Owners of Xiaomi, Redmi and POCO smartphones often face a situation where the device suddenly ceases to respond to commands, the screen can go out, the phone will hang on the logo or endlessly reboot. This condition is popularly called “brick”, and it causes panic in inexperienced users, but in most cases, the device can be brought back to life without going to the service center.
The reasons for Xiaomi to revive range from a failed system upgrade to a fall from a height. Software failure is the most common problem that occurs when custom firmware is installed or system files are damaged. Hardware malfunctions are less common, but require more in-depth diagnosis and repair.
Soft recovery techniques should be tried before you start radical measures like firmware reflashing. It's important to understand that Hard Reset will delete all personal data, so this step should only be resorted to if other methods have not worked. In this article, we'll look at all the steps of resuscitating your device, from simple buttons to working with the engineering mode.
Primary diagnosis and forced reset
The first thing you need to do is eliminate the banal freeze of the system. If the screen of a Xiaomi smartphone is black and does not respond to touch, it does not mean that the device is dead. Often the processor continues to work in the background, but the interface cannot be displayed.
You need to press the power button and hold it for 10-15 seconds. On some models, such as the Redmi Note 9 Pro or the Poco X3 NFC, you may need to simultaneously press the power button and the volume control, and if the device vibrates or the Mi logo appears, then the system is intact and just needed to restart processes.
In some cases, the phone can enter Recovery mode immediately after this manipulation, which allows you to perform system operations without loading the main interface, and if you see a menu with several items in English or Chinese, then the hardware is functioning correctly.
Using Recovery Mode to Reset Settings
If a simple reboot didn’t help revive Xiaomi, you need to move to more serious measures.Recovery mode is a built-in recovery tool that works independently of the main operating system, you can get into it by turning off the phone and holding the power button and the volume button at the same time.
Once the logo appears, you can release the power button by continuing to hold "Loudness up," and you'll be taken to the main menu, where the navigation is done by the volume buttons and the selection is done by the power button, and we're interested in the Wipe Data item, which is responsible for completely resetting the device.
⚠️ Note: Wipe Data permanently deletes all photos, contacts and applications. If you do not have a backup, it will be impossible to recover the data.
Selecting the reset point, the system will ask you to confirm the action, often requiring you to type in the word "yes" or select Confirm. After completing the process, which can take a few minutes, select Reboot.The phone will restart, and if the problem was in the software failure, the system will start normally.
Sometimes users are faced with a situation when the phone freezes again after reset, which may indicate damage to the system partition or incompatibility of the installed version of Android with hardware, in which case you will need a complete firmware reflash through the computer.
☑️ Preparation for data dumping
Fastboot mode and connection to the computer
For a deeper recovery, you use Fastboot mode, which is a state where the phone doesn't start Android, but it's waiting for commands from the computer, which is ideal for cases where the system is completely "killed" or locked. To enter this mode, when the phone is turned off, press the power button and the volume button.
The screen will show a picture of a hare repairing an android, or the words Fastboot. Now connect the device to the PC through the original USB-The computer must identify new hardware, although in Device Manager it can be displayed as Android or QDLoader.
To work in this mode, the computer must have the Mi Flash Tool and the corresponding drivers installed. Without them, the computer will not be able to "see" the phone in the desired mode. Drivers are usually installed automatically the first time you try to connect or can be downloaded from the official website.
In Fastboot mode, you can not only reflash the device, but also unlock the bootloader, which is necessary for the installation of custom recavators, but for the average user, the main goal is to restore the functionality of the stock firmware.
What to do if your computer can’t see your phone?
The process of flashing through the Mi Flash Tool
The most reliable way to revitalize Xiaomi is to install a clean firmware. You need to download the firmware archive for your particular model. It is important to choose a version marked Fastboot, since Recovery firmware does not work in this mode. The file must have the.tgz extension.
Unpack the archive to the root of the C disk so that the path to the folder is short and Cyrillic free. Launch the Mi Flash Tool on behalf of the administrator. Press the Refresh button, and if the drivers are installed correctly, your device's serial number will appear in the list.
| Type of firmware | Method of installation | Data retention | Region |
|---|---|---|---|
| Recovery | Through the update menu | Maybe. | Global/China |
| Fastboot | Through the Mi Flash Tool | No (full reset) | Global/EEA/RU |
| EDL | Through a service account | No. | Anybody. |
| Custom ROM | Through TWRP | Depends on the user. | Worldwide |
Choose the path to the unpacked firmware folder by pressing the Select button. At the bottom of the window, make sure that Clean all mode is selected.This ensures that all old files are deleted and a fresh system is installed. Press Flash and wait for the process to end, which takes 200 to 600 seconds.
Do not turn off the cable during data recording. Breaking the process at 99% can make it impossible to boot even in Fastboot mode. Wait for the green Success label, after which the phone will reboot on its own.
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Use it. USB-port located on the back of the system unit, not on the front panel or through USB-This will provide stable power and data transmission, which is critical when firmware.
EDL mode: The last hope
If the phone is not logged into the Fastboot and doesn't respond to buttons, the bootloader may be damaged, and EDL (Emergency Download Mode) is a Qualcomm deep mode that allows images to be uploaded directly to memory without having to go through standard security protocols.
Many modern Xiaomi models require disassembly of the case and closure of special contacts on the board to enter the EDL, a complex procedure that requires skills in working with small electronics. On some older models, entrance is possible through special ADB commands or button combinations.
⚠️ Attention: Firmware in mode EDL Often requires an authorized Xiaomi account with paid access. Regular users may experience an authorization error when trying to write down firmware.
If you see a Qualcomm HS-USB QDLoader 9008 port in Device Manager, then the phone is in EDL mode. Trying to flash it with a regular Mi Flash Tool without authorization will most likely lead to an error.
There are software ways to exit the EDL, like draining the battery to zero or waiting for a timeout, but there's no guarantee that the phone will turn on normally after that, and that's a last resort when other options are exhausted.
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EDL is a tool for professionals, and if you're not confident or have an authorized account, it's best not to experiment on your own, so as not to make things worse.
Hardware problems: when the software has nothing to do with
It's not always the software that's the problem. If the phone doesn't respond to charging, doesn't vibrate, and the screen stays black even after being connected to a powerful power source, the hardware probably fails, most often the battery or the power controller dies.
Check the charging connector: if it's shattered or oxidized, the current may not come to the board. Try cleaning the port with a toothpick or compressed air. Also, leave the phone on charge for a few hours, even if the indicator is not on — sometimes deep-discharged batteries "come to life" after a while.
If the phone heats up in a certain area when connected to charging, this may indicate a short circuit inside the case. In such cases, further attempts to charge can be dangerous.
Falls and moisture are the main enemies of electronics, and even if the phone is turned on after drying, the contact oxidation can last for months, leading to periodic failures, in which case a complete disassembly and ultrasound cleaning are necessary.