How to Get Out of Fastboot on Xiaomi Mi 8: 5 Ways to Work (2026)

Xiaomi Mi 8 is the flagship of 2018, which is still popular among Android enthusiasts. But even 6 years after the release, owners face a typical problem: the smartphone suddenly loads into Fastboot mode and does not leave it. The reasons vary from a firmware failure to a failed bootloader unlock. In this article, we will analyze all the current ways to exit from Fastboot to Mi 8, including hidden chips and workarounds for difficult cases.

It's important to understand that Fastboot mode is not a bug, it's a low-level device tool, and it's for firmware, bootloader unlocking, or system recovery. But if you're here by accident (for example, after a failed upgrade or reset), you need to know how to get your phone back to working, and we'll look at the simplest to the most complex, so you can choose the best option without the risk of "bricking" the device.

1. Standard Reboot: The First Step to a Solution

In 60 percent of cases, the problem is solved by a simple reboot. The Fastboot mode on the Xiaomi Mi 8 can be activated due to a temporary failure in the bootloader, and a simple restart team will return everything to normal.

• 🔄 Hold the power button for 10-15 seconds until the screen goes out.
• 📱 If the screen turns black, release the button and wait 30 to 60 seconds – the phone should boot in normal mode.
• 🔌 If it appears again after the reboot FASTBOOT, Try to connect the charger and repeat the steps.

If the standard reboot didn't help, don't panic, which means the problem is deeper and more action is needed, such as a crash that might have occurred due to damage to a boot partition or a conflict with a custom recovery (such as TWRP), in which case a switch to Recovery mode will help.

2. Transition to Recovery Mode: An Alternative Path

If the Mi 8 is persistently returning to Fastboot, the next logical step is to try booting into Recovery Mode, which allows you to reset, flash an update, or restore the system without connecting to a PC.

1. On the Fastboot screen, press and hold the power button + volume button at the same time.
2. Hold them for 5-7 seconds until the screen blinks and the Mi logo with the Android robot appears.
3. Release the buttons – you should see the Recovery menu (if it’s in Chinese, use volume buttons for navigation).

From the Recovery menu, select Reboot to System (or Chinese). If the system doesn't boot, try Wipe Data. On the Xiaomi Mi 8, resetting via Recovery doesn't delete files in the Internal Storage folder, but erases all apps and settings.

3. ADB commands: Control via computer

If the hardware buttons don’t help, connect the Xiaomi Mi 8 to your PC and use it. ADB-This method requires drivers installed and minimal command line knowledge:

• 💻 Install Android SDK Platform-Tools on the computer.
• 🔌 Connect your phone to your PC through USB-cable (preferably original).
• 🖥️ Open the command line (cmd) in the folder with the platform-tools.
• 📋 Enter the command: fastboot devices If the device is determined (serial number will appear), type: fastboot reboot

If the fastboot reboot command doesn’t work, try alternatives:

fastboot oem reboot-recovery

or

fastboot continue

The last command causes the boot boot boot to continue the standard boot system, ignoring errors, which can help if the problem is caused by a temporary failure in the boot partition.

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If the PC doesn’t see the device in Fastboot, try disabling driver signatures in Windows or using another one. USB-port (preferably) USB 2.0).

4.Firmware via Mi Flash Tool: a radical solution

If all previous methods fail, the most reliable, but also the riskiest, way to do this is to completely flash the Mi Flash Tool, which will bring the Mi 8 back to factory status, but will require:

• 🖥️ Windows computer (7/10/11).
• 🔌 Original. USB-cable (better from the set).
• 📁 Firmware for Xiaomi Mi 8 (codename dipper). Download it from the official website of Xiaomi.
• 🔧 Mi Flash Tool (last version).

Algorithm of action:

1. Unpack the firmware in a folder without Cyrillic characters (for example, C:\Mi8_Firmware).
2. Install the Mi Flash Tool and run it on behalf of the administrator.
3. Connect your phone in Fastboot mode to your PC.
4. In the utility, click Select and specify the path to the folder with the firmware.
5. Press Refresh – your device should appear in the list.
6. Select firmware mode: Clean All – full reset (recommended for critical crashes); Clean All and Lock – reset + lock the bootloader (if it was unlocked); Save User Data – saving user data (not always stable).

Flash

Once the firmware is in place, the phone will automatically restart. It can take up to 10 minutes to launch the first one, which is normal.

Download firmware for dipper (Mi 8)

Install the latest Mi Flash Tool version

Disable the antivirus (can block drivers)

Connect your phone to the original cable

Charge the battery by at least 50%

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5. Booter problems: unlocking and locking

One of the common causes of Fastboot sticking on Xiaomi Mi 8 is a bootloader problem, if you previously unlocked it to install custom firmware or root rights and then tried to return the official software, conflicts could arise, in which cases forced blocking of the bootloader through the command helps:

fastboot oem lock

⚠️ Warning: this command erases all data on the device and blocks the ability to install unofficial firmware. Use it only if you plan to stay on the sewage software.

If the bootloader is blocked, and you are trying to flash a custom Recovery, you will need to unlock through the official Mi Unlock Tool.The process takes up to 720 hours (30 days) of waiting if the Mi Account is not tied to the device.

1. Download the Mi Unlock Tool.
2. Sign in to your Mi-account (should be linked to your phone).
3. Connect the Mi 8 in Fastboot mode.
4. Follow the instructions of the program (you may need to wait for unlocking).

Once unlocked, you can flash TWRP or other custom firmware, but remember: this will cancel the warranty and increase the risk of “bricking”.

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Unlocking the bootloader on the Xiaomi Mi 8 is officially supported, but requires a Mi Account binding and waiting up to 30 days for new devices.

6. Hardware malfunctions: when software methods do not help

If none of the software methods worked, the problem may lie in the hardware. For the Xiaomi Mi 8, the typical "iron" reasons for hanging in the Fastboot:

To diagnose hardware problems, try:

• 🔋 Connect your phone to another charger (use Xiaomi’s original power supply) 18W).
• 🔌 Try another one. USB-cable (preferably with data transmission support).
• 🛠️ Disassemble the phone and check the plumes (only if you have experience!).

⚠️ Note: if the Mi 8 is not defined in either Fastboot or Fastboot EDL-The mode (black screen when connected to a PC) is likely to damage the bootloader at the hardware level, in which case only the soldering of flash memory in the service center will help.

FAQ: Frequent questions about Fastboot on Xiaomi Mi 8