How to turn off Xiaomi smartphone if it does not respond to buttons or screen

Xiaomi smartphones are reliable, but even they sometimes freeze or stop responding to presses, and there are different situations: a black screen after a fall, endless boot after a MIUI update, or just a “hang” interface where neither the sensor nor the buttons work, in which cases, a forced shutdown is the only way to regain control of the device.

However, an improper power outage can damage the file system or lose unsaved data — especially if the smartphone was recording files or updating the firmware at the time of the freeze. In this article, we will discuss 7 safe ways to turn off for all Xiaomi, Redmi, POCO and Black Shark models, including devices with a fixed battery and without a running screen.

Before you start, make sure that the problem is not with the battery running out – plug the charger in for 10-15 minutes. If the charging indicator is not on, check the cable and power supply on another device.

Classic forced shutdown (Hard Reset)

The most versatile method, which works on 90% of Xiaomi models released after 2016, is suitable if the screen does not respond, but the device vibrates or the indicators are on.

Instructions:

• 🔄 Press the power button and the volume button at the same time.
• ⏳ Hold them for 10-15 seconds until the screen goes out or the Mi logo appears.
• 📵 Release the buttons – the smartphone will turn off.

If the combination does not work, try an alternative:

• 🔄 Press the power button and volume reduction button for 20 seconds.
• 🔋 In some models (for example, POCO F3 or Redmi K40) this will trigger the Fastboot menu - in this case, select Power Off with volume buttons and confirm with the power button.

Do not connect charging during the procedure

Do not press other buttons (e.g. camera)

After switching off, wait 30 seconds before turning on-->

⚠️ Warning: On devices with an unlocked bootloader, forced shutdown during the update MIUI If the screen shows the upgrade process, wait until it is completed or connect to the PC to recover using the Mi Flash Tool.

2. turn off via the Recovery menu (if the screen is partially working)

If the smartphone is turned on but not responsive to the sensor, or reboots cyclically, you can use the Recovery Mode menu, which is suitable for devices with MIUI 12 and later.

Step-by-step:

1. Turn off your smartphone by force (see section 1).
2. Press the power button and volume button until the Mi logo and menu appear in English/Chinese.
3. Use volume buttons for navigation and select Power Off (or Chinese firmware).
4. Confirm the choice of the power button.

You can also reset your Recovery menu with Wipe Data if your smartphone is not turned on because of a software failure, but this will remove all the data from your internal memory!

3.Switch off via ADB (for advanced users)

If you have debugging enabled USB (USB Debugging) and the smartphone is determined by the computer, you can turn it off via the command ADB. This method is relevant for devices that are stuck in the interface, but react to the connection to the PC.

Instructions:

1. Connect your smartphone to your computer through USB-cable (preferably original).
2. Open the Command Prompt (Windows) or Terminal (macOS/Linux) in the folder with ADB.
3. Enter the command to check the connection: adb devices If the device appears in the list, type: adb shell reboot -p

If the team doesn’t work, try the alternative:

adb shell input keyevent 26

(Emulating the press of the power button.)

⚠️ Attention: Method ADB It doesn't work if the debugging is USB It wasn't on until it was getting stuck. MIUI 13+ You may also need to confirm a trusted device, which is not possible with a broken screen.

4. Shutdown by external battery (Power Bank)

If your smartphone doesn’t respond to any buttons, but you’re sure it’s not a dead battery, you can try cheating on the power system, a technique that works thanks to the charging controller features of Xiaomi devices.

What to do:

• 🔌 Connect your smartphone to a power bank or charger.
• ⏳ Wait 2-3 minutes – sometimes enough for the device to wake up and start charging.
• 🔄 If the charging indicator caught fire, try to force the smartphone to turn off (see section 1).
• 🔋 On some models (for example, Redmi Note 9 Pro) long-term connection to charge (10)+ minutes) automatically initiates a reset.

This method often helps if the smartphone is getting stuck due to a deep battery discharge or a failure of the power controller, but it is ineffective in case of hardware failures (for example, damage to the battery plume).

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If the charging indicator flashes red, it may indicate a critical battery error, in which case turning off will not help - you need to replace the battery.

5. Offline via service menu (for older models)

On Xiaomi devices until 2018 (e.g. Redmi 4X, Mi A1), sometimes a shutdown is triggered through the service menu, which is called by special combinations.

Try the following codes (enter in the dialer even if the screen is unresponsive):

If the smartphone vibrates after entering the code, but the screen remains black, try to wait 30 seconds - sometimes the command is executed with a delay.

Hardware power outage (extreme case)

If none of the methods worked, and the smartphone does not respond to charging and does not vibrate, the only option is to disassemble and disable the battery, which requires caution and is only suitable for users with experience in repairing equipment.

How to proceed:

1. 🛠️ Prepare a plastic spatula (or mediator) and a Torx screwdriver T3/T4 (model-wise).
2. 📱 Carefully apply the back cover, starting at the corners. On most Xiaomi models, it is held on the latches.
3. 🔋 Find the battery plume (usually covered in black insulation) and unplug it from the motherboard.
4. ⏱️ Wait 1-2 minutes, then plug the plume back in and try turning on your smartphone.

⚠️ Warning: Disabling the battery resets all temporary data (such as unsaved photos in the camera buffer) and can result in loss of IMEI On some models (e.g. Redmi 7) you also risk damaging the plume if you don't clean up.

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If the smartphone does not turn on after the battery is turned off, this may indicate a short circuit or damage to the motherboard, in which case a diagnosis is required at the service center.

7. Shutdown via Mi Account (remote)

If your smartphone is tied to a Mi Account and connected to the Internet (via a mobile network or Wi-Fi), it can be turned off remotely via the Xiaomi Cloud web interface, which works even if the screen is unresponsive, but the device is online.

Instructions:

1. Go to i.mi.com and log in.
2. Select your device from the list (if it appears as Online).
3. Click Delete Data → Turn off the device (the option is not available on all firmware).
4. Confirm the action via SMS or email.

Remote shutdown can take up to 5 minutes.If the device is not displayed in the Mi Cloud, check:

• 📶 Is it connected to the network (mobile indicator or Wi-Fi should burn).
• 🔒 Is your account blocked due to suspicious activity.
• 📱 Is synchronization enabled in settings (Settings) → Mi Account → Synchronization).

What if the smartphone does not turn on after switching off?

If Xiaomi does not turn on after a forced shutdown, this may indicate:

• 🔋 Deep battery discharge - connect to charging at 30+ minutes, even if the indicator does not burn.
• 🔄 Damaged firmware – requires flashing through Fastboot or EDL Mode.
• 💧 Moisture infestation - if the smartphone has been in contact with water before freezing, don't turn it on! immediately remove the battery (if possible) and dry.
• 🔧 Hardware malfunction – for example, a memory chip dump or damage to the motherboard.

For diagnosis:

1. Connect your smartphone to your PC – if it is defined as a Qualcomm HS-USB QDLoader 9008, it means that the device is in EDL mode and requires firmware through the Mi Flash Tool.
2. Try going to the Fastboot (power button + volume down). If the menu opens, flash your smartphone with the official firmware.
3. If there is no reaction (even vibration), contact a service center - probably a problem with the power or motherboard.

FAQ: Frequent questions