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

A broken power button on Xiaomi is not a verdict for your smartphone. Even if the mechanical key has stopped responding to presses, there are at least 5 alternative ways to reboot the device without physical impact. Depending on the model (Redmi Note 10 Pro, POCO X3, Mi 11, etc.) and the version of MIUI, some methods may work better than others.

The rule of thumb is, don't panic and try to disassemble your phone yourself if you're not sure about your skills. Most of the time, you can solve the problem software--through built-in Android features, connecting to a PC, or even using a charger. In this article, we'll go through all the current techniques, including hidden chips of recovery and ADB.

If your Xiaomi is completely discharged or stuck on the logo, that's a separate story. There are special techniques for such cases, which we will also tell you about. And if the power button is physically broken (for example, after a fall), then after a successful reboot, you should think about repairing it, otherwise you may have problems turning on the phone in the future.

1. Reboot via the power menu (if the screen is running)

The easiest way is to use a software shutdown button that duplicates the physical key function, which is best if:

• 📱 The phone screen responds to touch
• 🔋 The device is not fully discharged (charge) ≥ 5%)
• 🤖 The system is not suspended (responds to pressing)

Instructions for MIUI 12/13/14:

1. Hold the Volume Up button for 3-5 seconds.
2. On the screen will appear a power menu with options to Turn off, Reboot, Emergency mode.
3. Select Reboot and confirm the action.

If this method does not work, try an alternative way:

1. Open the Settings. → The phone.
2. Click 7 times in a row on the MIUI version (this activates the developer mode).
3. Back to Settings → Additionally. → For developers.
4. Activate the Power Menu option in the notification panel.
5. Now swipe down the notification bar and find the off button there.

⚠️ Note: On some models (POCO M3, Redmi 8A) The power menu may not appear when holding the volume button. In this case, use the second method with the developer mode.

Forced reboot through the charger

If the phone is completely getting stuck or unresponsive to touch, but it's connected to charging, you can try the "hard reset" method through power, which works thanks to the power controller features of Xiaomi smartphones.

You'll need:

• ⚡ Original or quality charger (better with Quick Charge support).
• 🔌 Cable USB Type-C (for modern models) or Micro-USB (for older models).

Step-by-step:

1. Connect the phone to the charger.
2. Hold the Volume Up button and Volume Down button at the same time.
3. Without releasing the volume buttons, insert the charging cable into the phone (if it is not already connected).
4. Hold the buttons for 10-15 seconds until the screen goes out or the Xiaomi logo appears.

This is because the power controller recognizes the simultaneous holding of the volume buttons as a command to reset hardware. If the phone starts to reboot, release the buttons. If not, try again with another charger.

3. Use of Recovery Mode (Recovery Mode)

If previous methods have failed, you can reboot your phone through the service recovery menu, which is suitable even for completely dead devices that do not respond to touch, but display a MIUI screensaver or logo when connected to a charger.

How to log in to Recovery Mode:

1. Turn off your phone (if it's not already off) to do this, hold the Volume Up + Power (if the power button is partially working) or wait for the full discharge.
2. Connect the phone to charge and wait for the charging indicator to appear.
3. Turn off the charging and immediately press the Volume Up button and the Power button.
4. Hold them for 10-15 seconds until a menu with the Mi Bunny logo and the words Recovery appears.

In the recovery menu, use the volume buttons for navigation and the power button for confirmation. Select Reboot → Reboot to System. If the power button doesn't work, connect your phone to your PC via USB, sometimes allowing you to confirm the choice automatically.

⚠️ Warning: You can't select Wipe Data or Factory Reset in Recovery Mode unless you plan to drop your phone before factory settings.

4.Reboot via ADB (for advanced users)

If you have access to your computer and USB debugging mode is enabled, you can reboot Xiaomi via ADB command. This method is suitable for devices that do not respond to touch, but are defined by a PC.

What you need:

• 💻 Computer with Windows/macOS/Linux.
• 🔌 USB-cable (preferably original).
• 🛠️ Installed Xiaomi drivers and tool ADB.

Step-by-step:

1. Download and install Google’s Platform Tools (includes ADB).
2. Connect your phone to your PC via USB.
3. Open the command prompt (Win + R → cmd) and type: adb devices If the phone is determined (its serial number will appear), move to the next step. If not, check the drivers or enable debugging over USB in the developer settings.
4. Enter the reboot command: Adb reboot The phone should start restarting immediately.

If adb devices don’t show your device, try:

• 🔄 Reconnect. USB-cable.
• 🔧 Turn on Debugging. USB developer-setting.
• 🖥️ Install Xiaomi drivers manually through Device Manager.

⚠️ Note: If you have never turned on the debugging USB If the power button breaks, this method won't work.

5. Hardware reset via testpoints (extreme case)

If all software methods are exhausted and the phone still doesn't restart, then hardware resets through testpoints, which requires disassembling the device and is only suitable for power users or service centers.

How it works:

Xiaomi motherboard has special contacts (testpoints), the closure of which forcibly resets the power controller, usually located next to:

• 🔋 Battery connector.
• 📶 Antenna module.
• 🔌 USB-port.

On the Redmi Note 8/9/10, testpoints are often labeled CLK and DATA and are located under a metal screen next to the battery, and you need to carefully close them with tweezers or a screwdriver for 5-10 seconds to reset.

⚠️ Warning: Incorrect closure of contacts can lead to damage to the motherboard or loss of warranty.If you are not sure about your skills, it is better to contact the service center.

After successful closure, the phone should automatically restart. If this does not happen, check:

• 🔋 Battery level (should be) ≥ 10%).
• 🔧 Correctness of closing contacts (sometimes you need to close 3 points at the same time).
• 🛠️ Integrity of plumes (if the phone fell, they could come off).

💡

Before disassembling the phone, take a picture of the location of all the plumes and screws, which will help to collect it back without errors.

6. What should I do if nothing helps?

If none of these methods worked, the problem may be deeper:

• 🔋 Fully discharged battery – connect your phone to charge on 30-60 minutes, then try again.
• 🔌 Faulty power controller – requires repair at a service center.
• 📱 Damaged motherboard - most often occurs after falls or moisture.
• 🤖 Serious software failure – you may need to flash through Fastboot.

If the phone is responding to charging (the indicator lights up) but does not turn on, try the following:

1. Connect it to charging and leave for 2-3 hours.
2. Try holding Volume Up + Volume Down + Power for 20-30 seconds.
3. If you have access to another Xiaomi phone, try connecting it with an OTG cable and using the Quick Share feature to transfer power (it doesn’t work on all models).

If the phone does not show signs of life at all (it does not warm, does not vibrate, does not light up the indicator), you will most likely need:

• 🔧 Replace the battery (if it is swelled or completely discharged).
• 🛠️ Diagnostics of the power controller.
• 📲 Flip-through EDL-The system (requires special equipment).

💡

If the phone doesn't respond to any manipulations, but it warms up when you connect to the charger, this is a sign of a short circuit.

FAQ: Frequent questions about Xiaomi reboot without power button