How to safely leave Boot Menu on Xiaomi: All ways + error solving

Loading a Xiaomi smartphone into Boot Menu instead of the regular system is a situation that both beginners and experienced users face, and this menu appears when you get a wrong firmware update, a recovery malfunction, or if you accidentally pinch a button combination when you turn it on, and the main problem is that the device hangs on this screen, preventing you from booting into MIUI.

In this article, we will discuss all the working ways to exit Boot Menu on Xiaomi, Redmi and POCO smartphones (including the models from 2023-2026), explain why the menu appears without your participation, and what to do if standard methods do not work.

If your Xiaomi only loads in Boot Menu, don’t panic: 90% of the time, you can fix the situation without going to the service center, but the main thing is to follow the instructions and not take actions that you don’t know about the consequences.

What is Boot Menu on Xiaomi and Why it Appears

Boot Menu (or bootloader menu) is a low-level interface that allows you to select the boot mode of the device, which appears before the operating system starts and gives you access to:

• 🔄 Recovery Mode – Recovery Mode for resetting settings or installing firmware;
• ⚡ Fastboot - mode for firmware through PC;
• 📱 Normal Boot – Standard Boot MIUI (if the system is intact).

On smartphones Xiaomi Boot Menu can open in the following cases:

• 🔧 Failure to update the firmware (especially through OTA Or Mi Flash Tool);
• 🔋 Abrupt power outage during critical operations (for example, when resetting settings);
• 🎯 Accidental pressing of the button combination (Power) + Volume Up or Power + Volume Down);
• 🛠️ Boot partition damage due to rooting or unofficial firmware.

On Xiaomi 12/13/14, Redmi Note 11/12 and POCO F4/F5 Boot Menu models, it can look different, from a text interface with a blue background to the Mi Bunny logo with button highlighting. Importantly, if the menu appears every time you turn on, it is a signal of serious problems with the firmware or hardware.

Method 1: Standard output via Normal Boot

If your Xiaomi boots into Boot Menu but the MIUI system is not damaged, the easiest way to get your device back to working condition is to select Normal Boot (or a similar one, like Reboot System Now).

Step-by-step:

1. In Boot Menu, select the Normal Boot (usually the first item on the list) with Volume Up/Down buttons.
2. Confirm the choice of the power button (Power).
3. Wait for the system to boot (it can take up to 5 minutes if MIUI optimizes applications).

If the device returns to Boot Menu after selecting Normal Boot, it means that:

• 🔴 Boot or system partition damaged;
• 🔴 The firmware is not installed correctly (for example, not for your model);
• 🔴 Factory mode activated (on some Redmi models).

Method 2: Forced Reset (Hard Reset)

If Normal Boot doesn't work, the next step is a forced reboot, which works even when Boot Menu is stuck and doesn't require a PC connection.

How to make a Hard Reset:

1. Hold the Power button for 15-20 seconds until the screen goes out.
2. Release the button and wait for the vibration (the start signal).
3. If the device is back in Boot Menu, repeat the action 2-3 times in a row.

Some models (such as the Xiaomi 13 Pro or Redmi K60) may require a Power + Volume Up + Volume Down combination that can be held for 10-15 seconds, which works in 60% of cases when the standard Normal Boot is not available.

⚠️ Note: If after Hard Reset, the device produces an error No. OS installed or Invalid partition, which means that the firmware is damaged or missing. In this case, you will need to flash it through Fastboot (see Method 4).

Method 3: Log in to Recovery Mode and reset settings

If the previous methods did not work, the next step is to recover through Recovery Mode.

• 📱 The device is loaded into Boot Menu, but MIUI stop;
• 🔄 After Hard Reset, the Mi logo appears and returns to the menu;
• 🛠️ You suspect the problem is with the system settings (not the hardware).

Instructions for resetting via Recovery:

1. In Boot Menu, select Recovery Mode (usually second on the list) and confirm with the Power button.
2. From the Recovery menu, select Wipe Data → Wipe All Data.
3. Confirm the action (a password may be required if Mi Account has been installed).
4. After reset, select Reboot System Now.

On the new models (Xiaomi 14, Redmi Note 13), the Recovery interface can be in Chinese.

• 🔹 The first item is Reboot (reboot);
• 🔹 The second is Wipe Data (reset);
• 🔹 Connect with MIAssistant (for firmware via PC).

Method 4: Fastboot Firmware (for power users)

If none of the previous methods worked, you have to reflash the device through Fastboot, USB-cable and official firmware for your model.

What you need:

• 💻 Windows computer (recommended) 10/11);
• 🔌 Original. USB-cable (better from the set);
• 📁 Official firmware in.tgz or.zip format (download from the official Xiaomi website);
• 🛠️ Mi Flash Tool (last version).

Step-by-step:

1. Download and install the Mi Flash Tool on your PC.
2. Unpack the firmware in a folder without Cyrillic characters (for example, C:\Xiaomi\rom).
3. Turn off your smartphone and press Power + Volume Down to log into Fastboot.
4. Connect the device to a PC. In the Mi Flash Tool, press Refresh, and the model name should appear.
5. Select the firmware folder, select Clean All mode (full clean) and press Flash.
6. Wait for the finish (10-15 minutes) and the device will restart automatically.

⚠️ Note: Fastboot erases all data on the device, including photos and apps. If the smartphone was activated synchronization with Mi Cloud, some data (contacts, notes) can be restored after authorization.

💡

Before you run your firmware, disable the antivirus on your PC, it can block the Mi Flash Tool. Also make sure that there are no spaces or special characters in the firmware folder name (for example, there are no spaces or special characters in the firmware folder name, Xiaomi_ROM Instead of firmware for Xiaomi!).

Method 5: Using EDL Mode (for “bricks”)

If your Xiaomi doesn’t respond to any buttons or even turn on (the so-called “brick”), there is a last chance – the EDL mode (Emergency Download Mode), which requires special equipment (EDL cable or circuit contacts on the board) and is used only in extreme cases.

When you need EDL Mode:

• 🔌 The device does not turn on or charge;
• 🔄 After a failed firmware screen remains black;
• 🛠️ Fastboot is not defined on PC.

How to log into EDL:

1. Turn off your smartphone (if it still responds to the buttons).
2. Connect the EDL cable (or close the Test Point contacts on the motherboard).
3. Connect the device to a PC. Qualcomm HS-USB QDLoader 9008 should appear in Device Manager.
4. Use the Mi Flash Tool or QFil for firmware.

Xiaomi models with MediaTek processor (e.g. Redmi 9A or POCO M3) instead of EDL use BROM mode, which requires SP Flash Tool.

⚠️ Attention: Working with EDL If you're not sure what you're doing, you need to know how to repair electronics. If you're not properly closing your contacts, you can damage the motherboard.

Reasons for Re-entry into Boot Menu and How to Avoid It

If your Xiaomi is constantly loading into Boot Menu, even after a successful release, the problem lies deeper.

How to prevent re-entry into Boot Menu:

• 🔄 Update the firmware only through Settings → The phone. → Updating the system;
• 🔋 Do not turn off the device during an upgrade or reset;
• 🛠️ Do not install custom firmware without a backup;
• 🔌 Use the original chargers.

💡

If Boot Menu appears after each shutdown, it could be a sign of damage to the NVRAM (network settings section), in which case only a full-cleaning flash (Clean All in the Mi Flash Tool) will help.

FAQ: Frequent questions about Boot Menu on Xiaomi