How to distinguish global firmware from Chinese firmware for Xiaomi. What is global firmware and what features are there?

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Friends, we receive a lot of questions about firmware. I propose to finally dot the I’s and deal with MIUI firmware for Xiaomi devices. There are a great many of them and they are very diverse. But today we will try to divide them into several types and types. You can view the list of official firmware for your Xiaomi device on this page.

So, what kind of firmware are there? Let's consider two main types:

China ROM
Global ROM

1. China ROM

These firmwares are intended for the domestic Chinese market. They do not support the Russian language (but have English) and are full of various services that will not work (or are useless) in other countries. The name has letters CN, for example “MIUI 8.2 | Stable 8.2.6.0 (MAD CN DL)".

2.Global ROM

These are the so-called global firmware. They are multilingual and designed for the European market. They have Russian language support. As a rule, almost all or all menu items are translated. Hieroglyphs and Chinese applications are cut out from them. They have the word in the title Global or Global, and also letters MI. For example, "MIUI Global 8.5 Stable 8.5.3.0 (MHO MI ED)".

These two types, in turn, can be divided into types:

Developer ROM
Stable ROM
Ported ROM

1.Developer ROM

This is firmware for developers. It contains the latest and most relevant functions, as well as new products that have not yet been released to the masses. But there are also a lot of bugs and shortcomings here. Actually, its main purpose is testing. Released and updated weekly. Supports over-the-air (OTA) updates.

The name has three numbers that indicate the year, date and month of the firmware release. For example, "MIUI9 7.11.9 ", indicates that it was released in 2017, in the 11th month (November), on the 9th.

2.Stable ROM

From the name it is clear that these are stable firmware. Installed on smartphones for sale. This is exactly what will be on yours if you purchase it in a store. They are characterized by stable operation, have a minimum of bugs and, in general, are preferable for installation if you do not want to have unnecessary problems with the operation of the device. Rarely released and updated. They have the word in the title Stable and four numbers that indicate the version. They also support OTA updates.

3. Ported ROM

These are so-called assemblies from third-party developers, like miui.su, miuipro, xiaomi.eu, etc. Such firmware has been redesigned and supplemented by people who are not directly related to Xiaomi, i.e. not official. However, this does not mean that they are bad. Some work quite well and stably. Also, such teams are engaged in localization Chinese firmware for other markets, because not always, Xiaomi releases global firmware. You can recognize them when you boot your phone. Each team has its own logo, which is displayed when turned on. Actually, the name is written there. Their release schedule is varied and each team has its own.

In addition to the above, there are also author's firmware. As a rule, these are firmware upgrades by one person. He added or removed from them what he considered necessary. They need to be installed with caution, because... you don't know the developer's intentions for certain. names usually consist of three numbers, for example 7.10.26.

The last option we will highlight is homemade firmware. They can most likely be classified as copyrighted, but their quality leaves much to be desired, if not terrible. The name has four or five numbers, for example: 8.2.15.10 , which can be more than 10.

You can easily view your firmware version by going to:

Settings—>About phone
Find the line “MIUI Version”.

If you have just switched to Xiaomi smartphones or are just preparing for such a step, then you have probably already heard how fast and functional the MIUI shell is. However, if you dig deeper, you can think about the problem of choosing a firmware version, since their choice is huge. For this reason, someone may be afraid to update their phone, or wait for an update that will never appear. This problem of choice has led us to this review of the main MIUI ROMs. Now you will have clear instructions for all versions of MIUI with brief description possibilities, pros and cons.

How are MIUI firmware divided by region?

First of all, let's divide MIUI firmware by region. Everything is very simple here.

Two versions are officially released:

for the domestic market, also known as Anglo-Chinese – China ROM;
for the international market, global – Global ROM.

These are two basic versions MIUI firmware, on the basis of which custom firmware is created. Below is a little more detail about each of the two.

MIUI Global ROM (global firmware)

This firmware is intended for smartphones and tablets manufactured outside of China. The international version of MIUI already has pre-installed applications and services from Google. There is a choice of languages, including Russian.

MIUI China ROM

This version is released exclusively for smartphones sold in the domestic market. The firmware has 2 pre-installed languages - Chinese and English, there are also no Google services and installed software that works only in China.

How do MIUI firmware differ by type?

So far everything seems very simple, but MIUI is also divided by type:

MIUI Developer ROM – for developers, beta version of MIUI;
MIUI Stable ROM – stable firmware version;
MIUI Ported ROM are unofficial versions of MIUI firmware, supported by developers in local markets;
homemade firmware based on MIUI - the same as custom ones, but often their “creators” are unknown;
regional MIUI firmware - usually released for models that support a specific type mobile communications.

MIUI Developer ROM

These firmwares are released officially by Xiaomi developers. Initially, such builds are intended for more experienced users who want to be the first to have access to new features. operating system. Developer ROM is designed for testing innovations and it often contains various shortcomings.

That's why updates appear weekly on Fridays (except holidays). As soon as bugs are discovered, they are quickly fixed and the next version of MIUI usually does not have previously identified flaws.

It is very easy for developers to figure out the firmware – even by name. For example, if you see that the build is called MIUI 8 7.21.4, then it was released on April 21, 2017.

MIUI Stable ROM

With these firmware versions everything is much simpler. They are also produced by the Xiaomi development team, but these builds are official, stable, tested, with fully functioning functions and without obvious glitches that are eliminated in developer builds.

You can safely install such firmware on your phone, but you will not be among the first to gain access to innovations. Here the choice is made in favor of stability. Stable ROM firmwares are updated without a specific schedule, so you may see an update every couple of weeks, or even not receive anything new for months.

MIUI Ported ROM

Most custom builds belong to this type of MIUI firmware; of course, they are all unofficial. You can often encounter such firmware for one main reason - outside of China, Xiaomi smartphones usually install localized versions of MIUI compiled by third-party developers.

We also include high-quality builds of enthusiasts who port MIUI to devices from other manufacturers besides Xiaomi to this type of firmware.

Basically, Ported ROM MIUI is built on the basis of a stable version of the firmware, or on a developer version with bugs eliminated. Often these custom builds are updated on a specific schedule, but installation will be done manually.

Custom low-quality MIUI builds

Still, we have to single out a separate subtype from the overall picture of custom MIUI firmware - homemade assemblies that pop up on “gray” Xiaomi smartphones. Often such firmware has a terrible translation, terrible optimization and contains uncorrected bugs.

If this is your first time encountering MIUI firmware of this particular type, then your impression of the operating system and the phone as a whole will probably be spoiled for a long time. Never use such assemblies.

Regional MIUI ROM / Other versions

These are far from the most common types of MIUI firmware. We noted above that these are mainly regional localized assemblies intended for a specific type of mobile connection or for a specific operator. The most well-known firmware are WCDMA ROM MIUI and TD ROM - the first will work on models only with support for 3G WCDMA communications (more or less common), and the second - only on the domestic market of China.

We can also divide MIUI firmware according to the simplest criteria - size.

Full ROM is a full-fledged version of the firmware that you can safely install from scratch on your smartphone. Often, installing such an assembly eliminates all errors and other problems that could not be dealt with in other ways. This MIUI package offers all the necessary services, which is why the firmware file will not weigh so little - up to 2 GB.

Incremental ROM is just an addition to the firmware, updating it with the necessary fixes. You can often get them via OTA (downloading via WiFi) if you have official firmware MIUI – stable or for developers. These updates are small - from 20 to 200 MB.

And in conclusion, we note the implicit division of MIUI firmware according to the update method - by OTA or manually.

Any official MIUI firmware has the ability to receive an update over the air at any time, but only if you have not manually changed anything in the system files. Because of this, there may be a problem with the OTA update. You will have to fix the problem manually - by installing the assembly, which can always be downloaded from the official Xiaomi MIUI forum.

At the time of writing, smartphone Xiaomi Redmi Note 4X occupies a leading position in sales in Russia and when purchasing, most of our clients have many questions related primarily to the following points:

What is the difference between “Global firmware” and “Global Version”?
What kind of at the moment Are there any modifications to the Xiaomi Redmi Note 4X 16gb/32gb/64gb smartphone?
Why did I order a Xiaomi Redmi Note 4X on the website, but on the box and in the settings of the device itself it says Xiaomi Redmi 4. Was I deceived?

First things first:

Difference between "Firmware Global" and "Global Version"

Since the beginning of Xiaomi, smartphones have been produced with 3 types of firmware:

China ROM- firmware version intended only for Chinese market, only two languages were supported, English and Chinese. Also in devices with this firmware there was large number pre-installed software for the domestic market;
Stable ROM- firmware version intended for the whole world, more is preinstalled in the firmware language packs than in China ROM, including Russian. A special feature of this firmware is that updates to this version are extremely rare, since the firmware is a reference one, with a minimum number of bugs and glitches;
Global ROM- international version of the firmware which has more than 20 language packages, including Russian and Ukrainian. This version is completely absent Chinese programs, and instead of them, services from Google are installed. Updates for this firmware arrive on time and install without problems.

Recently, Xiaomi began producing devices with a red sticker on the box Global Version. This sticker says what you are buying international version devices, there is also Asian version. The difference between the two versions is not big, namely:

Global Version devices support LTE frequencies Band 20 (in Russia this frequency is used mainly by Megafon, and not everywhere);
in Global Version devices, the box initially contains a power supply for our sockets (European type);
Global Version devices initially come with Global ROM firmware and all documentation is in English.

Conclusions

Devices with prefix Global Version EU are released from the factory with global firmware installed, in a sealed box, and charger included for our (Russian) types of sockets, also on these devices the LTE Band 20 range is open.
Smartphones without a prefix Global Version, are released from the factory without global firmware and are later updated to the global version, the kit will include a charger for Asian types of sockets, LTE Band 20 is missing, and all instructions and inscriptions on the box are in Chinese.

This information may be interesting, and perhaps even extremely useful. Not everyone understands the differences between firmware versions. What is global, and how does it differ from development? We will answer these questions below.

In this article, we decided to give a brief overview of MIUI firmware and help you understand the variety of firmware, so that in the future you will know what it is “weekly”, “homemade” and what to expect from the firmware. All MIUI firmware is divided into several types and subtypes.

BY ORIGIN

Initially, MIUI is presented in two versions: English-Chinese (China ROM) And global (Global ROM).

China ROM, "Anglo-Chinese" The version is focused on China and is equipped with various functions and software relevant only for China. Of the available languages, only English and Chinese are represented in it, as is clear from the name. We are not interested in her.

Global ROM, she's the same "Global", "Multilingual" in turn, is aimed at users outside of China and is not supplied with services for China, but on the contrary, Google services are installed. There are many more languages available, including Russian.

BY TYPE

Developer ROM, she's the same “Weekly”, “Developer”, "Beta". The developer firmware is the most current and innovative, as it receives all the innovations first. This firmware is official from Xiaomi itself and primarily it was created for advanced users to test innovations. It is updated every week, usually on Friday, with the exception of Chinese holidays and the presence of serious bugs, when the developers delay the release of the update. However, don't be alarmed if you encounter an error; most likely, it will be fixed by next Friday. And many users use the weekly firmware without worrying about bugs.

The name of the developer firmware release is the date of its release. For example, the firmware is called MIUI 8 6.11.3, which means that it was released on November 3, 2016. The first digit is the year, the second is the month, the third is the day.

Stable ROM, she's the same “Stable”. This firmware, like the Weekly one, is official and released by the MIUI development team at Xiaomi. It is the main assembly and is a kind of standard: it is stable, all functions are debugged and optimized, all bugs that are found in the weekly firmware are fixed. It is recommended to install it if you do not strive for all the innovations and associated bugs, but you need stable operation of the system without surprises. The name of the stable firmware versions is not tied to the release date, but to the accumulated updates, so it is updated irregularly. Updates can come either once every two weeks or once every three months.

Ported ROM, she's the same “Custom”, “Unofficial”. Custom builds include various localized versions from third-party development teams, enthusiast builds, and firmware versions for smartphones from other smartphone brands. Custom builds are always based on the Stable or Weekly official builds. They can also be updated either once a week or at longer intervals. Many Custom builds are not updated over the air, so you will have to install them yourself each time.

Samopal ROM- this is a kind of subspecies, an offshoot from Custom firmware. We apologize for such a free interpretation of the names of these “versions” of the firmware, however, in lately There are even more of them and unscrupulous sellers do not hesitate to install them on the smartphones of gullible buyers. Basically, these are homemade firmware with disgusting translation, frequent mistakes and ubiquitous bugs. The stable operation of such firmware is absolutely not guaranteed and often spoils the impression of the device. It is always recommended to install assemblies of the first three types, or better yet just Stable.

Other firmware versions.

There are several other types of firmware that are no longer so common. TD ROM And WCDMA ROM- firmware created for a specific type of communication in a specific country. For example, the TD version was created for the same type of 3G connection only in China. Phones with TD ROM will work only within China, and in our region they will be of little more than zero use. Phones with WCDMA ROM created for 3G communications, widespread throughout the world. However, there are some varieties such as WCDMA HK, WCDMA Singapore, WCDMA Taiwan, WCDMA Malaysia, which will also not work outside these countries.

BY SIZE

Full ROM, aka “Full firmware package”. This full file firmware, which is usually used when installing software from scratch or for the first time. Also, installing firmware by downloading the full package often helps eliminate some errors that were previously in the device. Full version The firmware includes all applications and services, even those that did not change in the update. Typically, a complete update package weighs from 600 MB to 2 GB.

Incremental ROM, aka “OTA update”, “Renewal”. Includes only new files, as well as updates, fixes and additions. Typically, this type of update comes to devices via OTA (over the air). Such updates, as a rule, are not significant and weigh from 20 MB to 200 MB.

Thus, you receive both Developer firmware and Stable firmware in the form of an OTA update, and if you wish, you can download the full firmware package from standard application Updater of your device.

UPDATE

Official (global, English-Chinese / weekly, stable) firmware is always updated over the air, except in cases of incorrect installation or any other incorrect user actions that could lead to damage system files. In case your official firmware does not want to be updated, you need to install the firmware in manual mode. You can download official and some custom builds of MIUI from the official MIUI forum.

For new users Xiaomi smartphones and just newcomers to MIUI are often unclear about the types of firmware, their differences and why there are so many types of them at all. Therefore, many users simply do not update their devices or, on the contrary, wait for firmware updates that will never be updated. Questions on this topic take up the lion's share of all the questions we receive.

In this article, we decided to give a brief overview of MIUI firmware and help you understand the variety of firmware, so that in the future you will know what it is “weekly”, “homemade” and what to expect from the firmware. So, let's remember our school notes. All MIUI firmware is divided into several types and subtypes.

BY ORIGIN

Initially, MIUI is presented in two versions: English-Chinese (China ROM) And global (Global ROM).

BY TYPE

The name of the developer firmware release is the date of its release. For example, the latest firmware is now called MIUI 8 6.11.3, which means that it was released on November 3, 2016. The first digit is the year, the second is the month, the third is the day.

Samopal ROM- this is a kind of subspecies, an offshoot from Custom firmware. We apologize for such a free interpretation of the names of these “versions” of firmware, however, recently there have been even more of them and unscrupulous sellers do not hesitate to install them on the smartphones of gullible buyers. Basically, these are homemade firmware with disgusting translation, frequent errors and ubiquitous bugs. The stable operation of such firmware is absolutely not guaranteed and often spoils the impression of the device. It is always recommended to install assemblies of the first three types, or better yet just Stable.

Other firmware versions. There are several other types of firmware that are no longer so common. TD ROM And WCDMA ROM- firmware created for a specific type of communication in a specific country. For example, the TD version was created for the same type of 3G connection only in China. Phones with TD ROM will work only within China, and in our region they will be of little more than zero use. Phones with WCDMA ROM created for 3G communications, widespread throughout the world. However, there are some varieties such as WCDMA HK, WCDMA Singapore, WCDMA Taiwan, WCDMA Malaysia, which will also not work outside these countries.

BY SIZE

Full ROM, aka “Full firmware package”. This is a complete firmware file that is usually used when installing software from scratch or for the first time. Also, installing firmware by downloading the full package often helps eliminate some errors that were previously in the device. The full version of the firmware includes all applications and services, even those that did not change in the update. Typically, a complete update package weighs from 600 MB to 2 GB.

Thus, you receive both Developer firmware and Stable firmware in the form of an OTA update, and if you wish, you can download the full firmware package in the standard Updater application of your device.

UPDATE

Official (global, English-Chinese / weekly, stable) firmware is always updated over the air, except in cases of incorrect installation or any other incorrect user actions that could lead to damage to system files. If your official firmware does not want to be updated, you need to install the firmware manually. You can download official and some custom builds of MIUI from the official MIUI forum → here. Look for other firmware on non-specialized forums.

Custom firmware for the most part is not updated over the air, but requires manual installation. If your bootloader is correctly unlocked, some custom assemblies will receive updates over the air.

And, most importantly. Firmware updates occur only and only within one build. That is, you will not be able to update over the air to stable firmware if you have weekly installed and vice versa. But in some cases you can switch through your phone from weekly to stable and vice versa.

1. China ROM

2.Global ROM

1.Developer ROM

2.Stable ROM

3. Ported ROM

How are MIUI firmware divided by region?

How do MIUI firmware differ by type?

Difference between "Firmware Global" and "Global Version"

Conclusions

BY ORIGIN

BY TYPE

BY SIZE

UPDATE

BY ORIGIN

BY TYPE

BY SIZE

UPDATE

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