Resetting your smartphone Xiaomi to factory settings via hardware buttons is a forced measure, which is resorted to when the device refuses to turn on, freezes on the logo MIUI or is blocked after an unsuccessful update. Unlike a soft reset through the menu, this method works even if the firmware is damaged, the battery is low (if there is minimal charge left), or the password is lost. But it has critical nuances: incorrect actions can turn the phone into a “brick”, and all data - photos, messages, applications - will be irretrievably deleted.

In this article you will find step-by-step guide for all models Xiaomi (including Redmi, POCO i Black Shark), you will figure out how to avoid errors when resetting, and find out what to do if the phone does not respond to button combinations. We will also explain why sometimes resetting does not help and when you should contact a service center. We warn you: if the device was turned on Mi Account linked to an account, after the reset you may be required to enter your login and password - without them the phone will remain locked.

When you need a hard reset Xiaomi?

Hardware reset via buttons is a last resort. It is used in situations where software methods are not available:

  • 🔄 Phone stuck on the logo MIUI or in endless loading after an update.
  • 🔒 Device locked due to a forgotten pattern, PIN or password.
  • 🚨 Screen does not respond to touches, but the phone turns on.
  • 📱 Smartphone does not turn on at all (but responds to charging or vibration).
  • 🦠 Viruses or malware block access to settings.

If the phone turns on and responds to touches, try first soft reset through the menu Settings → About phone → Reset settings. This is safer and preserves the chance of data recovery through backups. A hard reset erases all information, including:

  • 📸 Photos and videos in the gallery (if not synchronized with Google Photos or Mi Cloud).
  • 💬 Messages in WhatsApp, Telegram and SMS (without backup).
  • 🎮 Saves in games (if not linked to account Google Play).
  • 📁 Files in internal memory (documents, music, downloads).
⚠️ Attention: On models Xiaomi with a chip MediaTek (for example, Redmi 9A, POCO C31) after resetting, authorization via Mi Account, even if it didn’t exist before. Make sure you remember your login and password!

Preparing for the reset: what you need to do in advance

Before you start the reset, follow these steps to minimize the risks:

  1. Check the battery charge. The device must have at least 20-30% charge. If the phone does not turn on, connect it to the charger for 15-20 minutes (even if nothing is displayed on the screen).
  2. Remove the SIM card and memory card. This will prevent accidental formatting microSD and save contacts on the SIM (if they are stored there).
  3. Check your phone model. Button combinations may differ for old and new devices. For example, on Xiaomi Mi A1 (with clean Android One) a different login method is used on Recoverythan on Redmi Note 10 Pro.

If the phone turns on, but you forgot the password, try these methods. before reset:

  • 🔑 Restore access via Mi Account on the website account.xiaomi.com (if the phone is linked to an account).
  • 📧 Use the function "Forgot your password?" in the lock menu (if connected Internet).
  • 📞 Call the phone from another device - sometimes during a call access to the menu appears.
📊 Have you ever reset your phone to factory settings?
Yes, myself
Yes, at the service center
No, but I had to
No, never

Step-by-step guide: how to reset Xiaomi via buttons

The reset process consists of three stages: entering Recovery Mode, selecting an item «Wipe Data» and confirming the action. Below are universal instructions for most models Xiaomi, Redmi and POCO (2018–2026 model years).

Step 1: Enter Recovery Mode

Turn off the phone (if it is on, hold the power button 10–15 secondsuntil the screen goes dark). Then:

  1. Press Power button and Zoom button volume at the same time.
  2. Hold them 10-15 secondsuntil the logo appears MI or Fastboot.
  3. Release the buttons when you see the menu Recovery (usually with an image of a robot Android and text in English/Chinese).

If instead of Recovery a Fastboot Mode appears (a black screen with white text), then you held the buttons for too long. Try again, releasing the buttons immediately after vibration or the logo appears.

What to do if the phone does not respond to the button combination?

If the smartphone does not enter Recovery after 5-6 attempts, the reasons may be as follows:

1. Battery is low — connect the charger to 30 minutes and repeat.

2. Stuck buttons —try knocking on the case or blowing out the power connector.

3. The power connector is damaged —connect the phone to charging and hold the buttons already connected condition.

4. Hardware failure —if the phone does not respond even to charging, diagnostics in the service are required.

Step 2: Navigating the Recovery menu

In the menu Recovery the touch screen does not work - control is carried out with the volume buttons (up/down to move) and the power button (item selection). The interface may look different:

Menu type What it looks like Language Reset item
Standard MIUI Recovery Robot Android lying on its back, text on a blue background English/Chinese Wipe Data or Clear Data
Fastboot (error) Black screen with white text FASTBOOT MODE English You need to reboot and log in again
Stock Recovery (old models) Simple text menu without pictures English Wipe data/factory reset
TWRP (custom recovery) Orange interface with touch controls English Wipe → Format Data

If The menu is in Chinese, focus on second line (usually this is “clear data”). On some firmware, the items may be called:

  • 📛 Wipe Data → Wipe All Data (full reset).
  • 📛 Factory Reset (return to factory settings).
  • 📛 Clear Data (on older versions MIUI).

You have selected the correct item menu?|Is the phone connected to charging (if the battery is weak)?|Have you removed the SIM card and microSD?|Do you remember the data from Mi Account (if the phone is linked)?-->

Step 3: Reset confirmation

After selecting the item Wipe Data the system will ask for confirmation In most cases. you need to:

  1. Move to Confirm or Yes using the volume button.
  2. Press the power button to confirm.
  3. Wait for the process to complete (usually 30–120 seconds).

A progress bar or message will appear on the screen Data wipe completeAfter this, the phone will automatically reboot. The first startup may take up to 10 minutes —do not interrupt the process!

⚠️ Attention: If after resetting the phone requires data entry Mi Account, but you don’t remember them, do not try to guess the password - after 5 unsuccessful attempts the device will be blocked forever. In this case, only the official service will help Xiaomi with confirmation of ownership.

What to do if the reset did not help?

In 10–15% cases, a hardware reset does not solve the problem. Here are possible causes and ways to eliminate them:

  • 🔋 Dead battery: Connect the phone to charger 1-2 hours, then repeat the reset. If the charging indicator does not light up, the problem may be in the power controller.
  • 🔧 Damaged firmware: If after resetting the phone freezes on the logo again, you will need flashing via Fastboot (instructions are on the forums 4PDA or XDA Developers).
  • 🔒 Hardware blocking will help: On some models (for example, Xiaomi Mi 6) protection may be triggered after a reset Anti-Rollback, blocking loading. In this case, only firmware via Mi Flash Tool.
  • 💥 Physical failure: If the phone does not respond to charging and buttons, there may be problems with the motherboard or cables (diagnostics required).

If you suspect software glitchtry an alternative reset method via Fastboot:

  1. Hold power button + decrease volumeto enter Fastboot Mode.
  2. Connect the phone to a PC with installed drivers ADB i Fastboot.
  3. Enter the command in the terminal: 
    fastboot erase userdata

    fastboot erase cache
    

    fastboot reboot

💡

If the phone does not turn on after resetting, try holding down the power button 20–30 seconds - sometimes this helps “wake up” the power controller.

How to restore data after a reset

If you have not made a backup in advance, the chances of restoring the data are minimal, but there are several ways:

  • ☁️ Mi Cloud or Google Account:

    • If synchronization was enabled, after logging into your account on the reset phone, some of the data (contacts, photos, notes) will be restored automatically. Check:

    • 📱 Settings → Accounts → Mi Cloud (for Xiaomi).
    • 📱 Settings → Google → Backup (for Android).
  • 💾 Recovery apps:

    • If the internal memory was not encrypted, you can try DiskDigger, Recuva or EaseUS MobiSaver. Connect the phone to the PC in MTP mode and scan the memory. Success depends on whether the data was overwritten after. reset.

  • 🔧 Service centers:

    • Specialists can extract data using chip-off method (direct reading of the memory chip), but this is expensive (from 5 000 ₽) and does not guarantee 100% results.

⚠️ Attention: Do not install data recovery apps on the phone itself - they can overwrite deleted files, making them impossible to recover! Use only an external PC!

Common mistakes and how to avoid them

Even experienced users sometimes make mistakes when resetting. common:

Error Consequences How to avoid
Interruption of the reset process (pulled out the battery, turned off the power) Damage to the firmware, the phone does not turn on Do not touch the phone until it is completely rebooted
Selecting the wrong item in Recovery (for example, Reboot to Bootloader) The phone goes into Fastboot, the reset does not occur Read the names of the items carefully
Reset on a phone with an unlocked bootloader and custom firmware Loss of root access, possible “brick” Before resetting, return stock firmware
Ignoring the input request Mi Account after resetting Permanently locking the phone Make sure you remember your account details

If you doubt your actions, it is better to contact the service center. The cost of resetting via buttons in a workshop usually does not exceed 500–1 000 ₽, but you will avoid the risk of permanently losing data or damaging the phone.

💡

Resetting via buttons is “heavy artillery”, which should be used only when other methods have been exhausted. Always try a soft reset or restore first via Mi Account.

FAQ: Answers to frequently asked questions

❓ Is it possible to reset Xiaomi to factory settings if it does not respond to buttons?

If the phone does not respond to not a single combination of buttons and does not charge, the problem is most likely a hardware one (the connector, power controller or motherboard is damaged). In this case, resetting through the buttons is impossible - repair is required.

If the buttons work, but the phone does not enter Recovery, try:

  • Hold the buttons longer (20–30 seconds).
  • Connect charging and try again.
  • Use the combination power + volume down (to enter Fastboot, and then go to Recovery via PC).
❓ Will photos be deleted from the memory card after a reset?

No, resetting via Recovery affects only internal memory phone. Files on microSD remain untouched if you did not select the item Wipe SD Card (it is not available in all versions Recovery).

However, if the memory card was encrypted in the phone settings, after resetting access it will be lost. In this case, the data can only be recovered through a PC using specialized apps (for example, PhotoRec).

❓ Why after resetting the phone asks for the password for Mi Account?

This is a protection function Xiaomi called Mi Cloud Lock. It is activated if:

  • The phone was linked to an account Mi.
  • The option was enabled in the settings Find device.
  • Reset performed via Recovery or Fastboot.

To unlock your phone, enter your username and password Mi Account. If you have forgotten them, restore access through the website account.xiaomi.com. After 5 unsuccessful attempts, the phone will be locked forever - it can only be unlocked through the official service with confirmation of purchase.

❓ Is it possible to cancel the reset after it startup?

No, after confirming the item Wipe Data the process is irreversible. Interrupting the reset (for example, by removing the battery) will damage the firmware, and the phone may stop turning on completely.

If the reset has already started, wait for it to complete (even if it takes longer than usual after the reboot, the phone will be like new). stock firmware and without your data.

❓ How to reset Xiaomi with a broken screen?

If the screen does not work, but the phone responds to buttons, use combination to enter Recovery (power + volume up). sounds:

  • One short press of the power button = item selection.
  • Volume buttons = move up/down.

If the screen is completely black and there is no response to the buttons, connect the phone to the PC and try resetting via ADB:

adb reboot recovery

adb shell recovery --wipe_data

To do this, the drivers must be installed on the PC ADB and USB debugging must be enabled (if it has been activated before the screen breaks).