Users of Xiaomi, Redmi and Poco smartphones often face situations where standard navigation stops working as expected.The question of how to exit the menu can imply completely different scenarios, from the banal closure of the Settings app to exiting the hidden engineering mode or the Recovery recovery menu. Understanding the context of the current situation on the screen is the first step to solving the problem.
The interface of the MIUI shell and the new HyperOS has its own control features that can confuse a beginner. For example, a standard home button or a swipe from the bottom up does not always return the user to the original position if a specific debugging mode is activated or a system process with increased privileges is started. Navigation in the Android system is based on certain gestures and commands, ignoring which leads to the feeling of “stuck” in one of the sections.
In this article, we will look at all possible scenarios where you have to leave the current screen, forcefully or permanently. We will look at the usual main screen, CIT engineering menu, recovery mode and even when the device is completely frozen. The fastest way to exit most system menus is to press the power button for 10-15 seconds for a long time. However, to save data or correctly complete processes, it is better to use software methods, which will be discussed below.
Standard navigation and window management in MIUI
For most users, “exiting the menu” means simply closing the settings window or returning to the desktop. In the Android operating system that runs Xiaomi smartphones, system navigation is responsible for this. If you are in the Settings menu or any other application, exit is done in standard ways, depending on the type of control you choose.
There are two main types of navigation: button and gesture. In button control, virtual buttons are located at the bottom of the screen. To exit the current section to a level higher or close the application, you need to press the back button (triangle) or home button (circle/square in the center). In some versions of MIUI, the application menu button may differ, but the logic remains the same: a brief press returns to the desktop, long press closes all background processes.
If you use gesture control, the mechanics change. A swipe from the bottom up in the center of the screen sends you to the desktop, and a swipe from the bottom up with a delay in the center opens up the menu of recent apps. To exit the settings menu, just swipe from the bottom edge of the screen up, which is similar to pressing the physical home button on older models.
Sometimes the user may accidentally activate a One-Hand or Smooth Window mode, which changes the behavior of the interface. In this case, a simple touch may not work as expected. To exit the floating window, you need to press the cross in the corner of the window or drag it down until the closing zone appears. If standard methods do not work, the SystemUI system process may have failed.
It's worth noting that in newer versions of HyperOS, window-closing animations have become smoother, but sometimes this creates the illusion of a delayed reaction. If you press the exit button but nothing happens visually for 2-3 seconds, you don't panic and click repeatedly. This can lead to many copies of the application being opened. System response can be slowed by background processes.
Exit from the engineering menu and CIT mode
One of the most common reasons for turning to the topic of exiting the menu is the accidental hit in the engineering mode or equipment testing menu, known as the CIT (Customer Integration Test), which is designed for factory diagnostics and contains many technical parameters that should not be changed by the average user.
To leave the CIT menu, you usually need to find the Exit or Back button at the bottom of the screen. However, if the screen is touch-sensitive and does not respond to touch (which sometimes happens when testing the display), you can exit with hardware buttons. On most Redmi and Xiaomi models, the combination of the down Volume and Power buttons (short press) may not work, since in this mode the input is intercepted.
- 📱 Press the “Back” or “Exit” button in the test interface if the sensor is working.
- 🔋 Press the power button on 10-15 Seconds for forced reboot if the screen is unresponsive.
- ⚙️ Use the combination of Volume up + Volume down simultaneously to attempt exit (works on some models).
- 🔌 Connect the device to the charger, which sometimes resets the focus from the test application.
⚠️ WARNING: While on the engineering menu, avoid pressing buttons that say "Write," "Burn" or "Flash" -- features designed to flash calibration data and can irrevocably disrupt communication modules or cameras.
If you're logged into the menu through a secret code (e.g. ##64663##), the system prioritizes this process. Getting out through Task Manager won't work here. The only sure way to get back to normal is to reboot. If the touch screen completely ignores touch and volume buttons don't help, there's only the option of waiting for battery life to run or the forced Hard Reset buttons, which will be discussed in the Recovery section.
How to get into the CIT menu by accident?
Exit from Recovery and Fastboot mode
The situation when Xiaomi smartphone is hanging in the menu Recovery (Main Menu) or Fastboot, is more serious. In Recovery mode you will see the logo MI or Xiaomi and a list of items in English or Chinese, control is carried out by the volume buttons (up/down for moving) and the power button (to confirm the choice), exit from here is required if the phone spontaneously left this mode or you entered it by mistake.
To exit Main Menu Recovery, you need to select Reboot and then Reboot to System. If the menu is in Chinese, look for the characters corresponding to the reboot (usually the first item). Moving through the menu is by volume buttons, choosing with a short press of the power button. It is important not to confuse this mode with Fastboot, where the screen shows a hare in a hat-eared, repairing an android.
☑️ Algorithm of exit from Recovery
In Fastboot mode, control is even more limited. To exit it, you need to press the power button and hold it for 10-20 seconds. The screen should go out, after which the device will start a standard boot. If holding the power button does not help, you can try to connect the phone to a computer with the Mi Flash Tool installed and press the Stop or Reboot button in the program interface, but this is rarely required.
| Regime. | Appearance | Management | Action for exit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Recovery | Black background, orange/blue menu | Loudness + Nutrition | Reboot -> System |
| Fastboot | Hare in Uschank and android | Only food (containment) | Power retention 15 seconds |
| CIT/Engineering | List of equipment tests | Sensor/Buttons | Exit button or reboot |
| Safe Mode | The sign "Safe Mode" in the corner | Standard. | Reboot via the menu |
Special attention should be paid to cyclic reboot, when the phone constantly tries to exit Recovery, but returns there again. This indicates damage to system files or conflict updates. In this case, a simple exit will not help, you will need to clean up data (Wipe Data) or flash. Safe mode system can also be mistaken for freezing, but you can exit it by simply restarting through the power menu.
Solving problems with the suspended interface and sensor
There are times when you are formally in the main menu or desktop, but the interface does not respond to the commands to "get out" of applications or open the notification curtain. The screen can burn, but be "dead" to touch. This often indicates an overload of RAM or a failure of the launcher process. In such situations, standard navigation methods are powerless.
The first step is to try to trigger a forced reboot menu. On modern Xiaomi smartphones with the screen off or in working condition, simultaneously pressing the power and volume up buttons (on some models, Volume down) for 10 seconds causes a reboot. If the screen reacts partially, try calling the Google Assistant or Xiao AI voice assistant with the voice command “Reset the phone.”
- 🔄 Perform a “soft” reboot: press the power button 10 seconds before vibration.
- 🔋 Reduce the battery: If the buttons don't work, leave the phone to full battery drain.
- ❄️ Cooling: If the phone overheats, the sensor may lock; let it cool for 15 minutes.
- 🔌 Connecting to a PC: sometimes connecting to a computer through USB Changes the status of the device and “revives” the sensor.
⚠️ Attention: If the sensor stops working after moisture or impact, trying to push buttons or connect charging can aggravate the short circuit.
If the problem is software, it can help to log into Safe Mode, so when you turn on your phone (after the MI logo appears), you need to press the volume button, in this mode only system applications load, and if the menu is working normally in Safe Mode, then the problem is in the third-party application that you need to remove.
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If the sensor is partially working, try connecting. USB-mouse-over OTG. This will allow you to control the cursor on the screen and save important data or exit the hanging app if the buttons are physically broken.
Using ADB to exit system menus
For advanced users who have USB debugging enabled on their smartphone, there is a powerful tool called ADB (Android Debug Bridge), which allows you to send commands to the system directly from your computer without a broken interface, and it's the perfect way to get off the menu if the sensor doesn't work and the buttons don't respond.
To use this method, you need to connect your phone to a computer that has ADB Driver and Platform Tools installed. Opening the command line or terminal, you can send a command to close the current application or restart the interface. This is especially useful if you are stuck in the settings menu that does not close.
adb shell input keyevent 3The command above emulates the press of the home button, returning you to the desktop. If you want to close the application, the command is used:
adb shell am kill-allOr a softer version of the interface reboot:
adb shell restart system_serverUsing ADB requires pre-training, but is the most reliable software method for managing a dead phone. However, unless USB debugging was included in the Developer Menu in advance, this method unfortunately will not work, leaving only hardware reset methods.
Prevention of hangings and navigation settings
To keep the question of “how to exit the menu” from getting up regularly, you need to adjust the system settings correctly. MIUI and HyperOS have features that can conflict with navigation. For example, Pocket mode or Lock Gestures sometimes interpret touches incorrectly. Check the settings in Settings → Lock screen and turn off unnecessary features.
It is also recommended to regularly clean the system cache and remove unused applications. Overflowing memory is a common cause of interface freezes. Use the built-in Security app to optimize memory. Do not install applications from dubious sources, as they may contain codecs that conflict with the system launcher.
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Regularly cleaning RAM and updating system components through the Google Play Store (My Apps section) reduces the likelihood of an interface freeze by 80%.
If you often use specific applications that require specific permissions, set them up correctly. Limiting background activity of heavy applications will prevent situations when the phone stops responding to commands due to lack of processor resources. Watch the temperature of the device: overheating is the enemy of stable touchscreen performance.