Modern Android smartphones, including Xiaomi devices, are complex computing systems that require periodic updates to maintain a stable operating state. Even with a powerful processor and a large amount of RAM, background processes can accumulate errors, cache files occupy a critical volume, and applications conflict with each other.
However, users often face situations where the usual algorithm of actions does not work, and the screen remains black or the image freezes at one point. Understanding the various methods of rebooting allows the owner of the device not to panic and quickly restore the functionality of their Xiaomi, Redmi or POCO. In this material, we will discuss in detail all existing ways to restart the system, from regular to emergency.
It is important to distinguish between soft reset and full reboot, as they affect the current state of RAM and running services differently. A regular shutdown through the menu allows the system to correctly complete all background tasks and save user data, whereas a hardware reset is used in critical situations. Forced reboot does not delete personal data, photos or contacts, it only cuts the power to the processor and starts the bootloader again.
Staff reboot through the settings menu
The most common and safe method of restarting a device is suitable for daily use and routine maintenance of the system. This method ensures that all system processes are completed correctly, and the file system is not damaged by a sudden power outage. To perform this operation, you need to unlock the smartphone screen and find on the desktop or in the application menu the Settings icon, which usually looks like a gear.
Once you enter the system settings menu, scroll down to the bottom of the list, where the phone and additional features are traditionally located. Depending on the version of the MIUI or HyperOS shell, the off button can either be in the "About Phone" item or be removed to a separate section at the bottom of the settings list. Click on the appropriate icon, you will see the menu with options where you need to select "Reboot" or "Off" and then confirm the action.
Some users prefer to use desktop widgets for quick access to power management. If there is no switch off button on the home screen, you can add it through the widget menu by holding your finger in the blank space of the screen and selecting the desired add-on, which is especially convenient for those who are used to restarting the device daily to clean up the RAM from garbage.
Hardware reboot of the power button
If the touch screen is delayed or the interface is completely locked, physical control buttons come to the rescue. The mechanical power button located on the side of the case is the main tool for interacting with the bootloader of the device. Short pressing this button in the working state of the smartphone causes the lock menu or the off menu, where you can also choose the reboot option.
In situations where the touchscreen is not responding to touch, but the system is partially functional, you can use a combination of buttons to call the recovery menu. However, if the screen is completely black or the image is frozen, you will need a forced restart method, this requires you to pinch the power button and hold it for a long time, ignoring the vibration or logo until the device goes out and starts to boot again.
The length of time a button is held can vary depending on the Redmi or Xiaomi model. Some devices only have 10 seconds, others can take up to 20 seconds. It is important not to release the button at the first vibration, as this may be just a signal of a long press to call the voice assistant, not a command to reboot.
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If a short tap of the power button calls Google or XiaoAI voice assistant instead of the off menu, change this behavior in the settings: Settings → Additional Features → Buttons → A brief tap of the power button.
Forced restart of a suspended smartphone
When Xiaomi phone stops responding to any action, it is called a “freeze” or system freeze. at this point, the Android operating system can not process user input due to buffer overflow or driver conflict. The only way out in this situation is a hardware reset, which is initiated at the level of a low-level power controller, bypassing software locks.
⚠️ Note: Forced reboot is only used in emergency cases, and frequent use of this method can lead to accelerated wear of flash memory and potential loss of unsaved data in open applications.
To perform a hard reset, you need to press the power button and hold it continuously for 15-20 seconds. Some Xiaomi smartphones with a non-removable battery may require simultaneous pressing of the power button and the volume button. The device must vibrate, after which the screen will go out, and in a few seconds the Mi or Redmi logo will appear.
If the phone is not showing signs of life after 20-30 seconds of button retention, it may be a deep battery discharge or a hardware malfunction of the motherboard, in which case it is recommended to connect the device to the original charger and wait at least 15-20 minutes, after which you repeat the forced reboot procedure without turning off the power cable.
☑️ Actions when getting stuck
Using Recovery Mode for Resetting
Recovery mode is a special diagnostic partition in the memory of the smartphone that allows you to perform system operations regardless of the main Android interface. You can get into this mode even if the system does not boot to the end, which makes it an indispensable tool for resuscitating the device.
To enter the recovery menu, you first need to turn off the smartphone completely. Then you need to simultaneously press the power button and the Volume Up button. Hold both buttons until the Mi logo appears, after which the power button can be released, continuing to hold the volume button until the menu appears in English. Navigation in this menu is carried out by the volume buttons, and the choice of item is made by the power button.
In the Recovery menu, we're interested in the Reboot option, which is where you select Reboot to System, which triggers a regular reboot of the phone, and if the system is critically damaged, users sometimes resort to the Wipe Data option, but this action will completely delete all data from the device, returning it to factory settings.
| Action. | Volume button Up | Volume button Down | Power button |
|---|---|---|---|
| Navigation on the menu | Climb up | Descent down. | Not used. |
| Selection of a paragraph | Not used. | Not used. | Confirmation (OK) |
| Exit from the menu | Select Reboot | Select Reboot | Confirm the choice |
| Cancellation | Not used. | Not used. | Long press (sometimes) |
Reboot via computer and ADB
For advanced users and developers, it is possible to control a Xiaomi smartphone via a computer using the ADB (Android Debug Bridge) toolkit. This method is especially useful when the touch screen is broken, but the system is working, or when the phone is connected to a PC for debugging. To use this method, you must pre-enable the USB debugging mode in the Developer menu on the phone itself.
After connecting the smartphone to the computer through USB-You can use the cable and the driver setup, you can open the command line or the terminal on your PC, and by typing in the adb device command, you can check if your computer sees your device, and if the list shows the serial number of a device with the status of "device", the connection is successfully established.
To perform the reboot, the following command is used, which must be entered in the terminal:
adb rebootOnce you press the Enter key, the smartphone will immediately start the reboot process, a software-like technique that works at the system command level, so it is safe for user data.
What if the ADB can’t see the phone?
Frequent problems and their solution
Despite the simplicity of the procedure, users may experience various anomalies during the reboot process, such as the phone can reboot indefinitely, logging into a so-called bootloop, often after a failed system update or installing incompatible software, in which cases a simple reboot will not help, and deeper intervention will be required.
Another common problem is heating the device during or immediately after a reboot.This is normal, as the processor and communication modules are intense when services start.However, if the phone remains hot for a long time in downtime, this may indicate a battery malfunction or background process that cannot be completed.
⚠️ Warning: If the phone continues to behave unstable after a restart, try removing newly installed apps or resetting to factory settings, pre-saving a data backup.
If the battery is below 10-15%, the system can block the on or reboot to protect data, in which case the battery indicator may flash on the screen, and the device will not respond to the buttons before connecting to the charger.
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Stable operation of the smartphone after restarting depends not only on the software settings, but also on the technical condition of the battery and the absence of physical damage to components.