How to get out of the bootloom on Xiaomi without losing data: 5 working ways

Your Xiaomi is stuck on the MI logo or is it rebooting indefinitely? It's a classic bootloop, where the system can't complete the boot and gets stuck early. 90% of the time, the problem is caused by a failed update, firmware failure or application conflict. The main fear of users in this situation is the loss of personal data: photos, messages and settings. But the good news is that in 78% of cases, the bootloops on Xiaomi can be fixed without a full reset, saving all files.

In this article, we will discuss 5 proven methods of exiting looped boot, from the simplest (reboot in safe mode) to advanced (manual recovery via fastboot). All instructions are adapted for modern Xiaomi, Redmi and POCO models (2020-2026 release) and do not require unlocking the bootloader. If you are not a technician, do not worry: each step is illustrated in detail and contains warnings about possible risks.

Before you start, answer one question: Does your smartphone respond to buttons being pressed (vibrates, the screen lights up) or is it completely dead?

1.Diagnostics of the cause of the bootloop: why the smartphone is stuck on the boot

Bootloop rarely occurs "just like that," and in 85 percent of cases, there are four key causes, and identifying them will help you choose the best way to recover:

• 🔄 Failed Software Update: Interrupted Firmware Through OTA manually installing an incompatible version MIUI. Frequently found on the Redmi Note 10/11 and POCO X3/X4 post-update MIUI 14+.
• 📱 Application Conflict: Installation of Modified Applications APK, root rights or incompatible services (e.g. Google Camera on older chipsets).
• 🔋 Hardware failure: Damage to the boot or system partition due to a sudden power outage during data recording.
• 🛠️ Misreset: Interrupted factory reset via Recovery or third-party utilities like Mi Flash Tool.

How do you know what happened? Notice how your smartphone behaves.

⚠️ Warning: If the bootloop occurred after a phone drop or moisture hit, do not try to stitch the device! This can lead to complete loss of data due to damaged memory.

Method 1: Reboot in Safe Mode (for application conflicts)

If your smartphone reacts to buttons (vibrates, lights up), the first thing you should do is try running it in safe mode, which works when the bootloop is caused by third-party apps or a damaged cache.

Instructions for Xiaomi/Redmi/POCO:

1. Turn off the phone (press Power + Volume up for 10-15 seconds).
2. Hold on until the MI logo appears.
3. Once the logo appears, press and hold the Volume button down until you see the Safe Mode label at the bottom of the screen.

If the phone is loaded in safe mode:

• 📱 Remove recently installed applications (especially modified ones) APK ore-program).
• 🧹 Clear the cache in Settings → Warehouse → Clear the cache.
• 🔄 Restart your phone in normal mode.

Delete suspicious applications | Clear the system cache | Disable program boot | Check for MIUI-->

⚠️ Warning: Safe mode disabled all third-party services, including Google Play Services. If after removing applications, the bootloop repeats, the problem lies deeper - in system files or firmware.

3. Method 2: Clearing the cache through Recovery (without data loss)

If Safe Mode doesn’t work, the next step is to clean up the partition cache through standard Recovery, which doesn’t delete user data (photos, messages, apps) but resets temporary files that can block downloads.

How to Sign In to Recovery on Xiaomi:

1. Turn off the phone.
2. Press Power + Volume up for 5-10 seconds until the Mi Bunny menu appears.
3. Select the language (volume buttons) and confirm the choice with the Power button.

On the Recovery menu:

1. Go to Wipe & Reset → Wipe Cache.
2. Confirm the cleanup (select Yes).
3. Once you have finished, click Reboot → Reboot to System.

If the phone still doesn’t boot after cleaning the cache, try resetting the APN settings (sometimes a network failure blocks the download):

1. In Recovery, select Advanced → Reset Network Settings.
2. Confirm the reset and restart the device.

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Cleaning the cache through Recovery is the safest method, as it does not affect user data, but it only helps with “mild” failures that are not related to damage to system partitions.

Method 3: Recovery through Mi Assistant (official tool)

For Xiaomi 2021 and newer models (e.g. Redmi Note 12, Xiaomi 13, POCO F5), the company has released the official Mi Assistant utility, which allows you to restore the system without unlocking the bootloader and losing data. This method works even if the phone does not turn on normally, but responds to a connection to a PC.

What you need:

• 🖥️ Windows computer 10/11 (64-bit).
• 🔌 Original. USB-cable (better from the set).
• 📥 Mi Assistant (download from the official website).

Step-by-step:

1. Install Mi Assistant and start the program.

⚠️ Note: If the Mi Assistant only offers Clean all and lock, it means that your model does not support data retention during recovery, in which case you will have to choose between the phone’s health and file loss.

Once the firmware is in place, the phone will restart. It can take up to 10 minutes to boot up the first time -- don't turn off the cable or interrupt the process!

5. Method 4: Manual recovery via fastboot (for experienced)

If previous methods failed, you can still use manual firmware via fastboot, which requires minimal technical skills, but allows you to restore the system without losing data if you choose the right commands.

What you need:

• 🖥️ PC with installed drivers ADB/Fastboot (You can download it on Android. SDK).
• 📁 Fastboot firmware for your model (look at xiaomifirmwareupdater.com or 4PDA).
• 🔌 Cable USB Type-C (preferably original).

Instructions:

1. Unpack the firmware in the platform-tools folder (where adb.exe and fastboot.exe lie).
2. Open the Command Prompt in this folder (Shift + PCM → Open the PowerShell window here).
3. Connect the phone in fastboot mode (press Power + Volume down when the device is turned off).
4. Check the connection command: fastboot devices should appear serial number of the device.
5. Run the firmware without data cleaning: fastboot flash boot.img fastboot flash dtbo dtbo.img fastboot reboot If the phone boots - the problem was in damaged boot sections.

If the boot and dtbo boot boot loop repeats after firmware, try to restore the system without formatting the userdata:

fastboot flash system system.img


fastboot flash vendor vendor.img




fastboot reboot

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Before you run through fastboot, be sure to check the firmware version!Installing a newer or older version of MIUI can cause the phone to fail completely (for example, on the Redmi Note 10 Pro, you can not flash MIUI for the Redmi Note 10, even if the chipsets are the same).

⚠️ Note: If there is an error in the process of firmware FAILED (remote: 'Partition not found', which means you're trying to flash incompatible firmware. Interrupt the process and find the right version for your model!

6. Method 5: Hardware Reset (last hope)

If none of these methods work, you get a hard reset, which unfortunately deletes all the data, but brings the phone back to life. Use it only as a last resort!

How to make a hard reset on Xiaomi:

1. Enter Recovery (clip the Power + Volume Up).
2. Choose Wipe Data → Wipe All Data.
3. Confirm the action (it may be necessary to enter a password if it was set).
4. After reset, select Reboot to System.

If the phone doesn’t respond to buttons and doesn’t go into Recovery, try resetting via fastboot:

fastboot erase userdata


fastboot erase cache




fastboot reboot

After a hard reset, the phone will be "like new."

• 🔑 Sign in to your Mi Account (if you have been linked).
• 📲 Restore data from a backup (if it was created in Mi Cloud).
• 🔄 Update the firmware to the latest version through Settings → The phone. → Updating the system.

7.How to avoid bootloop in the future: prevention

Bootloop on Xiaomi rarely happens on its own, and 95% of the time it can be prevented by following simple rules:

• 🔄 Update your firmware only through official channels: Use Settings → System Update or Mi Community. Avoid "custom" firmware if you're not sure it's compatible.
• 🔋 Do not interrupt the update: If the upgrade process took more than 20 minutes, do not pull the cable or turn off the phone.
• 📱 Clean the cache regularly: Once a month, go to Recovery and choose Wipe Cache, which prevents corrupted temporary files from accumulating.
• 🛡️ Use reliable sources for APK: Install apps only from Google Play or official stores. Modified versions (such as GBWhatsApp) often cause conflicts.
• 🔄 Backup: Regularly save important data to Mi Cloud or PC via Mi PC Suite.

If you like to experiment with firmware or root rights, unlock the bootloader in advance through the official Mi Unlock Tool.This will make it easier to restore the phone in the event of a crash.

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The most common reason for bootloops is an interrupted software update. Always make sure the battery is over 50% and the Internet connection is stable before starting firmware.

FAQ: Frequent questions about the bootloop on Xiaomi