How to Turn Off a Locked Xiaomi Smartphone Without Losing Data

Forgot the pattern lock or password from Xiaomi, and the phone requires unlocking even to turn off? This situation is familiar to many owners of smartphones brand — due to the features of MIUI standard ways to turn off power are often blocked by security. Unlike other devices, where it is enough to hold the power button, Xiaomi may not work because of the activated feature Find Device or factory reset via Mi Account.

In this article, we will discuss all the current methods of turning off a locked phone, from the simplest forced reboot to the use of service modes and PCs. Importantly, some methods can lead to data loss or activation of Mi Account protection if the device is tied to an account. We will specify all the risks in advance so that you can choose the best option.

Why Xiaomi doesn’t shut down in the standard way

The main reason is the built-in MIUI protection, which blocks access to the power menu when the screen is actively locked, and this is done to prevent theft: an attacker will not be able to just turn off the phone and bypass the protection.

• 🔒 Activated Mi Account – if the phone is tied to the account, the system requires login / password even to turn off.
• 📱 Find Device – includes additional locking of hardware buttons.
• 🔄 Factory firmware with security patches - new versions MIUI 14+ Block access to Fastboot without unlocking.
• 🔧 Damaged screen or touchpad – physical malfunctions can interfere with interaction with the menu.

On the Redmi Note 10/11/12, Poco X3/X4 and Xiaomi 12/13, the problem is compounded by the use of Qualcomm Snapdragon chips with a secure boot, and even a PC connection does not always help – it requires unlocking OEM Unlock in the developer settings (which is impossible to do on a locked device).

Method 1: Forced Reset (Hard Reset)

The most versatile method that works on 90% of Xiaomi models, including the Redmi 9A, Poco M3 and Xiaomi Mi 11. Not to be confused with factory reset is just a reboot that bypasses screen locking.

⚠️ Note: On some devices with MIUI 13+ After a forced reboot, you may be asked to enter a password from Mi Account, and if you don't remember your account details, this method will lead to a complete lock of the phone.

Instructions:

1. Hold the power and volume button at the same time for 10-15 seconds.
2. When the screen goes out, release the buttons and the phone will start to reboot.
3. If the Xiaomi logo appeared, then the reboot was successful.

On models with a MediaTek processor (such as the Redmi 10A or Poco C31), you may need to hold the buttons for up to 20-30 seconds. If the screen flashes but the phone doesn't reboot, try the power + volume combination.

Remember the battery level (should be >10%)

Make sure your phone is not connected to the charger.

Prepare your Mi Account (if your phone is tied)

Check if there is any physical damage to the buttons.-->

Method 2: Battery discharge (natural shutdown)

If the phone doesn't respond to the hardware buttons, you can wait until the battery is completely drained, a method that's data-safe, but takes hours to days, depending on the model.

How to speed up the process:

• 🔋 Turn on maximum screen brightness (if you have access to the notification curtain via Emergency Call).
• 🎵 Run music or video playback via voice assistant (some models have the command “OK, Google, turn on music” even on a locked screen).
• 📶 Activate. 4G/5G, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and GPS — It'll increase energy consumption.

After full discharge, connect the phone to charge - it will turn on automatically. If the screen shows 0%, but the device does not respond, wait 10-15 minutes (sometimes it takes time to initialize charging).

Method 3: Use Fastboot Mode (for advanced users)

If the forced reboot doesn’t work, you can try turning off your phone via Fastboot mode.This method requires a PC connection and ADB/Fastboot drivers installed. Suitable for models with an unlocked bootloader or older versions of MIUI (up to MIUI 12).

Step-by-step:

1. Install Google’s Platform Tools on your PC.
2. Connect your phone to your computer through USB-cable.
3. Press the power + volume buttons before the Fastboot logo appears.
4. Open the command prompt (cmd) in the folder with the platform-tools and type:

fastboot devices

If the device is determined (the serial number appears), enter the command to turn off:

fastboot oem off-mode-charge 0

On the newer models (Xiaomi 13, Redmi Note 12), this method may not work because of a blocked bootloader, in which case the system will return the error:

FAILED (remote: 'Flashing is not allowed in Lock State')

fastboot reboot poweroff

This team works on some devices with MIUI 14, but may require sudo rights to Linux/Mac.-->

Method 4: Bypassing the lock via Mi Unlock Tool (official method)

If the phone is linked to Mi Account, but you remember the login details, you can use the official Mi Unlock Tool, which is guaranteed to work, but requires:

• 💻 Windows computer 7/10/11 (Mac only via virtual machine).
• 🔑 Data from the linked Mi Account (email and password).
• 📱 Battery-charged phone > 20%.
• 🌐 Stable Internet connection (the utility checks the online account).

Instructions:

1. Download Mi Unlock Tool from the official website.
2. Unpack the archive and launch it. miflash_unlock.exe on behalf of the administrator.
3. Log in to your Mi Account in the utility.
4. Turn the phone into Fastboot mode (power buttons + volume reduction).
5. Connect the device to the PC - the utility should determine it.
6. Press Unlock and wait until the process is complete (it can take up to 10 minutes).

Once unlocked, the phone will automatically restart and you can turn it off in the standard way.Please note: newer models (Xiaomi 13 Ultra, Redmi K60) may require a 72-hour wait after linking your account to the device.

⚠️ Note: If you have previously dropped your phone via Find Device or changed your firmware, the Mi Unlock Tool can lock your device for 168 hours (7 days.

Method 5: Hardware reset (extreme case)

If no methods have worked, you'll have to reset hard through Recovery, which will delete the data completely, but unlock the device.

• 🔐 You don’t remember the password from your Mi Account.
• 📱 The phone does not respond to buttons and is not detected by the PC.
• 🔧 You don’t care about the data on the device (photos, contacts, messages).

How to reset:

1. Turn off the phone by force (mode 1).
2. Press the power + increase the volume before the Recovery menu appears.
3. Use volume buttons to navigate and select Wipe Data (on some models, Factory Reset).
4. Confirm the reset (usually with a power button).
5. After completion, select Reboot.

On new devices (MIUI 14+) after reset, you may receive a request for data entry Mi Account, which was previously tied. If you do not remember the username / password, the phone will become a “brick” – you will need to contact the Xiaomi service center with proof of purchase to unlock it.

💡

Hard reset via Recovery is the only way to get around the lock if you don't know the password from Mi Account, but it will result in the loss of all data and possible activation of protection after the reboot.

What to do if nothing helps

If all of these methods fail, the problem may be:

• 🔧 Hardware malfunction – damaged power button, charging controller or screen plume.
• 🔒 Activated anti-theft – if the phone is stolen and blocked by the previous owner through Find Device.
• 📱 Damaged firmware – after a failed update or root rights.

In such cases, we recommend:

1. Contact the official Xiaomi service center with a check about the purchase.
2. If the phone is bought from hand, ask the seller for the data from the Mi Account (by law, he is obliged to provide them).
3. For models older than 3 years (e.g. Redmi 5, Mi) A2) You can try to run the device through EDL-The system, but it requires special equipment.

The cost of unlocking the service varies from 1,500 to 5,000 rubles, depending on the model and the reason for the lock. On devices with Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 (for example, Xiaomi 13 Pro), unlocking can cost more because of the complexity of the process.

FAQ: Frequent questions about unlocking Xiaomi