Broken power button on Xiaomi is a problem faced by owners of smartphones Redmi, POCO and Mi line. Without physical access to the switch, it seems that the phone has turned into a βbrickβ: it can not be rebooted, turned off to replace the battery or even just reset. However, you can turn off Xiaomi without the power button in at least 5 ways β from standard MIUI functions to technical tricks using ADB or hardware reset.
In this article, we will discuss all the current methods, from the simplest (via the software menu) to emergency (when the sensor fails completely), pay special attention to models with gesture support, because they allow you to do without additional tools, and learn what to do if the phone freezes and does not respond to touch, or how to force Xiaomi to turn off with a dead battery.
β οΈ Important: Some methods (such as retrieving the battery or resetting via Fastboot) can lead to data loss.If there is important information on the phone, first try saving files through the Fastboot. MI Assistant or Mi Cloud.
Why Xiaomiβs power button doesnβt work: common reasons
Before we go into the shutdown method, we need to understand why the button stopped responding, which will help to avoid repeated breakages or choose the most appropriate method of shutting down.
The most common reasons are:
- π§ Moisture intake - even after drying, oxidized contacts can block keys from working, especially for models without certification IP68 (For example, the Redmi Note 10 or POCO X3).
If the button sometimes works (for example, it works when pressed hard), the problem is more mechanical. If it is completely dead, it is worth checking whether the plume inside the case is not moving away. In any case, you can turn off the phone without the power button - we will tell you how below.
Method 1: Turn off via the settings menu (if the phone responds to touch)
The simplest method is to program disconnect through the MIUI interface, which is suitable if the screen is working and the sensor is responsive to touch.
Instructions:
- Open Settings (the gear icon on the main screen).
- Scroll down and select About Phone (or Optional β About Phone on older versions of MIUI).
- Slip on the item "Switch off" (on some models - Reboot and turn off).
- Confirm the action by pressing OK or Turn it off.
β οΈ Note: On some firmware (for example, MIUI Global for European market) the "Off" option may not be available:
Settings β System and device β Additional β ShutdownIf the About phone menu doesn't open because of a crash, try calling the notification bar and holding the Power icon (if any) on the POCO F3 and Redmi K40, this works 80% of the time.
Save important files in Mi Cloud
Check the level of charge (minimum 10%)
Close all applications
Disable mobile data (optional)-->
Method 2: Gestures to turn off (on supported models)
Xiaomi
MIUI 12
lip-off
not activated by default
How to turn off the switch gesture:
- Go to Settings β Special Options β Physical buttons.
- Activate the option of Off Gesture (or Power button gestures on English firmware).
- Choose a combination: This is usually a triple tap on the screen or two fingers held.
After activation, turn off the phone as follows:
- π Triple touch over the free screen area (works on Redmi Note 11 and later).
- ππ Holding two fingers for 3 seconds (for the purpose of POCO X5 Mi 13).
- π Circular movement along the screen diagonal (rarely, but occurs on custom firmwares).
β οΈ Warning: If gestures don't work, check if they're disabled in Security settings (path: Settings) β Password and security β Application privileges. The feature can also be blocked on phones with the bootloader unlocked.
Which Xiaomi models support shutdown gestures?
Method 3: Disconnect via ADB (for advanced users)
If the sensor doesnβt respond, but the phone connects to the computer, you can turn it off via Android Debug Bridge (ADB), a technique that requires pre-setting, but works even on locked devices.
What you need:
- π₯οΈ Computer with Windows, macOS or Linux.
- π USB-Type C cable (original, as cheap often don't transmit data).
- π₯ Installed Xiaomi drivers and package ADB Tools.
Step-by-step:
- Download Googleβs Platform Tools and unpack the archive.
- Connect your phone to your PC and enable USB Debugging (path: Settings β About Phone β MIUI Version β 7 times tap the build number β Return to Additional β For Developers β Debugging by USB).
- Open the command prompt (cmd) in the folder with ADB and type: adb devices If the phone is determined, execute the command to turn off: adb shell reboot -p
β οΈ Attention: If debugging is USB If it's not activated beforehand, it won't work.
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If the adb device command does not find the device, try reinstalling the drivers via the Mi Flash Tool or using another device. USB-port.
Method 4: Forced shutdown (if the phone is getting stuck)
When Xiaomi doesn't respond to touch completely and the power button is broken, it's left with a hardware reset, which works on all models, but has risks:
How to force-off:
- If the battery is removable (a rarity for new models), remove it for 10-15 seconds.
- If the battery is not removable, use the combination: Hold the volume button up + volume button down simultaneously for 10-15 seconds On some models (for example, POCO F1) this causes a forced reboot.
- If nothing helps, wait until the battery is completely discharged (may take several hours).
π Important: On phones with AMOLED-If you turn off a screen (such as the Mi 11 Ultra), you may experience burn-in. Try not to use this method often.
| Xiaomi model | Does the removable battery support | Does the volume combination work? |
|---|---|---|
| Redmi 9A/9C | β Yes. | β Yes. |
| POCO X3 NFC | β No. | β Yes. |
| Mi 10T/11T | β No. | β οΈ Sometimes (depends on firmware) |
| Redmi Note 8 Pro | β No. | β Yes. |
Method 5: Hardware reset via Fastboot (extreme case)
If the phone doesn't turn off by any means and the power button is completely dead, then you reset it through Fastboot, which erases all data, so you should only use it as a last resort.
Instructions:
- Connect your phone to a PC with Xiaomi drivers installed.
- Press the volume button down and hold it, connect the cable to the phone, and this will put the device in Fastboot mode.
- Open the command line and type: fastboot devices If the device is determined, execute the shutdown command: fastboot reboot -p
β οΈ Note: Some models (such as the Redmi Note 7) may require re-authorization of the Mi Account after a Fastboot reset. If you donβt remember the password, the phone will become a brickΒ»!
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Hardware reset via Fastboot is the most reliable way to turn off Xiaomi without a power button, but it deletes all data and may require knowledge of a Mi Account.
What to do after turning off: How to turn on Xiaomi without the power button
Turning off the phone is half the battle, and now you have to turn it back on without having a power button. Here are 3 proven ways to do this.
1. Connecting to charging
- π Connect the phone to the charger. Many Xiaomi models (like the Redmi 9 or the other two). POCO M3) automatically activated when connected to the network.
- If the screen is black, wait 5-10 minutes β sometimes it takes time to initialize the battery.
2.Using OTG cable + keyboard
- π Connect through OTG-adapter USB-keyboard.
- Press the Power key (if it is on the keyboard) or Enter + Del (on some firmwares this mimics the power button).
3. Include gesture (if configured)
- π If youβve previously activated shutdown gestures, some models (such as the Mi 11 Lite) allow you to turn your phone on with a double tap on the screen.
π Tip: If you often have to turn Xiaomi on/off without a power button, consider buying a wireless charging with auto-on (e.g. Xiaomi Mi Wireless Charging Pad.