Why Xiaomi is constantly rebooting and how to fix it

If your Xiaomi suddenly starts spontaneously rebooting, it’s not just annoying, it’s a signal of serious problems. The problem can manifest itself in many ways, from single crashes to an endless reboot cycle when the phone does not even have time to boot, most often owners face this on the Redmi Note 10/11, POCO X3/X4 and Mi 11/12 models, but the reasons and solutions are universal for most devices of the brand.

In 80 percent of cases, the software is to blame: conflicting applications, corrupted system files or a failed update. Less often, the problem lies in the hardware β€” a worn-out battery, overheating of the processor or damage to the motherboard. It is important to quickly diagnose the source of the failure so as not to aggravate the situation. For example, ignoring overheating can lead to irreversible damage to the chipset, and multiple forced rebukes can lead to data loss.

We've put together proven methods to fix a problem, from the simple to the radical. Start with the first section and move on to the next one if the previous steps didn't help. Don't miss the steps: often the solution lies on the surface, but users immediately resort to resetting or repairing, wasting time and data.

1.Diagnostics: Why Xiaomi is rebooting on its own

Before you act at random, determine the nature of the failure, which will help narrow down the possible causes:

  • πŸ”„ Cyclical reboot (phone not turning on normally, gets stuck on logo) MIUI) β€” sign of firmware or bootloop damage.
  • πŸ”₯ Rebooting when heated (during games, charging, or under the sun) – indicates battery or heatpaste problems.
  • πŸ“± Accidental reboots for no apparent reason – application conflicts or RAM errors are possible.
  • πŸ”Œ Rebooting when charging is connected – often associated with a faulty cable, adapter, or power controller.

Pay attention to the conditions of failure. For example, if Xiaomi reboots only when connected to Wi-Fi, the problem may lie in the communication module or network settings. If the failure occurs when a particular application (for example, Google Camera or games) is launched, the software is to blame.

Critical information: on models with a Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 processor (for example, Xiaomi 12 Pro, POCO F4 GT), frequent reboots can be associated with a factory defect of the chipset - the so-called "throttling gate", in which case only the replacement of the motherboard under warranty will help.

For accurate diagnosis, use Safe Mode mode, which disables all third-party applications, allowing you to check if the software is causing the failure:

  1. Turn off the phone.
  2. Press the power button until the MIUI logo appears.
  3. Release the power button and immediately press Volume down, holding until full load.

If the reboots stopped in safe mode, one of the installed applications is to blame. If the problem persists, look for the cause in the system or hardware.

Heat-up|When charging is connected|Accidentally, for no reason.|When launching a specific application|Another option-->

2. Software solutions: from simple to complex

Start with the most innocuous methods that won’t hurt data and don’t require special skills.

Clearing the cache and data of problem applications

If a crash occurs when a particular application is launched (such as WhatsApp, TikTok, or games), clear its cache:

  1. Go to Settings β†’ Applications β†’ Application Management.
  2. Select the problem app β†’ Storage.
  3. Click Clear Cache and Clear Data (Warning: This Will Remove All App Settings!).

For system applications (such as Launcher or MIUI System), use the command via ADB:

adb shell pm clear com.miui.home

Updating firmware

The manufacturer regularly releases patches to fix critical bugs.

  1. Go to Settings β†’ About the phone β†’ System update.
  2. Click Check for updates.
  3. If a new version is available, download it and install it.

⚠️ Warning: If the phone is restarting during the upgrade, do not interrupt the process! wait until it is completed (may take up to 30 minutes.

If the menu update is not available (phone is not enabled), use Recovery mode:

  1. Turn off the device.
  2. Press the power + volume up until the menu appears.
  3. Select Update via OTA (if the update file is already downloaded) or Install update.zip (if you downloaded the firmware manually).

Download the official firmware from the Xiaomi website|Charge your phone at least 50 times%|Make a backup copy of the data|Disable the antivirus and VPN-->

2.3 Resetting settings to factory

If previous methods didn't work, do a hard reset.This will delete all data, but often solves software glitches.

Method 1: Through the settings menu (if the phone is turned on):

  1. Go to Settings β†’ About the phone β†’ Reset settings.
  2. Choose to erase all data.
  3. Confirm the action and wait for the completion.

Method 2: Recovery (if the phone doesn't boot):

  1. Press Power + Volume up to enter Recovery.
  2. Choose Wipe Data β†’ Wipe All Data.
  3. Confirm the reset and restart the device.

⚠️ Note: On models with a locked bootloader, a reset may cause a Mi Account to be required when turned on!

πŸ’‘

Resetting eliminates 60% of the software causes of spontaneous reboots, but does not help with hardware malfunctions.

3. Hardware causes: when iron is to blame

If the software methods didn't work, the problem lies in the physical components of the device, and let's look at the most common malfunctions.

Worse or bloated battery

The battery is the most vulnerable component of the smartphone, and over time, its capacity decreases and internal resistance increases, leading to power surges and sudden reboots.

  • πŸ”‹ The phone turns off when 20-30% The indicator shows the remaining.
  • πŸ”₯ The body swelled or deformed (especially noticeable on the back cover).
  • ⚑ Reboots occur when connecting / disabling charging.

Check the status of the battery can be through the engineering menu:

  1. Enter the dialer code: ##4636##.
  2. Go to Battery Information.
  3. Check the parameters Charge level, voltage and temperature.

Normal values:

  • Voltage: 3.7-4.2 V (at 100% charge).
  • Temperature: 25–40Β°C (at normal load).

If the battery is swollen or its capacity has fallen below 70% of the nominal, you need to replace. On the Redmi Note 9/10 and POCO X3 models, you can do this yourself (if you have tools), but on flagships (Xiaomi 13, Mix 4) you should contact the service center.

Processor overheating

Xiaomi on Snapdragon 8xx and Dimensity processors are prone to overheating, especially under intense loads (gaming, 4K video shooting, multitasking). If the chipset temperature exceeds 85Β°C, the protection is triggered, and the phone is forced to reboot.

How to check the temperature:

  1. Install the CPU Monitor or AIDA64 app.
  2. Run a performance test or a game.
  3. Monitor the temperature of the processor cores.

Normal values:

Mode of workPermissible temperature (Β°C)Critical temperature (Β°C)
Simple (screen off)30–4050+
Normal use (social networks, messengers)40–5565+
Games/video editing55–7585+
Charging + loading45–6575+

If the temperature is higher than normal:

  • 🧊 Remove the cover (it can block the heat sink).
  • πŸ”„ Limit background processes in Settings β†’ Battery β†’ Performance mode.
  • πŸ› οΈ Replace the heatpaste (on older models, such as the Redmi Note 5).
What happens if you ignore the heat?
Long-term operation at temperatures above 90Β°C leads to degradation of the chipset (deterioration of performance by 20-30%), detachment of contacts on the motherboard and reduce battery life by 2-3 times. On Snapdragon 888/8 Gen 1 processors, overheating can cause irreversible damage to the graphics core, which will lead to artifacts on the screen or complete failure of the device.

Malfunctions of the motherboard

If the phone reboots for no apparent reason and all previous methods have failed, the problem may lie in:

  • πŸ”Œ Damaged contacts (for example, after falling or getting moisture).
  • πŸ”§ Faulty power controller (frequently caused by Redmi) 9/9A).
  • πŸ’Ύ RAM errors (manifested as random rebuts when running applications).

Diagnosing hardware malfunctions at home is difficult, but you can check:

  1. Physical damage: Check the board for darkening, swollen capacitors, or traces of oxidation.
  2. Stability without battery: connect your phone to charge without battery, and if it turns on and doesn't reboot, it's the battery or the power controller.
  3. Memory test: Use the MemTest86 application (requires root rights).

⚠️ Warning: If the phone has fallen into water or been hit hard, don't try to disassemble it yourself! corrosion on the board can short circuit if the drying is not correct.

Radical measures: flashing and repair

If all previous steps have failed, there are two options: complete flashing or repair in the service center.

4.1 Flashing through Fastboot

This method will bring the phone back to its "clean" state, but it will require a computer and knowledge of commands. All data will be deleted!

Step-by-step:

  1. Download the official firmware for your model from the Xiaomi Firmware Updater website.
  2. Unpack the archive in the platform-tools folder (where ADB is installed).
  3. Turn off the phone and press Power + Volume down to log into Fastboot.
  4. Connect your phone to your PC and execute commands: fastboot flash boot boot.img fastboot flash recovery recovery.img fastboot flash system system.img fastboot flash vendor vendor.img fastboot flash dtbo dtbo.img fastboot flash vbmeta vbmeta.img fastboot erase userdata fastboot reboot

⚠️ Note: On models with locked bootloader (Redmi Note 12, Xiaomi 13) before the firmware must unlock the bootloader through the official tool Mi Unlock. This will take 7-14 days (requires binding account Mi Unlock).

4.2. Contact the service center

If the phone:

  • πŸ”„ Reboots even after reflashing.
  • πŸ”₯ Has visible damage to the board or battery.
  • πŸ’§ He was in the water or was heavily hit.

The official Xiaomi service centers offer:

Problem.Cost of repair (β‚½)Date(s)
Battery replacement1 500–3 0001–2
Repair/replacement of the charging connector2 000–4 5002–3
Diagnosis of the motherboard1 000–2 5001–5
Replacement of the power controller3 500–6 0003–7

Tip: Before visiting the service, back up your data via Mi PC Suite or ADB Backup, even if the phone is not working properly. In some cases, specialists can save information using professional equipment.

5. Prevention: How to Prevent Spontaneous Reboots

To avoid repeated failures, follow simple rules:

  • πŸ”‹ Do not let the battery run below 10% and do not keep the phone charging for more than 12 hours in a row.
  • 🧹 Clean the cache regularly through Settings β†’ Warehouse β†’ Cleanup.
  • πŸ”„ Update your firmware and applications immediately after the release of patches.
  • πŸ›‘οΈ Install an antivirus (such as Malwarebytes) and scan the system once a month.
  • 🌑️ Avoid overheating: Do not use your phone in direct sunlight and do not run heavy games when charging.

For models with problem processors (Snapdragon 888/8 Gen 1), it is recommended to:

  1. Turn off Adaptive Brightness (it loads the processor).
  2. Set the FPS limit for games at 60 frames.
  3. Use a cooling case or stand with a fan.

πŸ’‘

Regular maintenance (dust cleaning, replacement of thermopaste once every 2 years) increases the life of the smartphone by 30-40% and reduces the risk of spontaneous reboots.

Frequent questions and answers

My Xiaomi reboots when you plug in to charge. What's the matter?
The reason could be: a faulty cable or adapter (try another kit); a damaged USB-C connector (look for contaminants or strains); a faulty power controller on the motherboard; start by replacing the cable and adapter; if the problem persists, contact the service.
The phone only reboots in games. What do you do?
This is a typical sign of overheating or a lack of RAM. Try: Limit FPS in game settings, close background applications before starting the game, lower graphical settings (resolution, textures), use a cooling stand. If it does not help, check the temperature of the processor (see section 3.2).
After the MIUI update, the phone started to reboot. How do you roll back?
Recoil is possible but requires a data reset: Download the previous firmware version from xiaomifirmwareupdater.com. Go to Recovery (Power + Volume Up). Select Wipe Data β†’ Wipe All Data. Install the old firmware via Install update.zip. Attention: Recoil may block some features (like Google Pay) due to security version mismatch.
Can you replace the battery with Xiaomi?
On most models (Redmi Note 8/9/10, POCO X3) β€” yes, but you will need: a special screwdriver Torx T3/T4. Plastic mediators to open the case. New battery (recommended original or certified analogues from Baseus, Remax); B-7000 adhesive for battery fixation; Flagships (Xiaomi 12/13, Mix 4) replacement is more difficult due to adhesive joint and the risk of damage to the plumes.
The smartphone reboots and shows the Bootloop error.
Bootloop is a looped reboot when the phone can't complete the system. Causes: damaged firmware (bad update); conflict of the kernel or Magisk modules (if rooted); faulty memory (eMMC or UFS); Solutions: Fastboot over the phone (see section 4.1). If it doesn't work, check the memory with the eMMC Tool (SP Flash Tool required).