You hit the reboot button on your Xiaomi, Redmi or POCO, but instead of the usual 20-30 seconds, it's been a few minutes and the brand logo is still spinning on the screen? This problem is familiar to many owners of devices based on MIUI — especially after firmware updates or prolonged use of a smartphone. In most cases, a slow reboot is not a critical malfunction, but it is not worth ignoring: it can be the first signal of more serious problems with hardware or software.
In this article, we will take a closer look at all the possible reasons why your Xiaomi smartphone is slowing down when turned on, from a harmless overloaded cache to hardware failures. You will learn how to diagnose the problem yourself, which settings should be checked first, and when it really is time to carry the device to the service center. And for the most impatient, immediately give a list of 3 quick actions that will speed up the reboot in 70% of cases (see the section “Emergency measures”).
1.Cache overload and application data: the main cause of brakes
The most common reason for a long reboot is clogged system cache and residual files from remote applications, because MIUI uses caching to speed up the interface, but over time, these temporary files accumulate, fragment and begin to conflict with each other, especially on devices with 32-64 GB of memory, where free space quickly runs out.
How does it manifest itself? A smartphone can either freeze during bootanimation or take a long time to think after the desktop appears. In system logs (Settings → Phone → Error Report), errors like android.systemui or com.miui.home are common in these cases.
- 📱 Symptoms: reboot takes 2-5 minutes, after turning on the application for a long time open, the system “suppresses».
- 🔧 Solution: Cleaning the cache through Settings → Annexes → Application management → Cash (select "Clean it all up»).
- ⚠️ Exception: Do not clear the cache for system applications like com.android.phone or com.miui.securitycenter – this can disrupt your phone.
If standard cleaning didn’t work, try a deeper procedure through Recovery Mode.
- Turn off the phone.
- Press the Power button + Volume up until the Mi logo appears.
- In the recovery menu, select Wipe & Reset → Wipe Cache (use volume buttons for navigation, power for selection).
⚠️ Warning: Don't confuse Wipe Cache with Wipe Data! The second option will reset your phone to factory settings and delete all your data.
2. MIUI Updates: Why firmware slows down loading
After installing a new MIUI update (especially larger versions like the transition from MIUI 12 to MIUI 14), many users experience a 2 to 3-fold increase in reboot time.
- 🔄 Re-indexes the file system (mediaserver process can load the processor 100% to 10 minutes).
- 📦 Optimize applications for the new version of Android (dexopt process).
- 🔒 Recollects data for encryption (on devices with encryption) FBE — File-Based Encryption).
The normal time for the first reboot after an update is up to 5-7 minutes. If the process took longer, the update may have been installed with errors.
| Sign of a Problem Update | What do you do? |
|---|---|
| Phone "hangs" on the Mi logo for more than 10 minutes | Forced reboot (clip Power + Volume down 15 seconds) |
| After the inclusion of the error Android is starting | Clear the Dalvik cache via TWRP or reset settings |
| Apps are massively out with the error com.android.phone | Reverse to the previous version of the firmware via Fastboot |
If the update is correct, but the reboot is still slow, wait for 2-3 on/off cycles – the system should “settle down”, and disabling the auto-optimization MIUI function in the battery settings will also help.
3. Hardware problems: when the "iron" is to blame
If the cache cleaning and flashing didn't work, the problem could be in the hardware, and it's often the fault of:
- 💾 Damaged flash memory (eMMC/UFS): wear on memory cells leads to slow reading/write. Check the health of the drive through the app AIDA64 (storage → The value of the Reallocated Sector Count above is considered critical. 10.
- 🔋 Worn-out battery: at a discharge below 15%, the power controller can artificially slow down the load to avoid a sudden shutdown. Replace the battery if its capacity has fallen below 80% of its nominal value.
- 🔌 Faulty power connector: oxidized contacts or damaged cables USB can cause voltage drawdowns during booting, which leads to multiple system restarts.
To diagnose hardware problems:
- Connect your phone to the original cable and check the reboot time, and if it's shortened, it's a battery or power supply problem.
- Run the memory test using the Mi Flash Tool (EDL mode), and if the Sahara Connection Failed error appears, it is a sign of problems with the eMMC.
- Listen to your phone while you boot, and extraneous sounds (clicking, squeaking) may indicate a motherboard malfunction.
⚠️ Warning: If the phone restarts in a loop (bootloop) and doesn't reach the desktop, don't try to flash it through Fastboot without backing up.
How to check the health of flash memory without root
4. Conflicts between Google apps and services
Many Xiaomi users experience a phone that takes a long time to reboot after installing certain apps or updating Google services, most often the culprits are:
- 🛡️ Antiviruses and optimizers: Clean Master, 360 Security, Avast can block system processes that are responsible for fast booting.
- 🔄 Launchers from third-party developers: Nova Launcher, Microsoft Launcher sometimes conflict with com.miui.home.
- 📊 Google Play Services: Updates to Google Play Services or Google Play Store often “break” the optimization of downloads in the Internet MIUI.
To identify the problem application:
- Boot in Safe Mode (hold Power → Click Power Down until a request appears) This mode only runs system applications.
- If the reboot goes quickly, it's one of the apps you installed that's to blame.
- Check logs via adb logcat (team: adb logcat | grep -i "boot"). E/ActivityManager tag errors will indicate a conflicting process.
Applications that request SU (superuser) rights or use the Accessibility Service are particularly problematic, and revoking these permissions can return normal download speeds.
Remove all optimizers and antiviruses
Disable third-party launchers
Update Google Play Services to the latest version
Check logs after each reboot-->
5 Developer settings and hidden MIUI settings
Some of the options in the Developer Menu** can significantly affect the speed of the reboot, such as:
- ⚡ Windows animation: if acceleration is enabled ×0.5 or Transition animation ×0.5, the system spends extra time rendering.
- 🔄 Background Processes: Limiting processes to 2-3 causes the system to restart services when booting.
- 📶 Debugging mode by USB: if it's on, MIUI additionally checks the connection to the PC, which increases the boot time by 10-15 seconds.
To optimize the settings:
- Open Settings → About Phone → MIUI version (click 7 times to activate the developer menu).
- Go to Settings → More → For developers and install: Windows animation: ×1 (or off) Transition animation: ×1 (or off) Process limit: Standard USB debugging limitation: Turned off (if not used)
- Turn off the Notification Blinking Indicator – it can also slow down the load on some models.
On devices with MIUI 13+, it is also worth disabling the Memory Extension function (extension of RAM due to flash memory), since it increases the load on the drive when booting.
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If after changes to the developer menu, the phone began to restart even longer, reset the settings of this menu to the standard: Settings → Additional → For developers → Reset settings.
6. Viruses and malware: a hidden threat
Malware, especially those masquerading as system services (e.g., com.android.system or com.qualcomm.qti), can modify the bootloader files, resulting in a looped reboot or a significant increase in its time.
- 🕵️♂️ Unknown processes appear in the settings → Annexes → Launched (e.g. com.sec.android on Xiaomi – a clear virus).
- 📥 The phone spontaneously downloads files to the Download folder.
- 🔋 Battery discharges by 20-30% per hour in standby mode.
For testing and treatment:
- Install Malwarebytes or Dr.Web Light and scan the system in safe mode.
- Check the /system/bin folder for suspicious files (e.g. su, busybox if you haven't rooted your phone).
- If the virus blocks access to settings, run your phone through Fastboot with a full clean (fastboot erase userdata).
The most dangerous viruses for Xiaomi are Triada, HiddenAds, and FakeApp. They can replace system libraries, which causes boot failures, and if antivirus doesn’t work, the only reliable way is to completely reflash the data formatting.
⚠️ Note: Do not use "cleaners" like this SD Maid or CCleaner to remove viruses – they often delete critical system files, which only makes the problem worse.
7. Emergency measures: what to do if the phone “hangs” while loading
If your Xiaomi has been hanging on the logo for 10+ minutes and does not respond to buttons, follow this algorithm:
Forced reboot (Food + Volume down 15 seconds)
Connecting to charge (sometimes helps with a discharged battery)
Download in Safe Mode (hold Volume down when turned on)
Cache reset via Recovery (Wipe Cache)
Fastboot flashing (if nothing helps)-->
If the phone is still loaded but is not working properly:
- Immediately back up the data through Settings → Additional → Backup.
- Check firmware integrity: enter the command in the terminal (Termux or adb shell): su -c "md5sum /system/build.prop" Compare the hash with the official one on the Xiaomi website.
- If the firmware is damaged, run your phone through the Mi Flash Tool with the Clean All option option.
For models POCO F3/F4 Redmi Note 10/11 There is a separate instruction for recovery through EDL-mode, but it requires an authorized Xiaomi account and a special cable.
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If the phone is bootlooped, DO NOT try to stitch it through Recovery - this can lead to a "brick." Use only Fastboot or EDL.