How to turn off Xiaomi Redmi 7A if the sensor is not working: all working ways

The Xiaomi Redmi 7A touchscreen can stop responding to touch for a variety of reasons, from software failures to physical damage. In this situation, even the basic operation of turning off the phone becomes a non-trivial task. The standard way to hold the power button requires a confirmation on the screen that you simply won't see. Fortunately, there are alternative methods to safely disable the device without risking damaging data or hardware.

In this article, we will look at 7 proven ways to turn off the Redmi 7A with a broken sensor, from the simplest hardware combinations to advanced technical techniques using ADB and disassembling the case. We will focus on security: which methods can lead to data loss and which are completely safe for the system.

If your Redmi 7A is not only unresponsive to touch, but also hanging tight (the indicators are not burning, the vibration is not working), some of the methods in this article will help in this case, and for those who are planning further repairs, we have prepared a section on the tips for diagnosing a sensor malfunction.

1. Hardware button shutdown (without screen confirmation)

The most obvious but not always working way is to use physical buttons. There are two combinations on the Xiaomi Redmi 7A that can work even when the sensor is broken:

• 🔘 Long-term retention of the power button (10-15 seconds) on some firmware, this leads to a forced reboot, even if the screen does not respond. MIUI — In some cases, the phone just vibrates and keeps working.
• 🔄 Combination “Nutrition” + Volume up. Hold both buttons simultaneously for a period of time. 10–20 It mimics hard reset, but without data reset. 7A s MIUI 10/11 This way works in 70% case.

If the phone vibrates but doesn't turn off, try repeating the combination 2-3 times in a row, sometimes the system of the "hung" device responds to multiple signals.

⚠️ Attention: On Redmi 7A With custom firmware (like LineageOS), hardware combinations may work differently. If you've been installing unofficial software, you'd better move on to the method of using the hardware. ADB (section).

2. Battery Removal: When It's Safe and How to Do It Right

The Xiaomi Redmi 7A battery is non-removable, but it can be manually disabled by disassembling the body, a method guaranteed to turn off the phone, but has risks:

• ⚡ Loss of warranty (if it is still valid).
• 🛠️ Damage to plumes or connectors in careless disassembly.
• 🔋 Possible closure if the battery is disconnected incorrectly.

If you decide on this method, follow the instructions:

1. Turn off your phone (if possible) or wait for the battery to run out.
2. Remove the back cover by putting a plastic spatula on it (metal tools can leave scratches). Start at the corners near the headphone jack.
3. Unscrew 8 screws (cross screwdriver PH00).
4. Carefully disconnect the battery plume with plastic tweezers.

On the Redmi 7A, the battery plume is located under a metal plate - don't confuse it with camera connectors or a speaker. If you're not sure about your skills, you'd better contact a service center.

3. Forced reboot via Recovery Mode

Recovery Mode is a service mode that allows you to control your phone without a working sensor. On the Xiaomi Redmi 7A, you can enter it even with a broken screen:

1. Turn off the phone (if it is not already turned off) in any of the ways described above.
2. Press Power + Volume up and hold for 10-15 seconds until you feel vibration.
3. Release the buttons. The phone must boot into Recovery (even if the screen is black, the system is already in this mode).
4. To select the menu item, use the volume buttons (Up/Down), and to confirm - Power.
5. Select Reboot → Power Off (or similar in your version of Recovery).

If the screen is completely black, but the phone vibrates when you press the buttons, you can still navigate the tactile signals. The standard Recovery menu on MIUI has the following sequence of items:

1. Reboot to System




2. Reboot to Bootloader




3. Apply update from ADB




4. Wipe Data




5. Wipe Cache




6. Power Off ← We Need a Item

On some firmware, the Power Off item may be called Shutdown or Turn Off. If you are not sure, choose Reboot to System – this will safely restart the device.

Turn off the phone from charging | Check the battery (minimum 30%) | Prepare clips or clips to press buttons |Remember the sequence of menu items-->

4.Switch off via ADB (for advanced users)

Android Debug Bridge (ADB) is a tool to manage Android devices via a computer. If your Redmi 7A previously had USB debugging enabled, you can turn it off without the sensor:

1. Connect your phone to your PC through USB-cable (preferably original).
2. Open the command prompt (Win + R → cmd) and type: adb devices If the device is determined (the serial number will appear), move to the next step.
3. Execute the shutdown command: adb shell reboot -p

If ADB does not see the device:

• 🔌 Check the cable (better to use the one that came with the phone).
• 🖥️ Install Mi drivers PC Suite from the official Xiaomi website.
• 🔄 Restart your computer and phone (if possible).

⚠️ Attention: If debugging is on USB It wasn't activated in advance, it won't work. MIUI By default, it is disabled, and it is impossible to turn it on without a working sensor.

For Linux/macOS users, ADB commands are similar, but you may need to pre-configure device access permissions via udev.

5. Discharge the battery before complete shutdown

If no other method works, you can wait until the phone runs out and shuts down on its own, and it's completely data-safe, but it has its downsides:

• ⏳ It takes a long time (from 6 to 24 hours depending on the charge).
• 🔋 With a long-term simple discharged battery, its degradation is possible.
• 📵 If the phone was connected to the network, it can go into charging mode and not turn off.

To speed up the process:

1. Turn off all wireless modules (if the phone responds to buttons): Flight mode is enabled by Power + Volume down (hold 5 seconds).
2. Activate the screen’s maximum brightness (if it responds to touches at least a little).
3. Run a resource-intensive application (e.g., high-resolution video) via ADB: adb shell am start -n com.miui.videoplayer/.ui.VideoPlayerActivity

If the screen is completely black, but the phone is on, try leaving it with Wi-Fi or GPS on, which will speed up the discharge.

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If the phone is dead but doesn't turn on after charging, wait 10-15 minutes.Sometimes the Redmi 7A power controller will block charging if the battery is discharged to 0%.

6.Alternative methods: USB-OTG and external devices

If the sensor doesn’t work, but the phone recognizes the connected devices, you can try to control it via USB-OTG:

• 🖱️ - Mouse connection. MIUI supportive work with USB-You can use the mouse without any additional settings. Once you're connected, the cursor will appear on the screen, and you can turn the phone off through the menu.
• 🎮 Use of a gamepad. Some models (e.g. Xbox or DualShock) are recognized as input devices. PS) frequently opens up the food menu.

This method will require:

1. USB-OTG adapter (transmitter from Micro-USB to USB-A).
2. A mouse or gamepad with USB HID support.
3. Battery charge of at least 20% (otherwise, the OTG may not work).

If the mouse is not identified:

• Try another adapter (cheap Chinese models are often incompatible).
• Connect the charger in parallel (some phones turn off the OTG at low charge).
• Reboot your phone (if possible) – sometimes it helps initialize USB-port.

7.Diagnostics of sensor malfunction: what to do after switching off

After successfully turning off the phone, it's important to understand why the sensor stopped working. Here's a primary diagnostic that you can do yourself:

If you suspect a software problem, try:

1. Boot in Safe Mode (keep Power + Volume down when turned on). If the sensor is working, the third-party app is to blame.
2. Reset settings via Recovery (Wipe Data). Warning: this will delete all data!
3. Fastboot (instructions for Redmi 7A are available on the 4PDA forum).

For hardware malfunctions (cracks, battery bloating, contact oxidation), it is better to contact the service. The average cost of repairing the sensor on the Redmi 7A in 2026 is 1,500-3,000 rubles (depending on damage).

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If the sensor stops working after falling or getting moisture, do not try to turn on the phone - this can aggravate the short circuit.

Frequent Questions (FAQ)