How to Reboot Xiaomi Redmi Phone if the Power Button is Not Working

Why the power button fails and what to do first

The power button on Xiaomi Redmi smartphones is one of the most vulnerable spots after a year of heavy use, with service centers reporting that up to 15 percent of mechanical failures are due to a faulty key, ranging from the banal ingress of dust under the membrane to the oxidation of contacts after contact with moisture or physical damage when falling.

Before proceeding with software methods of reboot, perform basic diagnostics:

1. Try pressing the button at different angles – sometimes contact is restored when pressed from the side.
2. Connect the charger – on some Redmi Note 8/9 Pro models, charging can trigger even when the button is not working.
3. Light a flashlight on the button: if condensate is visible under the membrane, the phone requires drying (at least 24 hours in rice or silica gel).

If the mechanical action fails, go to the software. Importantly, not all methods are equally safe. For example, removing the battery on the non-removable models (Redmi 10/11 series) can damage the plume. We have arranged the methods from the most gentle to the most risky.

Method 1: Reboot through the Recovery Mode

This method works on all Redmi models, including the Redmi Note 12 Pro+ and the budget Redmi A1/A2. The main condition is that the phone must be turned on (even if the screen does not respond to touch).

1. Connect your phone to the charger (this will increase the chances of a successful login to Recovery).
2. Press Volume Up + Power button for 10-15 seconds. On models with MIUI 14, Volume Down + Power can work.
3. When the Mi logo appears, release the buttons. In 5-7 seconds, the recovery menu will open.
4. Use volume buttons for navigation and select Reboot (or Reboot on Russian firmware).
5. Confirm the action with the Power button (even if it does not work physically, software emulation often works in Recovery).

⚠️ Note: If the phone was unlocked via Fastboot, Recovery may need to enter a password. MIUI 13+ After 5 unsuccessful attempts, the recovery menu is blocked for 24 hours.

Charge your phone at least 30%

Shut it down. USB-device

Use the original Xiaomi cable

Press the key combination strictly at the same time-->

Method 2: Forced reboot via ADB (for advanced)

If the phone has USB debugging enabled (Settings → About Phone → MIUI Version → 7 taps to unlock the developer menu), you can reboot the device via your computer. This method is suitable for the Redmi K50, POCO F4 and other models with MIUI 12-14.

Instructions for Windows:

1. Download ADB Tools and unpack it to the root of the C:\ disk.
2. Connect your phone to your PC via USB (File Transfer Mode).
3. Open the command line (Win + R → enter cmd).
4. Enter the commands: cd C:\platform-tools adb devices If the phone is determined (serial number will appear), enter: adb shell reboot

⚠️ Note: On Redmi with a blocked bootloader, the adb reboot bootloader command can result in a full lock of the device without the ability to unlock without an authorized Mi Account.

Method 3: Reboot through gestures (for phones with touch buttons)

Redmi models with touch-sensitive navigation buttons (Redmi Note 7/8/9, Redmi 10) can use hidden gestures to reboot, which works even when the screen is locked, if the Gesture option is activated for convenience:

1. Activate the screen with double tap (if Double tap to wake is enabled).
2. Make a swipe up gesture and hold off from the bottom edge of the screen (as when calling the menu of recent apps), but hold your finger for 3-5 seconds.
3. In the menu that appears, select Reboot (on some firmware - Restart).

If the gestures don't work:

• 🔋 Check the charge level – at a discharge below 5%, the sensor may not respond.
• 📱 Make sure there is no protective film or glass on the screen that blocks touch.
• 🔄 Try repeating the gesture 3-4 times in a row – sometimes it works with a delay.

💡

On Redmi Note 11 Pro+ and later, the reboot gesture may conflict with the Game Turbo function. Turn it off in Settings → Special Features → Gestures

Method 4: Battery Removal (only for models with removable battery)

This method is suitable only for older Redmi models with removable back cover:

• 📱 Redmi 4A/4X
• 📱 Redmi 3/3S/3X
• 📱 Redmi 2/2A

Step-by-step:

1. Turn off the phone (if it’s on) via the menu or hold down the power button (if it’s responsive at all).
2. Remove the back cover, poke it with a plastic spatula or mediator from the lower edge (near the headphone jack).
3. Carefully unplug the battery plume (don't pull the wires!) Some models will require a T5 screwdriver to unscrew the metal plate.
4. Wait 30 to 60 seconds and reconnect the battery.
5. Collect your phone and connect to the charger – the device should turn on automatically.

⚠️ Attention: On Redmi models 5A And the battery is glued to the body, and if you try to remove it without heating it or using tools, 80 percent of the time, it damages the plume or it breaks the battery.

Method 5: Reboot via charger (hot reboot method)

This method works on 60% of Redmi models thanks to the features of the Qualcomm or Mediatek power controller.

• 🔌 Do not respond to the power button, but show the charging indicator.
• 📵 They have a battery that is dead (even if the phone is not turned on).
• 🔄 Hanging on the Mi logo or black screen.

Instructions:

1. Connect the phone to the original charger (at least 18W).
2. Hold the Volume Up + Volume Down button at the same time for 20-30 seconds.
3. Without releasing the volume buttons, turn off and reconnect the charger.
4. After 5-10 seconds, the phone should vibrate and start restarting.

💡 Why does it work? The volume button combination sends a signal to the power controller, mimicking a hard reset. Connecting the charging at that point resets the state. PMIC (Power management chips that force a reboot.

💡

The hot reboot method doesn’t work on models with a Snapdragon 8xx processor (like the Redmi K60) because they have a different power management algorithm.

Method 6: Use the “Find Device” function (remote reboot)

If you have Mi Account sync enabled on your phone, you can try rebooting it remotely via Find Device, which works even when the screen is locked, but requires:

• 📶 Active Internet connection (Wi-Fi or mobile data).
• 🔒 Linked Mi Account with confirmed phone number.
• 📍 Included function Device search in settings.

Step-by-step:

1. Go to i.mi.com and log in.
2. Select your Redmi from the list of devices.
3. Click Device Management → Reboot.
4. Confirm the action through SMS-code.

⚠️ Attention: On phones with MIUI 14 and later, a remote reboot may not work if the device is in Deep Sleep mode, in which case only physical exposure (charging or removing the battery) will help).

Method 7: Hardware reset through test points (extreme case)

This is a method used in service centers to force phones with a completely power button that is not working, and is suitable for all Redmi models, but requires disassembly of the device and soldering.

How it works:

• 🔧 The motherboard contains test points (usually signed as KCOL or PS_HOLD).
• 🔌 The closure of these points simulates a signal from the power button.
• 📱 After a short circuit, the phone is turned on in normal mode.

⚠️ Warning: Incorrect closure of points may:

• Burn the Power Controller (PMIC).
• Lead to the loss of IMEI.
• Disable the Wi-Fi/Bluetooth module.

If you decide to use this method, we recommend using motherboard schemes for your model (you can find them on the 4PDA or XDA-Developers forums).

Frequently asked questions