Fastboot Mode on Xiaomi smartphones is a special engineering mode that is used to firmware, unlock the bootloader or restore the system. However, many users face a situation where the device “hangs” in this mode after a failed update, resetting or accidentally pressing a combination of buttons. If your Redmi, Poco or Mi shows a black screen with a green robot and the inscription FASTBOOT, do not panic – there is a way out.
In this article, we will discuss all working ways to exit Fastboot Mode, including standard methods (reboot, button combinations) and advanced (via button combinations) ADB Or Mi Flash Tool. We will pay special attention to the nuances for different models - from Xiaomi Mi. A1 Up to Redmi Note 12 Pro+. You will also learn why your smartphone can get stuck in this mode and how to prevent it from getting into it again.
What is Fastboot Mode and why does the smartphone fall into it
Fastboot (or bootloader) mode is a low-level interface that allows you to interact with the hardware of the smartphone directly, bypassing the Android operating system.
- 🔧 For custom firmware installation (LineageOS, Pixel Experience)
- 🔓 Unlock the loader (OEM Unlock)
- 🛠️ System Recovery After Failure
- 📱 Firmware updates via Mi Flash Tool
However, sometimes the smartphone gets into the Fastboot Mode unintentionally.
- ⚡ Interrupted update (for example, when the battery is discharged or disconnected) USB-cable)
- 🔄 Reset to factory settings via Recovery Mode, which ended in an error
- 🎯 Accidental pressing of the button combination (Loudness down) + Nutrition)
- 🐞 Firmware failure (damaged files) boot.img or recovery.img)
If your Xiaomi is stuck in Fastboot Mode, check the battery power first – at levels below 20%, some operations may be blocked. Also make sure the Power and Volume buttons don’t stick (this is a common problem after falls or moisture).
Method 1: Standard Reboot (for most models)
The easiest method is forced reboot, which works on 90% of Xiaomi devices if the cause of getting into Fastboot Mode was an accidental button press or a temporary failure.
- Hold the power button for 10-15 seconds.
- If the screen goes out and re-engages with the Mi logo, release the button.
- Wait for the system to boot (it can take up to 2-3 minutes).
If this method does not work, try the combination:
Volume up + Power (hold 10-20 seconds)On some models (such as the Redmi Note 10 Pro or Poco X3 Pro), you may need to press Volume Down + Power, then select Reboot using volume buttons and confirm with the power button.
☑️ Checking before rebooting
Method 2: Exit through Recovery Mode
If the standard reboot didn’t work, try logging into Recovery Mode and restarting the device from there, a method that’s suitable for devices with either an unlocked or locked bootloader.
Instructions:
- Turn off your smartphone (hold power until vibration).
- Hold on to the combination: Volume up + Power until the Mi logo and Recovery menu appear.
- In the Recovery menu, select Reboot → Reboot to System with volume buttons.
- Confirm the choice of the power button.
If the Recovery menu is in Chinese, focus on the icons:
- 🔄 — restart
- 📱 — loading
- 🧹 — Resetting (do not choose if you do not want to lose data!)
What happens if the Recovery Mode does not open?
Method 3: Use ADB-Teams (for advanced users)
If you have access to a computer, you can log out of Fastboot Mode using the ADB (Android Debug Bridge) utility, which requires drivers installed and USB debugging enabled (but if you haven’t turned it on before, it won’t work).
Step-by-step:
- Download and install Google’s Platform Tools.
- Connect your smartphone to your PC through USB-Cable (use the original Xiaomi cable!).
- Open the command line (Win + R → enter cmd) and go to the folder with ADB: cd C:\platform-tools
- Check if the device is detected: fastboot devices If you see the serial number in response, the device is connected correctly.
- Run the reboot command: fastboot reboot
If the fastboot reboot command doesn’t work, try:
fastboot continueThis command forces the device to continue loading from its current state.
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If ADB can’t see the device, try reinstalling the drivers manually through Device Manager (select “Mi Flash” or “Android Bootloader Interface”).
Method 4: Reset settings via Mi Assistant (for locked bootloaders)
If previous methods did not help, and the bootloader on your Xiaomi is blocked, you can try resetting through the official Mi Assistant software. This method is suitable for devices with MIUI and does not require OEM unlocking.
Instructions:
- Download Mi Assistant from the official website.
- Connect your smartphone in Fastboot mode to your PC.
- Run Mi Assistant and wait for the program to identify the device.
- Select Unbrick (Recovery) or Clean All (Reset Fully).
- Follow the instructions on the screen. It takes 5-10 minutes.
⚠️ Warning: This method will delete all data on the device, including photos, contacts and apps. If the Mi Cloud backups were enabled on the smartphone, they can be restored after the reset.
| Method | PC required | Data retained | It works on a locked loader. |
|---|---|---|---|
| Standard reset. | ❌ No. | ✅ Yes. | ✅ Yes. |
| Recovery Mode | ❌ No. | ✅ Yes. | ✅ Yes. |
| ADB-team | ✅ Yes. | ✅ Yes. | ❌ No (unlocking needed) OEM) |
| Mi Assistant | ✅ Yes. | ❌ No. | ✅ Yes. |
| Mi Flash Tool | ✅ Yes. | ❌ No. | ❌ No (unlocking needed) |
Method 5: Firmware via Mi Flash Tool (extreme case)
If none of these methods worked, the last option is to completely flash the device through the Mi Flash Tool, which is guaranteed to bring the smartphone back to life, but delete all the data and require an unlocked bootloader.
What you need:
- 🖥️ Windows computer
- 🔌 Original. USB-Xiaomi
- 📥 Official firmware for your model (download from Xiaomi website)
- 🔓 Unlocked bootloader (if not, request unlock here)
Step-by-step:
- Download and install the Mi Flash Tool.
- Unpack the firmware archive into a folder without Cyrillic characters (e.g., C:\Xiaomi\ROM).
- Run the Mi Flash Tool on behalf of the administrator.
- Connect your smartphone in Fastboot mode to your PC.
- In the program, click Select and specify the path to the folder with the firmware.
- Select firmware method: Clean All – Save User Data – attempt to save data (not always working)
Flash
5-15 minutes
⚠️ Note: If an “Anti Rollback” error appears during firmware, it means you are trying to install an older version. MIUI, In this case, download the newer firmware and repeat the process.
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Firmware via the Mi Flash Tool is the only way to bring back to life the “brick” (a device that does not respond to buttons and does not boot).
How to avoid getting back into Fastboot Mode
To prevent Xiaomi smartphone from getting stuck in Fastboot mode, follow these tips:
- 🔋 Keep an eye on battery power – do not update your firmware if the charge is below 50%.
- 🚫 Do not interrupt the process of updating or resetting settings.
- 🔄 Use original cables to connect to your PC (cheap cables can cause crashes).
- 🛡️ Do not install custom firmware without unlocking the bootloader.
- 📱 Check the buttons – if Power or Loudness sticks, contact the service.
If you often experiment with firmware, we recommend:
- 🔓 Unlock the bootloader officially through the Mi Unlock Tool.
- 💾 Make backup copies through TWRP Mi Cloud.
- 📖 Learning the instructions in the forums 4PDA or XDA Developers before the firmware.