How to turn on Xiaomi smartphone without a power button through your computer: 3 working ways

A broken power button on Xiaomi is one of the most frustrating breakdowns that can completely paralyze a device.Without physical access to the Power button, it seems like the phone has turned into a brick: it can't be turned on, charged, or even reset. However, there are several proven ways to run Redmi, Poco, or Mi through a computer, even if the power button doesn't respond to taps.

In this article, we will discuss three main methods of activating a smartphone without an on button: through Fastboot mode (if the phone responds to charging even slightly), using ADB- commands (if the USB- was enabled in advance), and by firmware through the Mi Flash Tool (extremely). Each method is illustrated in detail with screenshots and accompanied by warnings about possible risks. Importantly, not all methods are suitable for deep-discharged devices, we will also talk about this.

Before you start, check if the problem is temporary. For example, sometimes the button stops working due to moisture or mechanical jamming. Try gently tapping the body in the area of the button or blowing compressed air (but don't take the phone apart yourself!). If that doesn't work, read on.

Preparation: What you will need to enable Xiaomi via PC

Before you try to resuscitate your smartphone, make sure you have everything you need, and without proper preparation, you risk making the problem worse or even making the device tick, and here are the minimum set of tools and conditions:

• 🖥️ Computer on Windows 7/10/11 (for Mac/Linux Additional drivers will be required).
• 🔌 Original USB- cable (preferably from Xiaomi – cheap cables may not be transmitting data).
• 🔋 Charger (if the battery is discharged, the phone won't turn on even through a PC).
• 📥 Xiaomi Drivers (you can download from the official website or through the Mi Unlock Tool).
• 🛠️ Programs: ADB/Fastboot Tools, Mi Flash Tool (for firmware), QFil (for Qualcomm smartphones).

Pay special attention to the battery level, and if the phone is under 5 to 10 percent, none of these methods will work, so you need to charge the device first.

1. Connect your smartphone to charge for 30 to 60 minutes (even if it doesn’t respond).
2. Try to pinch the combination of Volume up + Volume down for 10-15 seconds – sometimes this triggers charging.
3. If the screen is black, but the phone is warming, then the charge is going.

⚠️ Warning: Do not use wireless charging for a discharged Xiaomi with a power button down. In this mode, the phone may not be recognized by the computer due to limited power over USB.

Also check if USB- is enabled on your device. If so, you can use all methods. If not, you only have the firmware on Fastboot or EDL, which carries the risk of data loss. To find out the debugging status, remember whether you connected your phone to your PC to transfer files in MTP mode or whether you used programs like Scrcpy.

Method 1: Enable via Fastboot (if the phone is responding to charging)

If Xiaomi is somehow showing signs of life when connecting to a charging or computer (vibrates, the indicator lights up, the screen flashes), there is a chance to launch it through Fastboot mode. This method works even without USB- debugging enabled, but requires that the phone at least a little “wake up” when connecting to USB.

Instructions:

1. Connect the switched off smartphone to the computer with the original cable.
2. Press and hold Volume Down + Power for 10-15 seconds (even if the power button is broken, sometimes the contacts still work).
3. If the Fastboot logo appears on the screen, release the buttons.
4. On your computer, open the Command Prompt (Win + R → enter cmd) and go to the folder with ADB/Fastboot:

cd C:\platform-tools

1. Enter a command to check the connection:

fastboot devices

If the serial number of the device appears in the answer, the connection is established.

fastboot reboot

If the screen is black, but the computer can see the device, try an alternative command:

fastboot oem edl

This will put the phone in EDL mode, but beware: some manufacturers block this mode to protect against unauthorized firmware.

⚠️ Warning: On Xiaomi models with a MediaTek processor (such as the Redmi Note 11 or Poco M4 Pro), the fastboot oem edl command may not work. In this case, use the SP Flash Tool utility.

Ensure that the cable is serviceable and supports data transmission

Download and install Xiaomi drivers (Mi Phone Manager)

Check if the device is detected in Device Manager (section "COM Ports")

Prepare a command line with administrator rights-->

Method 2: Run through ADB (if USB- was enabled)

If your Xiaomi has previously activated USB- debugging (in the developer settings), you can turn it on via ADB even without the power button working. This method is the safest, since it does not require firmware and saves all data.

Algorithm of action:

1. Connect the phone to your computer and wait until the drivers are installed (the device connection sound should appear).
2. Open the Command Prompt in the ADB folder (as in the previous method).
3. Enter a command to check connected devices:

adb devices

If your Xiaomi device (e.g., 1234abcd device) appears on the list, you can start the launch.

adb shell input keyevent 26

The 26 code corresponds to the power button pressed. If the phone doesn't respond, try the alternative:

adb shell input keyevent KEYCODE_POWER

If the screen is black, but the device is defined in adb devices, try to wake it up with the command:

adb shell am start -a android.intent.action.MAIN -c android.intent.category.HOME

This simulates the pressing of the Home button and can trigger the interface if the system was in sleep mode.

⚠️ Warning: Some Xiaomi models (e.g., Redmi Note 10 Pro or Mi 11) may require confirmation of the MIUI debugging permission on the phone screen after upgrading to USB-. If the screen doesn't turn on, this method won't work.

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If the ADB does not see the device, try reconnecting the cable to another USB-port (preferably USB 2.0 on the back of the PC) or rebooting the ADB service with the adb kill-server command, followed by adb start-server.

Method 3: Firmware via Mi Flash Tool (extremely)

If the first two methods fail, the most radical option is to run the firmware through the Mi Flash Tool, which is suitable for devices that:

• 🔋 Doesn't respond to charging or connecting to a PC at all.
• 📱 Have an unlocked bootloader (if not, you will need to unlock through Mi Unlock, which is impossible without a running power button).
• 💾 It doesn’t contain any important data (the firmware erases everything from internal memory).

You'll need firmware.

1. Download Mi Flash Tool from the official Xiaomi website (version not lower than 2020).
2. Find the Fastboot ROM firmware for your model (for example, for Redmi Note 9 Pro, this will be a joyeuse_global_images_ file...).
3. Uncancel the firmware into a folder without Cyrillic characters (e.g., C:\Xiaomi\ROM).
4. Put your phone into Fastboot mode (if it doesn’t respond, try clamping Volume down when connecting to your PC).

Follow the instructions:

1. Run the Mi Flash Tool on behalf of the administrator.
2. Click Select and specify the path to the folder with the unarched firmware.
3. Connect your phone in Fastboot mode (should be determined as to how to use it) COM-port).
4. At the bottom, select firmware mode: Clean all – clean (recommended); Clean all and lock – clean + lock the bootloader (only if you are sure!); Save user data – save data (not always working).

Flash

Once the firmware is successful, the phone will automatically restart. If the process is frozen by 99% or there is an error critical partition flashing is not allowed, then the bootloader is locked - you will need to unlock it (which is extremely difficult without a working power button).

⚠️ Warning: Firmware unofficial ROM via the Mi Flash Tool may result in IMEI loss or network issues. Use only official firmware from Xiaomi's site.

Alternative methods: what to do if nothing helps

If none of the above methods worked, don't despair. There are additional options that can bring the phone back to life:

• 🔌 Charging via another source: Try connecting Xiaomi to a charge from another device (like Quick Charge-enabled Power Bank). Sometimes the phone wakes up from a more powerful current.
• 🔄 Test Point Reset: Some models (e.g., Redmi 9A) can lock test points on the board for forced switching on. This requires disassembling the phone and is dangerous for beginners!
• 📱 Using a OTG- cable: If you have a OTG- adapter, plug a mouse or keyboard into your phone — sometimes this helps to wake up the device.
• 🔧 Service call: If the power button is physically damaged (the plume broke, the contacts oxidized), it can be replaced at the service center. The cost of repair is from 500 to 1500 rubles.

It's also worth checking if the alarm clock is automatically activated, and if the alarm clock is set on the phone, wait until it's set, and sometimes it starts the system.

1. Connect the phone to the charger.
2. Wait until the alarm clock should have been set.
3. If the screen catches fire, quickly connect your phone to your PC and use ADB to simulate button pressing.

On models with AMOLED- screens (e.g. Mi 11 or Poco F4), you can try to light the flashlight on the screen at an angle — sometimes the image is visible, but very dim, to help determine whether the phone is actually on.

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If the phone responds to charging (vibrates, warms, lights up), but does not turn on, the problem is more likely a software failure, not a hardware failure, in which case the firmware or reset via Fastboot helps.

Frequent Mistakes and How to Avoid Them

When trying to turn on Xiaomi without the power button, users often encounter typical preventable errors.

Another common problem is that the phone turns on but doesn't respond to touch, and it could be related to:

• 🔋 Insufficient charge (screen is turned on but system is not loaded fully).
• 📱 Sensor malfunction (try connecting the mouse to OTG).
• 🔄 Incorrect firmware (if unofficial ROM was stitched).

If the phone boots after firmware but is constantly restarted (bootloop), reset via Recovery:

1. Press Volume Up + Power to Enter Recovery.
2. Choose Wipe Data → Wipe All Data.
3. Confirm the reset and restart the phone.

⚠️ Warning: On some Xiaomi models (like the Redmi Note 8 Pro), a Recovery reset requires you to enter a password from your Mi Account even if the phone wasn't tied. If you don't remember the password, the reset will lock the device!

FAQ: Answers to Frequent Questions