Factory resets on Xiaomi devices are a useful feature when the phone starts to brake or you need to transfer the gadget to a new owner. But what if you accidentally started a reset or changed your mind at the last minute? The process can not always be interrupted in standard ways, especially if the screen already says "Data reset..." with the progress bar.
In this article, we will look at all possible reset cancellation scenarios, from simple (when the device has not yet started formatting) to emergency (when the screen is out and the phone does not respond to buttons). It is important to understand that success depends on the stage of the process and model of your Xiaomi, Redmi or POCO. For example, on devices with MIUI 14 and a newer reset algorithm, the system now blocks the interrupt in later stages.
If you are reading this article after starting a reset, you should immediately go to Emergency Measures, and if you want to hedge your way forward, explore prevention methods and alternatives to total reset.
At what stage can the discharge be cancelled?
The success of the cancellation depends on which stage of the reset has already passed. MIUI The process is divided into 3 key phases:
- Preparation – the system checks the user’s rights and requests confirmation (this is the best time to cancel).
- Formatting – deletion of user data (at this stage, cancellation is not possible on all models).
- Factory settings recovery – overwriting system files (it is almost impossible to interrupt the process without the risk of “bricking”).
For example, on the Xiaomi 13 Pro with MIUI 15, cancellation is only possible in the first 10-15 seconds after confirmation, and on the budget Redmi Note 12, this window is reduced to 5 seconds. If the screen is gone and the Mi logo appears, the chances are minimal.
How do you know that the reset can no longer be stopped?
- 🔴 The screen is completely black, but the phone vibrates every time. 3-5 seconds.
- 🔴 There was a Mi logo with a rotating indicator (this means the system overwrites the section). /data).
- 🔴 The phone rebooted itself and got stuck on the screensaver.
If any of these signs are present, go to the section on disaster recovery.
Method 1: Cancel via the back button (before formatting)
The simplest method works if you haven't confirmed the reset yet, or if you see a screen with a progress bar, but the phone responds to touch.
- Press the back button (the arrow at the bottom of the screen or the physical button on some models).
- If you receive a request for confirmation of cancellation, select Cancel.
- If the screen is locked, unlock the phone and try again.
On devices with MIUI 14+, the back button can be blocked after confirming the reset, in which case try holding it for 5-7 seconds - sometimes it works.
Make sure the screen responds to touch |
Try pressing "Back" 2-3 times in a row |
If it doesn’t work, go to 2|.
Do not turn off your phone by force (may cause data loss)-->
On some models (e.g. POCO F5), instead of a back button, a countdown timer appears. If it hasn't reset yet, press Cancel in the top corner.
⚠️ Warning: If the screen goes out after pressing "back" but the phone continues to vibrate, this is a sign that formatting has already begun.
Method 2: Forced reboot (if the screen is unresponsive)
If the phone is stuck in the preparation stage (for example, after confirming the reset, the screen turned black, but the Mi logo did not appear), you can try forcibly restart the device. 60-70% Models, but there are risks:
- ✅ Success: Phone will restart normally, data will be saved.
- ❌ Risk: If formatting has already begun – after the reboot, the phone can hang on the logo or go to Fastboot.
Instructions for forced reset:
- Press and hold the power button (or Power + Volume up on new models) for 15-20 seconds.
- If the phone vibrates and turns off, wait 30 seconds and turn it on again.
- If a Fastboot screen appears, see Method 4.
On Xiaomi 12T and newer, you need to press the power button + both volume buttons at the same time to force a reboot.
What if the phone doesn’t turn on after the restart?
| Xiaomi model | Combination for forced reboot | Risk of data corruption |
|---|---|---|
| Redmi Note 10/11 | Food + Volume up (15 seconds) | Low. |
| Xiaomi 13/14 series | Food + Volume up + Volume down | Medium. |
| POCO X3/X4 | Food (20 seconds) | High-pitched |
| Xiaomi Mi 11 | Power + Volume Down (10 seconds) | Low. |
⚠️ Warning: On devices with unlocked bootloader, a forced reboot during reset may result in loss IMEI or the Baseband unknown error. Check the bootloader status in Settings → The phone. → Version. MIUI (press 7 times on "Core").
Method 3: Power outage (extreme case)
If the phone doesn't respond to the buttons and the screen shows the reset progress, you can try to turn off the power completely, which is risky, but sometimes it saves you if other methods have not worked.
How to properly turn off power:
- 🔋 If the battery is removable (old models like Redmi). 4A) — put the battery on 1-2 minute.
- 🔌 If the battery is not removable, press the power button on 30-40 seconds (up to double vibration).
- ⚡ If the phone is connected to charging, disconnect the cable before removing the battery.
After the power outage:
- Wait 5 minutes (this is important – let the capacitors run out).
- Turn on the phone in normal mode.
- If you have a Recovery screen, select Reboot → System.
On devices with MIUI 13+, after a forced power outage, you may need to enter a password from your Mi Account, even if you did not have one before.
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If the battery is not turned on after you remove the phone, plug it into charging for 15-20 minutes, then try to turn it on again. Sometimes the power controller needs to "reboot."
⚠️ Note: On models with the function "Fast boot" (for example, Xiaomi) 12 Pro) a forced power outage may cause damage to the partition /vendor. In this case, the phone will only be loaded in Fastboot.
Method 4: Fastboot Recovery (if the reset is interrupted)
If the phone is stuck on the Mi logo or went into Fastboot mode after an interrupted reset, it means that the system files are damaged, in which case only the firmware will help.
What you need:
- 📁 Firmware for your model (download the latest stable version) MIUI).
Step-by-step:
If the phone does not turn on after firmware or an Anti-rollback error appears, then you have installed the inappropriate version. MIUI. In this case, you will need to roll back to an older firmware with the help of EDL-Mode (requires an authorized Xiaomi account).
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Fastboot removes all data, but restores the phone to work. If you have synced with Mi Cloud, some of the data (contacts, notes) can be restored after you log in.
| Post-firmware error | Reason. | Decision |
|---|---|---|
| Anti-rollback | It has an older version of MIUI than it was. | Switch the same or more recent version |
| Invalid image | A damaged firmware file | Download the firmware again, check the hash |
| The phone vibrates, but does not turn on | Incorrectly selected mode in Mi Flash | Repeat the firmware in Clean All and Lock mode |
Method 5: Emergency measures (if the discharge has already begun)
If you see the Mi logo on the screen with the progress bar, it means that the reset has already begun, and the standard cancellation methods will not work, in which case there are two options:
Option 1: Wait until discharge is completed
- ☁️ If you have enabled synchronization with Mi Cloud, some of the data (contacts, photos) can be restored.
Option 2: Interrupt the discharge with the risk of “bricking”
This method is highly discouraged, but if there is critical data on the phone (such as unsynchronized photos), you can try:
On File-Based Encryption (FBE) devices used in MIUI 12+, it is almost impossible to extract data after an interrupted reset – they are encrypted with a key that is stored in the damaged /metadata partition.
⚠️ Note: If you interrupt the reset during the partition formatting phase /data, And then you try to flash your phone through Fastboot, and you run the risk of getting a Data corrupted error, and then you just reset it completely through Recovery, and you lose all your data.
How to avoid accidental reset in the future
To avoid having to cancel the reset, follow these recommendations:
- 🔒 Turn off the reset from the Quick Menu: Go to Settings → System system → Reset settings and disable the option Show in the power menu.
- 👤 Configure the confirmation with a password: In the same reset settings, enable the option Requires a password to reset.
- ☁️ Enable automatic synchronization: Go to Settings → Accounts. → Mi Cloud and activate backup for contacts, photos and notes.
- 📱 Use reset alternatives: If the phone is slowing down, first try Cache Cleanup in Recovery or turn off unnecessary apps in Settings → Annexes.
New Xiaomi devices (such as Xiaomi 14 Ultra) have a "Safe Reset" feature that allows you to return the phone to factory settings without deleting personal files (photos, videos, documents).
- Go to Settings → About Phone → Backup and Reset.
- Choose Safe Resetting Settings.
- Confirm the action – the phone will restart, but your files will remain intact.
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If you often pass your phone to your children or colleagues, install the Second Space app (built into MIUI) that allows you to create a separate work profile without the risk of accidentally resetting the main system.