Best rom for stability and most vanilla android experience - Xiaomi Mi 8 Guides, News, & Discussion

For ages I have tried to avoid rooting my phone, mainly due to Google Pay. But with the constant issues and also now that I've just purchased bPay for my watch anyway, I no longer need Google Pay.
Even though my phone is not rooted, most apps thought it was.. so even the fixes only worked so far.. so screw it. haha.
I would like to root my phone and try and make my Xiaomi as close to vanilla Android as possible. What roms would people suggest?
Is the Xiaomi a wise phone to modify? Will I loose any features (camera etc)?
I have only really ever used OnePlus One devices, and other phones I have always relied on Google Pay access, so its been awhile since I rooted a phone and I have a feeling things may have changed a fair bit.. maybe even become more simple?
Any help/advice would be greatly appreciated.
My device; Mi 8 128GB, chinese import. Arrived with unlocked bootloader and global rom.. somehow.. even though global wasnt available at the time.. have since has xiaomi.eu rom, most recent on the device. But im finding its waaay to buggy and im very eager to get rid of this.

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try pixel experience
stock experience like the pixel 3 xl
almost the same camera if not better
great battery life stable and way smoother than miui 10

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I was In a similar predicament
I went for havoc and find its fantastic
Similar to pixel experience but with more added features
Has gcam implemented already

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tinimc said:
try pixel experience
stock experience like the pixel 3 xl
almost the same camera if not better
great battery life stable and way smoother than miui 10
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Does it have GCam or xiaomi cam... Care to comment more on camera quality and updates?

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shekhar211 said:
Does it have GCam or xiaomi cam... Care to comment more on camera quality and updates?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
pixel experience rom has everything that a pixel phone has including the amazing gcam

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Use syberia! aosp based like all but best battery so far

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You can try pixel experience, I'm using it for a while now and never thought of changing to another rom. This will be my permanent rom I guess. Pixel3ROM is also nice, but it's just a port so the dev heavily refuses to add compatibility features like IR camera support for face unlock etc. So main features of the device won't work kn that one.
LineageOS is just another option, but it feels so empty compared to Pixel Experience. Yes, it can be customized but it'll never get the capabilities of Pixel Experience, due to official Rom policies of LOS.
And another thing, my device is rooted and I'm using PE, and Google Pay is working.
---------- Post added at 12:11 AM ---------- Previous post was at 12:07 AM ----------
tinimc said:
pixel experience rom has everything that a pixel phone has including the amazing gcam
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Not everything.
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About camera, it hss a Google Camera port that I can't really remember the name of dev, and you can flash the miui camera port from Magisk if you need that either.
If you have any questions about this rom, I'd love to answer them, I can consider myself as an experienced user of it I guess. I used miui for 2 weeks thanks to bootloader unlock timer, and believe me, when you switch, you will feel like tons of weight just pulled out of your shoulders.

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Thanks everyone this is all really helpful to know. Sounds like Pixel Experience is the one to try first.
The War Profiteer said:
And another thing, my device is rooted and I'm using PE, and Google Pay is working.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
This is really handy to know. I was thinking today that maybe rooting etc my phone myself properly would give me better control over getting that set up to work properly.
One more thing, just checking over the instructions and a little lost on some bits;
Flash Instructions
1. Download ROM zip.
2 . Advanced Wipe: System, Data, Cache and Dalvik/cache - Already have TWRP from installing Xiaomi.eu rom.
3. Flash latest MIUI or Xiaomi.eu beta. - This step confuses me.. if I already have a xiaomi.eu rom installed, I presume I would skip this?
4. Flash Pixel Experience.
5. Flash Dm-verity and reboot into TWRP (Only if you're coming from MIUI stock. Skip that if you're coming from another custom ROM) - Guessing again, I would skip this as I am already on TWRP? Unsure what dm-verity is..
6. Advanced Wipe: Data
7. Reboot & enjoy.
Some background on the current config phone wise. Imported a Mi 8 before it was released globally, nor even a date was released at that point. The phone arrived with global rom I believe.. the bootloader was already unlocked however and it was in English, so I am unsure how they had the global rom on it.. unless was the chinese one in English? Eitherway. I just followed the usual guide to flashing Xiaomi.eu on the phone. TWRP was already on it, but it is a chinese version, in english, but with chinese text on the loading screen.. unsure if normal?
Thanks again!

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hobhob said:
Thanks everyone this is all really helpful to know. Sounds like Pixel Experience is the one to try first.
This is really handy to know. I was thinking today that maybe rooting etc my phone myself properly would give me better control over getting that set up to work properly.
One more thing, just checking over the instructions and a little lost on some bits;
Flash Instructions
1. Download ROM zip.
2 . Advanced Wipe: System, Data, Cache and Dalvik/cache - Already have TWRP from installing Xiaomi.eu rom.
3. Flash latest MIUI or Xiaomi.eu beta. - This step confuses me.. if I already have a xiaomi.eu rom installed, I presume I would skip this?
4. Flash Pixel Experience.
5. Flash Dm-verity and reboot into TWRP (Only if you're coming from MIUI stock. Skip that if you're coming from another custom ROM) - Guessing again, I would skip this as I am already on TWRP? Unsure what dm-verity is..
6. Advanced Wipe: Data
7. Reboot & enjoy.
Some background on the current config phone wise. Imported a Mi 8 before it was released globally, nor even a date was released at that point. The phone arrived with global rom I believe.. the bootloader was already unlocked however and it was in English, so I am unsure how they had the global rom on it.. unless was the chinese one in English? Eitherway. I just followed the usual guide to flashing Xiaomi.eu on the phone. TWRP was already on it, but it is a chinese version, in english, but with chinese text on the loading screen.. unsure if normal?
Thanks again!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You can't skip the 3rd step since you're wiping the system partition, vendor and/or firmware files will be gone, which are not included with the rom.
At 5th, https://forum.xda-developers.com/android/software/universal-dm-verity-forceencrypt-t3817389 After flashing this, reboot to recovery in order to do advanced wipe. Just follow the steps, don't be lazy!
Not sure about your phone, but there are a high chance of being a Chinese variant of your phone, check the rear glass for CE certificate logo, if there are any chinese text, your phone is a chinese variant. In this situation, be careful to not lock your bootloader.

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The War Profiteer said:
You can't skip the 3rd step since you're wiping the system partition, vendor and/or firmware files will be gone, which are not included with the rom.
At 5th, https://forum.xda-developers.com/android/software/universal-dm-verity-forceencrypt-t3817389 After flashing this, reboot to recovery in order to do advanced wipe. Just follow the steps, don't be lazy!
Not sure about your phone, but there are a high chance of being a Chinese variant of your phone, check the rear glass for CE certificate logo, if there are any chinese text, your phone is a chinese variant. In this situation, be careful to not lock your bootloader.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks this is really helpful.
When I got the phone there was a sticker on the back which was in Chinese, all the packaging was too. The text printed on the phones actual case is in English however.
Update: All done and all was a success. Thanks everyone!

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Tried Pixel Experience - battery drain was so extreme had to flash another rom..
So now trying Havoc.. way too many bugs, no sound on alarms, phone stops responding to touch.. ergh. Battery is good though.. haha.
Looking like there may not be any rom which isnt free of bugs or battery drain on the Mi 8..
Sadly Google Pay, with Magisk and hide, does not work on any rom. Altho I managed to get another banking app to work by using Magisk hide ironically.

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hobhob said:
Tried Pixel Experience - battery drain was so extreme had to flash another rom..
So now trying Havoc.. way too many bugs, no sound on alarms, phone stops responding to touch.. ergh. Battery is good though.. haha.
Looking like there may not be any rom which isnt free of bugs or battery drain on the Mi 8..
Sadly Google Pay, with Magisk and hide, does not work on any rom. Altho I managed to get another banking app to work by using Magisk hide ironically.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Did you try syberia or AOSIP?
Sent from my MI 8 using Tapatalk

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Using AOSIP now. My ideal build finally. Everything is running perfect Thanks for the suggestion

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hobhob said:
Using AOSIP now. My ideal build finally. Everything is running perfect Thanks for the suggestion
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Click to collapse
Been a few days you still reckon AOSIP is the go? I am about the change from LoS.. too many issues..

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Sage said:
Been a few days you still reckon AOSIP is the go? I am about the change from LoS.. too many issues..
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Click to collapse
Yes, all great. Battery is fine, alarm works, no more freezing. Finally all running smoothly

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+1 that. Everything works perfect for me on AOSIP and I've been using it as my daily driver for a week now.
I just replaced the default phone, contact and messaging apps with the Google ones with App systemizer and magisk, and replaced the stock cam with latest Gcam.
Recommend this rom :good:

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branndonn1 said:
+1 that. Everything works perfect for me on AOSIP and I've been using it as my daily driver for a week now.
I just replaced the default phone, contact and messaging apps with the Google ones with App systemizer and magisk, and replaced the stock cam with latest Gcam.
Recommend this rom :good:
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Do you have a link to the latest GCam? I tried to find it though the one i installed Video didn't work. Just crashed when attempted. Photos looked good though.

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LineageOS
Sent from my Mi 8 using Tapatalk

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The War Profiteer said:
You can try pixel experience, I'm using it for a while now and never thought of changing to another rom. This will be my permanent rom I guess. Pixel3ROM is also nice, but it's just a port so the dev heavily refuses to add compatibility features like IR camera support for face unlock etc. So main features of the device won't work kn that one.
LineageOS is just another option, but it feels so empty compared to Pixel Experience. Yes, it can be customized but it'll never get the capabilities of Pixel Experience, due to official Rom policies of LOS.
And another thing, my device is rooted and I'm using PE, and Google Pay is working.
---------- Post added at 12:11 AM ---------- Previous post was at 12:07 AM ----------
Not everything.
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About camera, it hss a Google Camera port that I can't really remember the name of dev, and you can flash the miui camera port from Magisk if you need that either.
If you have any questions about this rom, I'd love to answer them, I can consider myself as an experienced user of it I guess. I used miui for 2 weeks thanks to bootloader unlock timer, and believe me, when you switch, you will feel like tons of weight just pulled out of your shoulders.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hi, Which version do you use? CAF or AOSP ?

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Sage said:
Do you have a link to the latest GCam? I tried to find it though the one i installed Video didn't work. Just crashed when attempted. Photos looked good though.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Here you go bro. Add the .xml to the Gcam settings folder.
https://drive.google.com/folderview?...sV&usp=sharing