Why Xiaomi’s screen suddenly went out and what to do about it
You take Xiaomi in your hand, and the screen stays black -- no backlights, no touch reactions, and the phone vibrates when you call, the sound is played, and the notifications come. Is the situation familiar? It's a classic symptom of a hardware or software display failure, and in 70 percent of cases, it can be fixed by itself.
In this article, we'll look at all the possible causes, from the banal discharge of the battery to damage to the screen plume, and most importantly, we'll give you step-by-step instructions on how to return the display to work without going to the service. 10/11/12, POCO X3/X4/X5 mi 11/12/13, where the problem is most often encountered.
Before you panic, check: does the phone really work? Try: 1) Press the power button - there should be a response (vibration or sound). 2) Connect the charge - if the battery indicator appears, the problem may be in the firmware. 3) Call the phone from another device - if there is a call, the display has nothing to do with it.
If one of the things is done, the screen isn't burned, and you can reanimate it. Let's start with the simplest one.
1. battery drained or charging problems
The most common reason is the battery's deep discharge, so if the phone was uncharged for several days, the power controller could turn off the screen to save power, especially for the Redmi 9A/9C and POCO M3 models, where the battery quickly sits in the background.
What do you do: ⚡ Connect the original cable and power supply (at least) 18W). ⏳ Leave on charging for at least 30 minutes – even if the indicator does not burn. 🔄 Try another cable/charging or connect to your PC via USB.
If the screen never turned on after charging, but the phone responds to buttons, the problem isn't the battery.
⚠️ Note: Do not use fast charging from other brands (such as Samsung or OnePlus). Xiaomi power controllers may conflict with charging protocols, which will damage the port. USB-C.
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If the phone shows no signs of charging, try cleaning the USB-C port of dust with a toothpick (carefully!). Often, the oxidation of the contacts blocks the power supply.
Hard Reset: When the phone is running but the screen is dead
If the screen is not responding, but the phone is making sounds or vibrating, the graphics driver may have crashed or the MIUI process is stalled, in which case a forced reboot will help.
Instructions for all Xiaomi models (including Redmi and POCO): 1. Press the Power + Volume button for 15-20 seconds. 2. If the MI logo appears, release the buttons. Phone will restart. 3. If there is no reaction, try the Power + Volume Combination.
On some models (for example, Xiaomi 12 Pro) can only work triple combination: Power + Volume + Volume Reduction.
☑️ Checklist before reset
If the screen is up after reset, but the image is flickering or the artifacts are a problem in the firmware. Update MIUI through Settings → About Phone → System Update.
3. Screen plume check - hardware malfunction
If the phone falls, hits or gets wet, there is a high risk of damage to the display plume or its contacts on the motherboard, a problem that is common in models with a removable back cover (Redmi 9T, POCO M2), where the plume can move away from vibration.
How to diagnose: 🔍 Hold the phone up to the bright light at an angle, and if you can barely see the image, the plume has moved away or damaged. 🎧 If you have a sound, but the screen is dead, there's a problem with the display or connecting it. 🔋 Try connecting your phone to the TV through HDMI-Adapter (for models with support for Miracast) If there is a picture, it is the screen or the plume that is to blame.
⚠️ Warning: If the phone is wet, don't try to disassemble it yourself! Corrosion on the plume contacts can short circuit when you try to connect.
| Symptoms. | Probable cause | Can I fix it myself? |
|---|---|---|
| The screen is black, but there is light (lights) | The plume or matrix is damaged. | ❌ We need a replacement. |
| The screen flickers, stripes appear | A plume has gone or a graphics chip has been damaged. | ✅ We can reconnect the plume. |
| The phone vibrates, but the screen doesn't turn on. | Failure of the firmware or display driver | ✅ You can reset or re-flash. |
| The screen goes out when the phone tilts | Bad plume contact or crack in the matrix | ✅ We can reconnect the plume. |
If you decide to disassemble the phone yourself, remember: 1. Use plastic blades to avoid damaging the plumes. 2. Turn off the battery be sure - even in the phone turned off, there is a voltage. 3. Take a picture of the location of the plumes before turning off.
What does a damaged screen plume look like?
4.Reset to factory settings via Recovery Mode
If the screen doesn’t turn on due to a firmware failure (for example, after updating MIUI or installing custom ROM), resetting via Recovery Mode will help. This method works even if the display is completely black, but the phone responds to buttons.
Step-by-step: 1. Turn off the phone (press Power for 10 seconds). 2. Press Power + Volume Up until the Mi Recovery logo appears. 3. In the recovery menu, select Wipe Data (use volume buttons for navigation, Power for confirmation). 4. Confirm the reset by choosing Yes. 5. After reset, select Reboot.
If the recovery menu doesn’t appear, the recovery section may be damaged, in which case only flashing through Fastboot (more on this below) will help.
⚠️ Warning: Resetting via recovery removes all data from your phone, including photos and apps. If you had Mi Cloud enabled, the data can be restored once you log in.
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If the phone doesn't go into recovery, but it does respond to buttons, the problem is the firmware. You need to flash it over the PC.
5. Fastboot flashing (if the screen is not turned on)
If the reset doesn't work, and the phone is still alive (vibrates, makes sounds), you have to reflash it through the Fastboot, which works even with a fully black screen, but requires a computer and a computer. USB-cable.
What's the matter: 🖥️ Windows computer (or Mac/Linux fixed ADB). 🔌 Original. USB-cable (better from the set). 📥 Firmware for your model (download from the official Xiaomi website). 🛠️ The Mi Flash Tool (download here).
Instructions: 1. Install the Mi Flash Tool and unpack the firmware into a folder without Cyrillic. 2. Turn off the phone and press Power + Volume Down to log into Fastboot. 3. Connect the phone to a PC. Android Bootloader Interface should appear in Device Manager. 4. In Mi Flash Tool, select the firmware folder and press Refresh. Phone should be determined. 5. Press Flash and wait for the end (5-10 minutes).
After flashing, the phone will restart. If the screen is still not working, but the phone is turning on, the problem is 100% hardware (a plume, matrix or graphics chip).
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If the Mi Flash Tool gives you a “Couldn’t find fastboot” error, try running it on behalf of the administrator or install drivers manually through Device Manager.
Problems with the proximity or illumination sensor
Sometimes the screen goes out because the sensors are not working properly, for example, if the proximity sensor thinks the phone is pressed to the ear, it turns off the display, or the light sensor crashes, and the brightness drops to zero.
How to check: 📞 Call the phone from another device, and if the screen lights up when you take the tube off, it's the proximity sensor. 🔦 Put a flashlight on top of the screen (where the sensors are located). If the screen flashes, the light sensor is a problem. 🛠️ Try calibrating the sensors through the engineering menu (enter dial ##6484##).
If the sensors are faulty, you can turn them off software: 1. Connect your phone to your PC and use ADB (Android Debug Bridge). 2. Enter the command:
adb shell settings put system proximity_delay 2500This command increases the delay of the approach sensor.
To completely turn off the light sensor, use:
adb shell settings put system screen_brightness_mode 0
adb shell settings put system screen_brightness 200(where 200 is a fixed brightness from 0 to 255).
7.When to carry to the service: signs of a serious breakdown
If none of the methods worked and the screen still doesn't turn on, it's probably a hardware problem, and here are the signs that repairs are a must:
- 💥 The phone fell or got wet - could damage the plume, matrix or motherboard.
- 🔥 The screen flashes, colored stripes appear - a sign of damage to the graphics chip or plume.
- 🔋 Phone doesn't charge or turn on - Power controller may have burned.
- 🛠️ After disassembly, the screen did not work - could damage the contacts of the plume.
Cost of repair in the service: • Replacement of the screen plume: 1,500–3,000 ₽ (Replacement of the matrix: 4000–10000 ₽ (Xiaomi 13 Pro is more expensive because of the AMOLED-• Repair of the graphics chip: from 5 000 ₽ (ration BGA).
⚠️ Warning: If the phone is warranty, don't disassemble it yourself! Opening the case will void the Xiaomi warranty. Take it to the official service center - warranty repairs can be free.
8.Prevention: How to avoid re-turning off the screen
To avoid recurring problems, follow these tips:
- 🔋 Avoid deep discharge – charge your phone with 10-15% battery.
- 📱 Use a case with depreciation - this will protect the screen plume when falling.
- 🌡️ Avoid overheating – Do not leave your phone in the sun or near heat sources.
- 🔄 Update regularly MIUI — In new versions, bugs with display drivers are corrected.
- 🚫 Do not install custom firmware from unknown sources - they may conflict with the hardware".
If your Xiaomi is a Redmi Note 10/11 or POCO X3/X4 series, be especially careful: these models often have factory defects in the screen plume. At the first sign of flicker, contact the service - warranty repair can save you from an expensive replacement matrix.