Xiaomi's hanging smartphone is a situation that many users know: the screen doesn't respond to touch, the buttons don't work, and the phone has turned into a brick? Don't panic: 90% of the time, the problem is solved by a forced reboot. But how do you do it right so as not to make things worse?
In this article, we will look at all the current methods of forced reboot for Xiaomi, Redmi and POCO devices, from a simple soft reset to an emergency power outage. You will learn what button combinations work on modern models (2022-2026), how to avoid data loss and what to do if the phone does not respond even to a hard reboot.
Important: The instructions in the article are universal and suitable for most Xiaomi devices based on MIUI 12-14 and HyperOS, including the flagship Mi 13/14, the budget Redmi Note 12/13 and the gaming POCO F5/F6. If your model is older than 2018, check for a physical Menu button - it may require other combinations.
1.Soft restet: reboot via menu (if screen is running)
If Xiaomi's phone is slowing down but still reacting to touch, the first thing you should do is try software reboot, which is data-safe and doesn't require physical intervention.
How to do this:
- 📱 Hold the Power button for 2-3 seconds until the off menu appears.
- 🔄 Click “Reboot” and confirm the action.
- ⏳ Wait until the process is complete (usually 30-60 seconds).
If the menu doesn't appear and the screen just goes out, then the Power button turned off, in which case, try the methods in the following sections.
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On some POCO models, the reboot menu is hidden. To call it, hold Power + Volume Up for 5 seconds.
⚠️ Warning: If the phone boots for more than 5 minutes after the soft reset, don’t interrupt the process! The screen may display the Mi logo or a black screen – this is normal when restoring the system after a crash.
2. Hard Rebut: Forced button reboot
When Xiaomi’s smartphone is completely frozen and does not respond to touch, hard reset will help, a technique that simulates battery extraction and resets all processes.
Instructions for modern models (2019-2026):
- 🔋 Hold the power buttons. + Reduce the volume simultaneously.
- ⏱️ Hold them for 10-15 seconds until the screen goes out and the phone vibrates.
- 📵 Release the buttons and wait for the automatic reboot (can take up to 2 minutes).
For older models (until 2018) with the physical Menu button, use the combination:
Power + Volume + Menu (hold 8-10 seconds)Why does the combination Nutrition + Volume not work?
| Xiaomi model | Combination for hard rebut | Retention time |
|---|---|---|
| Mi 11/12/13/14, Redmi Note 10–13, POCO F3–F6 | Power + Volume reduction | 10-15 sec. |
| Redmi 9/9A/9C, POCO M3/M4 | Power + Volume Increase | 8-10 sec. |
| Mi A1–A3 (Android One) | Power + Volume Increase | 12+ seconds |
| Mi 8/9, Redmi Note 7/8 | Power + Volume Reduction or Nutrition + Volume Increase | 10 seconds. |
⚠️ Warning: On devices with an unlocked bootloader, the hard reboot may accidentally run Fastboot or Recovery. If you see a menu with Reboot, Wipe Data items, just select Reboot to System.
3. Battery extraction: the extreme method for non-collectible phones
If the hard rebuke didn't work and the Xiaomi phone still doesn't respond, there's a forced power outage, and in today's models, the battery is not removable, so you'll have to simulate its removal.
How to do this:
- 🔋 Hold the power button for 30 to 40 seconds (yes, that’s how long!).
- 🔌 If possible, disconnect the charger (if the phone was connected to the network).
- ⏱️ Wait 1-2 minutes, then press Power to turn on.
This method works even when the screen is not lit and the charging indicator is not lit, but on devices with damaged firmware (for example, after a failed update), such a reboot can lead to a looped reboot.
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Long-term retention of the power button (30+ seconds) discharges the residual charge in the capacitors, which is equivalent to the physical removal of the battery.
4.Reboot via Recovery Mode (for power users)
If Xiaomi’s phone is loading but constantly slowing down or issuing errors, rebooting through Recovery will help, which is also useful if the device doesn’t turn on after a hard rebuke.
Step-by-step:
- Turn off the phone (hold power for 10 seconds if it freezes).
- Press Power + Volume Up and hold until the Mi logo appears.
- Release the buttons and you will see the Recovery menu (may be in Chinese or English).
- Use volume buttons to navigate and select Reboot → Reboot to System.
- Confirm the choice of the power button.
If the Recovery menu doesn't have Reboot, you have custom recovery (e.g. TWRP) installed. In this case, select Reboot System.
Make sure the phone is turned off|Disconnect the charging cable|Clutch power. + Volume up.|Wait for the menu to come out.|Not to choose Wipe Data!-->
⚠️ Note: In the Recovery menu, DO NOT press Wipe Data or Factory Reset, it will result in complete data loss.
5 What to do if the phone does not turn on after restarting
If Xiaomi does not start after a forced reboot (the screen is black, the Mi logo burns forever or a looped reboot occurs), the reasons may be as follows:
- 🔄 Firmware damage (for example, after an interrupted update).
- 🔋 Battery discharge (even if the indicator showed charge).
- 🛠️ Hardware malfunction (damage to motherboard, screen plume).
The first steps to diagnose:
- Connect your phone to charge for 30 to 60 minutes (even if the light doesn’t burn).
- Try to clamp Power + Volume down for 20 seconds - sometimes it takes you out of the bootloop.
- If the Mi logo is on the screen for longer than 10 minutes, try logging in to Fastboot (Plus Power + Volume Reduction) and reflashing the device via the Mi Flash Tool.
If the phone doesn't respond at all (no vibration, no heat, no light), it's probably a hardware problem.
- 🔌 Check the cable and power supply (try another charger).
- 🔍 Check the connector. USB-C for damage or oxidation.
- 📞 Contact Xiaomi Service Center – Self-repairing can exacerbate the problem.
6 How to avoid hanging out in the future
Forced reboots are an ambulance, but it's better to prevent the problem.Here are 5 proven ways to minimize the risk of hanging out on Xiaomi:
- 📱 Update your firmware. Go to Settings. → The phone. → Update once a month, especially for HyperOS devices, as new versions fix critical bugs.
- 🧹 Clear the cache. Regularly delete temporary files through Settings → Warehouse → Clear the cache.
- 🚫 Remove junk apps. Use built-in security. → Cleaning or third-party utilities like SD Maid.
- 🔋 Keep an eye on the battery. Avoid a discharge below 10% - this can cause system failures.
- 🛡️ Turn off unnecessary background processes. → Annexes → Auto Start Ban Auto Start for Underutilized Programs.
If freezes occur regularly, check your phone for viruses (via Google Play Protect or Dr.Web) and test RAM using the MemTest86 app.
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On Xiaomi devices with 6+GB of RAM, enable Extended Memory in the developer settings. This will reduce the number of failures when multitasking.
7. Frequent errors in forced reboot
Many users make the problem worse by making common mistakes, and here’s what you can’t do when rebooting Xiaomi:
| Mistake. | Effects of consequences | How right. |
|---|---|---|
| Interrupt the reboot (pull out the battery if it is removable) | Damage to system files, bootloop | Wait for the process to be completed (up to 5 minutes) |
| Use the wrong button combination (e.g. Power + both volume buttons) | Running Fastboot or resetting settings | Check the combination for your model (see table above) |
| Click Wipe Data in Recovery without needing to | Complete data loss, reset to factory settings | Select only Reboot to System |
| Ignore the battery discharge (try the rebut at 1-5% charge) | The phone can be turned off during the loading phase. | Charge at least 20% before manipulation |
Another common myth is that “frequent forced reboots ruin your phone.” In fact, modern Xiaomi smartphones are designed for such loads, much more dangerous than overheating (for example, if the phone freezes while playing and continues to warm) or humidity (if you are trying to recycle a wet device).