How to Reboot Xiaomi Phone with Buttons – The Complete 2026 Guide

Xiaomi smartphones are some of the most popular devices on the market, but even they sometimes fail: they hang on the logo, do not respond to touches or demonstrate a “black screen of death.” In such situations, the standard hold of the power button does not always work, and connecting to a PC requires time and additional tools. Fortunately, the manufacturer has provided several ways to force reboot through hardware buttons that work even on fully “locked” devices.

This article covers all the current reboot methods for the Redmi, Poco and Mi lines (including the 2020-2026 models), and explains why sometimes the phone does not respond to standard combinations. We will understand how to distinguish a soft reboot (without loss of data) from a hard reset (with the risk of deleting files), and when to use each of the methods. If your Xiaomi is “finally dead” – do not panic: in 90% of cases it can be brought back to life in 10–30 seconds.

Why is Xiaomi not rebooting in the usual way?

Before you grab the buttons, it's important to understand the cause of the crash. Xiaomi Android-based smartphones can "hang" for several reasons:

• 🔄 Software conflict: a bug in the firmware MIUI, Application or driver failure (often after an update).
• 📱 Hardware failure: overheating of the processor, damage to the battery or contacts of the power button.
• 🔋 Critical discharge: If the battery is discharged to 0%, the phone may not respond to the power button holding.
• 🛠️ Failed Update: Interrupted firmware or “curved” custom build MIUI.

In most cases, a hard reboot helps, which does not affect user data, but resets all background processes. However, if the problem is due to a bootloop (cyclic reboot) or damage to the /system partition, it may be necessary to reset to factory settings or flash through Fastboot.

Method 1: Standard Reboot (soft reboot)

If the phone is responsive to taps but is unstable (lagging, slowing, apps not opening), try a soft reboot.This method is data-safe and works on all Xiaomi models, including the Redmi Note 12, Poco X5 and Mi 11.

Instructions:

1. Hold the power button (usually located on the right) for 8-10 seconds.
2. On the screen will appear menu with options to Turn off, Reboot and Emergency mode.
3. Select Reboot and confirm the action.

If the menu doesn't appear and the phone vibrates and goes out, that's OK: it's forced off. Turn it on again with the power button.

⚠️ Note: Some models (e.g. Redmi) 9A) Holding the power button for more than 15 seconds can lead to a hard shutdown, which can lead to the loss of unsaved data in open applications.

Method 2: Hard reboot via buttons

If the phone is completely frozen (no touch response, black screen or frozen on the MI logo), you will need a hard reboot, a technique that simulates battery extraction and works even when the firmware is damaged.

The combination of buttons depends on the model:

Algorithm of action:

1. Press and hold the specified button combination.
2. Wait for the vibration (the signal to start the process).
3. Do not release the buttons until the screen is completely out (sometimes up to 30 seconds are required).
4. After turning off, wait 10 seconds and turn on the phone with the power button.

⚠️ Attention: On models with AMOLED-screens (for example, Xiaomi 12 Pro) with a hard reboot can be observed flickering display – this is normal and does not indicate a breakdown.

Method 3: Reboot to Recovery Mode (for power users)

If the phone turns on but immediately goes to bootloop, logging into Recovery mode can help, a method that allows you to reset or reflash the device, but requires caution.

How to log in to Recovery:

1. Turn off the phone (if it’s on, use a hard reboot from Method 2).
2. Press Power + Volume up and hold for 10-15 seconds until the MI logo appears.
3. Release the power button, but keep Volume up until you see the Recovery menu.

The Recovery menu has options:

• 🔄 Reboot - a normal reboot.
• 📱 Wipe Data – reset to factory settings (deletes all data, including photos and applications!).
• 🔧 Connect with MiAssistant – Connect to a PC for firmware.

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If the Recovery menu does not have a sensor, use the volume buttons for navigation and the power button to confirm the selection.

Frequent Mistakes and How to Avoid Them

Many users make critical errors when forced to restart, which can make the problem worse.

• ⏱️ Holding buttons too short: if you let them go early, the phone may not turn off. Hold on for at least 10 seconds.
• 🔌 Reboot on charge: If the battery is discharged to 0%, connect charging for 5-10 minutes before trying.
• 📲 Using the wrong combination: forums often advise universal methods, but for Xiaomi they don’t always work (see table above).
• 🔄 Frequent hard reboots: Regular use of hard reboot can damage the file system.

If the phone freezes again after restarting, check:

• 📦 Free space: filled memory (90%+) It causes frequent failures. Release at least 2-3 GB.
• 🔄 Updates MIUI: Go to Settings. → The phone. → Updating the system.
• 🛠️ Failing applications: Remove recently installed programs (especially from unknown sources).

When does rebooting buttons not help?

If none of these things work, the problem may be bigger than it seems.

If you suspect a hardware breakdown (for example, after a fall or moisture), do not try to reflash the device - this can finally finish it off.

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If the phone does not turn on after 3-5 attempts to restart, further manipulation without diagnosis can lead to data loss or aggravation of the breakdown.

FAQ: Answers to Frequent Questions