Let's take a look at a truly rare and beautiful device from Xiaomi's history: the Xiaomi Mi 4s (codename `aqua`). Released in early 2016, this phone was a special edition that bridged the gap between the classic Mi 4 and the legendary Mi 5. It featured a stunning glass-and-metal sandwich design, a compact 5-inch screen, and a powerful Snapdragon 808 processor, making it a compact flagship for its time.
Crucially, the Mi 4s was a China-exclusive model, meaning it was never officially sold globally. For the collectors and tech enthusiasts who imported this rare gem, it was a piece of art. In 2025, its official software support is a distant memory, ending with MIUI 10 on Android 7.0 Nougat. This guide is a restoration manual for hobbyists looking to revive the Mi 4s, and explains how to install the essential Xiaomi.eu ROM to make it usable internationally.
Why You Might Need to Flash Your Mi 4s
For a rare collector's item, flashing is about preservation and usability.
Quick Device Overview (Codename: aqua)
Required Tools & Downloads
Download the official China ROM for emergencies and the essential Xiaomi.eu ROM for international use.
Flashing Methods
Method 1: Installing the Xiaomi.eu "Global" ROM (Recommended Method)
This is the standard process for converting your China-only device for full international use.
➡ Your Mi 4s will now boot into a clean, multilingual system with full Google services.
Method 2: Flashing Official China ROM (For Unbricking)
Use this method only if your phone is bricked or you wish to return it to its original, non-global factory state.
➡ This will restore your phone to the original Chinese software. From here, you can repeat Method 1 to install the globalized Xiaomi.eu ROM.
FAQs
Q1: Is the Mi 4s a cool phone for a collector in Nigeria?
Absolutely. It's a very rare and unique piece of Xiaomi's history that not many people have ever seen in person. It represents a time when the company was experimenting with different designs and processors. It's a great conversation starter for any true tech enthusiast.
Q2: Why does my Mi 4s get so hot?
The Snapdragon 808 processor used in this phone was infamous for overheating and slowing down (throttling). This is a known characteristic of the chip itself. A clean flash can help ensure no extra background processes are adding to the heat, but the hardware will always run warm under heavy use.
Q3: Is there an official Global ROM for the Mi 4s?
No. It was only ever sold in mainland China. The Xiaomi.eu ROM is the essential community-made solution that provides a global-like experience with Google apps and multiple languages.
Q4: Can I get newer Android versions on this phone?
Not easily. Due to its rarity and the less developer-friendly Snapdragon 808 chipset, the custom ROM community for the `aqua` is much smaller than for more mainstream models like the Mi 5. Finding stable, modern custom ROMs is very difficult.
Troubleshooting & Common Errors
Crucially, the Mi 4s was a China-exclusive model, meaning it was never officially sold globally. For the collectors and tech enthusiasts who imported this rare gem, it was a piece of art. In 2025, its official software support is a distant memory, ending with MIUI 10 on Android 7.0 Nougat. This guide is a restoration manual for hobbyists looking to revive the Mi 4s, and explains how to install the essential Xiaomi.eu ROM to make it usable internationally.
- ✔ A tribute to the rare and beautiful Mi 4s and its unique place in history
- ✔ The critical process for converting this China-only device for global use
- ✔ Download links for its final official firmware and the essential Xiaomi.eu ROM
- ✔ A working TWRP custom recovery and all necessary tools
- ✔ Device-specific troubleshooting for the notorious Snapdragon 808 chipset
Why You Might Need to Flash Your Mi 4s
For a rare collector's item, flashing is about preservation and usability.
- Install Google Play Store & Multi-Language Support → This is the #1 mandatory reason for any international owner of this China-exclusive phone.
- Unbrick a Bricked or Bootlooping Device → The essential recovery guide for reviving this rare classic if it's stuck on the Mi logo or fails to boot.
- Manage Overheating and Performance → A clean flash of the final, most optimized software is the best way to manage the Snapdragon 808's well-known tendency to run hot and throttle performance.
- Restore a Rare Collector's Item → Perform a clean flash to bring this unique phone back to its original factory software state for a collection.
- Remove Chinese Bloatware → A key benefit of the Xiaomi.eu ROM is a clean, bloat-free system that runs more efficiently on the old hardware.
Quick Device Overview (Codename: aqua)
- Model: Xiaomi Mi 4s
- Release Year: 2016
- Chipset: Qualcomm Snapdragon 808
- Display: 5.0” FHD IPS LCD
- Key Feature: Premium compact design, Snapdragon 808, China-exclusive model
- OS at Launch: MIUI 7 on Android 5.1 Lollipop
- Final Official OS: MIUI 10.1 on Android 7.0 Nougat (China Only)
- Codename: aqua
CRITICAL WARNING: The Mi 4s (`aqua`) is a China-exclusive device with no official Global ROM. Its Snapdragon 808 processor is known for overheating. Due to its ancient Android 7.0 software, it is NOT secure for any online activity involving personal data. This guide is for restoration and enthusiast purposes only.
Required Tools & Downloads
Download the official China ROM for emergencies and the essential Xiaomi.eu ROM for international use.
| Tool / File | Purpose / OS Version | Download Link |
|---|---|---|
| Mi Flash Tool | For flashing official Fastboot ROMs. | Download Latest Version |
| Xiaomi USB Drivers | Ensures your PC can communicate with your phone. | Driver Pack |
| Mi Unlock Tool | Required to unlock the bootloader. | Official Unlock Page |
| Custom Recovery (TWRP) | Required to flash the Xiaomi.eu ROM. | TWRP 3.1.0 for Aqua |
| Official China ROM | For Unbricking (MIUI 10.1 / Android 7.0) | V10.1.1.0.NAJCNFI |
| Xiaomi.eu ROM | Essential Global Conversion (MIUI 10.1) | V10.1.1.0.NAJCNFI |
Flashing Methods
Method 1: Installing the Xiaomi.eu "Global" ROM (Recommended Method)
This is the standard process for converting your China-only device for full international use.
- Unlock Bootloader: Your device's bootloader must be unlocked using the Mi Unlock Tool. This will erase all your data.
- Flash TWRP: Boot your phone into Fastboot mode (Power + Volume Down). Flash the downloaded TWRP image file with the command:
fastboot flash recovery twrp_aqua_3.1.0-0_miui-hellas.img - Boot into TWRP: After flashing, hold Power + Volume Up to boot directly into the newly installed TWRP recovery.
- Wipe Data: This step is mandatory. In TWRP, go to Wipe → Format Data and type "yes" to confirm.
- Transfer ROM File: Connect your phone to your PC and copy the downloaded Xiaomi.eu `.zip` file to its internal storage.
- Install the ROM: In the TWRP main menu, tap Install, select the Xiaomi.eu ROM `.zip` file, and swipe the slider to begin flashing.
- Reboot: Once finished, tap "Reboot System."
➡ Your Mi 4s will now boot into a clean, multilingual system with full Google services.
Method 2: Flashing Official China ROM (For Unbricking)
Use this method only if your phone is bricked or you wish to return it to its original, non-global factory state.
- Boot into Fastboot Mode: Power off your phone. Press and hold Power + Volume Down until the Fastboot logo appears.
- Extract Firmware: On your PC, extract the downloaded official China `.tgz` file twice until you have a folder with an `images` directory.
- Launch Mi Flash Tool: Open the tool as an administrator. Click "select" and choose the extracted firmware folder.
- Connect Device & Flash: Connect your phone, click "refresh" to see it listed, ensure "clean all" is selected at the bottom, and click "flash".
➡ This will restore your phone to the original Chinese software. From here, you can repeat Method 1 to install the globalized Xiaomi.eu ROM.
FAQs
Q1: Is the Mi 4s a cool phone for a collector in Nigeria?
Absolutely. It's a very rare and unique piece of Xiaomi's history that not many people have ever seen in person. It represents a time when the company was experimenting with different designs and processors. It's a great conversation starter for any true tech enthusiast.
Q2: Why does my Mi 4s get so hot?
The Snapdragon 808 processor used in this phone was infamous for overheating and slowing down (throttling). This is a known characteristic of the chip itself. A clean flash can help ensure no extra background processes are adding to the heat, but the hardware will always run warm under heavy use.
Q3: Is there an official Global ROM for the Mi 4s?
No. It was only ever sold in mainland China. The Xiaomi.eu ROM is the essential community-made solution that provides a global-like experience with Google apps and multiple languages.
Q4: Can I get newer Android versions on this phone?
Not easily. Due to its rarity and the less developer-friendly Snapdragon 808 chipset, the custom ROM community for the `aqua` is much smaller than for more mainstream models like the Mi 5. Finding stable, modern custom ROMs is very difficult.
Troubleshooting & Common Errors
- Overheating and Performance Throttling: This is the most famous issue with the Snapdragon 808 chip. The phone is designed to slow itself down when it gets too hot to prevent damage. A clean flash is the best you can do on the software side, but this is a hardware limitation. Avoid heavy gaming or multitasking for long periods.
- Dead Hard Brick (EDL Mode): If your phone is completely dead and only shows up as "Qualcomm HS-USB QDLoader 9008", it is in EDL mode. Recovery is possible but advanced, often requiring a "deep flash cable" or shorting "test points" on the motherboard to force the connection for Mi Flash Tool.
- "Can't read from port" or flash fails at 2s: A classic error for older Xiaomi flagships. It's almost always a driver issue on modern PCs. Reinstall drivers, restart your PC, use a USB 2.0 port, and run Mi Flash Tool as an administrator. Sometimes, using an older 2017-era version of Mi Flash Tool is necessary for these vintage devices.
- Bootloop after flashing Xiaomi.eu: You MUST use the "Format Data" option in TWRP before flashing. A simple "Wipe" of caches is not enough and will not remove the encryption from the stock China ROM, causing a bootloop.