How to turn off Xiaomi if the sensor is not working: The complete guide

When the touch screen stops responding to touch, it can take the smartphone owner by surprise at the most inopportune moment, especially when the battery is rapidly dropping or the device has started to overheat, requiring immediate shutdown. The standard method of shutting down through the software menu becomes unavailable because you can't press the "Stop" button on a black or hung display.

Fortunately, Xiaomi engineers have provided several alternative ways to solve this problem, which do not depend on the performance of the digitizer. In this article, we will discuss in detail both classic and advanced methods, including the use of computer utilities and recovery modes.

The first thing that comes to mind for most users is a long-term pressing of the physical button. However, depending on the model and version of the MIUI or HyperOS shell, the behavior of the system may differ. In some cases, holding the power key for 10-15 seconds forcibly breaks power, while in others, a voice assistant triggers or simply appears a menu that can not be used.

It’s important to understand that a forced reboot is safer for the file system than a full battery recovery if your model is fixed. Modern smartphones are designed to withstand hard resets, whereas physical interference with the case can damage the plumes or break the tightness.

Use of hardware buttons and combinations

The most obvious and affordable method is to use physical control buttons. On most modern Redmi and Poco models, the power button is combined with a fingerprint scanner, which can sometimes confuse the system's response algorithms. If a short click doesn't work, try holding the power button for 20-30 seconds.

In some firmware, prolonged retention causes vibrations and reboots, ignoring the sensor. If the power button just doesn't work, try Volume Up + Power. Hold both keys simultaneously until the Mi logo or vibration appears. This often causes the device to go into Fastboot or Recovery mode, where you can reboot.

⚠️ Warning: If the phone switches to Fastboot mode after the buttons are pressed, don't panic. 10-15 seconds until the screen goes out and the device does not vibrate.

There's also a nuance with the volume button. On a number of models, the Volume Down + Power combination can be used to take a screenshot or turn on a voice recorder, but when it's off, it often leads to the recovery menu. If the sensor is dead, logging into this menu is your only chance to use the on-screen buttons, if the touchscreen is partially responsive to taps in other modes, but not in the system.

Forced reset (Hard Reset buttons)

The term "Hard Reset" is often confused with a complete data reset, but in the context of power management, it means hardware restart. If the standard power button retention does not work, try the "triple click" method or specific rhythmic presses. Some users note that a series of quick presses on the power button (5-7 times in a row) can cause a crash of the system processes.

But the most effective way is to hold the power button, and you have to hold it down and count to thirty, and then you turn off the power controller, and the phone goes out, and then you have to wait a minute before you turn it back on, so that the capacitors can run out.

• 🔘 Press the power button on 10-15 Seconds to call the menu (if the sensor is partially alive).
• 🔘 Hold power for more than 20 seconds to force a power outage (Hard Shutdown).
• 🔘 Combination Volume Up + Power is often translated into Recovery, where navigation can be done with buttons.
• 🔘 Combination Loudness Down + The power usually leads to Fastboot, the exit from which is a long retention of power.

It is worth noting that frequent use of forced shutdowns can damage system files if data was recorded at the time of the failure, and use this method only in emergency cases when the battery is running low or the phone is warming.

Management through PC and ADB utility

If the physical effects do not produce results, and USB-Debugging on your Xiaomi has been pre-included, the most powerful tool will be the computer. Android Debug Bridge interface (ADB) It allows you to give commands to the system directly, without touch interfaces.

First, you'll need to install Xiaomi drivers and the SDK Tools platform on your computer. Connect your smartphone with a cable to your PC. If the phone vibrates when you connect and makes a device connection sound, then communication is possible. Open the command line or PowerShell in the ADB folder and type in a command to check the connection.

adb devices

If a device with device status appears on the list, you're in luck. You can send a command to reboot or shut down. the adb reboot command will send the phone to restart, and to completely shut down (on some models and versions of Android), you can work the command adb shell reboot -p or adb shell svc power shutdown.

⚠️ Attention: Complete shutdown command via ADB It doesn’t work on all Android versions for security reasons. If the phone just reboots instead of turning it off, use the adb reboot bootloader command to go into bootloader mode, and from there hold the power button to turn it off.

In this case, you can try to use Mi PC Suite or third-party analogues like Mi Assistant in Recovery mode, but they require entering a special mode, which is difficult to do without a working touchscreen, although an attempt to log in through the Volume Up + Power buttons can be crowned with success.

Using USB OTG and computer mouse

One of the most elegant and little-known ways to control a broken-screen smartphone is by using a USB OTG (On-The-Go) adapter, which allows you to connect peripherals like flash drives, keyboards and, most importantly, computer mice to your phone.

You'll need an adapter from USB Type-C (or Micro-USB) to a standard USB-A. Connect a conventional wired mouse to a smartphone. Even if the sensor doesn't work, a cursor should appear on the screen. With it, you can feel the switch off button in the menu, unlock the device (by entering a pin code with the keyboard, if it is also connected through the hub) and properly complete the work.

• 🖱️ Connect. USB OTG phone-charging adapter.
• 🖱️ Insert a wired computer mouse into the adapter.
• 🖱️ Wait for the cursor to appear on the screen (sometimes you need to unlock the screen with the power button).
• 🖱️ Use the left mouse button to simulate touching with your finger, the right one to return back.

This is an ideal method, because it allows you not only to turn off your phone, but also to save important data, back up or turn off your alarm before you turn off. USB-with a whistle, it should also work, but wired is more reliable, since it does not require pairing.

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If you don't have an OTG adapter, but you have a USB-out keyboard, try plugging it in. On many Xiaomi smartphones, the keyboard can work to enter the unlock password, allowing you to at least access the menu if the mouse cursor doesn't appear.

Specialized assistant applications

If your phone is still partially responsive or you want to prepare for future problems, it’s worth considering installing specialized apps, such as the Rebooter app (requires Root rights) or quick access widgets can put the off button prominently or allow you to adjust the action of double tap across the screen (if part of the display is running).

However, if the phone is already lying down with a sensor that is not working, you can't install new applications, but if you have a superuser license, you can use terminal emulators or ADB-commands to create scripts that will respond to physical volume buttons, reassigning their function to turn off the device.

For advanced users with access to TWRP Recovery, there is the option of installing scripts that allow you to manage power through a custom menu, but this is a solution for those who have taken care of the system modification beforehand. In normal mode, without Root rights, the ability to program reconfigure the buttons is limited by special features settings that you can not reach without a sensor.

Table: Comparison of disconnection methods

To make it easier for you to choose the right way, we have organized the information in the table below, and pay attention to the pre-preparation requirements and the likelihood of success.

As you can see from the table, having an OTG adapter is the most reliable lifeline. If you travel frequently or your phone is at risk of falling, having such a cheap adapter in your bag can save the situation.

Frequent Questions and Answers (FAQ)

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The most versatile and safe way to turn off Xiaomi with a non-working sensor is to use a USB OTG adapter and a computer mouse, as this method does not require Root rights and works on 100% of OTG-enabled devices.