How to turn off Xiaomi smartphone if the power button does not work: the full guide

A broken power button on a Xiaomi smartphone is one of the most unpleasant breakdowns that can completely paralyze the device. Without the ability to turn off or restart the phone normally, you risk freezing, battery discharge at the wrong time, or even data loss. Fortunately, there are alternative ways to turn off power that work even with a completely faulty mechanical button.

In this article, we’ll look at all possible methods, from standard MIUI features to hidden engineering commands and hardware solutions. You’ll learn how to turn off Redmi, POCO or Mi without a power button, which methods are safe for data and which ones should only be used as a last resort.

Why the power button may not work and what to do before turning off

Before you start a forced shutdown, it’s important to understand the cause of the breakdown.The power button on Xiaomi may stop responding for several reasons:

• 🔧 Mechanical damage – a fall, impact, or ingress of moisture caused the micro-switch under the button to fail.
• 🧹 Contact contamination – dust, dirt, or liquid residues block normal response.
• 🔌 Software failure: A firmware error MIUI or application conflict may "block" the processing of presses.
• 🔋 Battery problems – a bloated battery sometimes pushes the board, disrupting the buttons.

If the button stops working suddenly, try to clean it first — gently blow it with compressed air or wipe it with alcohol. To check for software reasons, connect the phone to the ADB and follow the command:

adb shell input keyevent 26

If the button doesn't work even after that, then you can start using alternative methods to turn it off.

⚠️ Warning: Forced power outages can result in loss of unsaved data or file system damage. Always save important files to the Mi Cloud cloud or to your computer first.

Sync contacts and photos with Mi Cloud| Connect to Wi-Fi for backup |Close all applications manually |Disable SIM- card if you plan to disassemble-->

Method 1: Turn off via the power menu (if the screen is running)

The easiest and safest method is to use a software shutdown menu, which is suitable if the touch screen is working and the power button does not respond only to hold.

Instructions for MIUI 12/13/14:

1. Unlock your phone (if the screen is locked, use a fingerprint or PIN-code).
2. Swipe your finger from the bottom up the screen to open the notification bar.
3. Click on the ⚙️ Settings icon (or swipe left/right for quick settings).
4. Scroll down and select About Phone → Turn off.
5. Confirm the action by pressing OK.

On some models (POCO F3, Redmi Note 10 Pro) the path may be different:

• 📱 Settings → Additional → Turn off and restart
• 🔄 Settings → System → Reboot and Shutdown

If there is no standard menu, try an alternative path through the developer mode:

Settings → About Phone → MIUI version (click 7 times)


Settings → Additional → For developers → Shutdown

💡

On some Xiaomi.eu firmware, the shutdown menu is hidden. To return it, run the command in ADB: settings put global power_menu_include_restart 1.

Method 2: Forced Reset (Hard Reset)

If the screen doesn’t respond or the phone freezes completely, it’s just a hardware reset, which works on all Xiaomi models, but has risks:

• ⚠️ Unsaved data (open documents, unsynchronized photos) may be lost.
• ⚠️ If used frequently, it can damage the file system.
• ⚠️ Does not work if the battery is completely discharged.

Instructions for Hard Reset:

1. Make sure your phone is not connected to charging (this is important!).
2. Press and hold the volume button (+) and the power button at the same time.
3. Hold for 10-15 seconds until the screen goes out and the phone vibrates.
4. After vibration release the buttons - the device will start to restart.

For models with Qualcomm Snapdragon (most Xiaomi, POCO, Redmi Note) a combination is suitable:

Loudness (+) + Nutrition (hold 12+ seconds)

For MediaTek devices (some Redmi 9/10, POCO M3), sometimes:

Loudness (-) + Nutrition (hold 15+ seconds)

⚠️ Warning: On Xiaomi Mi A1/A2 (with pure Android), Hard Reset is performed by holding the power + volume button down for 20 seconds.

Method 3: Disconnect via ADB (for advanced users)

If you have access to your computer and USB debugging enabled, you can turn off Xiaomi via ADB (Android Debug Bridge), a method that is 100% data-safe and works even when the screen is locked (if debugging was enabled in advance).

Step-by-step:

1. Connect your phone to your PC through the original USB-cable.
2. Open the Command Prompt (Windows) or Terminal (macOS/Linux).
3. Enter the command to check the connection: Adb devices must appear serial number of your device.
4. Execute the switch-off command: adb shell reboot -p or alternative: adb shell input keyevent 26

If the reboot-p command doesn’t work (it’s disabled on some Xiaomi firmware), use the power button emulation:

adb shell input keyevent KEYCODE_POWER

For models with unlocked bootloader, you can use extended commands:

adb shell su -c "reboot -p"

⚠️ Warning: If debugging on USB wasn't enabled in advance, this method won't work. Don't try activating it on Fastboot without experience - it could result in a data reset!

Software menu |Hard Reset (volume buttons) |ADB- command |Another way |Not yet tried-->

Method 4: Using Fastboot Mode to Turn Off

If the phone is turned on but the power button is not working, you can use Fastboot mode to safely shut down, which is suitable for devices with an unlocked bootloader or with access to the Mi Flash Tool.

Instructions:

1. Turn off the phone forcibly (via Hard Reset, as described above).
2. Press the volume button down (-) and connect the phone to the PC via USB.
3. Hold the button until the Fastboot logo appears.
4. On your computer, open Command Prompt and type: fastboot devices Make sure the device is identified.
5. Run the shutdown command: fastboot oem off-mode-charge 0 or (for new models): fastboot reboot poweroff

If the commands don’t work, try an alternative:

fastboot -w


fastboot reboot

This will result in a cache reset and reboot, after which you can turn off the phone in a standard way through the menu.

💡

Fastboot mode allows you to turn off your phone without the risk of data loss, but requires pre-setting (unlocked bootloader or access to the Mi Flash Tool).

Method 5: Emergency shutdown via battery extraction (for older models)

If you have a removable battery (relevant to Redmi 3S, Redmi 4/4A, Redmi 5/5A and older), the most reliable way is to physically turn off the power.

• ⚠️ Do not remove the battery while writing data, as this can cause memory damage.
• ⚠️ On some models (Redmi Note 4X) the battery is glued to the battery - don't try to tear it off by force!
• ⚠️ After retrieval, wait 30 seconds before re-installation.

Step-by-step:

1. Turn off the phone forcefully (press Power + Volume (+) for 10 seconds).
2. Remove the back cover (a plastic shoulder blade or mediator will be required).
3. Carefully slap the battery on the side and remove it.
4. Wait 1-2 minutes, then set the battery back.
5. Connect the charger - the phone should turn on automatically.

For models with a non-removable battery (Redmi Note 7/8/9, POCO X3 and later), this method is not suitable - you will need disassembly of the case, which is better to entrust the service center.

⚠️ Warning: On the Xiaomi Mi Max and Mi Note, the battery is connected with a plume. If you are not sure about your skills, do not take risks - contact the service!

Method 6: Turn off through the engineering menu (hidden codes)

Xiaomi smartphones have hidden engineering menus that you can use to manage power, which don’t work on all firmware, but sometimes help when other methods are not available.

List of work teams:

• 📞 To turn off: ##76937### (on some Redmi opens the power menu).
• 🔧 For reboot: ##7780## (soft reset, does not delete data).
• 🛠️ Engineering menu: ##4636## → Battery information → sometimes there is an option to turn off.

For models on Qualcomm (most Xiaomi) try:

1. Dial in the dialer: ##7378423##.
2. Go to Service Tests → Power Off.
3. Confirm the shutdown.

On firmware Xiaomi.eu or custom ROM sometimes works team:

##7594##

This will open the Power Off menu without having to hold the power button.

⚠️ Warning: Not all engineering codes work on the latest MIUI 14. On Xiaomi 12/13 and Redmi Note 11/12 most of them are disabled for security reasons.

Method 7: Automatic timer shutdown

If the power button is partially working (e.g., it responds to short presses but not to hold), you can schedule an automatic shutdown via MIUI settings.

Instructions:

1. Open Settings → Battery and Performance.
2. Select the on/off schedule.
3. Activate the “Switch Off” option and set a time (e.g., after 5 minutes).
4. Confirm the setting and wait for the automatic shutdown.

For models without this feature (POCO X3 Pro, Redmi K40) use the MacroDroid app:

1. Install MacroDroid from Google Play.
2. Create a new macro with a time trigger.
3. Add the Device Shutdown action (ADB rights will be required).
4. Save and activate the macro.

On Xiaomi with a MediaTek processor (e.g. Redmi 9/10), automatically shutting down via MacroDroid may not work due to manufacturer restrictions.

💡

Auto-switching off is the safest method, but requires pre-setting, which is suitable if the power button is still partially functioning.

What do you do if nothing helps?

If none of these methods work, radical measures remain:

• 🔌 Battery discharge - leave the phone on until full discharge (longer than 12 hours) and it will turn on automatically after you connect to charging.
• 🛠️ Service center – if the power button is physically broken, a micro-switch replacement will be required (cost ~500–1500 ₽).
• 🔄 Firmware via EDL – In extreme cases, you can flash your phone in Emergency Download Mode, but this will delete all data.

For models with a non-removable battery and a non-working screen, the only way out is to disassemble. On Xiaomi, you can do this yourself, but you will need to:

• 🔧 A set of screwdrivers T3–T5 and PH00.
• 🔥 Hair dryer or glue heating station.
• 📱 Screen-removal suction cup (for models with OLED- display).

If you are not sure about your skills, do not take risks - contact the authorized service center Xiaomi.

FAQ: Frequent questions about turning off Xiaomi without a power button