How to turn off the Xiaomi smartphone: full instructions

Modern mobile devices running on the basis of the Android operating system and the proprietary shell MIUI Or HyperOS, designed to be around the clock, but there are times when the user has to force the device to shut down, and that could be because the interface freezes, because the need to reinstall. SIM-card, processor overheating or simply wanting to give electronics a rest to save battery power.

Owners of Xiaomi, Redmi and Poco equipment often find that the usual methods do not work due to the peculiarities of software settings or hardware failures. The standard power button can stop responding to short presses, and the touch screen can stop blocking. In such cases, it is important to know alternative ways of forced shutdown, which will help to avoid complete flashing of the device or contacting the service center.

In this article, we will take a look at all the existing methods of correct and emergency shutdown of smartphones of the Chinese brand.We will look at the standard operating system tools, keyboard shortcuts for hard reset, as well as specialized tools for developers. Understanding these processes will allow you to confidently manage your gadget even in critical situations when the system does not respond to commands.

Shutdown through the system interface

The most obvious and safe way to shut down a mobile device is to use the built-in software menu. In the latest versions of the MIUI 12, 13, 14 shell and the new HyperOS, the algorithm for calling this menu may have changed compared to previous generations of smartphones. By default, a short tap on the power button now often activates the voice assistant Google Assistant or Xiao AI, which can confuse the inexperienced user.

To call the power management menu, you need to press the side switch and hold it for 2-3 seconds. The screen will display a dialog box with large icons. Here you will see the options "Switch off", "Reboot" and, in some regions, "Emergency call". Pressing the appropriate icon initiates a regular shutdown process, in which the operating system will close all background processes, save data and turn off power.

If you have a Mode in Your Pocket enabled or third-party launchers installed, the behavior of the button may be different. In some cases, double pressing is required to unlock the menu. It is also worth noting that devices without a physical lock button (where the fingerprint scanner is built into the screen) use a long combination of volume buttons, but this is rare for current Xiaomi models.

⚠️ Warning: If you try to shut down through the menu, the phone hangs on the "Mi" or "Redmi" logo and doesn't complete the process within 2 minutes, don't hold the power button indefinitely. Release it, wait 10 seconds and try to perform a hard reboot with the key combination.

There is also the option to turn off via the Quick Access Bar, although this feature is not available in all regions and firmware versions: swipe top-down twice to deploy the full list of switches. At the bottom or side menu (depending on the curtain settings), there may be a power button. This is especially convenient if the physical button on the case has a backlash or has stopped working.

Forced reboot and switch off buttons

When the touch screen is not responsive to touch or the system is completely locked, the only way out is to use hardware buttons. This method is often called “Hard Reset” by buttons, although technically it is just a forced shutdown and subsequent start. For most Xiaomi, Redmi and Poco smartphones, the combination is the holding of the power button for 10-15 seconds.

It is important to distinguish between short and long press. Short (less than 2 seconds) usually wakes up the screen or calls an assistant. Long (more than 10 seconds) ignores the system's program instructions and sends a signal directly to the motherboard's power controller. The screen may go out at this point, after which the device will begin to vibrate and turn on again. If your goal is to turn off the phone, rather than restart it, you need to release the power button as soon as the screen goes out, but before the logo appears.

In some cases, especially on non-removable battery models, a combination of volume and power buttons may be required. For example, press the Volume Down button and press the power button without letting go. Hold both buttons for about 10-12 seconds. This method is often used to enter Fastboot mode, but if you release the buttons when the screen is turned off, the phone will remain off.

There is a nuance for devices with a severely discharged battery: if the charge indicator shows 0% or flashes red, the phone may not respond to the buttons. In this situation, you need to plug in the original charger and wait at least 5-10 minutes, only after the charge indication appears, you can try to force shutdown or restart.

Use the Developer Menu and ADB Teams

For advanced users with access to a computer and basic knowledge of working with Android Debug Bridge (ADB), This is especially true when the buttons on the body are physically broken and the screen is partially working or displaying an image with artifacts. USB.

To enable debugging, go to Settings → About Phone and quickly tap 7 times on MIUI Version (or OS Version) until the message “You’re a developer” appears. Then, in the Additional → For developers menu, activate the USB Debugging switch. Once you connect your smartphone to a PC with drivers and platform tools installed, you can send commands.

To turn off the device, the following command is used, which must be entered in the command line:

adb shell reboot -p

The -p setting in this command indicates that the system needs to perform a power-off action, that is, completely turn off the power, not just restart. If the reboot -p command does not work on your version of Android, you can try an alternative syntax:

adb shell svc power shutdown

⚠️ Attention: Use ADB Incorrectly entering arguments can lead to the phone switching to Recovery or Fastboot mode, from which it will be difficult for a beginner to exit without losing data.

The advantage of this method is that it works even when the touchscreen is not responding, but the system is functioning inside. It is ideal for remote control or automation of processes. However, if the phone hangs dead and does not respond even to touch, the ADB may not see the device, and then only hardware reset will help.

Turning off through the Engineering Menu and Recovery

If the operating system is so damaged that the desktop doesn't load, but the phone responds to buttons, you can use the Recovery Recovery menu, which is a low-level environment that allows you to control the basic functions of the device, and this menu is logged in by a combination of a pressed Volume Up button + a power button.

Hold both buttons until the Mi logo appears, then release power, but keep the volume up until the Recovery menu appears. Navigation is done with the volume buttons (up/down), and the choice is with the power button. In the list of options, you need to find the Power off or Turn off item. Selecting this item will correctly terminate the smartphone.

There is also an engineering menu that can be accessed through a set of special code in the "bell ringer" if the screen is partially functional. Code ##6484## or #3646633# (depending on the MediaTek or Qualcomm processor) opens the test mode. However, there may not be a direct shutdown function, more often this menu is used for diagnostics. A more reliable way is to use ADB in Recovery mode if a PC is connected.

The table below shows the key combinations for different scenarios on Xiaomi devices:

Using Recovery mode is safe for data if you only choose to turn off. However, if you accidentally select Wipe Data, all files will be deleted. So be careful when navigating the menu using volume buttons.

Solving problems with sticking the power button

One of the common reasons users are looking for ways to turn off the phone without a button is to physically break or stick the key itself. Mechanical wear, moisture or dirt under the button can cause the phone to turn on and off on its own, entering the reboot cycle.

If the power button is stuck when it's on, the phone will reboot endlessly. To break this cycle, you need to physically isolate the button. Carefully, without putting too much pressure, try pressing the button a few times quickly to mechanically "push" it. If that doesn't help, you can gently (without fanaticism) tap your finger on the button area to move the mechanism.

Software-wise, you can try to turn off the button response through the settings if the phone has time to boot. Go to Settings → Additional features → Buttons (the path may differ). Here you can turn off the function "Wait when lifting" or change the action (long pressing). However, if the circuit is at the hardware level, the software methods will not help - you will need to disassemble and clean the contacts or replace the plume.

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If the power button is stuck and the phone is constantly rebooting, try draining the battery to 0%, which will stop the cyclical reboot and allow you to safely put the device on charge, after which sometimes the button manages to “swift”.

In emergency cases, when the phone is warming and needs to be turned off urgently and the button is not working, you can use a discharging method. Turn on the screen at maximum brightness, run a heavy app or game, turn on the flashlight and GPS. This will quickly drain the battery and the phone will turn off itself. Although this method is not recommended for regular use because of the harm to the lithium-ion battery, in a critical situation it can save the device from overheating.

Features of switching off with a discharged battery

The lithium-ion batteries used in Xiaomi smartphones have a protection controller that blocks the device from turning on when the voltage drops below a critical threshold.If the phone has gone into "deep discharge," it may not respond to either the buttons or the connection to the charger during the first minutes.

In this state, trying to turn off the phone is pointless, since it is already in a state of deep sleep or protection. You need to leave the device on charge for at least 30-60 minutes, even if the screen remains black. Only after the battery voltage has risen to the working level, the controller will allow the switch to be turned on or react to buttons.

If after an hour of charging the phone still shows no signs of life, try the "push" method. Connect the phone to a powerful charger (not from a USB computer, but from an outlet) and simultaneously press the combination to exit into Recovery (Vol Up + Power) or just a power button. Sometimes this helps push the power controller.

⚠️ Warning: Never try to open the battery or heat it up to "revive." Xiaomi's modern batteries are equipped with sophisticated electronics, and rough interference can cause the battery to ignite or bloat.

It is also worth considering that at extremely low temperatures (for example, if the phone was in the car in winter), the battery may temporarily lose the ability to give current. 30-40 Just for a minute and then try to charge and turn off.

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The main principle of safe shutdown is to always try to use the software menu. Hardware methods (buttons) apply only in case of system freeze, as they are compulsory and do not guarantee the preservation of unsaved data.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)