Xiaomi is getting stuck in “Main Menu Reboot Wipe Data” and demanding MiAssistant: the full exit guide

You turned on your Xiaomi TV or smartphone, and instead of your usual screen, you saw a frightening menu that says Main Menu, Reboot, Wipe Data and requires you to connect to MiAssistant? It's not a virus or a breakdown — the device got into the engineering recovery menu, which is usually hidden from users, this situation occurs after a failed update, a firmware failure or incorrect use of service commands.

The main problem is that without the right actions, you risk completely erasing data or locking your device. In this article, we will analyze all the safe ways to exit Main Menu mode, explain what each menu item means, and show you how to connect to MiAssistant without losing functionality. We will also focus on the nuances for Mi TVs. TV smartphone Redmi/POCO — They have different recovery algorithms.

Warning: If you see this menu after trying to manually update through ADB or third-party firmware, the chances of saving data are minimal. But even then, there are ways to bring the device back to life — read on.

Why Xiaomi is in Main Menu and what it means

Main Menu (aka Factory Mode or Engineer Menu) is a service environment designed to test and restore devices at the manufacturer level, and it is activated in three cases:

• 🔄 Firmware failure: interrupted update by air (OTA) through USB.
• 🛠️ Hardware error: problems with memory (eMMC), power controller or motherboard.
• 🔧 Manual activation: Entering service commands through ADB or a combination of buttons (e.g., Menu) + Power on the Mi remotes TV).

Unlike the usual Recovery Mode, Main Menu does not have a graphical interface, only text commands, which is used in Xiaomi factories to test devices before sale, so ordinary users rarely encounter it.

If your device boots into Main Menu after a fall or impact, it could indicate damage to the memory chip, in which case no software method will help - you will need repair.

Menu Decoding: What does Reboot, Wipe Data and MiAssistant mean?

On the Main Menu, you'll see 3 to 5 items (depending on the model) that mean:

A critical mistake many users make: choosing Wipe Data without first diagnosing it, which doesn’t solve hardware problems (such as damaged memory), but it’s guaranteed to erase all files, including photos and apps.

⚠️ Note: If you see Format Data (not Wipe Data), it means that the device is already in Fastboot mode. In this case, the instructions from this article will not work - you need firmware through MiFlash.

Step-by-step: how to exit Main Menu without losing data

Before you try radical methods, follow these steps, which work for Mi TV (all models), Redmi/POCO smartphones and Mi Pad tablets:

1. Reboot via Reboot Select Reboot → Normal Boot (if there is one). If the device returns to Main Menu again, proceed to the next step.
2. For Mi TV: press on the Menu + Home remote for 20 seconds. For smartphones: press Volume up + Power for 30 seconds. If the screen blinks, release the buttons and wait for the download.
3. Connect to MiAssistant If you have a Connect with MiAssistant: 🖥️ Install MiAssistant on PC (Windows only) 10/11). 🔌 Connect the device with the original cable (important!) 🔍 In the program, select Repair Device → follow the instructions.

For smartphones: If MiAssistant doesn’t see the device, try to put it into Fastboot mode:

adb reboot bootloader

Then, run the stock firmware through MiFlash.

⚠️ Attention: On Mi TVs TV 4S/5X After connecting to MiAssistant, you may need to enter a service code, which can only be obtained from an authorized Xiaomi service center (free of charge under warranty).

💡

If you have a POCO F3/F4 smartphone, turn off the bootloader signature check by fastboot oem edl before connecting to MiAssistant.

What to do if Wipe Data doesn’t work: hardware reasons

If the device still returns to Main Menu after a Wipe Data reset, the problem lies in one of three components:

• 💾 Damaged memory (eMMC/NAND): typical of older devices 3 Symptoms: reboot cycles, file reading errors.
• 🔌 Faulty power controller: device does not hold charge, turns off when connected to the network.
• 🔧 Oxidized contacts: after moisture or falling. Check the power connector and buttons.

For diagnosis:

1. Connect the device to your PC and check if it is detected in Device Manager (should appear as Mi Composite Device or Qualcomm HS-USB).
2. Run the command: fastboot getvar all If there are lines with ERROR in the answer, this confirms a hardware malfunction.

If you see a slot-count: 0 in the response to the fastboot getvar all command, it means critical damage to the bootloader partition. You can't restore the device at home - you need to solder the memory.

Firmware recovery via MiFlash (for smartphones)

If the software methods don't work, you have to manually flash the device, which is a way to use Redmi smartphones, POCO and Mi, but doesn't work for Mi TVs TV (They need service. EDL-cable).

You'll need:

• 🖥️ Windows PC 10/11 and firmware for your model.
• 🔌 Original. USB-cable!).
• 🛠️ MiFlash Program.

Step-by-step:

1. Download the firmware in.tgz format and unpack it into a folder without Cyrillic characters (for example, C:\MiFlash\rom).
2. Install Qualcomm drivers (if you have a smartphone on Snapdragon) or Mediatek (for Helio/Dimensity processors).
3. Transfer the device to Fastboot mode: adb reboot bootloader Or press Volume down + Power on the phone turned off.
4. In MiFlash, select a firmware folder, press Refresh (the device should appear) and click Flash.

It takes 5-15 minutes. Once it's done, it automatically restarts. The first run can take up to 10 minutes -- don't turn it off!

⚠️ Note: Firmware through MiFlash erases IMEI Some models (e.g. Redmi Note) 8 To restore it, after the firmware, follow the commands: fastboot. set_active a fastboot flash modem NON-HLOS.bin fastboot erase modemst1 fastboot erase modemst2 File. NON-HLOS.bin It should be in the firmware folder.

Features for TVs Mi TV: what to do if the screen flashes

Xiaomi TVs (series Mi TV 4A/4S/5X/Q1E) fall into Main Menu more often than smartphones due to problems with the firmware of Android TV. The main difficulty is the lack of physical buttons (except Power), so you have to manage the menu through the remote or ADB.

The algorithm for Mi TV:

1. Reset via service menu: On the remote, press sequentially: Menu → Up ×2 → Down ×2 → Left → Right → OK. This will open a hidden menu where you can select Factory Reset.
2. USB firmware: Download the firmware for your model from the official website. Unpack the archive and copy the update.zip file to a flash drive (FAT32 format). Put the flash drive into the TV, pinch Menu + Power for 10 seconds.

If the TV flashes the Mi logo and returns to Main Menu, it indicates damage to the bootloader.

• 🔧 We need to sew it. boot.img and recovery.img via Fastboot (requires unlocking the bootloader).
• 📞 Contact the service - for Mi TV Over 2020, memory replacement (eMMC) is often required).

💡

On Mi TV Q2/Q1E, the sound may disappear after reset, and you can restore it through the settings: Sound → Additional → Reset sound settings.

Frequent Mistakes and How to Avoid Them

Most of the problems when leaving Main Menu are due to the user's incorrect actions.

• 🚫 Select Wipe Data without backup: This will delete all data, but does not guarantee log-out from the menu.
• 🚫 Use non-original cables: they may not transmit data to MiAssistant.
• 🚫 Interrupting the firmware: If the process is 99% frozen, wait 30 minutes - sometimes it's normal.
• 🚫 Install firmware from another model: even if the names are similar (for example, Redmi Note 10 and Redmi Note 10 Pro), this will lead to a brick (complete inoperability).

Common mistakes and their solutions:

fastboot oem remove-frp

If after all the manipulations the device still does not leave the Main Menu, check:

• 🔋 Battery charge (for smartphones): if less than 30%, the firmware may be interrupted.
• 🌡️ Overheating: Allow the device to cool for 15-20 minutes before trying again.

FAQ: Answers to Frequent Questions