The situation when the main screen on the Xiaomi smartphone stops showing, causes panic in any owner. Instead of the usual icons of applications and widgets, the user can see a black screen, endless loading or a suspended system shell MIUI. Most often the problem lies in the software failure of the launcher, which is responsible for visualizing the workspace, or in the conflict of recently installed applications.
Recovery of a device is possible even without deep knowledge of programming, if you act consistently. In most cases, the system launcher simply "flys" out of memory, and its forced restart solves the problem in seconds, but there are more complex scenarios that require cleaning the cache or a complete reset of data.
Before we start taking any drastic measures, we need to rule out the trivial causes, such as battery drain or mechanical damage to the display, if the screen responds to touch, but the image is incorrect, or if the phone turns on but there is no interface, then it's the software part, and it's critical not to panic and not to try to disassemble the device right away, because 90 percent of the problems are solved by software.
Diagnostics of the problem: black screen or launcher failure
The first step in restoring access to the desktop is to accurately determine the nature of the malfunction. If the display is black, but the phone vibrates when it rings or makes notification sounds, the problem may be in the display module or the plume. In the case that the phone is working, but you only see the Mi or Android logo, we are dealing with a "bootloop" (cyclic reboot).
Often users confuse the system failure with a discharged battery. Leave the device on charge for at least 30-40 minutes, even if the indicator does not light up immediately. Modern lithium polymer batteries in Redmi and Poco smartphones can go into a deep discharge, taking time to activate the power controller.
If the screen lights up but doesn't have icons, and only the wallpaper or black background is likely to have dropped the System Launcher process. This is the standard behavior of the MIUI shell when there is a lack of RAM or a critical error in the application code, in which case the system often allows you to enter the settings menu or call the task manager, even if the desktop is not visible.
⚠️ Warning: If the phone flashes different colors or shows vertical stripes, it is a sign of physical damage to the matrix or plume.
To test the response of the touchscreen, try taking a screenshot with a key combination or running a voice assistant. If the phone responds to commands but does not draw the interface, the problem is localized to the graphics driver or launcher, which is the most favorable scenario, allowing you to return the main screen without losing data.
Forced reboot and entry into safe mode
The easiest and most effective way to return the main screen to Xiaomi is to perform a full system restart. Unlike a conventional shutdown, a forced restart clears RAM and restarts all system processes, including System UI. This requires you to pinch the power button and hold it for 10-15 seconds until the device vibrates and the logo appears.
If the problem persists after the reboot, a third-party application may cause conflict, in which case you need to launch the smartphone in Safe Mode. In this mode, Android only loads with system applications, which allows you to identify the culprit of the failure. To enter this mode on most Xiaomi models, you need to press the volume button when the logo appears.
- 🔄 Reboot: Press the power button on 10-15 seconds before vibration.
- 🛡️ Safe Mode: When booting, press the volume button "Down".
- 🔋 Deep charging: Leave your phone on charging for 1 hour when off.
- 📱 Touchscreen Check: Use engineering menu codes or voice commands.
If the icons and widgets are displayed correctly, then there is a problem in one of the applications you installed, you will need to remove recently downloaded programs or those that have the rights to display on top of other windows.
Resetting the launcher settings through the settings menu
If you have access to the settings menu (for example, through the notification curtain or voice search), you can try resetting the settings of the launcher itself. This action will return the desktop to a factory state: reset the positions of icons, widgets and grid settings, but personal files (photos, contacts) will remain intact.
To do this, go to Settings, then select Apps and find All Apps in the top right corner, click three dots and select Show System Processes. Find System Launcher or MIUI Home in the list.
Inside the app menu, click on the Clean (Blower icon) button and select Clear Everything or Reset. After that, the system may suggest selecting a new launcher, confirm the choice of the system one. If the main screen does not appear immediately, reboot the device.
☑️ Actions in case of launcher failure
In some versions of MIUI, the path may be different, so if you can't find the menu you want, search by settings, type the word "launcher" or "home" into the search box, and the system will suggest the item, which is especially true for global firmware versions where menu names can be translated.
Using Recovery Mode to Reset Data
When the interface is completely unavailable and you can’t enter the settings, the only way to return the main screen is through Recovery Mode. This is a low-level mode built into every Xiaomi smartphone. It’s important to understand: a full reset (Wipe Data) will delete all user data, including photos, contacts and messages, so use this method only as a last resort.
To enter recovery mode, turn off the phone completely. Then simultaneously press the Power and Volume buttons up. Hold them until the Mi logo appears, then release the power button, keep the volume up. In a few seconds, the Main Menu menu with English interface will appear.
Navigation in this menu is done with volume buttons (up/down), and the choice is confirmed by the power button. You need to select Wipe Data, then Wipe All Data and confirm the action by selecting Confirm. The process will take a few minutes, after which the phone will prompt you to return to the main menu (Back to Main Menu) and select Reboot.
| Action. | Keyboard combination | The result |
|---|---|---|
| Entrance to Recovery | Food + Volume Up | Recovery menu (Main Menu) |
| Entrance to Fastboot | Food + Volume Down | Firmware mode (hare with android) |
| Forced restart | Food (10-15 seconds) | System restart |
| Screenshot. | Food + Volume Down | Screen image preservation |
⚠️ Note: Before you run Wipe Data, make sure you remember the password from your Google and Mi Account. After reset, the phone will require authorization to accounts that were previously synced (theft protection) FRP).
If the main screen appears after the data reset, but the problem recurs after a while, the partition with user data may be broken or there is a hardware memory defect, in which case it is recommended to flash the device through the computer.
Interface reassembly and system update
Sometimes, to return the main screen, it is enough to simply update the system components of Google Play or the MIUI shell itself. Go to Settings → About the phone and click on the system version. If an update is available, install it. Often developers release patches that correct critical launcher errors.
Also worth checking for updates for system applications through the Google Play Store. Click on your profile avatar and select App and Device Management. Update all available components, especially those related to Google services and system services.