How To: Root the Xiaomi Mi4!


The Xiaomi Mi4 is fast turning out to be one of our all-time favourites. The phone is handy, powerful and has a great camera, all of which make the recipe for a great smartphone.

If you have an Mi4 in your hands and are wondering if its possible to get root access on the phone, you’re at the right place. In this guide, we’ll tell you how you can root the Xiaomi Mi4 in a couple of minutes! What’s more, since we’ll be using official means, there won’t be any loss of warranty so that’s a big plus as well.

How to root the Xiaomi Mi4

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OKnRwulT9wU]

Here’s what you need to do to root the Xiaomi Mi 4:

  • Download the developer ROM from here.
  • Rename the downloaded file to ‘update.zip’.
  • Open the Updater app on your Xiaomi Mi4, hit menu and then reboot to recovery mode.
  • Once you’re in recovery, the touchscreen will not work. Use volume buttons for navigation, and the power button to select.
  • Select your preferred language (English in our case)
  • Wipe cache by going to ‘Wipe and reset’ and then select wipe cache.
  • Now, install the ROM we downloaded by selecting ‘Install zip to system one’.
  • Once done, reboot.

MUST SEE: Xiaomi Mi 3 vs. Xiaomi Mi4!

Gizchina News of the week


You now have root access on your Xiaomi Mi4! Confirm by going into Security – Permissions. The previously greyed-out option for ‘Root permission’ should now be accessible. In not done already, you can also install Google Play services on your Xiaomi Mi 4 by following the guide here. Let us know how it goes for you!

Get the Xiaomi Mi4 from iBuyGou.com.

Disclaimer: We may be compensated by some of the companies whose products we talk about, but our articles and reviews are always our honest opinions. For more details, you can check out our editorial guidelines and learn about how we use affiliate links.

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27 Comments

  1. mike vruvas
    August 22, 2014

    Here’s even a easier and faster way, no computer needed.
    Towel Root. Do a search from your phone for it. Download the apk. Make sure in your settings you have allowed apk’s from untrusted sources. Open the file, click “make it Rain” and presto.. Also you can fully unroot be downloading super user in the play store, and select full unroot. Towel Root can do any android from 4.4 onwards.

  2. mike vruvas
    August 22, 2014

    Here’s even a easier and faster way, no computer needed.
    Towel Root. Do a search from your phone for it. Download the apk. Make sure in your settings you have allowed apk’s from untrusted sources. Open the file, click “make it Rain” and presto.. Also you can fully unroot be downloading super user in the play store, and select full unroot. Towel Root can do any android from 4.4 onwards.

  3. mike vruvas
    August 22, 2014

    Here’s even a easier and faster way, no computer needed.
    Towel Root. Do a search from your phone for it. Download the apk. Make sure in your settings you have allowed apk’s from untrusted sources. Open the file, click “make it Rain” and presto.. Also you can fully unroot be downloading super user in the play store, and select full unroot. Towel Root can do any android from 4.4 onwards.

  4. mike vruvas
    August 22, 2014

    Here’s even a easier and faster way, no computer needed.
    Towel Root. Do a search from your phone for it. Download the apk. Make sure in your settings you have allowed apk’s from untrusted sources. Open the file, click “make it Rain” and presto.. Also you can fully unroot be downloading super user in the play store, and select full unroot. Towel Root can do any android from 4.4 onwards.

  5. Paarth Parekh
    November 17, 2014

    hi…
    i have just recently bought MI4. Following your guidelines i tried to reboot but issue i am facing is that while installing zip to system one it isn’t able to find update.zip, so is it required to have an sd card and place the zip file on sd card???

    • MaxPower
      November 21, 2014

      MI4 does not have a sd card slot. You are supposed to download the rom directly from your phone.Once you are in the recovery you can browse to your download path to find the update.zip

    • mi user
      February 25, 2015

      make sure it is ”update.zip” not Update.zip!

  6. Paarth Parekh
    November 17, 2014

    hi…
    i have just recently bought MI4. Following your guidelines i tried to reboot but issue i am facing is that while installing zip to system one it isn’t able to find update.zip, so is it required to have an sd card and place the zip file on sd card???

    • MaxPower
      November 21, 2014

      MI4 does not have a sd card slot. You are supposed to download the rom directly from your phone.Once you are in the recovery you can browse to your download path to find the update.zip

    • Guest
      February 25, 2015

      make sure it is ”update.zip” not Update.zip!

    • Guest
      February 25, 2015

      make sure it is ”update.zip” not Update.zip!

    • Guest
      February 25, 2015

      make sure it is ”update.zip” not Update.zip!

  7. apthakur
    January 25, 2015

    Hi …
    I have copied the ‘update.zip’ file to MUI directly as it wun allow me to send file from computer. Also, there is no menu showing on my updater app so I am not sure how to reboot it in recovery mode.Please suggest??

    • mi user
      February 25, 2015

      turn off ur phone, press volume up buttn and turn it back on at the same time

  8. apthakur
    January 25, 2015

    Hi …
    I have copied the ‘update.zip’ file to MUI directly as it wun allow me to send file from computer. Also, there is no menu showing on my updater app so I am not sure how to reboot it in recovery mode.Please suggest??

    • Guest
      February 25, 2015

      turn off ur phone, press volume up buttn and turn it back on at the same time

  9. ana
    February 13, 2015

    hello, i tried to follow your instruction and the only problem is that i don’t have option “Install zip to system one” i have instead “install update.zip to system” i tried this option and i got massage “install failed” can you help me?

  10. Guest
    February 13, 2015

    hello, i tried to follow your instruction and the only problem is that i don’t have option “Install zip to system one” i have instead “install update.zip to system” i tried this option and i got massage “install failed” can you help me?

  11. Guest
    February 13, 2015

    hello, i tried to follow your instruction and the only problem is that i don’t have option “Install zip to system one” i have instead “install update.zip to system” i tried this option and i got massage “install failed” can you help me?

  12. joverdesign
    December 28, 2015

    just rename it “update”……without the zip thing~!

    • Vlad Tzepesh
      October 19, 2016

      If you rename it it wont work either

  13. Guest
    December 28, 2015

    just rename it “update”……without the zip thing~!

    • GigiPhooteOi
      October 19, 2016

      If you rename it it wont work either

  14. Tanishq Rinjay
    May 19, 2016

    On installing update.zip to system it says error corrupted file.plz help me

  15. Tanishq Rinjay
    May 19, 2016

    On installing update.zip to system it says error corrupted file.plz help me

  16. Vlad Tzepesh
    October 19, 2016

    It wont work, this is utter rubbish

  17. GigiPhooteOi
    October 19, 2016

    It wont work, this is utter rubbish