How to Force-Reboot Xiaomi Phone: All the Working Ways (including Bricks)

A suspended Xiaomi smartphone is a situation familiar to many owners of Redmi, POCO or Mi. The screen does not respond to touch, the buttons do not work, and the device is frozen on the logo or black screen. Forced reboot is often the only solution, but wrong actions can turn the phone into a brick. In this article, all proven methods, from safe to emergency, with explanations of when to use.

Don’t rush to retrieve the battery or reset your settings! In 80% of cases, a combination of hardware buttons helps, and in the rest, special modes like Fastboot or Recovery. We will analyze each method with models (including the Xiaomi 12T, Redmi Note 11 and POCO F4), and also warn about typical errors that lead to data loss or breakdown.

Load screen (MI logo)

Black screen (no reaction)

Annex/interface (brake)

Other (check in the comments)-->

1. Standard Forced Reboot: Power and Volume buttons

The most versatile and secure method is the hardware reset via a combination of buttons. It works on all Xiaomi models, regardless of MIUI version or firmware status, the main advantage is that it does not require a connection to a PC and does not reset data.

For most devices (including Redmi Note 10 Pro, POCO X3, Mi 11) the algorithm is the same:

1. Press the power button and increase the volume at the same time.
2. Hold them for 10-15 seconds until the screen goes out or the Xiaomi logo appears.
3. Release the buttons - the phone will start to restart in normal mode.

If the combination does not work, try an alternative:

• 🔄 Power button + Volume reduction (for some models, for example, Xiaomi Mi) A2).
• 🔋 Power button only (hold 20)+ Seconds if the phone is completely frozen).
• 🔌 Connect the charging and repeat the combination – sometimes helps with a discharged battery.

Important! On non-removable battery devices (all modern Xiaomis), battery extraction is impossible -- don't try to disassemble the case! This will lead to loss of warranty and risk of damage to the plumes.

Make sure your phone is not charging (turn off the cable)

Try waiting 1-2 minutes – sometimes the system “slows down” itself

Remember which apps were opened (after the reboot, they may close)

Do not press buttons with excessive force.-->

2.Reboot via Recovery Mode: When the buttons don't help

If the phone does not respond to the hardware reset or freezes during the boot phase (the MI logo burns for more than 5 minutes), it is time to switch to Recovery Mode. This mode allows you to restart the device manually, as well as perform a factory reset (if necessary).

Instructions for entering Recovery:

1. Turn off your phone (if it's not turned off) and hold the power button for 20+ seconds.
2. Press the power button + increase volume and hold until the Recovery menu appears (usually with an image of an Android robot).
3. In the menu, select Reboot or Reboot system now (manage by volume buttons, confirmation by power button).

On some models (e.g. Xiaomi Mi 9 or POCO F3), the Recovery menu can be in Chinese.

• 🔄 Reboot - the first line with a circular arrow.
• 🧹 Wipe data – reset settings (do not choose without needing to do so!).
• 📱 Connect with MIAssistant – Connecting to a PC for Recovery.

Critical information: If you select Wipe data from the Recovery menu, all data on your phone will be deleted, including photos, messages and apps. This item is only for troubleshooting serious crashes!

3. Fastboot Mode: Reboot via PC

Fastboot is a service tool for interacting with your phone through a computer, and it's useful if:

• 🖥️ The phone does not respond to buttons, but is determined by the PC.
• 🔄 You need to reflash the device or unlock the bootloader.
• 🛠️ Diagnosing hardware problems is required.

To reboot Xiaomi via Fastboot:

1. Turn off the phone (hold the power button for 20+ seconds).
2. Press the power + volume button until a screen with the words Fastboot and the image of a hare in a hat (Mi Bunny) appears.
3. Connect your phone to your PC through USB-cable.
4. On your computer, open the command line (Win + R → enter cmd) and execute the command: fastboot reboot

If the team does not work, check:

• 🔌 Cable and port USB (Try another cable or port USB 2.0).
• 🖱️ Mi Flash drivers installed (you can download on the official Xiaomi website).
• 🔒 Is the bootloader unlocked (on new Xiaomi models it is blocked by default).

💡

If the phone is not identified in Fastboot, try reinstalling drivers manually through Device Manager (Windows).In the list of devices, look for Android Bootloader Interface or Mi Flash and update the driver.

4. Hidden commands for rebooting (via engineering menu)

Few people know, but Xiaomi has hidden service commands that allow you to restart your phone without buttons, which works if the screen responds to touch, but the system slows down or does not open settings.

Calling methods:

1. Open the Phone app and enter the combination: ##4636## From the menu that opens, select Reboot.
2. Type in the dial: ##7780### This will cause a soft reset (without deleting data), after which the phone will reboot automatically.

On some firmware (e.g. MIUI 14 for Xiaomi 13), these commands can be disabled. Alternatively, use ADB (Android Debug Bridge):

• 🖥️ Connect your phone to your PC and enable debugging. USB developer-setting.
• 📝 In the command line, do: adb shell reboot

Warning: ##7378423## (Test Mode) and ##36446337## (Firmware Information) do not reboot the phone, but can cause system failure if used incorrectly.

5. Emergency measures: battery extraction and "iron" methods

On older Xiaomi models (such as the Redmi 4X or Mi 5) with removable battery, you can physically turn off power. However, in modern devices (starting with the Redmi Note 7), the battery is soldered into the case, and attempts to remove it will lead to:

• 🔧 Loss of warranty (on opening of the case).
• ⚡ Short circuit (risk of damage to the motherboard).
• 📱 Breakdown of plumes (screen, buttons, speakers).

If the phone doesn’t respond to any commands and the screen stays black, try:

1. Connect the charger and wait 30 minutes – the battery may be completely drained.
2. Try connecting your phone to another power source (like a Power Bank or other charger).
3. If artifacts (strips, flickering) appear on the screen, this may indicate a malfunction of the display or graphics chip.

💡

If the phone doesn't turn on after all the manipulations, don't try to disassemble it yourself. 90% of the time, the problem is solved by flashing through the Mi Flash Tool or replacing the battery in the service center.

Table: Which method to choose depending on symptoms

7. Frequent mistakes and how to avoid them

Even a simple reboot can be a problem if you make one of these mistakes:

⚠️ Never remove the battery on a working phone (even if it is removable) and this can cause damage to the power controller and the device to become completely inoperable.

Top.-3 user error:

1. Reset to Recovery without backup. Wipe data deletes all user files, including photos in internal memory. Always backup through Settings → System → Backup.
2. Using unofficial firmware: Installing custom ROMs (like LineageOS) through Fastboot without unlocking the bootloader results in a brick.
3. If the phone has started to reboot via Fastboot or Recovery, don’t disconnect it from the PC or press buttons until it’s complete!

Another common problem is cyclical reboot (the phone turns on, shows the logo and turns off again).

• 🔄 Damaged firmware (solution: reflash through Mi Flash Tool).
• 🔋 Faulty battery (solution: replacement in the service).
• 🛠️ Hardware malfunction (for example, the dump of the memory chip).

FAQ: Answers to Frequent Questions