How to Reboot Xiaomi Phone if the Power button is Not Working

When a Xiaomi smartphone stops responding to commands and the power button is physically broken or crashes, it can take anyone by surprise. Most often, the problem comes suddenly: the device has got stuck, the screen has gone out, and the usual activation method no longer works. Owners of Redmi and POCO often face this, as mechanical buttons wear out over time from frequent use.

Fortunately, the Android operating system and the MIUI shell (or HyperOS) provide several workarounds for power management. You don't have to bring your gadget to the service center right now if you just need to restart a suspended application or upgrade your system. There are software solutions that allow you to emulate a press or force processes to restart.

In this article, we will take a look at all the available methods, from simple screen actions to computer utilities. You will learn how to use the Double Touch feature, set up an automatic reboot on a schedule, and even how to manage power through ADB. This knowledge will help you save data and continue to work with the device until you replace the button plume.

Use of the Double Touch function and gestures

The fastest way to wake up a screen or lock a device without a physical button is to use a sensor. MIUI There's an option built in to enable the display to be double tapped. To activate this function, go to the Settings menu. → Lock screen and find the option “Mode in pocket” or “Double touch to enable».

But it's worth considering that this function only works to wake up from sleep, and if the phone is completely off or getting stuck, it won't help. However, for everyday use, it's a great alternative to a mechanical button that prolongs the life of the plume, and you can use a lock widget or gesture to turn off the screen.

⚠️ Warning: Double-touch may not work if a low-quality protective glass is installed on the screen or if the touchpad is contaminated with water and grease.

Another useful tool is control gestures, which you can set up a swipe to turn off the screen, often using third-party launchers or built-in Smart Window features, such as a two-finger-down swipe that can mimic the power button if the corresponding macro is configured in the Security app.

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Use magnetic cases with autolock function: Opening and closing the lid will turn the screen on and off, completely replacing the button.

Automatic reboot on schedule

One of the most reliable ways to reboot a Xiaomi phone without user intervention is to set up automatic on and off, which is sewn into the system and does not require additional software installation, it is ideal for situations where the device has started to work unstable and requires regular resetting of cache and processes.

To set up the timer, go to Settings → Battery and Performance (newer versions of MIUI may have different paths: Settings → Additional → Scheduled Tasks). Here you will see options like “Schedule Turn on” and “Schedule Off” setting times like turning off at 03:00 a.m. and turning on at 03:05.

Once the settings are set, the system will independently perform the reboot cycle at a given time, and it's also a great way to check if the shutdown mechanism is working at all if the button is damaged, so if the phone turns off on the timer, then the software part is good, and the problem lies in the mechanics or the plume.

Also make sure that no dialog boxes are open on the screen at the time of the scheduled action, which can block the shutdown, although modern versions of Android usually ignore such locks for system tasks.

Reboot through the menu of special features

In the arsenal of the MIUI shell, there is a hidden but extremely useful menu that duplicates the functions of physical buttons, called the Accessibility Menu, and activating it, you get a floating button or bar on the screen where you can find virtual Home, Back and, most importantly, Power buttons.

To enable this feature, go to Settings → Advanced Settings → Special Features. Find the Special Features Menu list and activate the switch. Then a human icon or floating button will appear on the screen, and clicking on it will show you a turn off button that triggers the standard device reboot or turn off menu.

This method works even when the sensor is partially unresponsive, because the press area can be moved, it's a complete software replacement for the physical key, and if the power button on Xiaomi doesn't work, it's the most civilized solution for a regular shutdown.

Using the special feature menu does not require root rights and is safe to guarantee the device, but if the phone is so hung that the touch screen does not respond to any touch, this method, alas, will not help, and you will have to resort to more radical measures.

Use of an Assistive Touch (Assistive Touch)

If you don't have a built-in menu, you can turn to third-party apps that create a virtual button on the screen. There are many apps in the Google Play Market called "Assistive Touch" or "Virtual Button" that create an analogue of the iPhone button on the screen that you can configure to perform the "Power" action.

A popular solution is the Assistive Touch for Android app. Once you have installed and granted the necessary permissions (especially permissions to “Overlap Other Windows”), a floating sphere will appear on the screen. In the application settings, you need to assign an action to “Long Press” or “Short Press” to the command “Screen Lock” or “Power Menu”.

⚠️ Warning: Third-party applications can consume extra battery power and take up RAM. Use only proven high-rated utilities.

The advantage of these apps is that they're flexible, and you can set up a double-press, long-press, or swipe on a virtual button for different things, like double-pressing a screenshot, and long-pressing a reboot menu, which makes it a completely buttonless process.

Forced Reboot via Computer (ADB)

For advanced users who don’t have a power button on Xiaomi and the sensor also fails, there’s still “heavy artillery” – USB debugging. With the help of the ADB (Android Debug Bridge) toolkit, you can send commands directly to the Android system from your computer, which allows you to reboot even if the screen is completely black or unresponsive.

For this method, it is necessary that the phone was previously turned on “Debugging by” USB» In the Developer menu, if this option has been activated, connect your phone to your PC via USB-Open the command line on your computer in the folder with ADB and enter the command to reboot.

adb reboot

This command initiates a regular restart of the device, and if the system is dead, you can try the command to reboot to recovery mode:

adb reboot recovery

Or a forced reset:

adb reboot -f

The ADB method is the most powerful tool in a specialist's arsenal, and it allows you not only to reboot your phone, but also to install apps, take screenshots, and access the file system, but without first setting up your phone, this is not available.

What to do if the phone is completely drained

Often users realize that the button doesn't work only when the phone is dead and off. Turning on a Xiaomi device without a power button when the battery is empty is harder, but possible. The standard method is to connect to the charger. Most modern Xiaomi smartphones automatically turn on when connected to a power source if the battery has been completely drained.

If you don't automatically turn on, try the hot-connect method. Connect your phone to a computer or power bank charge. Then quickly press and hold the Volume Down button. On some Redmi and POCO models, this action, coupled with the power connection, causes the device to boot.

You can also connect your phone to your computer through USB-Sometimes the data signal (as opposed to the charging current) triggers the device to wake up. If nothing works, it remains to wait until the phone turns on itself when a certain percentage of charge is reached (usually). 5-10%), though in modern versions MIUI This function is often disabled.

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The most reliable way to turn on a discharged phone without a button is to plug in the original charger and wait for the Mi logo to appear.

It is important not to overheat the device during these manipulations. If the phone was long dead, the chemical processes in the battery could slow down, and it will take up to 30 minutes to “rock” before turning on.

Enter Recovery Mode without Power Button

Recovery mode is used to reset or flash. Usually, you need to press the power and volume button to enter. But what if the power button doesn't work? There's a combination that works on many Xiaomi devices.

Try to press the Volume Up button and connect it. USB-Hold the volume button until the Mi logo or Recovery menu appears. On some models, it helps to clamping both volume buttons when you connect the cable.

In the Recovery menu, you can navigate with volume buttons and you can choose with the power button. But if the power button doesn't work, you can choose a menu item by plugging in. USB-keyboard OTG-Adapter. The arrow keys will move the cursor, and Enter will confirm the choice. It's a unique life hack that saves you when you need to do Hard Reset.

The table shows the basic methods and their requirements. As you can see, success depends on the current state of the device. If the phone is on and the sensor is working, there is no problem. If the device is a brick, the task becomes more complicated.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)