How to turn off Xiaomi phone buttons: all ways for Redmi, POCO and Mi

Have you ever faced a situation where a Xiaomi smartphone stops responding to touch and the screen stays black or frozen? In such cases, a standard power menu shutdown becomes unavailable, and the only way out is to use hardware buttons. But how do you do it right so that you don't damage the device?

In this article, we will discuss all possible ways to force Xiaomi, Redmi and POCO smartphones to turn off using physical buttons. You will learn how to proceed if the phone freezes, does not respond to charging or requires a complete reset. And also what errors can lead to data loss or firmware damage.

Important: The methods vary depending on the model and version of MIUI. We have compiled current instructions for devices released from 2018 to 2026, including the flagship Mi 11/12/13 series, the budget Redmi Note and the gaming POCO F.

Why turn off Xiaomi buttons?

There are several situations where a forced shutdown becomes necessary:

• 📵 System freeze – the phone does not respond to touch, volume buttons or locks.
• 🔋 Battery discharged to 0%, but the device does not turn off and warms up.
• 🔄 Cyclical restart (bootloop) – the smartphone is constantly turned on and off.
• 🛠️ Preparation for firmware or repair – a complete power outage is required.
• 💧 Moisture intake – immediately shutting down minimizes the risk of short circuit.

However, forced shutdown by buttons does not mean the correct termination of the OS. Unlike the standard shutdown through the menu, this method interrupts all processes instantly, which can lead to:

• 📂 Loss of unsaved data in open applications.
• 🔄 Damage to the file system (in rare cases).
• 🔋 Failure of the power controller (with frequent forced shutdowns).

⚠️ Note: If your Xiaomi is in Fastboot or Recovery mode, button-offs may interrupt critical processes (such as firmware updates).

Method 1: Classical power button switching off

The simplest method, which works on most Xiaomi, Redmi and POCO models (except devices with MIUI 14+ and some flagships from 2023-2026), is suitable if the screen is working, but the sensor does not respond.

Instructions:

1. Press and hold the power button (usually located on the right end of the case).
2. Hold it for 10-15 seconds until the screen goes out and the vibration stops.
3. Release the button and the phone will turn off.

On some models (such as the POCO F5 or Redmi Note 12 Pro+), the retention time can be as long as 20 seconds. If nothing happens, try the button combination (see next section).

If the phone turns on immediately after switching off, this may indicate:

• 🔋 Failure of the battery or power controller.
• 📱 Power button sticking (a common problem with Redmi 9 and the Redmi button) POCO X3).
• 🔄 Firmware failure (reflashing through Fastboot is required).

Method 2: The button combination for forced reboot

If holding the power button doesn’t work, try a hardware combination that works on 90% of Xiaomi models, including:

• 📱 Redmi Note 8/9/10/11/12
• 📱 POCO X3/X4/X5, POCO F3/F4/F5
• 📱 Mi 10/11/12/13, Mi Mix 4

Instructions for most models:

1. Press and hold the Power + Volume Up button.
2. Hold them for 15 to 30 seconds until the screen goes out and the Mi logo appears (meaning the phone is rebooting).
3. Once the screen goes out, release the buttons – the device will turn off.

Some flagships (such as the Xiaomi 13 Ultra or POCO F5 Pro) may require a combination of:

Power button + Volume Down button

If the phone turns on itself after that, then the hardware reset went off and the device went into Fastboot mode.

1. Wait for the system to fully load (if the screen reacts).
2. Or repeat the combination to turn off completely.

Method 3: Turn off via Recovery Mode (for power users)

If the phone is getting stuck on the Mi logo or cyclically rebooting, you may need to shut down via Recovery Mode.This method is also useful if you plan to reset settings or reflash the device.

How to log in to Recovery:

1. Turn off your phone (if it reacts) or wait until it runs out.
2. Press Power + Volume Up and hold for 10-15 seconds until the Recovery menu appears.
3. In the menu, select Reboot → Power Off (navigation is done with volume buttons, the choice is with the power button).

If the Recovery menu is in Chinese (relevant to some models’ global firmware), look for characters (reboot) and (off).

⚠️ Warning: Do not select Wipe Data or Factory Reset in Recovery unless you plan to reset your settings.

Method 4: Shutting off when the battery is discharged or getting stuck on a charge

If the phone doesn’t turn on but starts to warm or vibrate when you connect the charger, it may indicate a power controller failure, in which case a forced shutdown helps avoid further damage.

Algorithm of action:

1. Turn off the charger.
2. Press Power + Volume down for 30 seconds (even if the screen is unresponsive).
3. If the phone doesn’t turn off, try again with the combination Power + Volume increase.
4. After turning off, wait 5-10 minutes before re-energizing.

If the battery is discharged to 0%, but the phone still does not turn off, this may be a sign:

• 🔋 Battery bloating (replacement required!).
• 🛠️ Short circuit on board.
• 🔌 Failure of the charging controller (e.g, BQ25890 or SY6974).

⚠️ Warning: If the phone doesn't turn on even when charging, don't try to "resuscitate" it with multiple button presses! This can damage eMMC memory (especially for models with a high-speed, high-speed, low-speed, low-speed, low-speed phone). UFS 2.1/2.2/3.0). Connect it to your PC and check it through the Mi Flash Tool.

Method 5: Disconnect via ADB (for advanced users)

If you have access to the Android Debug Bridge (ADB), you can turn your phone off via command even if the screen is not responding, a method that requires pre-configuring the debugging over USB.

What you need:

• 🖥️ A computer with installed Xiaomi drivers and ADB.
• 🔌 USB-cable (preferably original).
• 📱 Included debugging by USB developer-setting.

Instructions:

1. Connect the phone to the PC.
2. Open the command line (cmd) and enter:

adb devices

If the device is determined, execute the shutdown command:

adb shell reboot -p

If the phone doesn’t respond, try a forced reboot:

adb reboot bootloader

After that, the device will go to Fastboot, from where it can be turned off by holding the power button.

💡

If USB debugging wasn’t enabled in advance, this method won’t work, leaving only the hardware methods (buttons or battery extraction) to work.

What if the phone doesn’t turn off in any way?

If none of these methods worked, it could indicate a serious hardware malfunction.

In extreme cases, you can try to remove the battery (if the body is collapsible), but on most modern Xiaomi, the battery is glued, and self-extraction can damage the plumes.

If you are not sure about your skills, it is better to contact the service center. The average cost of diagnosis in official Xiaomi services is 500-1000 rubles.

💡

Forced button shutdowns are an emergency measure, and if the phone freezes regularly, a diagnosis is required: perhaps a firmware, hardware malfunction, or virus is to blame.

FAQ: Frequent questions about switching off Xiaomi buttons