When your Xiaomi or Redmi is caught in an endless reboot cycle, known as a “bootloop,” it can cause panic even in an experienced user, either by lighting up the logo or by turning off the screen, preventing the device from entering the menu or shutting down, at which point the device is in a state of critical stress, and simply pressing the power button often fails because a software failure blocks the processing of standard signals.
However, it is possible to interrupt this cycle and force the smartphone to turn off using hardware keyboard combinations or specific boot modes. Forced reboot is the first and safest step that allows you to break the software freeze without damaging the data. If the system is damaged critically, more radical measures may be required, such as logging into Recovery Mode or Fastboot, which we will discuss in detail below.
It's important to understand that the way you do things can vary depending on whether your touchscreen is working, whether your device is responding to presses, and which version of MIUI or HyperOS is installed. In some cases, the problem lies in hardware, such as a button sticking or a battery malfunction, and we'll look at all the scenarios so you can bring your gadget back to life or at least safely shut it down.
⚠️ Warning: If the phone is too hot or makes extraneous sounds, immediately turn off the charger and, if possible, place the smartphone on a non-combustible surface until it cools completely.
Hard Reset (Hard Reset button)
The first and most effective way to stop an endless reboot is a combination of physical keys. This method emulates pulling the battery from old phones, breaking the CPU power circuit at the software level. You need to press the power button for 10-15 seconds until the screen goes out completely. If that doesn't help, try slamming the Volume Down button and the Power button at the same time.
Hold the keys tightly, not letting them go until the device vibrates or the Mi or Android logo appears on the screen. In some models, especially with the side fingerprint scanner, this button also performs an on function, which can be confusing. Make sure you don't pinch the scanner too hard if it's paired with the power button, as this can block the off signal.
Sometimes it takes a few tries to catch the right moment to reset. If the phone responds to the presses but immediately goes into the rebound, try the following sequence: press Volume Up and Power, wait for the vibration, release the power button, but keep the volume up. This can throw the device into recovery mode, from where it can already be turned off through the menu.
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If the phone is in a case, be sure to remove it before trying a hardware reset.Thick silicone can interfere with full push of the buttons, which will not be recognized by the power controller.
Using Fastboot Mode to Stop the Cycle
Fastboot mode is a low-level interface that boots to the main operating system. Getting into this mode often freezes the cyclic reboot process, allowing the user to safely turn off the device. To enter, press the Volume Down and Power buttons simultaneously. The screen should show a bunny fixing an android, or the inscription FASTBOOT orange or blue.
Once you saw this screen, you successfully interrupted the system. Now, to turn off the phone, press the Power button and hold it for about 10 to 15 seconds. The screen should go out and the device will go to complete rest. This is one of the most reliable ways, since Fastboot mode has a minimal set of drivers and is less likely to freeze than a full-fledged OS.
If after shutting down from Fastboot, the phone starts to reboot when turned on, the problem lies deeper - perhaps the system partition is damaged or there is a conflict of a newly installed application. In this case, simply turning off will not solve the problem, and you will need to reset settings or flash the firmware.
☑️ Actions when logging into Fastboot
Enter Recovery Mode and clear the cache
Recovery mode provides access to the smartphone's service functions. If your Xiaomi reboots due to accumulated system debris or an update error, logging in to this mode will not only help turn off the phone, but also try to eliminate the cause of the crash. To enter, pinch Volume Up and Power. Hold the buttons until the Mi logo appears, then release power, but continue to keep the volume until the menu appears.
In the Recovery menu, you can navigate with volume buttons (up/down) and power buttons. Find Wipe Cache. This action is safe for your data (photos, contacts will remain), but it will delete temporary files that may have caused the conflict. After cleaning, select Power Off to turn off correctly.
There is a risk of choosing the wrong menu item, such as Wipe Data, which will lead to the complete removal of all information. Be extremely careful when navigating. If the screen does not respond to button presses in Recovery mode, the plume may be defective or the touchscreen itself blocks the operation of the buttons, which requires contacting the service.
⚠️ Note: Wipe Data or Factory Reset completely deletes all user data, use it only if you understand the consequences or the data is not important to you.
Diagnostics of problems with the power button
A frequent but overlooked cause of endless reboots is the physical malfunction of the power button. Mechanical sticking, getting moisture or dust under the button causes the contact to close permanently. For a smartphone, it's the equivalent of holding your finger on the button indefinitely, causing a cyclical start.
You can check this by gently flicking the power button or gently pressing the area around it. If the click pattern has changed, become tight or "cotton", there is a high probability of mechanical failure. In such cases, software methods of turning off may not work, since the switching signal is continuously coming.
Temporary solutions can be found by isolating the button, and some users gently (without fanaticism) pull the edge of the button with tweezers or paste tape over it to break the contact, but this is a temporary measure and will require a replacement of the button plume at the service center to repair the button.
Also worth paying attention to is the protective case: Cheap or deformed cases can push the power button, creating constant pressure. Remove the case and see if the reset cycle stops.
How to check the button with a multimeter?
Program Conflicts and Safe Regime
If the phone boots to the desktop before rebooting, you can try to enter Safe Mode, which only downloads system applications, which eliminates the influence of third-party software, usually by pressing the turn off button on the desktop and selecting the appropriate item, but in a cyclical reboot this is difficult to do.
An alternative method of entering safe mode on Xiaomi involves using ADB (Android Debug Bridge), if the phone has been pre-enabled debugging over USB. Connecting the phone to the PC at the time of short-term boot, you can send a command to enter the safe mode. However, if debugging was not enabled, this method is not available.
Often, applications with deep access rights or running the system are the culprits: launchers, antiviruses, MIUI betas. If you turn off your phone and it turns on normally, immediately remove newly installed applications. Statistics show that 60% of bootloop cases are caused by an update to one of the system components or a conflicting application.
Table of error and action codes
Understanding exactly what is happening to the device helps you choose the right shutdown and repair strategy, and below is a table of the main symptoms and recommended actions.
| Symptoms. | Probable cause | Action. |
|---|---|---|
| The Mi logo, then the black screen | Failure of the loader or system | Recovery Mode -> Wipe Cache |
| Recovery menu appears on its own | Sticky button Volume Up | Check buttons, choose Power Off |
| The screen flashes, the phone vibrates. | Critical discharge or failure of the ABC | Leave on charging for 1-2 hours |
| Cycle: Logo -> Off -> Logo | Bootloop (system failure) | Hard Reset or Flashing |
| The phone is warming up and rebooting | Processor or CZ overheating | Cool, check the battery. |
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If none of the software methods help turn off the phone and the power button isn’t stuck, a hardware malfunction of the motherboard or power controller is likely.
Battery discharge as a last resort
When all the software methods are exhausted, the buttons don't respond, and the phone keeps on rebooting endlessly, the last, "barbaric" but effective way is to completely discharge the battery. Leave the device alone, disconnecting from charging if it's connected. Reboot cycles quickly charge, and in a few hours the phone will turn off itself.
This method is safe for modern lithium polymer batteries, because the power controller will not allow a deep discharge below the critical level, but do not leave the discharged phone lying for weeks - this can lead to irreversible degradation of the battery.
Once the phone is completely out, plug in the original charger, let it lie on the charger for 15-20 minutes in the off state before you try to turn it on, and this will allow you to gain a minimum charge for a stable start.