Why Xiaomi smartphone doesnโt respond to touch and how to fix it
The touchscreen on Xiaomi smartphones (including the Redmi, POCO and Mi series) can stop responding to touch for a variety of reasons, from software failures to physical damage. If your device freezes, the screen becomes deaf to touch, but the image remains โ donโt panic. You can turn off the device without a working sensor in several ways, and most of them do not require special skills.
It's important to understand that a forced power outage is a last resort, so if your smartphone is just hanging, try waiting for the battery to run out or using button combinations first. If the screen is completely black, but the phone is making sounds or vibrating, the problem may be in the plume of the display or the motherboard, in which case you should contact the service center.
In this article, we will look at all the current methods of turning off Xiaomi without a sensor, from the standard to the little-known, and you will learn how to avoid data loss and what to do if the phone does not respond to any manipulation.
Method 1: Forced reboot through buttons
The most versatile method that works on 90% of Xiaomi models is the hardware reset, which doesn't require you to connect your phone to your computer or disassemble the case, but just press the physical button combination.
Instructions:
- ๐ Press the power button (usually located on the right) and the volume button at the same time.
- โฑ๏ธ Hold them for 10-15 seconds until the screen goes out and the phone starts vibrating (reset signal).
- ๐ฑ Release the buttons when the Mi or Redmi logo appears on the screen.
If this method doesnโt work, try an alternative combination:
- ๐ Press the power button. + volume button for 10-20 seconds.
- ๐ In some models (for example, POCO F3 Redmi Note 10 Pro may need to hold all three buttons: power + volume + volume.
Make sure your phone is not connected to the charger.|Check if the power button is stuck|Try waiting 1-2 minutes โ sometimes the system โslows downโ itself|If the screen is black, light up the flashlight โ perhaps the backlight is turned off.-->
โ ๏ธ Attention: Frequent forced reboot can damage the file system. If the phone turns on after the reset, back up the data immediately via Settings โ Google โ Backup.
Method 2: Removal of the battery (for models with removable battery)
On older Xiaomi models (e.g. Redmi 3S, Redmi 4A, Mi A1), the back cover is removable and the battery is not soldered to the motherboard, in which case the most reliable way to turn off the power will be to physically turn off the power.
Step-by-step:
- ๐ ๏ธ Turn off the phone (if it still responds to the power button).
- ๐ง Tap the back cover with a plastic card or mediator (start with the corners).
- ๐ Carefully disconnect the battery plume (if it is connected through a connector) or remove the battery.
- โณ Wait 30 to 60 seconds, then set the battery back.
โ ๏ธ Note: On newer models (starting with the Redmi Note 5 and later), the battery is soldered to the board. Attempting to remove it without special tools and skills can lead to short circuit or damage to the motherboard.
What if the phone doesnโt turn on after the battery is removed?
Method 3: Disconnect via ADB (for advanced users)
If your Xiaomi has USB debugging enabled (Settings โ About Phone โ MIUI Version โ 7 times press to activate Developer Mode, then Settings โ Additional โ Developers โ USB debugging), you can turn it off via your computer using Android Debug Bridge (ADB).
Instructions:
- ๐ฅ๏ธ Connect your phone to your PC through USB-cable (preferably original).
- ๐ฅ Download and install. ADB Tools (or use a portable version).
- ๐ Open the command line (Windows) or the terminal (macOS/Linux) file ADB.
- ๐ Enter the command to check the connection: adb devices If the phone is determined, you will see its serial number.
- โป To turn off, do: adb shell reboot -p
If the team doesnโt work, try an alternative:
adb shell input keyevent 26(Emulating the press of the power button.)
Yeah, regularly.|I tried it a couple times.|No, but I want to learn.|No, and no planning.-->
โ ๏ธ Attention: If debugging is on USB It wasn't on in advance, it won't work, and it's also on some firmware (e.g., some firmware, MIUI Global may be limited to the execution of commands through ADB.
Method 4: Discharge the battery before it is completely shut down
If no buttons are working and no ADB computer is on hand, you can wait until the phone is completely dead, a method that takes a long time (from a few hours to a day), but is guaranteed to turn off the device without risk of damage.
How to speed up the process:
- ๐ Activate energy-intensive functions: turn on the maximum brightness of the screen (if it reacts even slightly), run a high-resolution video or game.
- ๐ถ Turn on the mobile Internet (4G/5G) and start downloading a large file.
- ๐ Start the music at maximum volume through the speakers.
- ๐ก๏ธ If the phone is warming, donโt cool it โ the elevated temperature will speed up the discharge.
โ ๏ธ Warning: Complete discharge of lithium-ion batteries is bad for their health. After turning off, immediately connect the phone to charge and do not leave it discharged for long.
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If the screen isn't responding but the phone is making sounds, try connecting it to an external monitor via a USB-C/HDMI adapter (on supported models).
Method 5: Use the "Find Device" function (Mi Cloud)
If your Xiaomi has a Mi Account attached and Find Device enabled, you can turn it off remotely via a web interface, which works even if the sensor is not responding but requires your phone to connect to the Internet (via a mobile network or Wi-Fi).
Instructions:
- ๐ Go to i.mi.com and log in to your account.
- ๐ In the โFind the deviceโ section, select your smartphone.
- โ๏ธ Click on the โManagementโ icon (or โMoreยป).
- โป Select the option โSwitch off the deviceยป.
Limitations of the method:
- โ It does not work if the phone is not connected to the network.
- โ Some firmware requires confirmation on the device itself (which is impossible with a broken sensor).
- โ After switching off, the phone can turn on again when connected to charging.
What to do if none of the methods worked
If the phone still doesn't turn off and the screen stays active, maybe the problem is deeper than it seems.
| Symptoms. | Possible cause | Decision |
|---|---|---|
| The screen lights up but does not respond to touches and buttons. | System freeze or firmware damage | Connect to a PC and try flashing through Fastboot or EDL-regime |
| The phone vibrates, but the screen is black. | Damage to the display plume or backlight | Contact the service for screen diagnostics |
| The power button doesn't work. | Sticking or breaking of a button | Try tapping the button gently or disassembling the phone to clean up. |
| The phone is warming and discharged quickly | A looped process or battery damage | Forced cooling (e.g., in the refrigerator for 10 minutes) or battery replacement |
If you are not sure of your abilities, you should contact an authorized service center Xiaomi. Self-repair without experience can aggravate the problem, especially if it is a motherboard or battery damage.
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Before visiting the service, be sure to back up the data if the phone is at least somehow responsive to the connection to the PC. The workshop can reset the settings to the factory.
How to avoid repeated sensor failures
To minimize the risk of re-hanging the sensor, follow these guidelines:
- ๐ Regularly update the firmware through Settings โ The phone. โ Update the system, new versions MIUI Frequently fix bugs associated with the touch screen.
- ๐ก๏ธ Install a reliable antivirus (such as Avast or Bitdefender) to prevent malware from infecting you that can block the screen.
- ๐ฑ Avoid installing apps from unverified sources (outside of Google Play).
- ๐ Do not allow the battery to run deep โ this can lead to system failures.
- ๐ก๏ธ Watch the temperature of the phone: overheating (above 45)ยฐC) often causes freezes.
It is also useful to know the hot keys for emergency situations:
- Power button + Volume increase - forced reboot.
- Power button + Volume reduction - login to Fastboot (for firmware).
- Power button + both volume buttons โ login to Recovery (for reset).