How to Reboot Xiaomi if the Screen Is Not Working: The Complete Guide

Xiaomi's failure to respond to touch or the screen is completely gone, but the phone continues to vibrate or make sounds, is familiar to many users. The reasons can range from software failure after upgrading to physical damage to the display. The main problem in such cases is the inability to perform a standard reboot through the menu. However, even without a working screen, there are several ways to force the device to restart or even restore its functionality.

In this article, we will discuss all available reboot methods, including hardware button combinations, connecting to a PC via ADB or Mi Flash Tool, as well as alternative options for devices with an unlocked bootloader. Particular attention will be paid to models with a Type-C connector (for example, Redmi Note 10 Pro, POCO X3 Pro), where additional interactions are possible. If your Xiaomi does not respond to the power button or hovers on the logo, here you will find a solution.

1. Forced reboot through hardware buttons

The most versatile way is to use physical buttons, which works on all Xiaomi models, including Redmi, POCO and Mi, regardless of MIUI version or screen state, the basic condition is that the phone must have a battery charge of at least 5%, otherwise the device will not react.

For forced reboot, follow the following steps:

🔄 Press the power button for 10-15 seconds. On most models (e.g. Redmi 9, Mi 11) this will cause a forced reboot, even if the screen does not respond.
🔋 If the phone vibrates but doesn't reboot, try pressing the power button and increasing volume for 10 to 20 seconds at the same time).
📴 On certain devices (e.g, POCO F3) You may need a combination of food. + Keep it down until you have a vibration or a sound.

If the phone doesn’t respond to any of the combinations, check:

🔌 Is the charging cable connected (sometimes a discharged battery blocks the response to the buttons).
🛠️ Are there any physical damage to the buttons (for example, after a fall).
🔄 Try to hold the buttons for longer – up to 30 seconds.

⚠️ Note: On non-removable battery devices (most modern Xiaomi), prolonged button retention can result in a factory reset if the system recognizes this as a recovery command. If your phone has important data that is not connected to the Mi Cloud, avoid holding buttons for more than 20 seconds.

📊 Xiaomi has stopped responding after

MIUI updates

Falls/blows

Charging connections

Installation of the annex

On his own.

2.Reboot via charging connection

If the phone doesn't respond to the buttons, but when you connect the charging cable, you get an indication (LED, vibration or sound), you can use this to force the reboot, which works because Xiaomi sometimes resets the hanging processes when connecting the power.

Instructions:

Connect your phone to the original charger (or powerful Power Bank).
Wait 1-2 minutes. If the screen doesn't turn on, but the phone makes a connection sound or vibrates, try:
Press the power button briefly (for 1-2 seconds), sometimes enough to restart.
If there is no reaction, hold the power button + increase volume for 10 seconds.

On some models (e.g. Redmi Note 8 Pro, Mi 9T), this method only works when connected to a computer via USB.

🖥️ Connect your phone to your PC.
🔄 Hold the power button for 15 seconds.
🔌 Turn off the cable and reconnect – sometimes it will trigger a reboot.

⚠️ Warning: If the phone heats up when you connect the charger, turn it off immediately! This may indicate a short circuit or battery damage.

☑️ Preparations for the forced reset

Check the battery charge (minimum 5%)Use the original cableMake sure the buttons don't stickWait 1-2 minutes after charging

Done: 0 / 4

3.Using ADB (Android Debug Bridge) to reboot

If your Xiaomi has previously enabled USB Debugging (USB Debugging), you can reboot it via your computer using ADB. This method is suitable for devices that are defined by a PC but do not respond to the screen.

Step-by-step:

Download and install Platform Tools (includes ADB and Fastboot).
Connect your phone to your PC through USB-cable (preferably original).
Open the command prompt (cmd) in the folder with ADB and type:

adb devices

If the device is determined (the serial number will appear), follow the reboot command:

adb reboot

If the phone is not identified, try:

🔌 Use the other USB-port (preferably) USB 2.0).
🖥️ Reinstall Xiaomi drivers (download from the official website).
🔄 Restart your computer and try again.

For devices with unlocked bootloader, you can use the command:

adb reboot bootloader

This will put the phone in Fastboot mode, where it can be rebooted in a standard way or stitched back.

What if the ADB can’t see the device?

1. Check if USB debugging is enabled (if the screen is even slightly working, activate it in Settings → About Phone → MIUI Version (7 times) → Additional settings → For developers). 2. Try another cable (low-quality cables often don’t transmit data). 3. Install drivers manually through Device Manager (select ADB Interface). 4. If the phone has previously connected to this PC, execute an adb kill-server, then adb start-server.

4.Reboot via Fastboot mode

If the phone vibrates when connecting to a PC but doesn't turn on, it can be rebooted via Fastboot mode.This method requires drivers installed and the Mi Flash Tool (for firmware) or standard ADB/Fastboot tools.

Instructions:

Turn off the phone (hold the power button for 10-15 seconds).
Press the power + volume button for 5-10 seconds until you feel vibration (this is the Fastboot login signal).
Connect your phone to your PC and open the command line in the folder with Fastboot.
Enter a command to check the connection:

fastboot devices

If the device is determined, reboot:

fastboot reboot

If the phone is frozen in Fastboot mode (there is a rabbit with Android on the screen), try:

🔄 Run fastboot reboot-bootloader, then fastboot reboot again.
📱 Swipe stock firmware through the Mi Flash Tool (instruction below).

Team team.	Description	When to use
fastboot reboot	Standard reset.	If the phone is detected but does not leave the Fastboot
fastboot reboot recovery	Transition to recovery	To reset settings or install updates
fastboot oem edl	Transition to EDL mode	For firmware via Mi Flash Tool (requires unlocked bootloader)
fastboot erase cache	Clearing the cache	If the phone is stuck due to a damaged cache

⚠️ Attention: The fastboot oem edl command switches the device to Emergency Download Mode, which allows you to flash the phone even with damaged firmware. However, on some models (for example, Redmi Note 7 and newer), this command only works with the bootloader unlocked. Improper use can lead to a blink (complete inoperability) of the device!

5. Firmware via Mi Flash Tool (for avanzed users)

If the phone doesn't respond to any button combinations, but is determined in Fastboot or EDL, the last chance is to run the firmware through the Mi Flash Tool, which deletes all data but restores the device to work.

Step-by-step:

Download the official firmware for your model (choose the Fastboot version).
Unpack the archive in a folder without Cyrillic characters.
Download and install the Mi Flash Tool (available on Xiaomi forums or sites like xiaomiflashtool.com).
Transfer the phone to Fastboot mode (power button + volume reduction) and connect to the PC.
In the Mi Flash Tool, select the firmware folder and press Refresh. The device must be determined.
Select firmware mode: Clean All - complete cleanup (recommended for serious crashes); Clean All and Lock - cleanup + lock bootloader (for sale of the phone); Save User Data - an attempt to save data (not always works).

Flash

Once the firmware is in place, the phone will restart automatically, if the process fails:

🔌 Check the cable and port USB.
🖥️ Try another computer (sometimes antiviruses block the Mi Flash Tool).
📥 Download the firmware again (maybe the archive is damaged).

💡

If the phone doesn't turn on after firmware, try pressing the power button for 30 seconds, then plugging it into charging for 10 minutes. Sometimes the first boot after firmware takes up to 5 minutes - don't interrupt the process!

6. Alternative methods for devices with unlocked loader

If your Xiaomi has a Bootloader Unlocked, there are additional ways to reboot, including installing custom recaps (TWRPs) or cores. These techniques require experience but can save the device in critical situations.

Options for action:

🔧 Installation TWRP: Download the image TWRP For your model (e.g., twrp.me) Transfer your phone to Fastboot and execute the command: fastboot flash recovery. twrp.img Reboot to Recovery: Fastboot Reboot Recovery TWRP You can make a backup, reset the settings or flash custom firmware.
📦 Install Magisk (if root access is a problem): Download the latest version of Magisk (GitHub). magisk_patched.img

For custom recapable devices, reboot via TWRP commands is also available:

🔄 adb reboot recovery – reboot to TWRP.
📱 Adb shell reboot system – reboot to the system.

⚠️ Note: Installing custom recavators or cores will void warranty and may result in data loss. On some models (e.g. Xiaomi 12 and newer), unlocking the bootloader also resets all data. Before experimenting, make sure you have a backup!

💡

Unlocking the bootloader on Xiaomi is officially supported through the Xiaomi website, but requires a Mi Account and waiting 7-15 days (on new models).

7 What should I do if nothing helps?

If none of these methods worked, the problem could be hardware, like a damaged battery, a motherboard, or a screen plume, and that requires professional diagnosis.

Signs of hardware damage:

🔥 The phone is heating up for no apparent reason.
🔋 It does not charge (even when connected to different charges).
📵 Complete lack of response to buttons and connection to PC.
💧 Traces of corrosion or moisture under the lid (if the phone fell into the water).