How to reboot Xiaomi without a lock button: the complete guide

The situation when the physical power button stops responding to clicks often catches Xiaomi smartphone owners by surprise. At this point, the device may freeze, require an update or simply not work correctly, and the usual way to restart through key retention becomes unavailable. MIUI HyperOS provides several alternative ways to perform this operation.

Understanding how to reboot Xiaomi without a button is a critical skill for anyone looking to extend the life of their gadget. Ignoring the need to reboot when getting stuck can lead to cache errors and further instability. In this article, we will detail the software methods, hidden system functions, and even computer utilities that will help you cope with the problem.

Before we go to radical measures, we need to evaluate the state of the screen and touchscreen. If the display responds to touch, your chances of a successful soft reset are close to one hundred percent. We'll look at methods from simple menu settings to using USB debugging, which will cover all possible crash scenarios.

Reboot through the system settings menu

The most obvious and safe way, which is often overlooked in stressful situations, is through the standard shell interface, and if the touchscreen is functioning normally, you don't need any additional tools. You just have to open the Settings app and scroll down to the bottom, and there's the About Phone section, which contains the key management functions.

Inside this section, usually at the top of the screen next to the MIUI version, is a three-dot button or menu icon, and if you click on it, you'll see a drop-down list where Reboot will be, which is standard and doesn't require root rights or a computer connection, and is ideal for a scheduled reboot after you install updates.

However, if the device is so hung that the menu does not open, this method will be useless, in which case the interface may react with a delay or not at all, then you should pay attention to the scheduler function, which is built into the system tools Xiaomi.

• 📱 Open the standard Safety app (green zipper icon).
• ⚙️ Find the Tools or Services section at the bottom of the screen.
• 📅 Select Planner to set up automatic actions.
• 🔄 Set on and off times one minute apart to emulate the reboot.

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If the menu doesn’t open because of the freeze, try turning off the screen first by clicking on it (if there’s a Double Tap feature), and then turning it back on again – sometimes this frees up system resources.

Using a scheduler is a clever but effective way to get around a broken button: you can set the phone to turn off at the current time and on in a minute, the system will execute a command, and the device will restart automatically.

Use of special opportunities

There's a powerful tool in the Android operating system that can be a lifeline for people with disabilities, called the Accessibility Menu, which displays a floating button that duplicates the basic actions of the smartphone, including the power button.

To activate this tool, go to Settings → Advanced Settings → Special Features. In the list, find the Special Options Menu and switch the slider to the active position, and then a floating button or control panel will appear on the screen.

When you click on this button, you'll see virtual physical keys, which include a lock icon and a power switch, and clicking on it will trigger the standard menu with the options to turn off and reset, which works even when the physical button is completely broken.

Importantly, activating this menu requires minimal touchscreen performance. If the display is broken and doesn't respond to touch in certain areas, try moving the floating button to the free area. This is a versatile solution for Redmi Note, Poco and Mi flagships.

Reboot via computer and ADB

If the touch screen is completely broken and the power button is broken, a computer comes to the rescue, requiring the installation of Xiaomi USB Drivers and the Android Debug Bridge (ADB) platform, a method that requires prior preparation: the phone must be enabled to debug via USB.

Connect your smartphone to your PC via the original cable. Open the command line or PowerShell in the folder with the ADB installed. Enter a command to check the connection:

adb devices

If the device appears in the list with device status, then the connection is established. To perform the reboot, type the following command:

adb reboot

This command sends the signal directly to the kernel of the system, initiating a soft reboot. If the system is completely got stuck and the ADB is not responding, you can try a command to force the reboot (although it does not work on all firmware versions):

adb reboot -f

ADB is the most professional and often used by service center wizards, allowing you to control the device even when the interface is completely unavailable, and the main condition is pre-enabled debugging, which is worth taking care of in peacetime.

Alternative combinations and gestures

Some Xiaomi models and shell versions support alternative controls, such as the Double tap feature to turn on the screen can help wake the device up if it has gone into deep sleep, and it’s also worth checking the gesture settings.

Newer versions of HyperOS and MIUI 14 have the ability to control via voice assistant, try activating Google Assistant or Xiao AI (if configured) and say "Reboot phone," although standard security commands often block this action without confirmation, in some scenarios it can work or open the desired menu.

There is also a myth about the combination of volume keys: Clicking the Volume Up and Volume Down buttons simultaneously for 10-15 seconds on some devices causes a forced reboot, similar to taking out the battery. However, on modern Xiaomi, this combination is often inactive or reserved for engineering tests.

Actions with a completely non-functioning touchscreen

The most difficult scenario is when neither the power button nor the touch screen is working, in which case the software methods inside the system become unavailable, the only option is to use external devices or wait for battery discharge.

You can connect a USB-OTG adapter and a normal computer mouse to your smartphone. If the system drivers allow, the cursor will appear on the screen. This will allow you to navigate through the interface and reboot through the menu, as described in the first section. This is the only way to programmatically reboot a phone with a broken screen without a button if debugging over USB is not on.

⚠️ Note: Connecting the mouse through OTG It consumes battery power. Make sure the phone has at least 20-30% charge before the procedure.

If nothing works, you have to wait for the battery to run out completely. When the phone turns off, plug it into the charger. Most Xiaomi smartphones, when connected to charging when they're off, automatically turn on or show a logo where you can try to get into the recovery menu.

Recovery mode and reset settings

If your goal is not just to reboot, but to fix a critical failure, you can use Recovery Mode, which is usually entered by pressing the volume button and connecting the cable, but without the power button, this is difficult to do. However, if the phone itself is turned off, you can try to pin Volume Up and connect the charging cable.

In the Recovery menu, you can navigate with volume buttons and choose with a power button. If the power button doesn't work, you can log in to the menu, but selecting "Reboot" will be problematic. In some custom recavers (such as TWRP), you can navigate through a touchscreen, which makes it easier to do.

The radical method is to reset to factory settings (Wipe Data), which will delete all data, but guaranteed to reboot the phone. In standard Recovery Xiaomi, you can often select the language and press "Wipe Data", after which the phone will restart itself, but remember that this is an extreme measure.

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Using a USB-OTG adapter with a computer mouse is the most reliable way to control a smartphone with a broken touchscreen without root rights.

⚠️ Note: Wipe Data permanently deletes photos, contacts, and applications, and only use this method if the data is stored in the cloud or is not important.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)