German consumer organization Stiftung Warentest reported that Xiaomi phones had distributed system notifications posing as news from [[wikipedia:Tagesschau_(German_TV_programme)|Tagesschau]], Germany's highly regarded public broadcast news programme, which also has a popular app which has the ability to send notifications for breakting news.