Xiaomi Redmi 4 phone not turned on: full recovery instructions

Your Xiaomi Redmi 4 has stopped responding to the power button, the screen is still black, and the charging indicator is not on? Don't rush to bring the device to the service center - in 70% of cases, the problem can be solved yourself. This model, released in 2016, is still popular due to reliability, but even it is not immune to failures. The reasons can be different from a banal battery discharge to serious hardware malfunctions.

In this article, we will look at all possible scenarios for why Redmi 4 doesn’t turn on, from software glitches to physical damage, how to diagnose a problem, what manipulations are safe to perform at home, and when to contact the wizard, and pay special attention to the hidden “chips” of this model (for example, forced reboot through test points) and typical user errors that only aggravate the situation.

For convenience, we've divided the instructions into blocks by difficulty level, from basic actions (check charging) to advanced ones (firmware via Fastboot). If you're not sure about your skills, don't take risks, some operations can finally kill the phone. But if you're willing to act carefully, the chances of bringing Redmi 4 back to life are very high.

1. Diagnosis: Why is the phone not switched on?

Before you start repairing, you need to understand exactly what happened.The Xiaomi Redmi 4 may not turn on for two main reasons:

• 🔋 Power problems – dead battery, faulty cable/charger, oxidized contacts.
• 📱 Software failures – system freeze, damaged firmware, application conflict.
• 🔧 Hardware breakdowns - damaged motherboard, chip dump, short circuit.

Let’s start with the simplest – visual and tactile diagnosis:

1. Check the charging indicator: when connected to the network, it should light up red or orange, if not, there is a problem with the power or battery.
2. Listen to the phone: when charging serviceable Redmi 4 emits a light high-frequency squeak (if the battery is completely discharged, there will be no sound).
3. Heating the case: If the phone warms up when connected to charging, it is a sign of a short circuit or a power controller malfunction.

If the indicator doesn't burn, but the phone vibrates slightly when the cable is connected, most likely the problem is the damaged display plume (the screen doesn't show the picture, but the system works), in which case, try connecting the phone to the computer - if it is defined as a device, it is the display that is to blame.

2. Battery and charging: first steps

In 40% of cases, Redmi 4 is not turned on due to battery or charging problems.

• 🔌 Change the cable and adapter: use the original Xiaomi charger (5V/2A). Cheap cables often don’t provide the right current.
• 🔄 Try another power source: connect to a computer, power bank, or other adapter.
• 🔋 Clean the USB-Type C connector: take a toothpick and carefully remove dust/garbage!
• ⏳ Wait 30 to 60 minutes: If the battery is completely discharged, the charging indicator may not immediately light up.

If the phone is not responding to charging, but you are sure that the cable and adapter are working, try forced start:

1. Connect Redmi 4 to charge.
2. Press the Power + Volume button up for 15-20 seconds.
3. If the Mi logo appears, release the buttons. The phone has to boot.

If nothing happens, the problem may be in the power controller or the battery itself, in which case only a replacement battery or a board repair will help. On Redmi 4, the BQ24193 chip (charging controller) often fails, and it costs ~1,500–2,000 rubles to replace it.

3. Hard Reset (Hard Reset)

If the phone vibrates or it turns on briefly but doesn't load, hard reset will help, it will delete all the data, but it will bring the system back to work. There are two ways to reset Redmi 4:

Method 1: Recovery Mode

1. Turn off the phone (if it is getting stuck, press the power for 10 seconds).
2. Press Power + Volume up until the Mi logo appears.
3. Release the buttons and you will be taken to the Recovery menu.
4. Use volume buttons to navigate, select Wipe Data → Wipe All Data.
5. Confirm the action and wait for the completion.
6. Choose Reboot. → Reboot to System.

Method 2: Fastboot (if Recovery is not working)

If the phone doesn’t load even in Recovery, try resetting via Fastboot:

1. Install ADB and Fastboot on your computer.
2. Connect Redmi 4 to the PC, press Power + Volume down until the screen with the rabbit and the Fastboot inscription appears.
3. Open the command line in the folder from fastboot and type: fastboot devices If the phone is determined, reset: fastboot erase userdata fastboot erase cache fastboot reboot

⚠️ Warning: If the phone doesn't turn on after the reset, but it's determined by the Fastboot, the problem may be the damaged firmware, in which case you'll need to reflash the device (more on this in the next section).

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If the phone boots up after reset but is constantly restarted, the system memory (eMMC) is likely damaged, in which case only replacing the chip or motherboard will help.

4. Fastboot flashing (if the system is damaged)

If Redmi 4 is not turned on due to a firmware failure (for example, after a failed update), it can be “resuscitated” by flashing it in Fastboot mode.

• 🖥️ Computer with Windows and installed Xiaomi drivers.
• 🔗 Original firmware for Redmi 4 (you can download it on the official website).
• 🛠️ MiFlash utility (download here).

Step-by-step:

1. Unpack the archive with firmware in a folder without Cyrillic characters (for example, C:\Redmi4_Firmware).
2. Install MiFlash and run on behalf of the administrator.
3. Connect Redmi 4 to your PC in Fastboot mode (clamp Power + Volume down).
4. In MiFlash, click Select and specify the firmware folder.
5. Select firmware mode: Clean All - complete cleaning (recommended for serious crashes); Clean All and Lock - cleaning + lock the bootloader (if the phone has been unlocked).

Flash

⚠️ Note: If the firmware is interrupted (for example, due to a shutdown) USB), If MiFlash gives an error critical partition flashing is not allowed, then the bootloader is blocked - you will need to unlock it through the official Xiaomi website.

5. Hardware malfunctions: when you need the help of a master

If all software methods have been tried, but Redmi 4 still doesn't work, the problem is probably hardware.

• 🔋 Bloated or dead battery: if the battery is swollen, it must be replaced urgently - it can damage the board.
• 🔌 Faulty charging connector: oxidized or soldered contacts. Repair costs 500-1000 rubles.
• 📱 Chip dump: often falls off memory chip (eMMC) or processor.
• 💧 Short circuit after moisture hits: Even if the phone didn't sink, the condensate could cause corrosion.

Some breakdowns can be diagnosed independently:

• 🔍 Battery check: if the phone gets slightly warmer when connected to charging, but does not turn on - the battery is dead.
• 🔊 Check speaker: if you hear a squeak when charging, but the screen does not burn - the problem is in the display or plume.
• 🔥 Overheating check: if the case is strongly warmed - short circuit or processor malfunction.

⚠️ Note: If you have no experience in the squashing BGA-chip, don't try to repair the board yourself! on Redmi 4, there's a frequent problem with the dump of the eMMC chip (memory), and its soldering requires professional equipment.

6.Shidden features of Redmi 4: Forced launch through test points

If the phone doesn't respond to any manipulation, but you're sure it's not a hardware breakdown, you can try hardware reset via test points, which works even if the phone isn't detected by the computer.

On Redmi 4, the test points are located under the back cover, next to the battery connector.

• 🔧 Thin screwdriver or tweezer.
• 🔌 Charger.

Instructions:

1. Remove the back cover and remove the battery.
2. Find two contact points with the words TP (test point).
3. Connect the charger to the phone.
4. Close the test points with tweezers for 5-10 seconds.
5. Install the battery back and try to turn on the phone.

If the phone boots up to Fastboot or Recovery, it can be flashed back, and if there is no reaction, the hardware (board, processor, or memory) is a problem.

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The test point method only works if the motherboard is in good condition, and if the phone doesn't respond after the TP circuit, the malfunction is severe and a diagnosis is required in the service.

7.What to do if the phone is turned on, but it is unstable?

Sometimes after resuscitation Redmi 4 turns on, but behaves strangely: spontaneously reboots, does not see. SIM-It's a card or not. Let's look at the typical symptoms and solutions:

If your phone is slower after recovery, try:

• 🧹 Clean the cache with Recovery (Wipe Cache Partition).
• 🔄 Reverse the firmware to an older version (sometimes new updates are glitzy).
• 📱 Reset to factory settings (unless the previous Hard Reset helped).

FAQ: Frequent questions about Redmi 4 malfunctions