// Before You Begin
Installing custom ROMs will void your warranty and requires an unlocked bootloader. Always back up your data before proceeding — just in case. This guide does not cover bootloader unlocking.
Bootloader must be unlocked. This guide assumes it already is.
Always take a backup of your data before flashing, just in case something goes wrong.
"Recovery files" refers to boot.img, dtbo.img, and vendor_boot.img.
Re-flashing partition images is not needed when updating the same ROM.
If super_empty.img fails to flash, you can safely skip it.
Any custom recovery can be used to sideload ROMs.
To install a custom kernel, sideload the kernel ZIP immediately after the ROM ZIP.
Prepare Your Environment
// Select your platform
Windows Setup
Download and install the ADB & Fastboot package below. The installer runs in about 15 seconds.
// Open Command Prompt in your ROM folderOpen the folder where you downloaded your ROM files. Right-click on an empty area inside the folder and select Open in Terminal or Open Command Prompt window here.
Use Command Prompt only — not PowerShell, and not run as Administrator.
Linux Setup
Install Android tools using your distro's package manager.
sudo apt install adb fastboot
sudo dnf install android-tools
sudo pacman -S android-tools
Open your file manager and navigate to the folder where your ROM files are. Right-click an empty area inside the folder and select Open Terminal Here or Open in Terminal.
If your file manager doesn't support this, open a terminal manually and navigate there:
cd /path/to/your/rom/folder
Termux (Android → Android)
Install ADB & Fastboot on your host Android device using the repo below.
// Navigate to your ROM folderYour ROM files need to be accessible from Termux. If your ROM files are in Downloads/myrom, run:
cd storage/shared/Download/myrom
Replace Download/myrom with the actual path to your ROM files. Run all fastboot and adb commands from this directory.
Flash Partitions
Boot the Xiaomi Pad 6 into Fastboot Mode by holding Power + Volume Down while the device is off, then connect it to your PC or host device.
// Flash required imagesfastboot flash boot boot.img
fastboot flash dtbo dtbo.img
fastboot flash vendor_boot vendor_boot.img
fastboot wipe-super super_empty.img
If wipe-super fails, it is safe to skip and continue.
fastboot reboot recovery
Sideload the ROM
On the tablet (now in Recovery), select Apply Update → Apply from ADB, then run the sideload command from your host device.
// Sideload ROMadb sideload rom_filename.zip
The progress may stall at ~47% or display values above 100%. This is normal — watch the tablet screen. If it shows "Success" or "Step 2/2", the sideload completed successfully.
If the ROM is Vanilla (no GApps), reboot back into recovery and sideload your GApps package the same way before formatting data.
// Format dataFormat data is required when flashing a ROM for the first time or switching to a different ROM. If you are updating the same ROM, you can skip this step unless the ROM's release post says otherwise.
From the recovery main menu go to Factory Reset → Format Data and confirm. Then reboot to system.
When format data is required, do not skip it. Skipping will likely cause bootloops or unexpected behaviour on first boot.
// Common Errors
Flash the recovery from an older ROM build first, or use the recovery that shipped with your ROM package.
Some browsers rename .zip files to .bin on download. Rename the extension back to .zip before sideloading.
Windows: check Device Manager for driver issues. Linux / Termux: verify permissions and that OTG is enabled on the host device.