How to quickly turn off the Xiaomi phone: all the ways from standard to hidden

Have you ever encountered a situation where Xiaomi smartphone needs to be turned off as quickly as possible — for example, before boarding a plane, when the system freezes, or if the screen stopped responding to touches? Standard power button retention does not always work, especially on new models with MIUI 14/15, where the logic of control has changed. In this article, we will discuss all possible ways to turn off, from official to engineering, including methods for devices with a damaged display or buttons.

It’s important to understand that the shutdown process on Xiaomi, Redmi, POCO and Black Shark can differ due to different firmware versions and hardware features. For example, the flagships of the Xiaomi 13/14 series with Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 use a different power management scheme than the budget Redmi Note 12 with MediaTek Helio G88. We took these nuances into account and prepared universal instructions that will work on 90% of the brand’s devices.

If your phone is stuck on the MI logo or doesn’t respond to clicks, skip the first partitions and immediately go to emergency methods. For owners of devices with an unlocked bootloader, we also added ways to turn off through ADB and Fastboot – they will come in handy when debugging or restoring the system.

1. Standard shutdown via the power menu

The most obvious and safe way to do this is to use a regular shutdown menu, which works on all Xiaomi devices regardless of the model and version of MIUI, but may not be available in case of serious system failures.

To turn off the phone in the standard way:

• 🔄 Hold the physical power button (usually located on the right side) for 2-3 seconds.
• 📱 The menu will appear on the screen with options: Turn off, Reboot, Emergency Mode (on some models).
• 🔘 Tap on Turn off and confirm the action (if required).

On newer versions of MIUI 14/15, the menu may look different: instead of text, there will be icons. In this case, look for the ⏻ (off) icon. Also note that on some devices (for example, POCO F5) you need to hold the power button + volume at the same time to call the power menu.

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If the power button does not respond to retention, try pressing it briefly 5 times in a row - this can unlock the emergency call menu, and then try again.

The retention time of the button can vary:

• 📱 Xiaomi 12/13/14, Redmi Note 11/12: 2 seconds.
• 📱 POCO X5/F5, Black Shark 5/6: 3 seconds (due to game mode).
• 📱 Older models (Redmi 9A, Mi A3): 1 second.

2. Hardware switch off buttons (for hung phones)

If Xiaomi’s smartphone is completely getting stuck and doesn’t respond to touching the screen, but the buttons are working, you can use a hardware reset, which will work even if the system crashes, but won’t help if the phone is discharged or the motherboard is damaged.

Instructions for most models:

1. 🔄 Hold the power button + volume down at the same time.
2. 🕒 Hold for 10-15 seconds until the screen goes out and the phone vibrates.
3. ⏻ After vibration release the buttons and the device will be forced to shut down.

On some devices, the combination may differ:

Try standard power button retention |Connect charging (if phone is discharged) |Check the response to touch screen |Make sure the buttons don't stick-->

On devices with a MediaTek processor (e.g. Redmi Note 12 5G), forced button shutdowns can cause some temporary data to be reset (e.g. clipboard or unsaved drafts in messengers).

Once a week | Once a month | Only in case of serious failure |Never-->

3. Shutting off when the screen is broken or not working

If the Xiaomi display is damaged (cracked, doesn’t display an image or reacts to touch randomly), but the phone is on, you can turn it off without using the screen, which can help with a combination of hardware buttons or a connection to a computer.

Method 1: Combination of buttons to turn off

• 🔄 Hold power + increase volume for 10 seconds.
• 🔊 If the phone vibrates but doesn't turn off, try power + volume reduction.
• 🔌 On Black Shark, hold both volume + power buttons until double vibration.

Method 2: Connect to PC and ADB commands (requires USB debugging enabled)

1. 🖥️ Connect your phone to your computer through USB-cable.
2. 🔧 Open the Command Prompt (Windows) or Terminal (macOS/Linux).
3. 📋 Enter the command: adb shell reboot -p (this will safely turn off the device).

⚠️ Warning: If the screen crashes but the phone is still working, avoid touching glass shards, which can damage the plume of the display or hand, and it is better to turn off the device immediately with buttons and contact the service center.

4 Hidden MIUI features for quick shutdown

MIUI firmware contains a few hidden speed-down capabilities that few people use, and these techniques are useful if you want to quickly deactivate your phone without holding down the buttons for long.

Method 1: Quick menu through the notification panel

• 📲 Swipe down from the top edge of the screen to open the notification bar.
• 🔧 Click on the ⚙️ Settings icon (or ⋮ Additional on some models).
• ⏻ In the upper right corner, find the Power button (off icon) and tap it.

Method 2: Voice assistant Xiao AI (works on Chinese firmware and global with activated assistant)

• 🎤 Say the command, "Hey Xiao AI, turn off the phone."
• 🔘 Confirm the action with voice or on screen (if the display is running).

Method 3: Turn off gesture (only for MIUI 12+)

On some models (Xiaomi 11/12/13, Redmi K50) you can adjust the gesture to turn off:

1. 🔧 Go to Settings. → Additional settings → Gestures.
2. 📱 Activate the option Double-touch to lock/off.
3. ⏻ Now, double-tapping the lock screen will offer a power menu.

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Voice shutdown via Xiao AI only works when connected to the Internet and the microphone is on, and this may not be available on an airplane or subway.

5. Emergency shutdown in case of critical failures

If Xiaomi is stuck on the MI logo, unresponsive to buttons, or in a bootloop, more radical measures will be needed, and these methods should only be used in extreme cases, as they can interrupt important system processes.

Method 1: Removal of the battery (only for models with removable battery)

• ⚠️ Suitable for older devices: Redmi 4A, Mi 4i, Redmi 3S.
• 🔧 Carefully tuck the back cover (use a plastic shoulder blade).
• 🔋 Unplug the battery plume for 30 seconds, then plug it back in.

Method 2: Discharge the battery to zero

If the phone is stuck but does not respond to the buttons:

1. 🔌 Connect the charger and wait until the charging indicator lights up.
2. 🕒 If the indicator does not appear, leave the phone without charging for 12-24 hours - it will run out completely.
3. ⚡ After full discharge, connect the charger - the phone should turn on in normal mode.

Method 3: Fastboot Mode (for advanced users)

• 🖥️ Connect your phone to your PC and open Command Prompt.
• 📋 Enter: fastboot devices (to make sure the device is identified).
• 🔌 Then run: fastboot reboot -p (shut down via fastboot).

⚠️ Warning: Forced battery extraction or zero discharge can result in the loss of unsaved data in applications (e.g., unsynchronized messages on Telegram or WhatsApp). Always try software methods first!

6. Automatic shutdown on schedule

If you need Xiaomi to shut down at a certain time (for example, at night to save charge), you can set up automatic shutdown through built-in features or third-party apps.

Configure via MIUI:

1. 🔧 Go to Settings → Battery and Performance → Power Schedule.
2. ⏰ Enable the Automatic Shutdown option.
3. ⏱️ Set the time and days of the week.

Applications for automatic shutdown:

• 📱 Automate (allows you to create complex scripts)
• 🔄 MacroDroid (a simple beginner interface).
• ⏻ Shutdown Timer (Specialized Shutdown Timer)

⚠️ Warning: On Xiaomi with MIUI 14+, some applications for automatic shutdown may be blocked by the system due to battery optimization policy. To make them work, add them to Settings → Apps → Permissions → Autostart and Battery Limitations.

7.Switch off in case of battery problems

If Xiaomi’s battery is swollen, overheated, or the phone suddenly shuts down, standard shutdown methods may not work, and in such cases, safety is the priority, as a damaged battery can cause a fire.

Signs of a faulty battery:

• 🔥 The phone gets very hot even without a load.
• 📉 Charge drops from 50% to 0% in a few minutes.
• 🔋 The body deformed (bloated rear cover).
• ⚡ The phone does not turn on without a charger connected.

What to do:

1. 🛑 Turn off the phone from charging immediately.
2. 🔌 Try turning it off with the buttons (if it reacts).
3. 🚫 If the phone doesn't turn off, don't leave it unattended - put it on a non-combustible surface (ceramic tiles, metal).
4. 🔧 Contact Xiaomi’s service center for a battery replacement.

⚠️ Warning: If the battery is swollen, don't try to open the phone yourself - this can short circuit and ignite. Use protective gloves when handling the device.

Frequently asked questions