How to exit Main Menu on Xiaomi devices: 5 working ways (2026)

Owners of Xiaomi devices — smartphones, tablets or TV boxes — sometimes face unexpected shifts to hidden engineering menus (Main Menu, Service Menu, Factory Mode), which can occur after accidentally pressing a combination of buttons, a failed update or a firmware failure. The main problem: standard exit methods (Back button, reboot) often do not work, and the menu interface looks frightening — with a bunch of confusing items in English or Chinese.

In this article, we’ll break down all the current ways to exit Main Menu on Xiaomi devices (including Redmi, POCO, Mi TV Stick), explain why the phone or console “hangs” in this mode, and what to do if none of the methods worked. Importantly, some actions can lead to data loss or locking the device – so read the warnings carefully before every step.

What is Main Menu on Xiaomi and why is the device stuck in it?

Main Menu (or Factory Mode) is a service mode designed to test hardware components in a manufacturing facility or service center.

• 🔧 Through a combination of buttons (e.g., Volume)+ + Power on-set).
• 📦 After incorrect firmware updates (especially on customized ones) ROM).
• 🔄 Because of the malfunction. MIUI (more often on older versions).
• 🛠️ When connecting to a PC with service utilities (for example, MiFlash or QFil).

Externally, Main Menu looks like a text menu with items like Version, Item Test, Reboot or Exit. On some devices, the interface may be in Chinese (for example, on the Mi Box or Mi TV Stick consoles), the main danger of this mode is the accidental change of settings that can disrupt the device.

⚠️ Note: If your device has moved to Main Menu after falling, getting moisture or disassembling, do not try to leave the menu yourself. This may be a sign of a hardware malfunction (for example, a disconnected plume or damaged memory.

Method 1: Standard exit through menu items (for smartphones and tablets)

If the menu displays items in English, try to find the option to exit manually.This method works on most Xiaomi smartphones (including Redmi Note 10/11/12, POCO X3/X4/X5, Mi 11/12):

1. Use volume buttons to navigate through menu items.
2. Find Exit, Reboot System, or Power Off (can be called in Chinese).
3. Confirm the choice of the power button.
4. If you have a Normal Boot, select it.

On some firmware, the output may be hidden behind additional submenu, such as Mi 8 or Mi 9, you need to go to Advanced first and then select Reboot to System.

Method 2: Forced Reset (Hard Reset)

If the menu is not responsive to clicks or there is no exit point, try forcibly restarting the device, a method that is suitable for all Xiaomi models, but can lead to the loss of unsaved data.

Instructions:

1. Press the power button for 10-15 seconds (before the vibration or turn off the screen).
2. If the device does not respond, try the Loudness combination.+ + Food (hold on for 20-30 seconds).
3. On the Mi Box or Mi TV Stick consoles, turn off the power from the socket for 1 minute, then plug back in.

After restarting, the device should start as normal, and if Main Menu reappears instead, the problem could be a damaged firmware or hardware failure.

⚠️ Note: On some models (e.g. Redmi Note 8 Pro with Mediatek processor), long-term button holding can trigger Fastboot mode.

Method 3: Exit through Recovery Mode (for power users)

If the standard reboot didn’t work, you can try to exit Main Menu via Recovery mode, which is suitable for smartphones and tablets, but requires caution – incorrect actions can lead to a reset.

Step-by-step:

1. Turn off the device (hold the power button until it is turned off).
2. Click the combination Loudness+ + Power and hold until the Mi logo appears.
3. From the Recovery menu, select Reboot → Reboot to System (use volume buttons for navigation and power for confirmation).

On some devices (such as the POCO F3 or Redmi K40), the Recovery menu may be in Chinese, in which case look for characters (reboot) or (system).

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If the device does not respond to buttons in Recovery, connect it to charge for 10-15 minutes.

Method 4: Use ADB-teams (for PCs)

If the device is connected to a computer and recognized by the system, you can try to exit Main Menu using ADB (Android Debug Bridge), which requires pre-configuring the debugging over USB, but sometimes even without it.

Instructions:

1. Install ADB and Fastboot Tools on PC.
2. Connect the device to the computer via USB.
3. Open the command line (Win + R → enter cmd) and execute the commands:

adb devices


adb shell reboot

If the first command doesn’t show your device, try:

adb kill-server


adb start-server




adb devices

On the Mi Box or Mi TV Stick consoles, you may need to enable debugging over USB in the developer settings (Settings → About device → Assembly number – press 7 times).

⚠️ Note: If the device restarts back to Main Menu after the adb shell reboot command, this indicates damage to the system partition.

Method 5: Resetting settings (last option)

If none of these methods work, you have to completely reset your device, which will delete all the data on the device, but return it to working order, and on Xiaomi smartphones and tablets, you can do the reset in two ways:

Through Recovery:

1. Enter Recovery Mode (see Method 3).
2. Select Wipe Data or Factory Reset (in Chinese).
3. Confirm the action and wait for the completion.
4. Select Reboot System Now.

Fastboot (if Recovery is not available):

1. Turn off the device.
2. Hold the volume.− + Power to enter the Fastboot Mode.
3. Connect to the PC and execute the command:

fastboot -w

On the consoles Mi Box reset is done through the settings menu: Settings → Device → Reset settings.

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Setting reset deletes all data, including photos, contacts and installed apps. If the device was linked to a Mi Account account, after the reset, you will need to enter a login and password to unlock.

What if none of the methods worked?

If the device is still loading into Main Menu or is making errors when trying to exit, the reasons may be as follows:

• 🔧 Damaged firmware – you will need to flash it through MiFlash or Fastboot.
• 💾 Faulty memory (eMMC or NAND) — It is more common in older models (Redmi). 4X, Mi A1).
• 🔌 Hardware problems (for example, disconnected power button plume).
• 📱 Locking the loader - on some models (POCO F1, Mi 8) requires unlocking through the Mi Unlock Tool.

In these cases, it is recommended that:

1. Contact the official Xiaomi service center (warranty repair is possible if the device is not unlocked).
2. Find firmware for your model on the Xiaomi.EU or XDA Developers forums and reflash it yourself.
3. Try alternative unlock methods via EDL Mode (requires special cable and software).

For consoles Mi Box or Mi TV Stick with a "brick" (complete failure) can help firmware through the Amlogic USB Burning Tool (for chips Amlogic) or Rockchip Batch Tool (for chips Rockchip).

FAQ: Frequent questions about Main Menu on Xiaomi