Affiliate links on Android Authority may earn us a commission. Learn more.
Android 11 for Xiaomi Mi A3 bricking phones (Update: Free fixes offered)
- Users are reporting bricked phones after the Xiaomi Mi A3 Android 11 update.
- It’s unclear what could be causing this issue.
- In response, Xiaomi announced that it would halt the rollout.
Update, January 4, 2021 (12:35 PM ET): After widespread reports of bricked Mi A3 phones, Xiaomi revealed to Android Authority that it would halt the rollout of Android 11 for those devices. Here is the company’s statement on the matter:
We are aware of the issue on some Mi A3 devices following a recent Android 11 update. We have since halted the rollout. In response, we kindly request users who experience this issue to visit any of the 2,000 plus service centers across the country near to you wherein a solution will be provided for free unconditionally (within or beyond warranty). We regret the inconvenience this has brought about. As a brand committed to offering the best possible user experience, we will continuously improve our products and services.
To find a service center, check the localized version of Mi.com for your area of the world.
Original article, December 31, 2020 (07:14 AM ET): The Xiaomi Mi A3 is the Chinese manufacturer’s most recent Android One smartphone, and it was a pretty solid if unspectacular device at launch. The phone launched with Android Pie and is now receiving Android 11, but it seems like you really should wait before hitting that ‘update’ button.
XDA-Developers spotted several complaints from Mi A3 owners on Twitter, noting that their phones are bricked after they updated to Android 11. More specifically, the phone refuses to turn on or charge after being prompted to restart it.
Xiaomi Mi A3 Android 11 update problems
Several users on Reddit have also chimed in to confirm that their phones have been bricked after updating to Android 11. One user notes they aren’t able to access the bootloader or connect to the phone via a PC.
There’s no word on a specific reason for the Mi A3 bricking just yet, but we’d definitely caution against updating to Android 11 if you’re prompted to do so.
It’s not the first time an Android update has seriously affected the Mi A3 either, as the fingerprint scanner stopped working after the initial Android 10 update. I’m sure Mi A3 users with bricked units would prefer a faulty fingerprint scanner right now though.