How to Reboot Xiaomi Redmi 3: From Basic Reset to System Recovery

Xiaomi Redmi 3, released in 2016, is still a popular budget smartphone due to its reliability and maintainability, but even such time-tested devices have crashes: sudden freezes, a black screen after a fall or incorrect updates. MIUI, And 80 percent of the time, the right reboot solves the problem, but not all users know that there are five kinds of reboots, and each one is suitable for a particular situation.

This article will not just list the ways to reboot, but will help diagnose the cause of the failure by symptoms (for example, a flashing indicator or vibration without turning on the screen) and choose the best method. We will figure out when a soft restart through the menu is enough, and when you need fastboot or even flashing through the menu. EDL-We'll focus on the pitfalls, for example, why, after a hard reboot through the buttons, Redmi 3 can drop off. IMEI And how to avoid it.

1.Soft reboot: when the smartphone responds to touch

If Redmi 3 is slow, but the screen is turning on and the sensor is responding to taps, start with the most gentle method. Soft restart clears RAM and closes the "hang" processes without affecting user data. This is the analogue of restarting the computer through the Start menu.

How to do this:

• 📱 Hold the power button for 2-3 seconds until a menu with shutdown options appears.
• 🔄 Select “Reboot” and confirm the action.
• ⏳ Wait for full shutdown and automatic switching on (usually takes 20–40 seconds).

This method helps with:

• 🐢 Slowing down the interface after prolonged use.
• 🎮 Hanging games or applications (for example, PUBG Mobile or Genshin Impact).
• 📶 Problems with the mobile network (disappears signal, does not catch) 4G).

⚠️ Warning: If the smartphone brakes again after a soft reboot, check the free space in memory (Settings) → On Redmi 3 with 16 GB of storage critical value - less than 1 GB: in this case, the system begins to "hang" due to lack of space for cache.

Forced reset: if the screen does not respond

When Redmi 3 is completely frozen (black screen, no touch response, but charge indicator is on), a hardware restart is required. This method simulates battery extraction, which is impossible to do physically due to a fixed battery. Important: a forced reboot does not erase data, but can interrupt background processes (for example, downloading files).

Instructions:

1. Hold the power and volume button up at the same time.
2. Hold for 10-15 seconds until the screen goes out (vibration signals disconnection).
3. Release the buttons and wait for automatic activation (can take up to 1 minute).

Symptoms that this method will help:

⚠️ Note: On Redmi 3 with custom firmware (like LineageOS), a forced reboot can cause a bootloop ( looped reboot) if the kernel is not compatible with the Android version. → The phone.

Check the charge level (minimum 20%)

Shut it off. USB/charging

Remember the start time of the procedure (if the screen does not turn on after 2 minutes, proceed to the next method)

Take a picture of important data (if the screen is partially working)-->

3.Reboot to Safe Mode: Diagnosing Viruses and Conflicts

If Redmi 3 is turned on but is unstable (apps open independently, ads appear, or the device overheats), the problem may lie in third-party software. Safe mode only loads system services, disabling all user programs, which helps to identify viruses or conflicting applications.

How to activate:

1. Turn off your smartphone (if it doesn’t respond, use the forced reboot from the previous section).
2. Hold the power button until the MI logo appears.
3. Once the logo appears, press and hold the volume button until the download is complete.
4. In the lower left corner of the screen will appear the inscription “Safe Mode”.

What to do next:

• 🔍 Check if symptoms have gone away (such as spontaneous reboots or advertising).
• 📱 If the problem is gone, remove the recently installed apps (especially from unknown sources).
• 🛡️ Run a virus scan (recommended Malwarebytes or Dr.Web Light).
• 🔄 Reboot your smartphone in normal mode by holding the power button and selecting “Reboot».

In Safe Mode, Redmi 3 is disabled:

• 📱 All user applications (except system applications).
• 🎵 Desktop widgets.
• 🔧 Autoboot of third-party services.

4.Reset to factory settings: when a reset doesn't help

If the soft and hard methods fail, and the smartphone continues to "glut," then you have to hard reset, which is a factory reset, which deletes all the data from the internal memory (photos, contacts, messages), but saves files on the computer. SD-Redmi 3 can be reset in two ways: through the Recovery menu or via a combination of buttons (if the screen is not working).

Method 1: Through Recovery (if the screen is turned on)

1. Turn off your smartphone.
2. Hold the power button. + Volume up until the logo appears MI and the Recovery menu.
3. Use volume buttons for navigation and power button for selection.
4. Select “Wipe Data” → “Wipe All Data” → Confirm the action.
5. After reset, go back to the main menu and select “Reboot”.

Method 2: Fastboot (if the screen is not working)

If the Recovery menu is not available, connect your smartphone to your PC and use the command:

fastboot erase userdata


fastboot erase cache




fastboot reboot

What will be removed:

• 📸 All photos and videos (except for those on the SD-map).
• 📞 Contacts, SMS, call-in.
• 🎮 Save games and application settings.
• 🔐 Fingerprints and pattern lock.

⚠️ Attention: On Redmi 3 Unlocked bootloader reset via fastboot can result in loss IMEI. Before the procedure, save it with the command adb shell su -c 'cat /data/.cid.info' application MTK Engineering Mode.

💡

Remove before resetting SIM-map SD-card – this will speed up the process and reduce the risk of file damage on external media.

5. Reboot in mode EDL: brick-and-brick»

If Redmi 3 does not turn on even after reset, is not determined by the computer in fastboot and does not load Recovery, it remains. EDL-Emergency Download Mode: This method is used to “reanimate” completely broken devices (bricks) and requires special cable or circuits on the board.

How to log into EDL:

1. Turn off the smartphone (if it does not respond - wait for the battery to discharge completely).
2. Connect. USB-cable to PC, but not to phone.
3. Press the volume button up. + Volume down and, holding them, connect the cable to the smartphone.
4. If drivers are installed, “Qualcomm” will appear in Device Manager HS-USB QDLoader 9008».

Recovery will require:

• 🖥️ Mi Flash Tool or QFil.
• 📁 Firmware for Redmi 3 in.tgz or.mbn format.
• 🔌 Original. USB-cable (Chinese cables are often not supported) EDL).

⚠️ Note: Incorrect Firmware in the EDL-On Redmi 3 with Snapdragon 616 processor, use only firmware marked "ido" (code name of the model). Download files exclusively from official sources: Official site Xiaomi Firmware Updater

💡

EDL-The mode is "resuscitation" for smartphones with damaged firmware, it is used only if all other methods of rebooting have not worked, without experience, it is better to contact the service center: a firmware error can make the device unrepairable.

6. Frequent mistakes and how to avoid them

Even a simple reboot can be a problem if you don’t take into account the features of Redmi 3, and here are some of the most common user errors and ways to prevent them:

Features of Redmi 3, which few people know:

• 🔋 There's no deep discharge protection on this model: if the battery runs down to 0% and stays there for a week, the controller may fail. Always keep the device with a 30-50 charge%.
• 📡 After reset, the Band 20 (800 MHz) may disappear. 4G — This is a feature of Android 6.0 firmware, which can be restored via Engineering Mode (#4636##).
• 🔑 If you forget the pattern lock and your fingerprint is not working, reset the lock via fastboot erase frp (requires an unlocked bootloader).

7.Alternative methods: when standard methods do not work

If none of the methods described helped, try these non-obvious solutions:

1. "Hot" reboot through ADB

If USB-debugging was enabled before the crash, connect the smartphone to the PC and execute:

adb shell reboot -p

This command simulates battery extraction at the core level.

Battery discharge to 0 per cent

If the device is stuck on the logo MI And it doesn't respond to the buttons:

1. Leave it on until the battery is completely discharged (may take 1-2 days).
2. Charge 10-15 minutes, then try logging in to Recovery.

3. Warming up of the motherboard

If the smartphone does not turn on after falling or getting moisture:

• 🔥 Place it in a silica gel bag for 24 hours (if there was moisture).
• 💡 Heat the back cover with a hair dryer (temperature 50–60)°C) within 2-3 minutes - this can restore contact between the disconnected components.

⚠️ Warming only helps with mechanical damage (unplugged plume, cold soldering).If the problem is in the firmware, this method is useless and can aggravate the situation (for example, melt the on-screen plume).

FAQ: Answers to Frequent Questions