If you have a Xiaomi phone and are enjoying MIUI, you might want to take a few minutes to install the developer ROM to gain access to new features!
When I first bought my Xiaomi Mi2 I updated it to MIUI V5 ahead of the official release and haven’t looked back since! Running the developer version means you get access to features which haven’t yet been launched yet.
MIUI developer ROM features
Some of my favourite features from inside the dev ROM is the built-in QR scanner in the regular camera app meaning I don’t need a separate app, the excellent Transfer app, allowing me to connect to another Xiaomi phone to transfer files and images, plus desktop shortcuts to both the music player and Notes apps (slide the icons up and down to use). And if you enjoy taking photos of yourself you will enjoy the built-in ‘beautification’ setting on the front facing camera!
With the weekly updates new features are added on a very regular basis so it’s hard to keep up with all the new features which those of you on the regular MIUI ROM are missing out on!
How to install the MIUI developer ROM?
Like most things on Xiaomi phones, updating to the developer ROM is very straightforward and takes just a matter of minutes.
Before you start you will need to download the correct version of the ROM for your phone from here.
Gizchina News of the week
When you choose your phone you will see that there are various options of ROM to download. We want to download the option from the Grey button (currently 3.6.7). Don’t worry that this is all in Chinese as the ROM supports English.
Once you have downloaded the ROM load it on to your phone. You can choose any location, but I usually choose the “downloaded_rom” file.
Now that the ROM is on your Xiaomi it is time to update. Head to the built-in Updater app and open it.
Press the capitative menu button and you will choose the “Select installation pack” option then navigate to your ROM.
Choose “Update Now” then wait.
Β 
Your phone will now update to the MIUI developers ROM and Reboot.
Now you can enjoy all the latest features now without having to wait!
Sorry to go off-topic Andi, but do you know how we can install Vanilla Android onto our Xiaomi phones?
I believe Xiaomi make it available but I have not been able to find it
Yes, they do. Not sure where the official link is but this thread has mirrors http://miuiandroid.com/community/threads/stock-jellybean-4-1-1-on-xiaomi-m2-2s-latest-is-qdt14-with-changelog.18969/
Hi Andi,
We improve the ROM for English users and also have a 24 language Multi ROM π
You wont get that in China + our location services and Google services work too!
Cheers,
Mark
Cheers for the info Mark
Hi Mark,
I am planning on buy an Xiaomi Mi2A (hopefully in July/August time), when the phone arrives should I immediately download & install your version of MIUI from miuiandroid.com ?
Just to reiterate I can choose english as default, google apps will be installed, chinese apps will be deleted, as well as a whole host of other features which are included on a regular basis (which won’t be found on the original rom) ?
Thanks for clarfication
Hi Mark no need for clarification, Really_Wacky provided the link elsewhere as to the benefits of your Rom over the standard version π
Mark are Google apps still included in the Rom ?
Andi, I guessing from the instructions you have given above, they also apply to how to install any Rom that is suitable for Xiaomi, not just the developers rom ?
Vanilla roms are at http://rom.xiaomi.cn/
Good to know Tobias π
when will xiomi phnes available officially in singapore? any info?
Currently using a custom ROM called ‘WIUI’, haven’t looked back to MIUI ROMs since. Argh, if only they went open source..
WIUI?? I’ll have to have a look at that. How is it?
It’s great, scores less on Antutu (Counting on Antutu scores for what could be better is a rubbish idea), except everything is more fluid due to zipalign, and battery life has proven to elongate as opposed to the original/stock ROMs.
Where do you get WIUI from ?
Also from MIUIandroid.com π it really is the best forum for english speaking users π
http://miuiandroid.com/community/threads/rom-wiui-3-5-31-multilanguage.19628/page-34#post-167453
Excellent. Thanks very much.
Andi when you get the time (if you get the time), if you would kindly test drive WIUI and do a similar post to this one. Would be helpful too
WIUI is working very well. Great improvement of battery life and I got 28k+ on antutu in performance mode.
This is extremely easy and just adds value to an already great phone.
Is the developer rom like a beta release of a forthcoming version of MIUI ?
It’s the latest MIUI with all the new tweaks in before the officially launch them. It’s like getting hold of iOS 7 for your iOS device now, but their is nothing risky involved
Interesting & no bugs either.
Another thing once you have installed the developer’s rom do you then follow your guide as described here https://www.gizchina.com/2013/06/09/install-google-play-store-xiaomi-mi2a-google-installer-app/ to then install google play store (and other google apps) ?
yup
Great.
Before installing the rom would you have to make a backup of your apps etc, or does everything automatically appear as before once the new rom is installed.
If i’m making sense.
When you preform the update it asks to backup just to make sure. But you dont have to, when the new rom is flashed everything just appears.
The MI2 also has 2 system partitions so if you dont like the new update you can just boot into recovery (power+volume down) and select your old partition.
+1
So installing developer rom will not undo my games progress?
When I buy an xiaomi, as soon as I switch it on ideally I should download & install this developers rom immediately ?
In terms of the partitions, do you know if that would be similar for the Mi2A (as that is the Xiaomi I would be getting) ?
Yes i think its similar not sure tough. I opened my box connected it to my PC put the latest MIUI from MIUIandroid on my phone powered off. Powered intro recovery (volume down + power) Did all wipes to make sure the Chinese android was gone. Flashed 3.5.31 to partition 1 booted the phone and flashed 3.5.31 again to partition 2. (Like the tuturial says) Once you have done this there is no reason to update trough recovery again.
Then when this friday i flashed 3.6.7 this trough the updater app. The reason i flashed the rom twice is because you cant have chinese version and MIUIandroid.
Its explained here in post 3: http://miuiandroid.com/community/threads/a-simple-update-guide-for-xiaomi-m2.18942/
Hope it helps π
Thanks very much for that, you are a star π
i.dont see the.devollopers.rom.for.my mi2 where can i find it?
can you send the..link.to.my email pl
You can also flash the rom from MIUI android this way. The reason why it is mutch better is that it is multilanguage so people can choose other languages then english or chinese. You can download it here: http://miuiandroid.com/community/forums/news/
And i know i allready posted this link in the other topic but i think it is worth mentioning people can also use this rom:
http://miuiandroid.com/community/threads/how-is-this-different-than-miui-com.18629/
Excellent.
But if you had to choose Really_Wacky you would install WIUI in preference to any MIUI Rom released ?
WIUI has tweaks and such built into it already, which are pretty awesome. I’ve flashed numerous things to enhance the ability of my phone, such as the 3.5mm output volume and in general, the JB 4.2 camera w/ PhotoSphere. All of this is achieved with the ROM being rooted, allowing these very easy to install mods accessible.
I feel bad for not mentioning where WIUI was from! :p
About to test another dev ROM at the moment.
I am just running MIUI a moderator in the forums sugested its better for new users to get to get used to normal MIUI first also the tutorial says you have chance of bricking your device if you flash over MIUI 5 and i allready updated to 5 and dont want to go trough all the trouble downgrading π
Ok fine π
Sorry to go off-topic Andi, but do you know how we can install Vanilla Android onto our Xiaomi phones?
I believe Xiaomi make it available but I have not been able to find it
Yes, they do. Not sure where the official link is but this thread has mirrors http://miuiandroid.com/community/threads/stock-jellybean-4-1-1-on-xiaomi-m2-2s-latest-is-qdt14-with-changelog.18969/
Hi Andi,
We improve the ROM for English users and also have a 24 language Multi ROM π
You wont get that in China + our location services and Google services work too!
Cheers,
Mark
Vanilla roms are at http://rom.xiaomi.cn/
Cheers for the info Mark
Hi Mark,
I am planning on buy an Xiaomi Mi2A (hopefully in July/August time), when the phone arrives should I immediately download & install your version of MIUI from miuiandroid.com ?
Just to reiterate I can choose english as default, google apps will be installed, chinese apps will be deleted, as well as a whole host of other features which are included on a regular basis (which won’t be found on the original rom) ?
Thanks for clarfication
Good to know Tobias π
Hi Mark no need for clarification, Really_Wacky provided the link elsewhere as to the benefits of your Rom over the standard version π
Mark are Google apps still included in the Rom ?
Andi, I guessing from the instructions you have given above, they also apply to how to install any Rom that is suitable for Xiaomi, not just the developers rom ?
Really_Wacky already mentioned where it was from !!
Yeah I know haha, that’s why I feel bad – because I didn’t include it in my first initial post about it!
when will xiomi phnes available officially in singapore? any info?
Currently using a custom ROM called ‘WIUI’, haven’t looked back to MIUI ROMs since. Argh, if only they went open source..
WIUI?? I’ll have to have a look at that. How is it?
It’s great, scores less on Antutu (Counting on Antutu scores for what could be better is a rubbish idea), except everything is more fluid due to zipalign, and battery life has proven to elongate as opposed to the original/stock ROMs.
Where do you get WIUI from ?
Also from MIUIandroid.com π it really is the best forum for english speaking users π
http://miuiandroid.com/community/threads/rom-wiui-3-5-31-multilanguage.19628/page-34#post-167453
Excellent. Thanks very much.
Andi when you get the time (if you get the time), if you would kindly test drive WIUI and do a similar post to this one. Would be helpful too
WIUI is working very well. Great improvement of battery life and I got 28k+ on antutu in performance mode.
You could put it that why….haha. Are you running WIUI on a Xiaomi ?
Just flashed a new custom ROM called Rayglobe with apparent forced GPU rendering, and I must say it’s the smoothest ROM I’ve ever used on my MI2.
Apparently it scores much lower than other ROMs but from personal preference and satisfaction of it’s performance, it does me better than the others.
How does it compare with WIUI ?
This is extremely easy and just adds value to an already great phone.
Is the developer rom like a beta release of a forthcoming version of MIUI ?
It’s the latest MIUI with all the new tweaks in before the officially launch them. It’s like getting hold of iOS 7 for your iOS device now, but their is nothing risky involved
Interesting & no bugs either.
Another thing once you have installed the developer’s rom do you then follow your guide as described here http://www.gizchina.com/2013/06/09/install-google-play-store-xiaomi-mi2a-google-installer-app/ to then install google play store (and other google apps) ?
yup
Great.
Before installing the rom would you have to make a backup of your apps etc, or does everything automatically appear as before once the new rom is installed.
If i’m making sense.
When you preform the update it asks to backup just to make sure. But you dont have to, when the new rom is flashed everything just appears.
The MI2 also has 2 system partitions so if you dont like the new update you can just boot into recovery (power+volume down) and select your old partition.
+1
When I buy an xiaomi, as soon as I switch it on ideally I should download & install this developers rom immediately ?
In terms of the partitions, do you know if that would be similar for the Mi2A (as that is the Xiaomi I would be getting) ?
Yes i think its similar not sure tough. I opened my box connected it to my PC put the latest MIUI from MIUIandroid on my phone powered off. Powered intro recovery (volume down + power) Did all wipes to make sure the Chinese android was gone. Flashed 3.5.31 to partition 1 booted the phone and flashed 3.5.31 again to partition 2. (Like the tuturial says) Once you have done this there is no reason to update trough recovery again.
Then when this friday i flashed 3.6.7 this trough the updater app. The reason i flashed the rom twice is because you cant have chinese version and MIUIandroid.
Its explained here in post 3: http://miuiandroid.com/community/threads/a-simple-update-guide-for-xiaomi-m2.18942/
Hope it helps π
Thanks very much for that, you are a star π
So installing developer rom will not undo my games progress?
i.dont see the.devollopers.rom.for.my mi2 where can i find it?
can you send the..link.to.my email pl
You can also flash the rom from MIUI android this way. The reason why it is mutch better is that it is multilanguage so people can choose other languages then english or chinese. You can download it here: http://miuiandroid.com/community/forums/news/
And i know i allready posted this link in the other topic but i think it is worth mentioning people can also use this rom:
http://miuiandroid.com/community/threads/how-is-this-different-than-miui-com.18629/
Excellent.
But if you had to choose Really_Wacky you would install WIUI in preference to any MIUI Rom released ?
WIUI has tweaks and such built into it already, which are pretty awesome. I’ve flashed numerous things to enhance the ability of my phone, such as the 3.5mm output volume and in general, the JB 4.2 camera w/ PhotoSphere. All of this is achieved with the ROM being rooted, allowing these very easy to install mods accessible.
I feel bad for not mentioning where WIUI was from! :p
About to test another dev ROM at the moment.
I am just running MIUI a moderator in the forums sugested its better for new users to get to get used to normal MIUI first also the tutorial says you have chance of bricking your device if you flash over MIUI 5 and i allready updated to 5 and dont want to go trough all the trouble downgrading π
Ok fine π
Really_Wacky already mentioned where it was from !!
Yeah I know haha, that’s why I feel bad – because I didn’t include it in my first initial post about it!
You could put it that why….haha. Are you running WIUI on a Xiaomi ?
Just flashed a new custom ROM called Rayglobe with apparent forced GPU rendering, and I must say it’s the smoothest ROM I’ve ever used on my MI2.
Apparently it scores much lower than other ROMs but from personal preference and satisfaction of it’s performance, it does me better than the others.
How does it compare with WIUI ?
Cool. Dare I ask where u got it from & is this installed on an Xiaomi smartphone ?
And PS: bricking your device is easy arranged to (if it ever were to) but with CWM recovery it makes things a little better. π
The MI2 has marvellous recovery optives in KT opinion in case of a brick.
Cool. Dare I ask where u got it from & is this installed on an Xiaomi smartphone ?
You obviously have no intention of answering the above question then ?
And PS: bricking your device is easy arranged to (if it ever were to) but with CWM recovery it makes things a little better. π
The MI2 has marvellous recovery optives in KT opinion in case of a brick.
You obviously have no intention of answering the above question then ?
Thought as much.
Thought as much.
It doesn’t matter apparently Rayglobe is no longer under active development, so there is not much point having it on your phone.
It doesn’t matter apparently Rayglobe is no longer under active development, so there is not much point having it on your phone.
Hi, is there a way to have Google Now on a Xiaomi M2S?.
Thanks
Yes, just install is and set it up to use menu button on long press
Hi, is there a way to have Google Now on a Xiaomi M2S?.
Thanks
Yes, just install is and set it up to use menu button on long press
Hey does the regular android app market works with phones on these ROMs ?
and is it more efficient on the RAM ? compared to the regular ICS or Jelly Bean ?
Currently have a Samsung Galaxy Note 1 GT-N7000
Hey does the regular android app market works with phones on these ROMs ?
and is it more efficient on the RAM ? compared to the regular ICS or Jelly Bean ?
Currently have a Samsung Galaxy Note 1 GT-N7000
If I have the developer rom , what’s languages are disponible ? French is disponible as the stable rom ?
: excuse me for my bad english π
If I have the developer rom , what’s languages are disponible ? French is disponible as the stable rom ?
: excuse me for my bad english π