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Turn your Xiaomi Mi 8 into a Google Pixel 2 with this custom ROM
July 05, 2025
If you love yourXiaomi Mi 8but hate theMIUI 10skin overAndroid 8.1 Oreo, we have some awesome news: you can ditch MIUI and flash thePixel ROMinstead, which will turn your Mi 8 into a de facto Google Pixel 2 runningAndroid 9 Pie.
The Pixel ROM experience is so close to the real thing that even theGoogle Play Storewill think you are operating aGoogle Pixel 2.
SeniorXDA Developersforum member “argraur” ported stock Android firmware to the Xiaomi Mi 8, making some subtle adjustments to compensate for things like the Mi 8’s display notch. Other than those small tweaks, the Pixel ROM is essentially the same software as what is currently running on an official Google Pixel 2 or Google Pixel 2 XL.
The firmware for Pixel ROM is based on Android-9.0.0_r8 AOSP tag (PPR2.180905.006.A1) and even includes the latest Google Apps from the Google Pixel 2 (PPR2.180905.005). All the features you would expect from a Google Pixel 2 are here, including Wi-Fi hotspot, always-on-display, etc. Even the Pixel 2 live wallpapers are included.
Unbelievably, you can even go to the Google Play Store and installDigital Wellbeing, which is currently only officially available for Pixel devices and theNokia 7 Plus.
There are two caveats here. The first is that although NFC works,Google Paydoes not. The second is that there are no customization features here, just the stock Pixel 2 experience. As such, if you’re looking for anything that a Google Pixel 2 doesn’t do out-of-the-box, it won’t be here.
You can click the button below to go to the forum post for the Pixel ROM on the Xiaomi Mi 8. If you’ve never flashed a custom ROM before, we advise you to read our beginner’s guide on the process byclicking here.
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