How to restart Xiaomi smartphone if the screen is not working

When a smartphone’s touch screen stops responding to touch, and the device continues to work but shows no signs of life, it is one of the most stressful for the owner. This is especially true for users of the Xiaomi ecosystem, where the MIUI or HyperOS interface is tied to gestures and the accuracy of the taps. When the display is gone or turned into a black mirror, standard control methods become unavailable, and there is a panic: how to save data or just turn off the phone?

Fortunately, engineers have provided several workarounds for emergencies: You don't have to carry a device to a service center right now if the goal is just to reboot or reset. There are a number of proven methods, from connecting a normal computer mouse to using specialized debugging commands that allow you to bypass a broken touchscreen.

In this article, we will take a closer look at each method available, evaluate their effectiveness depending on your Redmi or Poco model, and we will not use complex technical terms without explanation, but focus on practical steps that will help you regain control of the device or at least turn it off safely.

Use of USB-OTG and computer mouse

The most reliable and affordable way to control a broken-screen smartphone is to use a USB-OTG adapter.This method turns your phone into a full-fledged computer, allowing you to control the cursor using a conventional wired mouse. To implement this plan, you will need the adapter itself (often bundled with cheap Chinese phones or sold at any electronics store) and any USB mouse.

Once you connect your mouse to your Xiaomi Type-C or Micro-USB connector, on the screen (if it's even partially glowing) or touch, you should detect the cursor. Even if the image is missing, the cursor's movement is often accompanied by an audible signal or vibration, which confirms the success of the connection. Now you can click on the interface elements, unlock the device and go to the menu.

• 🖱️ Connect the adapter. OTG to the smartphone and insert it into it USB-mouse.
• 🔓 Use the left mouse button to simulate touching with your finger to unlock the screen (enter a pattern lock or a key). PIN-code).
• ⚙️ Hover over the power button (usually in the corner of the screen) and press the left mouse button to trigger the shutdown menu.
• 🔄 Select "Reset" or "Switch off" by clicking the left mouse button.

⚠️ Warning: If the screen is completely black and you can't see the cursor, act by touch. MIUI standard: the off button is usually in the upper right or lower corner, and the password input field is in the center.

This method is ideal if the touchscreen is broken but the matrix continues to work, or if the sensor fails completely but the system is functioning.

Forced reboot with hardware buttons

If the sensor doesn't work and you can't connect the mouse right now, you have a physical control button option, and the Android operating system, and in particular the MIUI shell, has a Hard Reset feature that is activated by holding the power button for a long time.

However, depending on the firmware version and device model, the algorithm may differ: Some Poco models simply hold the Power button for 10-15 seconds; other, newer HyperOS models may require a button combination, which is “rough” because it forces the system to shut down, which is equivalent to pulling out the battery.

Sequence of actions for different scenarios:

• 🔋 Standard method: press the on button and hold 10-20 seconds before the Mi logo appears.
• 📱 Combined method: Press the Volume Down button and Power for 15 seconds at the same time.
• 🔊 Alternative: Press Volume Up and Nutrition if the first two options don't work.

⚠️ Note: Forced reboot does not save open documents and can damage files if data was being recorded at the time of the failure. Use this method only as a last resort when other methods are not available.

Once the device vibrates and the manufacturer's logo appears, release the buttons. The smartphone should boot as normal. If the problem was in software freeze, it will solve the problem. If the touchscreen does not work due to physical damage to the plume, the reboot will only temporarily confirm the system's health, but will not return control.

Control via ADB and computer

For advanced users who had on the smartphone was pre-enabled Debugging USB (USB Debugging, there is a powerful tool – Android Debug Bridge (ADB). This method allows you to send commands directly to the operating system from a computer, completely ignoring the state of the touchscreen.

You'll need a PC with Xiaomi drivers installed and ADB platform tools installed to start with. Connect your phone with a cable to your computer. If the screen (even black) had debugging permission, the computer will recognize the device. If you've never enabled this feature, unfortunately, this method won't work, because Android's security system will block external commands.

Procedure for resetting:

1. Open the Command Prompt (CMD) or PowerShell on your computer in the ADB folder.
2. Enter the adb device command to check the connection. If the device is displayed with the code, then there is a connection.
3. Use the adb reboot command for soft reboot or adb reboot bootloader to enter bootloader mode.

adb shell am start -a android.intent.action.REQUEST_REBOOT

This command emulates a system reboot request, and it works even when standard buttons are stuck software, and it's the cleanest way to reboot from a file system perspective, because it's initiated software-based rather than hardware-based power failures.

Voice control and assistants

Don’t forget the built-in capabilities of Google Assistant or Mi AI. If your Xiaomi smartphone is connected to the Internet and the “Ok Google” feature is activated, you can try to control the device with voice. This does not work on all models and versions of firmware, but it is worth a try, especially if the screen responds to touch, but the image is missing.

Say clearly, "OK Google, restart the phone," or "Switch off the phone." The system may request confirmation. In some cases, the assistant may immediately execute the command if it has the appropriate access rights, which are often given by default in the Google ecosystem.

The effectiveness of this method depends on several factors:

• 🗣️ Microphone Activity and Speech Recognition in the Background.
• 🔐 Unlock status: Some commands require that the phone be unlocked by now.
• 🌐 Availability of an active Internet connection for processing voice requests.

⚠️ Warning: Voice commands may not work if the phone is in power saving mode or if the assistant's background processes have been stopped by the system to save resources.

If voice control doesn't work, don't despair. It's more of an assistive method that's good in theory, but in practice, in critical situations, it doesn't work consistently because of Android's security limitations.

Comparison of Access Restoration Methods

To make it easier for you to choose the right option, we have organized the information in a table, and here you can see the main characteristics of each method, its complexity and the conditions required.

As you can see from the table, using an OTG adapter is the most versatile and safe solution, it requires no special knowledge and allows you to completely control the device as if the screen were intact. The button method is the fastest, but less flexible.

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The gold standard for solving a non-working screen problem is the use of OTG-This is a cheap device (often costs less than 100 rubles) that every Android smartphone owner should have in stock.

Prevention and preparation for the future

To minimize the consequences in the future, you should prepare your Xiaomi for possible malfunctions, primarily when setting up cloud backups and enabling remote management.

Make sure your Google and Mi Account settings enable synchronization of contacts, photos and notes, and it’s also helpful to activate Find Device, which sometimes allows you to not only track your phone, but also remotely lock it or erase data if recovery is not possible.

List of useful settings for "sleep mode" security:

• ☁️ Enable Google Photos Auto Sync to Save Photos.
• 🔓 Set it simple. PIN-a code or pattern lock that can be easily entered by touch or mouse if the screen fails.
• 📡 Activate permanent internet access (mobile data or Wi-Fi) to keep remote teams running.

Regularly creating backups on an external drive or in the cloud is the only guarantee that you will not lose important data when the matrix or power controller breaks.

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Buy a high-quality protective glass-screen and case with raised sides, which will reduce the risk of damage to the matrix when falling, which often causes a failure of the touchscreen, even if the external glass is intact.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)