How to Launch Xiaomi Phone in Safe Mode: The Complete Guide

Safe Mode on Xiaomi, Redmi or POCO smartphones is a diagnostic tool that helps identify problems caused by third-party applications or conflicts in the system. In this mode, the device boots with a minimum set of drivers and services, disabling all user programs. If the phone starts to slow down, spontaneously restart or issue errors, the first thing to do is check its operation in safe mode.

The Safe Mode activation procedure on Xiaomi is different from the standard scheme on Samsung or Google Pixel, so many users face difficulties. In this article, we will discuss all possible ways to start, from the classic button retention to commands through the Internet. ADB, We'll also explain how to properly exit mode and what to do if the phone freezes. MIUI 14 and later, where the algorithm may differ.

Why you need a safe mode on Xiaomi

Safe Mode's main job is to isolate problem software, and if it's stable, it means that one of the apps that's running is causing the malfunction, and here are the typical situations where you should use diagnostics:

• 🔄 The phone is cyclically rebooted (hangs on the logo). MI or rebuke).
• 🐢 Xiaomi has become strongly slow for no apparent reason (lags when scrolling, long reaction to touches).
• 📱 The screen spontaneously turns on or “ghost” touches appear.
• 🔋 The battery is discharged in a few hours (even in standby mode).
• 🚨 Errors of system applications (for example, com.android.phone or miui.home) appear).

In safe mode, the following shall be switched off:

• 📱 All third-party applications (including launchers if they are not system-based).
• 🔧 Widgets and live wallpaper.
• 📡 Certain functions MIUI, Second Space and Dual Apps.

Important: Safe Mode still has system services (Google Play Services, miui.analytics), so if the problem is related to them, the mode will not help, in which case you will need to reset to factory settings or flash it.

Method 1: Classical start through power buttons

This is the most universal method that works on 90% Xiaomi models including Redmi Note 12, POCO X5, Mi 11 And older devices. The algorithm is the same. MIUI 12/13/14:

1. Turn off the phone (hold the power button and select Turn off).
2. After the screen is completely turned off, press the power button and hold it until the MI logo appears.
3. Once the logo disappears and the system starts to boot, press and hold the Volume Down button.
4. Do not release the button until the label Safe Mode appears in the lower left corner of the screen.

If you missed a moment and the phone booted as normal, repeat the procedure. On some models (for example, Redmi 10), instead of the volume button, it may trigger holding the power button during boot.

Make sure the phone is completely off.|Press the power and wait for the logo MI|When the logo disappears, clamp Volume Down|Hold the button until the inscription "Safe mode" appears"-->

⚠️ Attention: On devices with MIUI 14 and newer (e.g. Xiaomi 13, Redmi Note 12 Pro)+) You may need to hold both the power and volume buttons simultaneously after the logo appears. If the standard method didn't work, try this option.

Method 2: Starting through the reboot menu

This method is suitable for models with a physical power button (for example, POCO F4, Redmi K50), it is slightly simpler than the previous one, since it does not require precise button retention at the time of booting:

1. Press and hold the power button until the off menu appears.
2. Touch and hold your finger on the Turn Off (or Reset if you have one).
3. In 2-3 seconds, a pop-up will appear, prompting you to boot in Safe Mode. Press OK.

The phone will automatically reboot and log into Safe Mode, which doesn’t work on devices with a touch-sensitive power button (e.g., Xiaomi Mix Fold 2).

The advantage of the method is that you don't need to catch the loading time, which makes it easier for beginners, but on some firmware (for example, custom ones), this menu may not be available.

Method 3: Through ADB (for advanced users)

If the buttons don't work or the phone is stuck on the logo, you can activate Safe Mode via ADB (Android Debug Bridge), which requires USB debugging and access to the computer, and is suitable for all Xiaomi models, including Redmi and POCO.

Instructions:

1. Connect your phone to your PC through USB-cable (use the original cord).
2. Open the command prompt (cmd) in the ADB folder (or use Google’s Platform Tools).
3. Enter the command to check the connection: Adb devices should appear the name of your device.
4. Run the command to reboot to safe mode: adb shell reboot safe

The phone will reboot and log into Safe Mode, and if the command doesn't work, try the alternative:

adb shell setprop persist.sys.safemode 1


adb reboot

⚠️ After exiting Safe Mode through ADB You may need to drop the flag with the command: adb shell setprop persist.sys.safemode 0 Otherwise, the next time you restart, the phone will again enter safe mode.

How to get out of Safe Mode on Xiaomi

In most cases, the Safe Mode exit is automatically after a normal reboot, but sometimes the phone can get stuck in this mode.

• 🔄 Reboot the device in the standard way (hold the power button and select Reboot).
• 🔋 If the reboot doesn’t help, turn off the phone completely, then turn it on again.
• 📱 In some models (POCO F3, Redmi K40) I need to press the power button. + Turn up the volume by 10 to 15 seconds until the Recovery menu appears. → System.

If the phone boots back into it after leaving Safe Mode, it's a sign of a failure in the system partition, in which case only resetting to factory settings or flashing through Fastboot will help.

What to do if the phone is in safe mode

If Xiaomi doesn’t respond to taps or is getting stuck on the download screen with the Safe Mode label, try the following steps:

1. Forced reboot: Press the power button for 15 to 20 seconds until the screen goes out. Then turn the phone on again.
2. Cache reset: Go to Recovery (power button + volume increase), select Wipe → Wipe Cache.
3. Battery shutdown (for removable batteries): If the model allows (e.g. Redmi 4X), remove the battery for 30 seconds.
4. Fastboot Flash: If nothing helps, connect your phone to your PC and run the official firmware through the Mi Flash Tool.

💡

If the phone is stuck on the MI logo in Safe Mode, try plugging it into a 10-15 minute charger, which can help wake up the system and complete the boot.

If the problem persists after resetting the cache or flashing, this may indicate a hardware malfunction (for example, damage to flash memory), in which case it is recommended to contact the service center.

Frequent Mistakes and How to Avoid Them

Many users have difficulty logging into Safe Mode, and here are the most common errors and ways to resolve them:

• ❌ Cannot hold the volume button at the right time. 🔹 Solution: Try to press the button earlier – immediately after pressing the power, without waiting for the logo to appear.
• ❌ The phone vibrates but does not load. 🔹 Solution: This could be a sign of a battery running out.Plug in charge and try again in 10 minutes.
• ❌ Safe Mode is activated spontaneously after each reboot. 🔹 Solution: Check the volume down button on sticking or reset the settings via Recovery.
• ❌ The screen says “No Command” after holding the buttons. 🔹 Solution: This is the Recovery menu. Press the power button. + increase the volume to get out.

💡

If none of these methods worked, check to see if Safe Mode is disabled at the firmware level, and some custom ROMs (like LineageOS) can block this mode.

FAQ: Answers to popular questions