Install PixelExperience on lavender

Basic requirements

Important: Please read through the instructions at least once before actually following them, so as to avoid any problems due to any missed steps!

Make sure your computer has adb and fastboot. Setup instructions can be found here.
Enable USB debugging on your device.

Unlocking the bootloader

Note: The steps below only need to be run once per device.

Warning: Unlocking the bootloader will erase all data on your device! Before proceeding, ensure the data you would like to retain is backed up to your PC and/or your Google account, or equivalent. Please note that OEM backup solutions like Samsung and Motorola backup may not be accessible from PixelExperience once installed.

Tip: It is highly recommended to have the latest official MIUI dev package installed on the device, before proceeding with unlock.

Note: The following instructions require a machine running Windows 7 or newer.

Create a Mi account on Xiaomi’s website.
Tip: A Mi account is required to unlock the bootloader. Beware that one account is only allowed to unlock one unique device every 30 days.
Add a phone number to your Mi account.
Insert a SIM into your phone.
Enable developer options in Settings > About Phone by repeatedly tapping MIUI Version.
Link the device to your Mi account in Settings > Additional settings > Developer options > Mi Unlock status.
Download the Mi Unlock app (Windows is required to run the app).
Run the Mi Unlock app and follow the instructions provided by the app.
Note: The app may tell you that you have to wait up to 30 days. If it does so, please wait the quoted amount of time before continuing to the next step.
After device and Mi account are successfully verified, the bootloader should be unlocked.
Since the device resets completely, you will need to re-enable USB debugging to continue.

Installing a custom recovery using `fastboot`

Download a custom recovery - you can download PixelExperience Recovery. Simply download the latest recovery file.
Connect your device to your PC via USB.
On the computer, open a command prompt (on Windows) or terminal (on Linux or macOS) window, and type:
```
adb reboot bootloader
```
You can also boot into fastboot mode via a key combination:
- With the device powered off, hold Volume Down + Power. Keep holding both buttons until the word “FASTBOOT” appears on the screen, then release.
Once the device is in fastboot mode, verify your PC finds it by typing:
```
fastboot devices
```
Tip: If you see no permissions fastboot while on Linux or macOS, try running fastboot as root.
Flash recovery onto your device:
```
fastboot flash recovery <recovery_filename>.img
```
Tip: The file may not be named identically to what stands in this command, so adjust accordingly.

Tip: Some devices have buggy USB support while in bootloader mode, if you see fastboot hanging with no output when using commands such as fastboot getvar .. , fastboot boot ..., fastboot flash ... you may want to try a different USB port (preferably a USB Type-A 2.0 one) or a USB hub.
Now reboot into recovery to verify the installation:
- With the device powered off, hold Volume Up + Power. Keep holding both buttons until the “MI” logo appears on the screen, then release.

Installing PixelExperience from recovery

Download the PixelExperience installation package that you would like to install or build the package yourself.
If you are not in recovery, reboot into recovery:
- With the device powered off, hold Volume Up + Power. Keep holding both buttons until the “MI” logo appears on the screen, then release.
Now tap Factory Reset, then Format data / factory reset and continue with the formatting process. This will remove encryption and delete all files stored in the internal storage, as well as format your cache partition (if you have one).
Return to the main menu.
Sideload the PixelExperience .zip package:
- On the device, select “Apply Update”, then “Apply from ADB” to begin sideload.
- On the host machine, sideload the package using: adb sideload filename.zip
(Optionally): If you want to install any additional add-ons, repeat the sideload steps above for those packages in sequence.
Once you have installed everything successfully, click the back arrow in the top left of the screen, then “Reboot system now”.

Warning: Depending on which recovery you use, you may be prompted to install additional apps and services. We strongly advise you to opt out of installing these, as they may cause your device to bootloop, as well as attempt to access or corrupt your data.

Get assistance

If you have any questions or get stuck on any of the steps, feel free to ask on our Telegram group.