How to get out of Main Menu on Xiaomi if you accidentally went there

You accidentally found yourself in the hidden Main Menu engineering menu on a Xiaomi smartphone or TV — and now you can’t go back to the normal interface? This situation is familiar to many users who mistakenly pressed the button combination or chose an incomprehensible item in the settings. The main thing is not to panic: exit from Main Menu is possible without losing data if you act correctly.

In this article, we will discuss all the working ways to exit the engineering menu for different Xiaomi devices (including Redmi, POCO, Mi TV), explain why this menu appears and how to avoid its accidental opening in the future, and warn about the risks of missteps in Main Menu, which can lead to locking the device or resetting to factory settings.

What is Main Menu on Xiaomi and why is it necessary?

Main Menu (or Engineer Mode) is a hidden service menu designed for engineers and repair professionals.

  • 🔧 Test hardware components (screen, speakers, cameras, sensors)
  • 📡 Set up network parameters (4G/5G, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth)
  • 🔄 Calibrate sensors (accelerometer, gyroscope, compass)
  • 📱 View hidden information about firmware and iron

On Xiaomi smartphones, you can access this menu using the combination ##4636## (for testing) or ##36446337## (for the MIUI engineering menu). On Mi TVs, you can click buttons on the remote multiple times. There is nothing for the average user to do here: changing the parameters without knowledge can disrupt the device.

⚠️ Note: In some versions MIUI exiting Main Menu via the standard Back or Home buttons is locked, this is done specifically to prevent accidental changes in settings.

Method 1: Standard exit via the Back button (for smartphones)

On most Xiaomi smartphones (for example, Redmi Note 12, POCO X5, Mi 11) exit from the engineering menu is as follows:

  1. Press the physical or touch button Back (←) with one brief tap.
  2. If the menu is not closed, click the Home button (circle or swipe up).
  3. When blocking buttons, try swiping from the bottom edge of the screen up (guest navigation).

If the buttons don’t respond, you are in deep engineering mode (e.g., in the hardware testing menu), in which case only rebooting (see Method 3) will help.

Try swiping up from the bottom edge of the screen

Press and hold the power button for 10 seconds

Connect the charger (sometimes unlocks the interface)

Try another way to get off the menu-->

Method 2: Exit via button combination (for Mi TVs)

On Xiaomi Mi TVs (models 4A, 4S, 5X, etc.), the exit from Main Menu is different.

Model TVCombination for exitNote
Mi TV 4A/4SMenu → Back up. → Back up. → ExitPress consistently, without delay
Mi TV 5X/ProHome 3 seconds → Menu → Turn offHold home until the remote vibrates.
Mi TV StickBack (5 times) → HomeIt only works on firmware 2023+

If the combinations don’t work, the menu is locked at the firmware level, in which case only a forced reboot will help (see next section).

Smartphone (Redmi/POCO/Mi)

Television (Mi TV)

Fitness bracelet (Mi Band)

Router (Mi Router)

Other-->

Method 3: Forced reset (universal method)

If the standard methods don’t work, it’s a hard reboot, which works for all Xiaomi devices, but has a nuance: some models may need to enter a password after a reboot (if it’s installed).

For smartphones:

  1. Press the Power button for 10-15 seconds until the screen goes out.
  2. Wait 30 seconds, then turn on the device with the Power button.

For TVs:

  1. Turn off the power outlet for 1 minute.
  2. Press and hold the power button on the TV body for 10 seconds.
  3. Connect the power back - the TV will turn on normally.

⚠️ Attention: On Mi TVs TV firmware MIUI TV 3.0+ If the remote stops working, reset the Reset button on the back (clamp for 15 seconds) after a hard reboot).

What to do if you need a password after rebooting?
If you have forgotten your screen lock password and the device requires it after you reboot, use the official Mi Account unlock service. 1. Go to the site and log in to your account. 2. Select "Find Device" → "Unlock Screen." 3. Follow the instructions (SMS/email confirmation is required). Importantly, this method only works if the device was linked to your Mi Account before the lock.

Method 4: Exit through ADB (for advanced users)

If you're an ADB (Android Debug Bridge) user, you can exit Main Menu via a command, which is a good way to use USB-enabled smartphones.

Instructions:

  1. Connect your phone to your PC through USB-cable.
  2. Open the command line (cmd) and enter:
adb shell am start -n com.android.settings/.Settings

This command will force you to open the standard Android settings, which will allow you to exit the engineering menu. If the command does not work, try:

adb shell input keyevent KEYCODE_HOME

This simulates the pressing of the Home button at the software level.

💡

Before using ADB, make sure that the phone is debugging over USB (Settings → About Phone → MIUI Version (7 times) → Additional → For developers → USB debugging).

Method 5: Recovery Mode Reset (extreme case)

If none of these methods work, you'll have to reset through Recovery mode, which will delete all the data on your device, so only use it as a last resort.

Instructions for smartphones:

  1. Turn off the device (clip Power + Volume up for 10 seconds).
  2. Press Power + Volume up until the Mi logo appears.
  3. From the Recovery menu, select Wipe Data → Wipe All Data.
  4. Confirm the reset and wait for the reset.

For Mi TVs:

  1. Turn off the power outlet.
  2. Press the power button on the TV case and connect the power back.
  3. Hold the button for 15 seconds until the reset menu appears.
  4. Select Wipe Data using the Loudness and OK buttons.

⚠️ Note: On some Mi models TV (Like Mi. TV 4S 55) Recovery resets may result in loss of app licenses (Netflix, Disney)+). After resetting, they will have to be reconfigured.

How to Avoid Accidental Login to Main Menu in the Future

To avoid being on the engineering menu, follow these tips:

  • 📱 On smartphones, do not enter random combinations in the dialer (for example, ##).
  • 📺 On the Mi remotes TV Don't press Menu in a row + Back up. + Up/down is a popular combination for logging into the service menu.
  • 🔧 If you need to test your device, use the official Mi Service Center app (available in Settings). → My device. → Diagnostics).
  • 👶 If the phone is used by a child, turn on child mode (Settings) → Special opportunities → Childhood regime).

You can also turn off access to the engineering menu via ADB:

adb shell pm disable-user --user 0 com.android.engineermode

This command will block Main Menu from launching until the next reboot.

💡

The most reliable way to avoid problems is not to press unknown combinations of buttons and not to change the parameters in the engineering menu without understanding their purpose.

FAQ: Frequent questions about Main Menu on Xiaomi

Can I leave Main Menu without rebooting?
Yes, on most Xiaomi smartphones, just press the Back or Home button. If that doesn't work, try the Volume Up + Power combination (hold 5 seconds) - this sometimes unlocks the interface without a full reboot.
What happens if you change the settings in Main Menu?
It depends on what parameters you've changed: 📶 Changing the network settings (Band Selection) can lead to loss of connection 4G/5G. 🔊 Audio Test can make speakers quieter or distort sound. 📱 Reset NV Data (on menu) CDS Information) will result in loss IMEI If the device is not working properly after the changes, try resetting the settings. → About phone → Reset settings).
Why did the sound disappear after Main Menu?
The audio settings were likely changed in the engineering menu to either Audio Mode or Speaker Test. To return the sound, go to Settings → Sound. Select Settings → Reset the audio settings. If the sound doesn't come back, reset via Recovery (see Method 5).
How to get the IMEI back if it resets after changes to Main Menu?
If you reset your NV Data or changed your modem settings in the engineering menu, the IMEI may reset. To restore it: Find the original IMEI (on the device box or under the battery). Use the official Mi Flash Tool to flash the device. If the IMEI is not restored, contact the Xiaomi service center with a check for the purchase. Attention: Restoring IMEI through third-party programs (for example, Chamelephon) may lead to the device being blocked by the carrier.
Is there a difference between Main Menu on Redmi and POCO?
No, the engineering menu on all Xiaomi smartphones (including Redmi and POCO) is almost identical, as they run on the same MIUI firmware. The exception is some POCO models with “clean” Android (such as POCO F1), where the engineering menu can look like Qualcomm’s standard EngineerMode.