You turned on a Xiaomi smartphone, and instead of the usual logo on the screen, the Fastboot is on the screen and the device refuses to boot further? This problem is familiar to many owners of Redmi, POCO or Mi - especially after failed firmware, resets or physical damage. In 80% of cases, the phone does not break irrevocably: Fastboot mode (aka bootloader) is an engineering tool for restoring the system, not a sentence.
In this article, we’ll look at all the possible causes of Fastboot hanging, from the banal (battery is dead) to the complex (EFS section is damaged), you’ll get step-by-step instructions for each scenario: how to exit the mode without losing data, what to do if the phone does not respond to buttons, and when to carry it into the service. And a unique firmware compatibility table for popular Xiaomi models 2020-2026, which will help avoid errors when reflashing.
Why Xiaomi is stuck in Fastboot: 5 main reasons
Fastboot activates when the system cannot load the main firmware. This is not an accident, because the smartphone signals a critical error.
- 🔋 Battery discharge below 5% – if the phone is turned off during the update or firmware, the next time you turn on, Fastboot can start as a protective mechanism.
- 📱 Failed update MIUI — interruption OTA-package or version conflict (e.g. attempt to MIUI 14 on Redmi Note 9, which doesn't officially support it).
- 🔧 Boot or recovery partition damage – often occurs after manual intervention (unlocking bootloader, installing custom firmware such as LineageOS).
- 💥 Hardware malfunctions – oxidation of battery contacts, damage to flash memory (eMMC) or power controller.
- 🔄 Resetting to factory settings through recovery – if the process is interrupted, the system may “lock in” at the initialization stage.
How do you know if your problem is your problem? Pay attention to the behavior of your phone.
- 🔄 Download animation spins, but then returns to Fastboot → damaged boot.img.
- 📵 The screen is black, but when connected to a PC is defined as Qualcomm. HS-USB QDLoader 9008 → hardware malfunction (eMMC in emergency loading mode).
- ⚡ The phone vibrates when charging, but does not turn on → Battery discharged or damaged power controller.
⚠️ Note: If you installed the firmware through the Mi Flash Tool before the problem and chose the clean all option, it will be impossible to restore data (photos, contacts) - this mode formats all partitions, including userdata.
Method 1: Simple restart (if the phone responds to buttons)
In 30 percent of cases, the problem is solved by forced reboot, and this method works if:
- 📱 Phone turns on but gets stuck on Fastboot.
- 🔄 Responds to a long press of the power button (vibrates or turns off).
- 🔋 The battery is charged at least 10-15%.
Instructions:
- Press the power button for 15-20 seconds until the screen goes out.
- Release the button and wait 30 seconds – the phone should automatically reboot.
- If the screen is on Fastboot again, repeat the action, but after turning off immediately press Power + Volume up to enter Recovery Mode.
Make sure the phone is charged (plug in to charge for 10 minutes)
Turn off all cables (USB, headphones)
Press and hold the power button for exactly 20 seconds.
If it doesn’t work, try the combination Nutrition + Volume up.
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If the phone doesn’t respond to buttons or returns to Fastboot after rebooting, move on to the next method.
Method 2: Boot in Recovery Mode and Reset Settings
Recovery Mode is an emergency recovery mode that allows you to reset or install an update without full firmware, and it works even if the boot partition is damaged.
How to Sign In to Recovery on Xiaomi:
- Turn off the phone (if it doesn’t respond, hold the power button for 20 seconds).
- Press Power + Volume up and hold until the Mi logo appears.
- In the Recovery menu, select the language (volume buttons) and tap on the Wipe Data item (reset settings).
- Confirm the action and wait for the completion (5-10 minutes).
If the phone still loads into Fastboot after resetting, try installing the update via Recovery:
- Download the official firmware for your model from the MIUI Download website (choose the Recovery ROM version).
- Rename the file to update.zip and place it in the root of internal memory (if the phone is defined as a drive) or on a MicroSD.
- From the Recovery menu, select Install update.zip and confirm the installation.
⚠️ Note: If E:unknown command or E:signature verification failed appears in Recovery, the firmware is not suitable for your model or is corrupted (MD5).
Redmi Note 10/11/12
POCO F3/F4/F5
Mi 11/12/13
Redmi 9/9A/9C
Another model
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Method 3: Fastboot (Mi Flash Tool)
If previous methods didn’t work, you’ll have to refashion the phone via Fastboot, which is suitable for all Xiaomi models, but requires a computer and an original one. USB-cable.
What you need:
- 🖥️ Windows computer 7/10/11 (on Mac/Linux Possible problems with drivers).
- 🔌 The original cable. USB Type-C (cheap cables may not transmit data).
- 📁 Fastboot firmware ROM For your model (download only from the official website).
- 🛠️ Mi Flash Tool (last version - download here).
Step-by-step:
- Unpack the firmware (.tgz or.zip) into a folder without Cyrillic characters (for example, C:\MIUI\).
- Install the Mi Flash Tool and run on behalf of the administrator.
- Turn off the phone and press Volume Down + Power to enter the Fastboot (a screen with a rabbit and a Fastboot inscription).
- Connect your phone to your PC. The Android Bootloader Interface should appear in Device Manager.
- In the Mi Flash Tool, click Select and specify the path to the firmware folder.
- Select firmware mode: clean all – complete cleaning (data will be deleted), clean all and lock – cleaning + lock bootloader (for sale of the phone). save user data – an attempt to save data (does not always work).
Flash
| Xiaomi model | Supported version of MIUI (2026) | Features of firmware |
|---|---|---|
| Redmi Note 12 Pro+ | MIUI 14 / 15 | Requires unlocking bootloader for custom firmware |
| POCO F5 | MIUI 14 (Global) | Switch only Fastboot ROM for POCO, not Redmi |
| Mi 11 Ultra | MIUI 14 (Stable) | When you are firmware through clean all, the region is reset (re-association of the account may be required) |
| Redmi 9A | MIUI 12.5 (last) | Does not support MIUI 14 – the firmware of the new version will lead to bricks |
⚠️ Note: If the phone does not turn on after firmware and is defined as Qualcomm HS-USB QDLoader 9008, which means the eMMC chip is damaged, in which case only the replacement of the motherboard or the soldering of memory (in the service center) will help).
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Before you run your firmware, disable the antivirus, which can block the Mi Flash Tool files as potentially dangerous, and make sure that there are no gaps or Cyrillic in the path to the firmware folder (e.g., C:\MIUI\proshivka\ - bad, C:\MIUI\Note12\ - good).
Method 4: Recovery through EDL-regime (for “bricks")
If the phone does not respond to any buttons and is not detected in Fastboot, but when you connect to the PC, a Qualcomm device appears HS-USB QDLoader 9008 – means the smartphone has moved to the EDL-This is the last chance to restore it without repair.
What's EDL?
It is an emergency bootloader mode that allows you to flash the phone at a low level, even if the file system is damaged. It works on all Xiaomi smartphones on Qualcomm processors (for example, Redmi Note 10 Pro, POCO X3).
How to flash through EDL:
- Download firmware for EDL (look for forums like 4PDA or XDA Developers – official files are not suitable).
- Install the QDLoader driver (manually through Device Manager).
- Use the Mi Flash Tool or QFil utility for firmware: 1. In the Mi Flash Tool, select the firmware folder. 2. Press Refresh - the device should be determined in EDL. 3. Select clean all mode and press Flash.
- Check heating: If the case is heated in one place (such as near the chamber), this may indicate a short circuit.
If you suspect a hardware breakdown, but are not sure of their abilities, do not disassemble the phone yourself. Modern Xiaomi have fragile plumes and chips that are easy to damage without special equipment.
Method 6: Restore IMEI after firmware
If you managed to restore your phone via Fastboot or EDL, but there is no network after you turn on (No Services or IMEI: Null), then IMEI, the unique identifier of the communication module, has erased, and this is a common problem after deep firmware.
How to restore the IMEI:
- Find out your phone’s original IMEI (it’s listed on the box or under the battery).
- Download the Maui META or SN Write Tool (for Qualcomm processors).
- Enter IMEI via the engineering menu: 1. Type on the phone keyboard: ##4636###2. Go to Phone Information → Select Network. 3. If there is no IMEI entry point, use the PC and QPST utility.
First, diagnose the phone in 2-3 services – sometimes the problem is solved by a simple firmware for 1000 ₽.