How to Reboot Xiaomi Mi 5: 5 Ways to Deal With Any Situation

The Xiaomi Mi 5, released in 2016, is still popular with users thanks to its powerful hardware and custom firmware installation. However, as you age, the smartphone begins to slow down, freeze or refuse to turn on, and then a reboot comes to the rescue. But not everyone knows that you can restart the Mi 5 in at least five different ways, each of which is suitable for your situation.

In this article, we will discuss:

🔄 Standard reboot via menus and buttons
🔋 Forced rebuke when the system freezes
⚡ Hard reset (hard reset) through Recovery
🖥️ Reboot through ADB for advanced users
🛠️ What to do if the Mi 5 doesn’t respond to anything

We will focus on the unique feature of the Mi 5 – the lack of a removable battery, which makes it difficult to force a reboot compared to the newer Xiaomi models, and understand why sometimes the smartphone “goes into a bootloop” after an update and how to fix it.

📊 How often do you reboot your smartphone?

Once a week.

Only when you're hanging.

Never.

I remember.

The easiest and safest way is to use the built-in MIUI settings. It is suitable if the smartphone responds to touch, but works unstable (for example, brakes or overheats).

Instructions:

Open the settings (cog icon).
Scroll down and select About Phone.
Click on Reboot (or Reboot system in new versions of MIUI).
Confirm the action by pressing OK.

If there is no Reboot option, use an alternative path:

📱 Hold the power button for 2-3 seconds.
🔄 In the menu that appears, select Reboot (not to be confused with Shutdown!).

💡

If the Mi 5 brakes again after the reboot, check the space in the memory. The system starts to “glut” when there is less than 1 GB of free space.

⚠️ Warning: If after clicking on Reboot, the smartphone turns off and does not turn on for more than 5 minutes, this is a sign of damaged firmware or a faulty battery.+ minute.

2. Forced button reboot (when getting stuck)

If the Mi 5 is completely frozen, unresponsive to touch, or the screen is blackened, but the notification indicator is on, a hardware reboot will help, a technique that simulates the battery extraction (which is not on the Mi 5).

How to do this:

Hold the power button and the volume button at the same time.
Hold them for 10-15 seconds until the screen goes out and the Mi logo appears.
Release the buttons – the smartphone will start loading in normal mode.

If the combination does not work, try:

🔋 Hold only the power button for 20-30 seconds (sometimes helps with "soft" freezes).
🔊 Use a combination of nutrition + Reduce volume (in rare cases, it works on custom firmware).

Why does the Mi 5 often hang?

The main reasons are overheating of the Snapdragon 820 processor (especially when playing PUBG or Genshin Impact), lack of RAM (3 GB on Mi 5 is already not enough for modern applications) or a conflict of background processes. Regular reboot every 2-3 days helps to clear the cache and avoid lags.

⚠️ Warning: Don't confuse forced reboot with hard reset! The first one just restarts the system without deleting the data. The second one (via Recovery) erases all the files on the phone. If you're not sure what method you need, start by forcefully restarting.

3 Hard Reset (Hard Reset) via Recovery

If the Mi 5 is not turned on, constantly restarted (“bottle”) or you need to return factory settings, resetting via Recovery will help. This method deletes all data, including photos, contacts and applications, so use it only as a last resort.

Step-by-step:

☑️ Preparation for Hard Reset

Backup of important dataCharge your phone at least 50%Get out. SIM-card and memory card (if any)Prepare a login and password from the Mi Account

Done: 0 / 4

Turn off the smartphone (if it is on, hold the power button until it is turned off).
Press the power button and the volume button at the same time.
Hold them until the Mi logo and Recovery menu appear (usually 5-10 seconds).
In the Recovery menu, use the volume buttons for navigation and the power button for selection.
Select Wipe Data → Wipe All Data → Confirm.
After reset, go back to the main menu and select Reboot → Reboot to System.

If the Recovery menu is in Chinese:

🇨🇳 The third item on top is Wipe Data.
🔄 The Last Item: Reboot.

Problem.	Reason.	Decision
Reset doesn't help, phone hangs again	System firmware or modules are damaged	Fastboot or Mi Flash Tool
After the reset, the Mi Account requires, but it is not	Mi Account Protection Activated	Restore your account or contact Xiaomi for support
Recovery won't open	Recovery section damaged or buttons faulty	Swipe TWRP through Fastboot or check hardware buttons

4.Reboot via ADB (for advanced)

If you have access to ADB (Android Debug Bridge, you can reboot the Mi 5 from your computer, and this method is useful when the sensor is not working, but it's not. USB-debugging is on.

What you need:

🖥️ Computer with installed ADB and Xiaomi drivers.
🔌 USB-cable (preferably original).
🔧 Included debugging by USB developer-setting.

Instructions:

Connect the Mi 5 to the computer.
Open the command line (Win + R → enter cmd).
Enter the command to check the connection: adb devices must appear serial number of the device.
Do the reboot: adb reboot

If you need to reboot in Recovery or Fastboot:

🔄 In Recovery: Adb Reboot Recovery
⚡ In Fastboot: Adb reboot bootloader

💡

Use ADB only if you are confident in your actions. Wrong commands (like fastboot erase system) can turn your phone into a brick.

5 What to do if the Mi 5 doesn't respond to anything

If the smartphone does not turn on, does not respond to buttons and is not determined by a computer, it can be:

🔋 Battery discharged (even if the indicator does not burn).
🔌 Charging connector or cable damaged.
💥 Short circuit after falling or getting moisture.
🧠 Motherboard failure (often after unsuccessful overclocking of the processor).

In order:

Charging 1-2 hours: 🔌 Connect to the original charger. 🕒 Leave at least 1 hour on charge (even if the indicator does not burn). 🔄 Try a forced reboot after charging.
Checking the cable and connector: 🔍 Check the connector for dirt or oxidation. 🔄 Try another cable and power supply.
«Resuscitation through Testpoint (for experienced only): 🛠️ Requires disassembly of the phone and closing contacts on the board. 🔧 Used for forced firmware if the Mi 5 is not included in the Fastboot.

⚠️ Warning: If the Mi 5 doesn't turn on after falling or hitting water and warms up when charging, don't try to turn it on again. This can cause the battery to burn.

6. Frequent mistakes and how to avoid them

Many users are making Mi 5 problems worse by making common mistakes.

Mistake.	Effects of consequences	How to avoid
Interrupting the firmware through the Mi Flash Tool	Phone “bricking” (not even included in Fastboot)	Use stable power (laptop with charging) and original cable
Reset via Recovery without backup	Loss of photos, contacts and application data	Save important files to the cloud or PC in advance
Using unofficial firmware without unlocking the bootloader	Bootloop or blocking of Mi Account	Unlock Bootloader through the official Xiaomi website

Another common problem is that you're stuck on the Mi logo after you reset it, and it's because of:

🔄 Conflict of versions MIUI (For example, the firmware Global over China).
🧩 A damaged system or boot partition.
🔋 Insufficient battery charge (less than 30%).

Decision:

Swipe your phone through Fastboot with the official firmware (you can download it on the Xiaomi website).
If the firmware does not help - check the battery (it may be inflated and presses on the board).

FAQ: Answers to Frequent Questions

My Mi 5 reboots on its own. What's the matter?

The reasons may be different: 🔋 Faulty battery (if the phone turns off at 20-30% charge). 🧠 Processor overheating (check in Settings) → Battery → Temperature). 🐞 Failures in the firmware (will help flashing through Fastboot). 📱 Damaged motherboard (if there were no falls, but the problem remains, take to the service). Start by checking the battery: if it swells, replace it. If not, run the phone with official firmware.

After a reset, Mi 5 asks for an old Mi Account.

This is Mi Account protection, which is tied to the phone. Solutions: If you remember your username and password, enter them. If you don't remember, restore access through Xiaomi. If the phone is bought from hand and the previous owner has not untied the account, contact Xiaomi with a purchase check. ⚠️ Warning: Buying Mi Account bypasses from third parties is dangerous – it can be a scam or a virus.

Can I reboot the Mi 5 without a power button?

Yes, but it's more complicated: If it's on USB-debugging - use it ADB (If the debugging is off but the phone is responding to charging, wait until it's 0% and connect to charging (sometimes this works as a forced reboot). If nothing helps, take the phone apart and disconnect/connect the battery (requires skill). In extreme cases, contact the service - the masters can restart the phone through test points on the board.

How often do I need to restart the Mi 5 for stable operation?

Recommendations: 📱 Common use (social networks, calls): every 3-4 days. 🎮 Games or resource-intensive tasks: every 1-2 days (overheating accelerates the wear of components). 🔄 After updating MIUI: immediately after installation (sometimes two reboots are required) Reboot clears the cache and closes the background processes that over time “clog” RAM.

Can I use Mi 5 without a computer?

Yes, but with reservations: 📱 Through Local Update in Settings → The phone. → System update (you need a firmware file.zip on your phone). 🔄 Through TWRP (If you have custom recavators installed, however, a computer is required to unlock a bootloader or firmware through Fastboot.