The Xiaomi Mi 8 (codename dipper), launched in 2018 as Xiaomi’s 8th-anniversary flagship, was a technological marvel. It made global headlines as the world’s first smartphone to feature dual-frequency GPS, providing vastly superior location accuracy in challenging urban environments. Powered by the flagship Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 chipset and featuring a vibrant Super AMOLED display with advanced infrared face unlock, the Mi 8 delivered top-tier performance. For owners of this iconic device, this page provides a complete firmware collection, including official fastboot ROMs for China, Global, and Russia, the popular Xiaomi.eu custom ROM, and the TWRP custom recovery needed for installation.
Important: You must verify your device is the standard Mi 8 (dipper). This firmware is not compatible with the Mi 8 Pro (equuleus), Mi 8 Explorer Edition (ursa), or Mi 8 SE (sirius), which have different hardware. Flashing the wrong ROM will brick your phone.
Quick Device Specs
- Device: Xiaomi Mi 8 (dipper)
- Release year: 2018
- Chipset: Qualcomm Snapdragon 845
- Display: 6.21″ Super AMOLED, HDR10
- Battery: 3400 mAh, 18W fast charging
- Original MIUI: Android 8.1 (Oreo), MIUI 10
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 | V12.5.2.0.QEACNXM | 10.0 | Official Fastboot ROM | Download | dipper |
| Global | V12.0.3.0.QEAMIXM | 10.0 | Official Fastboot ROM | Download | dipper |
| Russia | V12.0.2.0.QEARUXM | 10.0 | Official Fastboot ROM | Download | dipper |
| Xiaomi.eu (Custom) | V12.5.2.0.QEACNXM (Based) | 10.0 | Custom Recovery ROM | Download | dipper |
| TWRP (Custom Recovery) | 3.2.3 | — | Custom Recovery | Download | dipper |
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 Xiaomi.eu ROM
Use this method to install a clean, multilingual custom ROM on your device.
What is TWRP? TWRP (Team Win Recovery Project) is a powerful custom recovery that replaces your phone’s basic stock recovery. It is the essential tool needed to install, or “flash,” custom software like the Xiaomi.eu ROM (.zip file). It also allows you to make full system backups, root your device, and perform other advanced tasks.
Disclaimer: This is an advanced process. Proceed at your own risk.
- Unlock the Bootloader: This is the first and most important 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 recovery-TWRP-3.2.3…img file with the command:
fastboot flash recovery recovery-filename.img
- Boot into TWRP: After flashing, immediately boot into recovery by holding Power + Volume Up.
- Install Xiaomi.eu ROM:
- In TWRP, it’s recommended to first go to “Wipe” and select “Format Data” to remove encryption.
- Transfer the Xiaomi.eu .zip ROM file to your phone.
- In TWRP, tap “Install,” locate the xiaomi.eu…zip file, and swipe to confirm the flash.
- Reboot your system once the installation is complete.
FAQs
Q1. What is dual-frequency GPS and why was it important?
The Mi 8 was the first phone to use both L1 and L5 GPS signals at the same time. This technology allows the device to better filter out signal interference from buildings and other obstacles, resulting in significantly faster and more accurate location tracking, especially in dense cities.
Q2. Can I flash a Mi 8 Pro (equuleus) or Mi 8 SE (sirius) ROM on my Mi 8?
No, absolutely not. The Mi 8 Pro has an in-display fingerprint scanner, and the Mi 8 SE has a different chipset. The standard Mi 8 (dipper) has a rear-mounted scanner and unique hardware. Their firmwares are not interchangeable.
Q3. What was the final official update for the Mi 8?
The Mi 8 launched with Android 8.1 Oreo and received its final major OS upgrade to Android 10. The MIUI 12.5 version for the China region was the last significant software update for the device.
Q4. The Xiaomi.eu ROM is a .zip file. What does that mean?
It means it is a “Recovery ROM” that must be installed from within a custom recovery environment. The provided TWRP .img file is the tool you need to flash first, which then allows you to install the Xiaomi.eu .zip file.
Troubleshooting
-
- Drivers: If your PC does not recognize the phone in fastboot mode, reinstall the Xiaomi USB drivers and run Mi Flash Tool as Administrator.
- Fastboot errors:
- “error: not catch checkpoint” → This common error means you have selected the wrong folder. In Mi Flash Tool, be sure to select the parent folder that was created when you extracted the .tgz file, not the images folder inside it.
- “Anti rollback error” → You are attempting to flash an older firmware version than what is currently on the device. Xiaomi’s Anti-Rollback Protection (ARB) prevents this.
- TWRP Issues:
- TWRP asks for a password → This means your phone’s storage is encrypted. The standard fix is to go to the “Wipe” menu in TWRP and choose “Format Data”. This will erase everything on your internal storage.
- Stuck on boot after flashing → If the phone doesn’t boot up after flashing a custom ROM, reboot to TWRP, perform a full wipe (Cache, Dalvik, System, Data), and then re-flash the ROM .zip file.
