The situation of a smartphone endlessly rebooting, showing the brand logo, is familiar to many owners of Redmi and Poco. The device can turn on, hang on the screensaver for a few seconds, and then go out and start again. This process is called bootloop or cyclical reboot. It causes panic as the phone becomes completely inoperable.
The causes range from a trivial lack of memory to a major hardware failure of the motherboard, often a failed system update or a conflict of newly installed applications, and understanding the nature of the problem is the first step to a successful recovery.
In this article, we will look at all the available methods of resuscitation, from simple software solutions to complex firmware reflashing. It is important to act consistently so as not to aggravate the situation, we will look at how to enter special boot modes and what commands can help bring the phone back to life.
Diagnostics of the problem and the main causes of failures
Before you start taking action, you need to try to determine the source of the failure. Cyclical reboot often occurs due to damage to Android system files. This can happen after an interrupted update “over the air” or when trying to obtain root rights by third-party utilities.
The second common cause is internal memory overflow: When the space is running out, the operating system cannot write the temporary files needed to run, leaving MIUI or HyperOS in an endless cycle of reboots.
Hardware problems can also be ignored: damage to the display plume, battery bloating or contact failure can cause short circuits or unstable power supply, which is perceived by the system as a critical error. If the phone falls or falls into the water, the probability of hardware failure increases many times.
How to distinguish software failure from hardware?
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Try connecting the phone to the computer. If the PC makes the connection sound. USB-Even if the screen is black, the processor and memory are alive, and the problem is most likely in the software part.
Forced reboot and check of buttons
The simplest, but sometimes effective, method is forced restart, which helps to reset static electricity and interrupt the hanging processes, which requires pressing the power button and holding it for 10-15 seconds, and some Xiaomi models require simultaneous pressing of the Volume down buttons and Power.
Often the cause of an endless cycle is sticking the power button. If the button mechanism is physically clamped with a cover or contaminated, the phone will constantly receive a signal to reboot. Carefully examine the side of the device for dents or dirt.
If the button is walking or falls inside the case, it is a sure sign of mechanical failure, in which case software methods will not help, you need to carefully clean the area around the button or temporarily remove the protective case to eliminate its pressure on the body.
☑️ Primary diagnosis
Enter Recovery Mode and Reset Settings
If a simple reboot doesn't work, you'll have to use Recovery Mode, which is a special partition in the phone's memory that works independently of the main operating system, and is logged in on the device that's off by clamping the combination of Volume Up and Power.
In the Recovery menu, the navigation is done with volume buttons, and the choice is confirmed by the power button. You need to find Wipe Data or Clear Data. Please note: this step will result in the complete deletion of all user data, including photos, contacts and applications.
Once you select the reset point, the system will ask you to confirm the action, often requiring you to enter an unlock code or press Confirm. Once you have finished cleaning, select Reboot -> Reboot to System. If the problem was in corrupting system files, the phone should start normally.
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Recovery resets are “heavy artillery” for software errors. If the cyclical reboot continues after Wipe Data, the problem lies deeper, probably in firmware or hardware.
There's also Fastboot mode, which is called by squeezing Loudness down and Power, and in this mode, you can see a hare repairing an android on the screen, and from here you can try to start a reboot by selecting Start or Reboot from the menu.
Removing problematic updates and applications
Sometimes the phone gets into a reboot cycle immediately after the system update. Recovery may have the Connect with MIAssistant option. Connecting the phone to a PC with the Mi Flash Tool installed, you can try to remove the latest update, if this feature is available in your version of the recovery.
If the phone is able to turn on before it turns off, you can try to enter Safe Mode, so when the Xiaomi logo appears, you need to press the volume button, and only system applications are downloaded in this mode, and if the phone is stable, it's the third-party app that's to blame.
Remove recently installed programs or those that have deep access to the system (launchers, antiviruses, optimizers). Often the cause is applications to record calls or modify the interface that are incompatible with the current version of Android.
Flashing the device through Fastboot
The fundamental solution to software problems is to completely reflash it, USB-cable and official firmware in.zip or.tgz format for your model. download files should only be from trusted resources, such as the official website miui.com.
The process is this: the phone is put into Fastboot mode and connected to a PC. In the Mi Flash Tool, you choose the path to the unpacked firmware. It is important to choose Clean All mode to eliminate conflicts of old files.
Risks of flashing
During firmware, you can't turn off the cable or interrupt the process. The progress indicator will show status. Once completed, the phone will automatically restart. The first boot can take up to 10 minutes, which is normal for a new system.
| Type of firmware | Description | Data retention | Difficulty |
|---|---|---|---|
| Recovery | Update via phone menu | Preserve. | Low. |
| Fastboot (Clean All) | Complete cleaning and installation | Removed | Medium |
| Fastboot (Save Data) | Reinstallation of the system | Preserve. | Medium |
| EDL Mode | Emergency mode (requires an account) | Removed | Tall. |
Hardware malfunctions and repairs
If none of the software methods worked, there's a hardware breakdown, and a common problem with Redmi's budget models is that the CPU or memory has been dumped because of overheating or impact, in which case the phone can warm up at the top of the case and go into reboot.
It's also worth checking the battery status. If the battery is worn out and can't produce the necessary current when the processor starts, the voltage drops and the phone shuts down. Replacing the battery is a relatively inexpensive procedure that often solves the problem.
⚠️ Warning: If the phone falls into water, don't try to charge it or turn it on. moisture inside the case causes a short circuit that will finish off the motherboard.
Another hidden problem is that the power button plume is not working, and even if the button is intact, the contact can oxidize inside, and the service solves this by replacing the side button plume, which is inexpensive.
In rare cases, an eMMC or UFS memory chip fails. This is the “death” of the phone in the software sense, as it stops reading its own system files. Repairing such damage is not economically feasible and requires replacing the motherboard.
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If the phone continues to reboot after the Clear All, the probability of hardware failure is 95%.