When the display of a Xiaomi smartphone stops responding to touch or goes out completely, it always takes you by surprise. If at this point the device needs to be turned off urgently, for example, due to overheating, freezing or to save battery power, the standard way through the menu becomes unavailable. The user faces a dilemma: leave the phone on, risking to land the battery, or look for workarounds to force the system to stop.
Fortunately, the MIUI and Android operating system architectures offer multiple layers of device management that are independent of the touch layer. In this article, we'll look at all possible methods, from simple hardware resets to professional debugging tools, each with its own characteristics and suits different crash scenarios.
It's important to understand that the choice of the particular method depends on the degree of damage to the touchscreen and the matrix. If the screen is black, but the phone vibrates when you press the buttons, your chances are much higher, and if the device is completely dead and does not respond to anything other than the charger connection, a deeper approach will be required.
Hardware method of forced reboot
The first and most affordable way that every Xiaomi or Redmi smartphone owner should try is to use physical control buttons, which emulates battery extraction, which was the norm for older phones. It doesn't require a computer connection or special skills.
To implement this method, you need to find a power button, which can be on the right side of your device, or in rare cases, on the top, depending on your device model, and a forced restart works even when the system is completely getting stuck and does not respond to program commands.
- 🔘 Press the power button and hold it for a while. 10-15 A few seconds until you feel a short vibration.
- ⚡ If there is no vibration, try the combination: press the volume button "Down" and the switch on the button at the same time. 15-20 seconds.
- 🔄 After the Mi or Redmi logo appears, release the buttons – the phone will start a download cycle that can be interrupted.
⚠️ Note: This method is "hard" and does not store unsaved data in open applications. Use it only in emergency cases when it is impossible to complete the work.
If your goal is to turn off the phone rather than restart it, then once the device vibrates and starts to turn on, you can try to get into the Recovery menu (described below) or just wait for the boot if the touchscreen is partially working, but often this method immediately puts the phone into recovery mode.
Some Xiaomi smartphones with non-removable batteries may require longer button retention.In rare cases, when the phone is overheated, the system may ignore the taps until the processor temperature drops to a safe threshold.
Using Recovery Mode to Turn Off
If simply holding the power button puts the phone into boot mode but doesn't turn it off, you should use the Recovery menu, which is a special diagnostic mode built into the device's memory that boots independently of the main operating system, and this is where you can safely complete the work.
To get into this menu on Xiaomi devices, you need to perform a certain sequence of actions.
☑️ Recovery login algorithm
Once you get to the menu, you'll see a list of options in English or Chinese, you don't have to go through all the items, you just have to find the one you want. Use volume buttons to move the cursor up or down.
- 📉 Press the "Loudness Down" button to go down the list to Power off.
- ✅ To confirm the choice (off), press the power button once.
- 🔙 If you accidentally chose the wrong item, the “Loudness Up” button will lift you back to the menu.
In some versions of MIUI, the Recovery menu can be simplified, so if you only see the logo and say "Mi Logo" or "Fastboot," you're in the wrong menu, in which case you press the power button for 10 seconds to exit, and try again to log in, observing the timings.
Shutting down via computer connection (ADB)
For advanced users who have pre-built USB debugging, the most flexible software method is available: the use of the ADB (Android Debug Bridge) toolkit allows you to send commands directly to the operating system, bypassing the touch interface.
This method requires a computer (Windows, macOS or Linux) and a driver installed for a Xiaomi device. If the phone even vibrates when the cable is connected, there is a chance that the system is working and ready to accept the command. This is especially true if the matrix is intact, but the touchscreen completely failed.
adb shell reboot -pThis command is universal for turning off Android devices. The -p flag tells the system to go to power off mode. If the standard command does not work, you can try an alternative syntax that emulates a long press of the power button in a software way.
adb shell input keyevent 26However, if USB debugging was not activated in the Developer Menu before the screen broke, this method, alas, will not work. Current versions of MIUI for security reasons block ADB access by default for ordinary users.
⚠️ Attention: Teams ADB Make sure you connect to your device (check the serial number through the adb device command) so you don’t turn off someone else’s phone or an important server if you’re on a shared network.
If the phone is locked with a password or a pattern lock, the ADB may not have sufficient rights to execute the shutdown command without unlocking, depending on the Android version and security settings.
Remote management via Mi Account and Find Device
Xiaomi’s ecosystem offers a cloud-based service called Find Device, which allows you to control your phone remotely, ideal if the screen is black but the phone is on, connected to the Internet (Wi-Fi or mobile network) and linked to your Mi Account.
To use this method, you'll need any other device (computer, tablet or other phone) with Internet access. You don't need to install any applications, all activities are done through the browser.
Go to the official i.mi.com website and log in using the same account you entered on the faulty smartphone. After logging in, select your device from the list of available gadgets.
| Function | Description of action | Requirements |
|---|---|---|
| Sound. | Includes maximum signal volume | Internet |
| Lockdown | Blocks the screen with a deleted password | Internet, Mi Account |
| Cleanup | Complete data reset (Wipe) | Internet charge > 30% |
| Loss regime | Monitoring and blocking functions | GPS, Internet |
Unfortunately, there is no direct “Switch Off” button in the Mi Cloud web interface, as this contradicts the logic of finding a lost device (it is harder to find a phone that is turned off). However, you can use the Erase device feature, which will force the phone to restart and reset it to factory settings, which will turn off during the reset process, but the data will be lost.
A softer option is to use the lock function, which, although it won't turn off the phone, will turn off the screen and lock the device, which will reduce power consumption and prevent accidental tapping if the touchscreen is "phantomite."
Method of discharge and waiting
Sometimes the easiest and safest way to turn off a phone with a broken screen is to let it do it itself. If the touchscreen doesn't work but the system is functioning, the phone will continue to consume power in the background.
To speed up this process and minimize the risks, there are a number of actions you can take: leave your phone alone, first disconnecting all the cables from it, and if possible, turn on flight mode (if the screen is even slightly responsive or through the notification curtain) to turn off energy-intensive communication modules.
If the screen is burning but not responding, and you are afraid of the burnout matrix (relevant to the screen). AMOLED-Xiaomi screens, cover the phone with a dense cloth or turn it down with the screen.This will also help to avoid accidental pressing if the glass is broken.
When the battery reaches a critical level (usually around 2-3%), the Android system will force the safe shutdown procedure to be initiated. The phone will save the system logs, close the processes and shut down. After that, it can be charged, and it will either turn on itself or remain off until the button is pressed.
⚠️ Warning: Do not leave a fully discharged lithium polymer battery for long-term storage. Once the phone is off, try to keep it in the cold. 24 Put it on the floor for at least a few hours. 10-15 minutes to avoid a deep discharge that could kill the battery.
The good thing about this method is that it's completely file-safe, but it takes time, which can be hours or even days, depending on the battery capacity and the background activity of the applications.
What to do if nothing helps
In situations where neither hardware buttons, nor the computer, nor cloud services are working, the problem may be deeper, perhaps a power controller is damaged, a motherboard has crashed, or the phone is in a loop-back (bootloop) that cannot be interrupted software.
If the phone is warming, making sounds or vibrating indefinitely and the screen is not working, it may indicate a short circuit, in which case further attempts to “revive” or turn it off can be dangerous.
- 🔋 Disconnect the charger and keep the phone away from flammable items.
- 🛠️ Do not attempt to open the case yourself if you have no experience, especially on models with adhesive joint.
- 🏥 Contact the Xiaomi Authorized Service Center for Diagnostics.
The service center has access to tools that can turn off a phone even with a dead board using programmers and test points on the board, and they can temporarily connect the working display to save your data before repairing or replacing.
Remember that getting professional help on time can save not only your device, but also your personal data, and regular backup to the Mi Cloud or your computer is the best insurance against such situations.