How to Install Official Android 8.1 Oreo [MIUI 9.5] on Redmi Note 5 Pro

So, Android 8.1 Oreo with Xiaomi’s official MIUI version 9.5 already available for the Chinese variants of Redmi Note 5 Pro. It is still not available in other countries. Specifically, if we talk about India, recently the developer builds of this ROM is leaked and publicly available for the Redmi Note 5 Pro users. So, now, anyone can install Android 8.1 Oreo-based MIUI 9.5 ROM on their Redmi Note 5 Pro.

The installation process is quite simple. Because you are not going to install any other custom ROM, it is officially made for the Redmi Note 5 Pro. So, let’s dive into the complete process.

#1. Submit Bootloader Unlock Request

To install the Android 8.1 Oreo ROM on your Xiaomi Redmi Note 5 Pro device, the first thing, you have to do is Unlock the Bootloader. For that, you have to send the request to Xiaomi to unlock Bootloader of your device which takes around 3-4 days.

To begin the process head over to the Xiaomi Bootloader Unlock Request site, where you have to sign in using your Mi account. Once you will sign in, you should get the screen like I have attached screenshot below.

Write your name, mobile number and write the actual reason in the last tab to submit the request to get the permission for Bootloader unlock. When Xiaomi will accept your request, it will send the text message to your mobile number. It will say, your permission is granted for the bootloader unlocking.

#2. Unlock Bootloader

To unlock the bootloader, follow the steps.

  • Once you get the permission to unlock your device Bootloader, head over to the Xiaomi website to download the Unlocking Tool.
  • Download it and extract it.
  • Open extracted folder. Inside the folder, you will find the Mi unlocking driver (Mi Unlock app). Open and install that on your computer
  • Shut down your phone manually, and hold Volume down key and Power button to enter Fastboot mode.
  • Connect your phone to PC using the USB cable.
  • Open that Mi Unlock App and sign in with your Mi Account.
  • The Unlock app should automatically detect your device. Once your device detected, hit on Unlock button.
  • That’s it. It will load the progress bar on the screen.

*Some Cases: There are some cases, where the user get an error after the 99% of progress and gets the message, “Current Account is not Bound to this Device.” If you are one of them, that means still, Xiaomi has not internally approved your request. You have to still wait for 4-5 days. Just check daily. It will work.

#3. Install TWRP Recovery

(1.) Enable USB Debugging: To enable USB debugging, navigate to Settings > Developer Options > USB Debugging

Image Courtesy: XDA Developers

(2.) Now, we will install the TWRP recovery using the ADB (Android Debug Bridge). For that, I suggest you take a look at very simple tool created by XDA member Snoop05.

ADB Installer

(3.) After complete installation process of ADB on your computer, we will download the TWRP for Redmi Note 5 Pro.

TWRP for Xiaomi Redmi Note 5 Pro

(4.) Open the folder where your TWRP Recovery .img file is saved.

(5.) Then open a CMD window inside that folder. To do that, Shift + Right click on any empty white space inside the folder and then select Open command window here.

(6.) Connect your Android device to the PC in fastboot mode (power button + volume down key). Type the following into the command window to boot your device into bootloader/fastboot mode:

adb reboot bootloader

└ If your asks for permission to “Allow USB debugging”, tap OK.

(7.) Once your device boots into bootloader mode, type this into the command line.

fastboot flash recovery recovery.img

└ Here modify downloaded TWRP .img file with the name of ‘recovery.img‘ file.

Once TWRP is successfully flashed on your device, type this final command to reboot your device.

fastboot reboot

#4. Download ROM for Redmi Note 5 Pro

Hope you have successfully done all the steps until now. It is time to get the right ROM for your Redmi Note 5 Pro. Navigate to the website, which I have attached below and download the ROM for your device and put that ROM on your device’s internal storage.

Get ROM for Redmi Note 5 Pro

#5. Install Custom ROM

Let’s begin the installation process. You have to get your device into the recovery mode to begin the ROM installation. There are mainly two ways to do that.

(1.) Using Updater App

  • Head over to the ‘Updater‘ app on your Redmi Note 5 Pro device.
  • Tap on the ‘Three Dots‘ which are on the right side upper corner.
  • From the five options, tap on the ‘Reboot to Recovery‘.

(2.) By Key Combination

  • Turn off your device.
  • Press Volume down key and Power button.

Now, you should get the TWRP screen. Using TWRP we are going to install the ROM on your Redmi Note 5 Pro device. To begin the process;

  • Tap on Install.
  • Select the ROM file (.zip file) from your device’s internal storage.
  • Swipe all the way right to confirm the flash.
  • After that select another zip named as lazyflasher.zip and again swipe right to confirm the flash.
  • After that hit wipe cache/Dalvik cache.
  • Tap on Reboot the system.
  • That’s it.

I know you can better understand the video, right? Well, my friend Meemansak’s video will help you to come out from that problem. Check the video pinned down below from the time 1:50.