How to Boot Android into Recovery Mode or the Bootloader

18 October 2026 · guide · recovery mode · bootloader · fastboot · android reboot

Sooner or later, an Android troubleshooting guide tells you to “boot into recovery” or “go to the bootloader”. It sounds scary, but these are just special startup modes built into every Android phone. Knowing how to enter and, just as importantly, leave them is useful when a phone is stuck, when you need to apply an official update package, or when you test devices for a living.

This guide explains what each mode is for, how to get there with the hardware buttons on Pixel and Samsung, and how to trigger it from a connected computer with ADB Kit in your browser.

The boot modes in plain English

Two points worth knowing up front:

1. Entering a mode changes nothing by itself. Data is only touched if you pick an option such as a factory reset.
2. ADB does not work in the bootloader. That mode uses a separate protocol called fastboot. Recovery may offer a limited ADB mode for sideloading updates on some devices.

Before you start

• Charge the phone. Do not run low on battery in the middle of an update.
• Back up anything important, in case you end up needing a factory reset.
• Know your screen lock and Google account. After a reset, the phone may ask for the previous account (factory reset protection).
• Read each menu item before selecting. Volume keys move, Power selects.

Method 1: Reboot into a mode from your browser with ADB Kit

If the phone still starts Android and USB debugging is on, this is the easiest way. No button combinations to memorise.

1. Turn on USB debugging. See how to enable USB debugging on Samsung, Xiaomi and Pixel.
2. Open adbkit.com/app in Chrome or Edge and connect the phone by USB (or over Wi-Fi through the local agent).
3. Allow the debugging prompt on the phone.
4. Open the reboot options in the workspace.
5. Choose a normal reboot or one of the boot modes, such as recovery or the bootloader, depending on what your device supports.
6. The phone restarts into the selected mode, and the ADB connection closes.

ADB Kit is free, needs no account and does not send device data to a server. If you prefer the command line, the equivalents are adb reboot recovery and adb reboot bootloader. Our ADB cheat sheet lists more commands.

Method 2: Hardware buttons on Google Pixel

According to Google’s Pixel help:

Enter Fastboot mode (bootloader)

1. Turn off the phone.
2. Pixel 6 and later: press and hold Volume down + Power together, for up to about 30 seconds, until the Fastboot mode screen appears. On earlier Pixels, Google lists Volume up + Power.
3. If the phone restarts normally, you held too long. Turn it off and try again.

Go from Fastboot to Recovery

1. Press Volume up or Volume down until Recovery mode is shown.
2. Press Power to select it.
3. When you see No command, press and hold Power, press Volume up once, then release both.
4. The Android Recovery menu opens. Volume keys move, Power selects.

Method 3: Hardware buttons on Samsung Galaxy

Samsung combinations vary by model and year, so treat this as the common pattern and check Samsung’s support pages for your model:

1. Turn the phone off completely.
2. Press and hold Volume up, then also press and hold the Power (Side) key.
3. When the Samsung logo appears, release Power but keep holding Volume up until the recovery menu loads.

Some recent Galaxy models only open recovery when the phone is connected to a computer or charger with a USB cable while you hold the buttons. Older models with a Bixby key used Bixby + Volume up + Power.

Other brands

Most phones follow one of these patterns: Volume up + Power or Volume down + Power from a powered-off state. Some brands use their own names, such as Xiaomi’s Mi Recovery or Fastboot screens. Check your phone maker’s support site before you try, especially if the phone is not yours.

How to leave any mode safely

• In recovery: select Reboot system now.
• In the bootloader / Fastboot: use the volume keys to show Start and press Power.
• Stuck on a screen? Hold the Power button (or Power + Volume down on many phones) for several seconds to force a restart.

Common situations

The phone boot-loops after an update. Recovery may offer options to reboot or, as a last resort, factory reset. Contact the manufacturer before wiping if the data matters.

An app makes the phone unusable. Try safe mode first. It disables third-party apps without erasing anything, so you can uninstall the culprit.

You are testing on many devices. Rebooting into recovery or the bootloader from the browser saves time when devices sit on a rack. ADB Kit can hold up to six devices in one workspace.

What we deliberately don’t cover

Unlocking the bootloader, flashing custom images or bypassing factory reset protection are outside the scope of this guide. Unlocking erases the device, can affect warranty and security features, and should only be done on hardware you own, following the manufacturer’s official instructions.

Summary

1. Recovery is for resets and official updates. The bootloader is for low-level flashing.
2. Entering a mode does not change anything until you select an action.
3. On Pixel 6 and later, hold Volume down + Power from off. On Samsung, the common pattern is Volume up + Power, sometimes with a USB cable connected.
4. If Android still runs, reboot into a mode from your browser with ADB Kit instead.

Related: use ADB in your browser with WebUSB and 6 Android debugging myths.

ADB Kit

A local-first workspace for Android in your browser and on your phone: mirror and control a device, capture screenshots and recordings, install APKs, stream logcat and move files over USB or Wi-Fi.

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