The Xiaomi Mi Max (codename hydrogen), launched in 2016, was the groundbreaking device that started Xiaomi’s legendary series of phablets. It was built for media lovers and power users, featuring a truly massive 6.44-inch display that was unparalleled at the time, and a giant 4850 mAh battery for incredible endurance. The standard hydrogen version was powered by the powerful hexa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 650 processor, offering a smooth and responsive experience. For owners of this classic “phablet king,” this page provides official fastboot ROMs for China and Global, the popular Xiaomi.eu custom ROM, and the official TWRP recovery.
Important: This firmware is ONLY for the standard Mi Max with the Snapdragon 650 processor, codenamed hydrogen. It is not compatible with the Mi Max Pro/Prime (helium), which uses a Snapdragon 652. Flashing the wrong firmware will hard brick your device.
Quick Device Specs
- Device: Xiaomi Mi Max (hydrogen)
- Release year: 2016
- Chipset: Qualcomm Snapdragon 650
- Display: 6.44″ IPS LCD
- Battery: 4850 mAh
- Original MIUI: Android 6.0 (Marshmallow), MIUI 8
Required Downloads
| File / Tool | Download Link |
|---|---|
| Xiaomi Mi Flash Tool | Download Latest Version |
| Xiaomi USB Drivers | Included with Mi Flash Tool |
| Bootloader Unlock Tool | Official Mi Unlock Page |
Official & Custom ROMs / Recovery
| Region | Build | Android | Type | Download | Codename |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| China | V10.2.2.0.NBCCNXM | 7.0 | Official Fastboot ROM | Download | hydrogen |
| Global | V10.2.2.0.NBCMIXM | 7.0 | Official Fastboot ROM | Download | hydrogen |
| Xiaomi.eu (Custom) | V10.2.1.0.NBCCNFK (Based) | 7.0 | Custom Recovery ROM | Download | hydrogen |
| TWRP (Official) | 3.7.0_9-0 | — | Custom Recovery | Download | hydrogen |
How to Flash Official ROM (Mi Flash Tool)
Use this method to unbrick your phone or restore official MIUI firmware.
- Boot into Fastboot mode (Power + Volume Down).
- Extract the official firmware (.tgz file) and select the main folder containing the
/imagesdirectory in Mi Flash Tool. - Select clean all for a safe installation (you can use clean all and lock to return to a fully stock, locked state).
How to Install TWRP & Flash Custom ROMs
This is a quick checklist for this device. For a complete tutorial on installing drivers, unlocking the bootloader, and troubleshooting, please read our master guide:
Read Our Ultimate Guide to Mi Flash Tool
Use this method to install the Xiaomi.eu custom ROM or other community-developed ROMs.
What is TWRP? TWRP (Team Win Recovery Project) is a powerful custom recovery that replaces your phone’s limited stock recovery. It is the essential tool that allows you to install custom software (.zip files), create full backups of your system (a “Nandroid”), and perform other advanced maintenance. The official ROMs on this page do not require TWRP.
Disclaimer: This is an advanced process. Proceed at your own risk.
- Unlock the Bootloader: This is a mandatory first step. Use the official Mi Unlock Tool.
- Flash TWRP:
- Boot your phone into Fastboot mode (Power + Volume Down) and connect it to your PC.
- Using ADB & Fastboot tools on your PC, flash the downloaded twrp-3.7.0_9-0-hydrogen.img file with the command:
fastboot flash recovery twrp-3.7.0_9-0-hydrogen.img
- Boot into TWRP: After flashing, immediately boot into recovery by holding Power + Volume Up.
- Install Custom ROM:
- In TWRP, it’s recommended to first perform a Factory Reset via the “Wipe” menu.
- Transfer the Xiaomi.eu .zip ROM file to your phone’s storage.
- In TWRP, tap “Install,” select the .zip file, and swipe to confirm the flash.
Device-Specific Troubleshooting for Mi Max (hydrogen)
The Mi Max is a classic device with some specific quirks. Please read these points carefully.
- CRITICAL: hydrogen vs. helium Firmware: Before flashing, you must confirm your device is the hydrogen variant (Snapdragon 650). Flashing a ROM for the Pro/Prime helium model (Snapdragon 652) can cause a hard brick or loss of network connectivity due to modem incompatibility. Use an app like AIDA64 to verify your chipset.
- Hard Brick Recovery (EDL Mode): If your Mi Max becomes completely unresponsive (hard bricked), the only way to recover it is via EDL Mode (Qualcomm 9008). This requires opening the phone’s back cover and shorting two specific test points on the motherboard while connecting to a PC, which forces Mi Flash Tool to detect it.
- Ghost Touch / Unresponsive Screen: Some Mi Max units were known to experience “ghost touch” issues. If you face this, first try a clean flash of the latest official MIUI ROM, as this can sometimes fix software-related touch driver issues. If the problem persists on stock firmware, it is likely a hardware fault with the display digitizer.
- Using an Older Mi Flash Tool: For a classic device like the Mi Max, the latest versions of Mi Flash Tool may not be fully compatible. If you encounter flashing errors, using a stable older version (like MiFlash20160830) can often solve the problem.
FAQs
Q1. How do I know if I have the standard Mi Max (hydrogen) or the Pro/Prime (helium) version? The most reliable method is to install a device info app like AIDA64 from the Play Store. The standard version will show the CPU as Qualcomm Snapdragon 650, while the Pro/Prime version will show Snapdragon 652.
Q2. What was the final official update for the Mi Max? The Mi Max launched with Android 6.0 Marshmallow and received its final major OS upgrade to Android 7.0 Nougat. The MIUI 10 builds provided on this page are the last official software updates for this model.
