How to get Xiaomi smartphone out of Fastboot mode: a complete guide with solutions for all models

Fastboot mode on Xiaomi, Redmi or POCO smartphones is a special state of the device designed to firmware, unlock the bootloader or restore the system. However, many users experience a situation where the phone “hangs” on the screen with a rabbit wearing a hat and the inscription FASTBOOT. The reasons can be different from accidental pressing of the combination of buttons to failure when updating the software.

In this article, we will discuss all the current ways to exit from Fastboot, from the simplest (reboot) to the most complex (manual reflashing over EDL). Importantly, the methods are different for devices with unlocked and locked bootloader. If your Xiaomi does not respond to standard actions, do not panic - in 90% of cases, the problem can be solved without going to the service center.

Before you start, check:

• 🔋 The battery charge level (should be at least 30% - otherwise the risk of "bricking" increases).
• 🔌 Connect to a PC (use the original cable) USB Type-C: Cheap analogues can't transmit data).
• 🛠️ Backup of important data (in some cases, leaving Fastboot leads to resetting your settings).

1.A Simple Reboot: When It Helps and Why It Doesn't Always Work

The most obvious way is to force a reboot, which will work if the smartphone hit the Fastboot by accident (for example, after pressing a combination of buttons) and there are no critical errors in the system.

How to do this:

1. Press the Power button for 15-20 seconds (before the vibration or turn off the screen).
2. If the screen is gone, wait 10 seconds and turn on the device with the Power button.
3. If FASTBOOT appears again after the reboot, proceed to the next method.

⚠️ Note: Some models (e.g. Xiaomi) 12T or POCO F5) Long-term retention of the power button can put the device in mode EDL (If the screen is black, but the phone is defined by the PC as Qualcomm HS-USB QDLoader 9008, don't turn it off - this is normal behavior for further action.

PO Updates|Custom firmware installations|Accidental button pressing|PC connections|The other.-->

2. Exit through the Recovery menu: step-by-step instructions

If a simple reboot doesn’t work, try entering Recovery mode, an alternative recovery menu that works on most Xiaomi devices, except those that have damaged the recovery area.

Instructions:

1. Turn off your smartphone (hold Power + Volume down until the screen is turned off).
2. Press the Power + Volume combination up and hold for 10-15 seconds until the Mi logo appears.
3. From the Recovery menu, select Reboot → Reboot to System (use volume buttons for navigation and Power for confirmation).

If you are on FASTBOOT again instead of Recovery, it means:

• 🔧 Recovery section damaged (reflashing required).
• 🔒 bootloader is locked (you need to unlock through Mi Unlock Tool).
• 🛠️ Hardware malfunction (for example, damaged flash memory).

Make sure the battery is charged > 30%|Use the original cable USB|Disconnect all peripheral devices from PC|Close the background programs (Mi Flash, ADB etc.)-->

3.Using ADB and Fastboot: Teams for Power Users

If the smartphone is detected by the PC in Fastboot mode (check in Device Manager), you can try to exit it using the command line. ADB/Fastboot Basic knowledge of terminal operation.

Step-by-step action:

1. Connect your phone to your PC and open Command Prompt (or Terminal on macOS/Linux).
2. Check the connection command: fastboot devices If the device is displayed (e.g., 1234abcd fastboot), go further.
3. Run the reboot command: fastboot reboot

If the fastboot reboot command doesn’t work, try alternatives:

• 🔄 Fastboot Continue – Trying to continue booting the system.
• 🔧 fastboot oem reboot-recovery - forced transition to Recovery.
• 🛠️ fastboot flash boot boot.img — Reflashing the boot partition (requires a file) boot.img for your model).

⚠️ Warning: The fastboot oem unlock command unlocks the bootloader, but erases all data on the device! Use it only if you are sure you need to unlock it.

1. Reinstall Google USB Driver or Mi Flash Tool drivers.

2. Connect the phone to another USB-port (preferably) USB 2.0).

3. disable driver signatures in Windows (via gpedit.msc).-->

4. flashing through the Mi Flash Tool: when nothing helps

If previous methods have failed, the radical way is to completely flash through the official Mi Flash Tool, which is suitable for devices with an unlocked bootloader and requires:

• 💻 Windows PC (7/10/11).
• 📥 Official firmware for your model (download from en.miui.com).
• 🔧 Mi Flash Tool (last version).

Instructions:

1. Unpack the firmware archive into a folder without Cyrillic characters (e.g., C:\Xiaomi\ROM).
2. Run the Mi Flash Tool on behalf of the administrator.
3. Connect your phone in Fastboot mode (should be defined as Android Bootloader Interface).
4. In the utility, click Select, specify the path to the firmware folder, then select the firmware method: Clean all – complete cleaning (data will be deleted); Clean all and lock – cleaning + locking the bootloader (for sale of the device); Save user data – an attempt to save data (not always works).

Flash

⚠️ Note: Firmware via the Mi Flash Tool on devices with a locked bootloader will cause an anti-rollback or flash not allowed error. In this case, you need to unlock through the Mi Unlock Tool (see next section).

5 Unlock the bootloader via Mi Unlock Tool

If your Xiaomi has never officially unlocked and you are trying to log out of Fastboot after a failed update or custom firmware installation, it will require unlocking the bootloader.This process takes 7 to 15 days (due to Xiaomi's policy) and involves the following steps:

Preparation:

1. Download Mi Unlock Tool from the official website.
2. Sign in to your Mi Account on your PC and phone (if it is turned on).
3. Attach the device to the account in the settings: Settings → Mi Account → Device.

The unlocking process:

1. Transfer your phone to Fastboot (hold Power + Volume down).
2. Connect to your PC and start the Mi Unlock Tool.
3. Log in to the same Mi Account as on your phone.
4. Press Unlock and wait until completion (a waiting timer will appear on the screen).

How to log into EDL:

1. Turn off the phone.
2. Press Volume Up + Volume Down and connect the USB cable to the PC.
3. Hold the buttons for 10-15 seconds until Qualcomm HS-USB QDLoader 9008 appears in Device Manager.

⚠️ Attention: Firmware through EDL On Xiaomi devices of 2021 and later requires authorization through Xiaomi servers. Without official permission (for example, through a service center), you will get an error SLA Auth Fail or Firehose mismatch.

If you are not sure about your actions, you should contact the service center. Incorrect firmware through the EDL can lead to a complete failure of the device (hard brick).

7. Frequent mistakes and how to avoid them

When trying to get Xiaomi out of Fastboot, users often face typical problems, including the most common ones and ways to solve them:

Additional advice:

• 🔌 Always use the original cable. USB — Cheap analogues may not transmit data in Fastboot mode.
• 🔋 Do not interrupt the firmware process – this can cause irreparable damage.
• 📡 Before the firmware, disable the antivirus – it can block the Mi Flash Tool.
• 🔍 Check the firmware version: for example, for Redmi Note 10 Pro will not work with software from Redmi Note 10.

FAQ: Answers to Frequent Questions