How to turn on Xiaomi smartphone without a power button: all ways from charging to ADB

Introduction: Why the phone doesn’t turn on and what to do

A broken power button on Xiaomi is one of the most unpleasant breakdowns that can happen at the most inopportune moment. You're used to pressing the physical key, but suddenly it stopped responding: the phone doesn't turn on, doesn't turn off, doesn't reboot, things get complicated if the battery is completely drained, without a working button, it seems impossible to charge the device.

In fact, you can turn Xiaomi on without a power button in several ways, from simple (connect to charging) to technically complex (using ADB or service commands). In this article, we will discuss all the current methods that work on Redmi Note 10/11/12, POCO X3/X4/X5, Mi 11/12/13 and other smartphones of the brand. Importantly, some methods require preliminary preparation (for example, enabled debugging over USB), so read carefully.

If your phone is completely drained and unresponsive, try the emergency charging methods first. If the battery is charged but the screen is black, go to the software on. At the end of the article, you will find answers to frequent questions and tips on how to avoid re-breaking.

Method 1: Enable via charger (if battery is discharged)

The easiest method is to get Xiaomi to turn on automatically when you connect to a charger.

• 🔋 Battery discharged to 0%, but not damaged
• 🔌 Use of original or quality charger (minimum) 10W)
• 📱 The phone was not switched off software (for example, via a menu)

Connect your smartphone to charge and wait 10 to 30 minutes. On most Xiaomi models, when you reach 5 to 10 percent, the device will automatically turn on.

1. Turn off the cable and wait 1 minute.
2. Reconnect the charger again – sometimes a cold start will work.
3. Try another charger (preferably with Quick Charge support).

⚠️ Warning: If the phone doesn't respond to charging for more than an hour, the problem may be in the power controller or battery, in which case a diagnosis is required at the service center.

Method 2: Using an OTG cable to simulate a button press

If the power button is mechanically broken (does not press or crash), but the phone is charged, you can emulate its pressing through the phone. USB OTG-That's gonna take a cable:

• 🔗 OTG-adapter (or cable with support) OTG)
• 📱 Another smartphone or computer to give a signal
• 🛠️ Button Mapper (for Android) or Terminal (for PC)

Instructions for Xiaomi owners with unlocked bootloader:

1. Connect. OTG-phone-line.
2. From another device, send a command via ADB: adb shell input keyevent 26 (where 26 is the code of the power button in Android).
3. If the phone is turned on, install the Button Mapper app and reassign the turn on function to another key (such as volume increase).

For models without unlocked bootloader (Redmi 9A, POCO M3, etc.), this method may not work due to the limitations of MIUI.

Method 3: Enable via the service menu (Engineer Mode)

Some Xiaomi smartphones (especially the older Mi 8, Mi 9, Redmi Note 7/8) have a hidden service menu through which you can turn on the device without a power button.

1. Connect the phone to charge and wait for the vibration or charge indication.
2. Press the combination Volume up + Volume down for 10-15 seconds.
3. If a Fastboot menu appears, select Reboot using volume buttons and confirm the selection (usually by long pressing Volume Up).

On newer models (Redmi Note 12, POCO X5), this method may not work due to firmware changes. The alternative is to use ADB (see next section).

Method 4: Launching through ADB (for advanced users)

If your Xiaomi previously had USB debugging enabled (Settings → About Phone → MIUI Version → 7 times press to unlock the developer menu), you can turn it on via your computer.

• 💻 A computer with installed Xiaomi drivers and ADB
• 🔌 USB-cable (preferably original)
• 📱 Phone with at least 10 charge%

Step-by-step:

1. Connect the phone to the PC.
2. Open the command line (Win + R → enter cmd).
3. Enter the commands in order: adb devices (you should have the name of your device) adb shell input keyevent 26 (emulation of the power button press)
4. If your phone doesn’t respond, try adb reboot.

⚠️ Attention: If debugging is on USB It's not activated in advance, it's not going to work, so you just have to fix the button or call the service.

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ADB is the most reliable way to enable Xiaomi without a button, but requires pre-configuring debugging over USB.

Method 5: Emergency charging through testpoints (for a discharged phone)

If the battery is completely discharged and the phone is not responding to charging, you can try to force power through test points on the motherboard, which is suitable for experienced users or masters, since it requires disassembling the device.

Instructions for Redmi Note 10/11 and similar models:

1. Remove the back cover (need a mediator and a hair dryer to soften the glue).
2. Disconnect the battery plume.
3. Find GND and VCC test points (usually marked as TP1 and TP2 on the board).
4. Connect the laboratory power supply (3.7-4.2V) to them for 5-10 seconds.
5. Turn off the power, plug in the battery and try turning on the phone.

Important: the wrong connection to the test points can cause the phone to fail. If you are not sure about your skills, contact the service center.

What to do if nothing helps: repair or replace the button

If all of these methods do not work, the problem is likely to be:

• 🔧 Mechanical breakage of the button (requires replacement)
• 🔋 Failure of the power controller or battery
• 📱 Software failure (reset via Fastboot)

The cost of repairing the power button in Xiaomi:

• 💰 Replacement of button: 800–1500 ₽ (model-wise)
• 💰 Diagnostics + Controller repair: 1500–3000 ₽
• 💰 Battery replacement: 1000–2500 ₽

If your phone is warranty, contact the official Xiaomi service. Otherwise, choose a trusted workshop with good reviews. Before repairing, back up your data, as some methods (for example, resetting via Fastboot) lead to loss of information.

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Before visiting the service, take a picture of the IMEI phone (on the box or in the settings) - this will help to avoid replacing components.

FAQ: Answers to Frequent Questions