How to turn on Xiaomi Redmi Note 5: from easy launch to recovery after a crash

Xiaomi Redmi Note 5

2018

MI

all possible inclusion scenarios

If your Redmi Note 5 is not showing signs of life, don't rush it to the service center. In 90% of cases, you can solve the problem yourself, following our instructions. We will consider not only standard on, but also forced reboot, recovery through Fastboot, and diagnostics of hardware malfunctions, and pay special attention to typical user errors that can aggravate the situation.

This article is relevant for all modifications of Redmi Note 5:

• 📱 Redmi Note 5 (whyred) – global version with Snapdragon 625 processor
• 📱 Redmi Note 5 Pro (whyred) - version with improved camera (in some regions)
• 📱 Redmi Note 5A — Simplified model (inclusion methods are similar, but menu items may differ)

Before you start taking action, answer the question:

1. Standard Turn on: What to do if the phone is turned off

If your Redmi Note 5 is simply turned off (for example, after a full discharge or manual shutdown), try the basic on-on method:

1. Connect your phone to the original charger (or a quality analogue with Quick Charge 3.0 support).

2 Wait at least 15-20 minutes – even if the indicator does not burn, the battery could run out to zero.

3.Push and hold the Power button for 5-7 seconds until the MI logo appears.

⚠️

Attention! If after 30 minutes of charging, the phone doesn't respond to the power button, don't keep holding it for more than 10 seconds, which can cause the power controller to fail. Go to the forced reboot method.

If the screen catches fire but the phone is stuck on the MI logo, wait up to 5 minutes — it may be a system recovery after a crash. If the freeze lasts longer, go to the Recovery Mode section.

🔹 Check the charger:

💡

If the phone doesn't respond to charging, try to move the cable in the connector slightly, and often the contacts oxidize, and the tight connection is restored by mechanical action.

2. Forced reset (Hard Reset)

If the Redmi Note 5 is stuck and doesn't respond to buttons, or the screen stays black despite charging, do a forced reboot. This method is safe and doesn't delete data, but resets all temporal processes.

📌 Instructions:

🔹 What to do if it doesn't work:

• 🔄 Repeat the procedure, but hold the buttons for up to 20 seconds.
• 🔋 Try to connect charging while holding the buttons (sometimes this helps to "wake up" the power controller)
• 🛠️ If the phone vibrates but the screen remains black, the problem may be the display backlight (light the flashlight on the screen – there may be an image, but it is not visible)

⚠️

Attention! If the phone is rebooted cyclically after a forced reboot (on → off → turned on), this is a sign of a damaged firmware, in which case a flashing through Fastboot is required (section 4).

Turn off the phone from charging (if connected)

Make sure the buttons don't stick (check physically)

Use two hands to press evenly.

Do not interrupt the process until the vibration or screen is turned off.-->

3. Enable through Recovery Mode

If the phone is turned on but stuck on the MI logo, or reboots cyclically, try Recovery Mode, a service menu that allows you to reset or restart the system without losing data (in most cases).

📌 How to log in to Recovery:

🔹 What to do in the Recovery menu:

💡 Recommendations:

• 🔄 Choose Reboot first – sometimes it’s enough to restore your work.
• 🧹 If your phone is cyclically restarting, try Wipe Cache.
• ⚠️ Use Wipe Data only if other methods do not help – it will delete all data!

⚠️

Attention! If the Recovery menu displays characters or Krakozabras, this is a sign of a damaged recovery section, in which case you need to flash through Fastboot (section 4).

4. Fastboot Recovery (for power users)

If the phone doesn't turn on at all or freezes in Fastboot mode, you'll need to flash it over your PC, a method that's more difficult but effective in severe crashes.

📌 What's the matter:

• 🖥️ Windows computer (7/10/11)
• 🔌 Original. USB-cable (preferably from the set)
• 📥 Mi Flash Tool Programming
• 📦 Firmware for Redmi Note 5 (download from xiaomifirmwareupdater.com)

🔧 Step-by-step instruction:

1. Install the Mi Flash Tool and Xiaomi drivers on your PC.
2. Unpack the downloaded firmware in the folder (for example, C:\ROM\whyred_global_images...).
3. Turn off your phone and press Power + Volume Down to log into Fastboot.
4. Connect your phone to your PC. In the Mi Flash Tool, press Refresh, the device needs to be determined.
5. Select a firmware folder and press Flash. It takes 3-5 minutes.

🔹 Important nuances:

• 🔄 Choose the firmware for your model: whyred (Redmi Note) 5) or whyred_pro (Redmi Note 5 Pro).
• 📛 In the Mi Flash Tool, at the bottom, there is a Clean All option, which deletes all data. If you want to save files, choose Clean All and Lock (but this doesn't always work!).
• ⚡ If the process is interrupted, do not disconnect the phone from the PC - this can lead to a complete loss of performance (requires soldering of flash memory).

⚠️

Attention! If the phone doesn't turn on after firmware or hangs on the MI logo, check: Firmware compatibility with your model (for example, firmware for the Redmi Note 5 Pro will not work for the standard Redmi Note 5). Integrity of the downloaded archive (check the hash amount of MD5). Cable and USB port - sometimes the process is interrupted due to poor connection.

💡

Fastboot flashing is the last chance to bring the phone back to life without repair, and if it hasn’t worked, it’s probably hardware (damaged battery, motherboard, or display).

5. Diagnostics of hardware malfunctions

If none of the software methods worked, the problem could be in the hardware, and here are the typical signs of hardware failure and how to diagnose it:

🔍 Symptoms and possible causes:

🔧 What you can do on your own:

• 🔋 Battery check: If the phone only turns on from charging, but turns off when the cable is disconnected, the battery is worn out. Try replacing it (video instructions are available on YouTube).
• 🔌 Clean the charging connector: Oxidized contacts can block the power supply. Carefully clean the connector with a toothpick soaked in alcohol.
• 🛠️ Check the Power button: If the Power button fails or doesn’t click, it needs to be replaced (cost) ~500–800 ₽).

⚠️

Attention! If you suspect damage to the motherboard (the phone fell, was in the water, warmed), do not try to turn it on repeatedly - this can aggravate the problem.

💡

Before visiting the service center, take a picture of the phone's IMEI (under the battery or on the box) to help avoid replacing components.

Alternative methods of inclusion

If standard methods don’t help, try non-obvious solutions that sometimes work:

🔄 Hot reset method":

1. Connect the phone to the charger.
2. Place it in the freezer for 10-15 minutes (wrap it in plastic!).
3. Take it out and press Power + Volume Up right away.

💡 Why does it work? Sometimes cooling helps to "resuscitate" the power controller if it overheats.

🔋 Enable via charger with Quick Charge:

• Use a charger with Quick Charge 3.0/4.0 support (e.g. from Xiaomi or Samsung).
• Connect your phone and wait 1-2 hours – sometimes a slow charge “wakes up” the battery.

📡 Connection to PC in mode EDL (Emergency Download Mode):

If the phone doesn’t respond at all, the PC defines it as Qualcomm. HS-USB QDLoader 9008, you can try to restore the firmware through EDL-It's gonna take a regimen:

• Mi Flash Tool with EDL support
• Authorized Xiaomi account (to unlock the bootloader).
• Firmware in.mbn format.

⚠️ This method is risky and requires experience – if you make a mistake, the phone can turn into a brick".

7. When to contact the service center

If you’ve tried all the methods, but the Redmi Note 5 still doesn’t turn on, it’s time to contact the specialists.

🚨 Situations requiring professional assistance:

• 🔥 The phone is warming for no reason (even when it is off).
• 💧 There was a liquid inhalation (even if a long time has passed).
• 🔧 The phone fell from a height or was subjected to a strong vibration.
• 🔋 The battery swelled (seems to be on the raised back cover).
• 📵 The phone is defined as an unknown device (Unknown Device).

💰 Cost of repair (example prices for Moscow, 2026):

🔍 How to choose a service center:

• 📍 Preference is given to authorized Xiaomi services (list on the official website).
• 💬 Read reviews on Yandex.Maps or 2GIS - pay attention to complaints about the replacement of details.

⚠️

Attention! If you are offered a repair at a price of "only 500 rubles", this is a reason to be wary, and cheap repairs often involve the use of used parts or low-quality Chinese counterparts.

FAQ: Frequent questions about the inclusion of the Redmi Note 5