Owning a modern Xiaomi or Redmi smartphone requires intermittent interference with the MIUI or HyperOS operating system. Sometimes the device starts to work incorrectly, applications stop responding to touch, or the interface completely freezes. At such moments, a standard shutdown becomes impossible, and the user is faced with the question of how to effectively restart the system.
The restart procedure is fundamental to fix temporary software failures. Cleaning RAM and re-initializing all system processes often bring the gadget back to life without losing personal data. Understanding the various reboot methods allows you to avoid panic in a critical situation and quickly regain control of the device.
There are several ways to do this, from simple button presses to engineering menus, each method has its own application depending on the state of the hardware and software version. In this article, we will discuss all the options available in detail so that you can choose the most suitable for your case.
Standard Reboot through the Menu
The most obvious and safe method available to every smartphone owner is to use a standard interface, so if the screen responds to touch and the system is not stuck, you should press the power button located on the side of the case, and the display will appear on the menu with two main options: turn off and restart.
On some versions of the MIUI shell, pressing the power button for a long time may not cause the turn off menu, but the Google Assistant voice assistant, which is a standard behavior that can be changed in settings. In such cases, you need to simultaneously press the power control button and the volume button.
⚠️ Warning: Don’t confuse a regular reboot with a full Hard Reset.Reboot won’t delete your photos, contacts, and apps, but will only update your system state.
Once you select the “Reboot” option, the device will start the process of completing the background processes. The screen will go out, and in a few seconds the Xiaomi logo will appear, indicating the start of the bootloader, which is the most preferred method for regular maintenance of the smartphone, since it guarantees the correct closure of all files and applications.
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It is recommended to perform a standard smartphone restart at least once a week to optimize the work of RAM and clean the cache of system processes.
Forced reset when getting stuck
When the touch screen stops responding to commands and the interface freezes in one image, more drastic measures are required, in which case software interruption is impossible, and a hardware technique known as Hard Reset buttons is needed, which simulates battery extraction by forcefully cutting off power to the main components.
To perform a forced reboot, you need to find the on button and hold it in a pinched state. The latency can vary from 10 to 20 seconds depending on the device model and the current load on the processor. It is important not to release the button until the screen is turned off or vibration appears.
- 🔌 Press the power button and hold it until the logo appears.
- 🔋 If the device doesn’t respond, try pressing the power and volume buttons (up or down) at the same time).
- ⏳ Don’t let go of the buttons, even if it seems like the phone has frozen permanently – the process can take up to 30 seconds.
Sometimes the system can request a confirmation of action or show the Recovery menu. If a menu with a choice of language or options appears, this means that the phone has moved to recovery mode, in which case you need to select "Reboot" or "Reboot to System" using the volume buttons for navigation and the power button for confirmation.
☑️ Algorithm of actions when hanging
Using Recovery Mode to Reboot
Recovery Mode is a separate micro-system, sewn into the device’s memory independently of the main operating system, and is designed to diagnose, update, and, of course, reboot the device when it is not possible to boot normally.
To enter this mode, you need to turn off the device (if possible) or perform a forced reboot, but at the right time change the combination of actions. Usually you need to press the power button and the volume button at the same time. You need to hold them until the MI logo appears, after which the power button can be released, continuing to hold the volume button.
In the Recovery menu, you only have physical buttons, volume buttons move the cursor up and down, and the power button performs the Enter function, and navigation is limited, but the functionality is sufficient for basic maintenance.
| Menu option | Function | Security of data |
|---|---|---|
| Reboot | Normal system reboot | Data saved |
| Wipe Data | Full reset to factory settings | All data deleted |
| Connect with MIAssistant | Firmware mode via PC | Depends on the action. |
| Safe Mode | Downloading with disabled third-party applications | Data saved |
⚠️ Warning: Be extremely careful in the Recovery menu. Selecting the Wipe Data option will lead to the permanent removal of all user files, contacts and settings.
Selecting Reboot will start a normal Android boot, but if the system is critically damaged, this mode may be the only way to save the device from an endless reboot cycle known as bootloop. In some cases, it is useful to clear the cache before rebooting, although in newer versions of MIUI this option is often hidden or combined with a full reset.
What happens if the Recovery Mode does not open?
Reboot via ADB and computer
For advanced users who have access to a computer and have the Android Debug Bridge (ADB) toolkit installed, it opens up the possibility of controlling the smartphone at a deep level, a technique that is especially useful when the touch screen is broken but the system is partially working, or when the button is faulty.
The pre-debugging mode on the phone should be enabled via USB. This is done in the "Developers" section, which is activated by seven times pressing the build number in the "About Phone" menu. Once the cable is connected to the PC and the connection is authorized on the smartphone screen, you can send commands.
To perform the reboot, the following command is used, which must be entered into the computer command line:
adb rebootThis command initiates a soft reboot, similar to the choice of an item on the menu. ADB-connection stable, you can try the command to reboot to recovery mode:
adb reboot recovery- 💻 Make sure that the Xiaomi drivers are installed on the computer and ADB.
- 🔌 Use quality. USB-cable that supports data transfer, not just charging.
- 📱 Allow debugging on USB on the pop-up window on the smartphone screen at the first connection.
Using ADB gives you complete control over the device, allowing you not only to reboot it, but also to diagnose the state of memory partitions. However, for the average user, this method can seem difficult, so it is recommended to resort to it only if physical control buttons are unavailable.
Automatic reboot on schedule
The MIUI shell and the new HyperOS have an integrated auto-maintenance feature that allows you to adjust the device’s periodic reboot, a highly useful option for those who want to keep the smartphone in optimal condition without the need for constant manual intervention.
To activate this feature, you need to go to settings, find the section "Battery and performance" or "Advanced settings." There you should find the item "Planned on and off." In this menu, you can set specific times and days of the week when the phone will reboot itself.
Automatic reboot is useful because it happens when you're most likely asleep or not using your phone, and it shuts down all the processes, clears the app cache, and starts over again, preventing error accumulation and slowing down the interface over time.
⚠️ Warning: When setting up an automatic reboot, make sure that the phone is not used for important background tasks such as downloading large files or navigating during this time.
It is recommended to set the restart time for night hours, for example, at 3:00 or 4:00 a.m. During this time, user activity is minimal, and the presence of battery power is usually guaranteed if the phone is on charge.
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Automatic overnight reboot is the best way to keep Xiaomi’s smartphone running at high performance without daily manual controls.
Solving the Problems of Cyclical Reset
Sometimes, a user is faced with a situation where the Xiaomi phone constantly reboots on its own, not allowing you to log in to the menu, a phenomenon called bootloop and can be caused by application conflict, damage to system files or a battery failure.
The first step in solving this problem is to try to boot into Safe Mode, in which the operating system only runs with basic drivers and system applications, ignoring all user software, and if the phone is stable in Safe Mode, then the problem lies in one of the installed applications.
To enter Safe Mode, you usually need to press the volume button during normal boot, immediately after the MI logo appears, and hold it until full load. The screen in the corner will show "Safe Mode" and you can remove newly installed or suspicious programs from here.
- 🚫 Remove applications installed immediately before the problems start.
- 🧹 Clean the storage if it is more than 90%.
- 🔄 Check for system updates that may contain bug fixes.
Even if the reboot cycle continues in safe mode, there is a possible hardware problem or critical firmware damage, which may require flashing the device through the computer using the Mi Flash Tool utility or contacting a service center to diagnose the motherboard.