How to Change, Add or Delete a Fingerprint on a Xiaomi Smartphone: Full Instruction

The fingerprint sensor on Xiaomi smartphones is one of the most convenient ways to unlock and confirm payments, but many users are faced with the need to update or overwrite saved fingerprints: Whether it's because of a finger injury, buying a used device, or just wanting to add a new finger. PIN-Working with biometrics requires accuracy – and there are nuances here.

In this article, we will explore all the ways Xiaomi can change fingerprints (including Redmi, POCO, and Black Shark models), explain why the system sometimes refuses to keep a new fingerprint, and give tips for correcting typical errors, and answer the question that many people are concerned about: can you fool the sensor and force it to accept someone else’s fingerprint (spoiler: technically possible, but extremely difficult).

If you just bought a smartphone from your hands and you want to completely erase someone else's fingerprints, or your sensor stopped recognizing your finger after the MIUI update, here's the solution. The rule of thumb: never delete all your fingerprints at once without adding at least one new one, otherwise you risk being left without access to your phone!

1.How to add a new fingerprint to Xiaomi

The process of adding a fingerprint on Xiaomi is standard for all models with a sensor (including subscreen and side scanners). PIN-without it, you can't set up biometrics without it.

Step instructions:

1. Open Settings → Passwords and Security → Fingerprint.
2. Enter the current one. PIN-proof-code.
3. Click Add Fingerprint and follow the prompts on the screen.
4. Place your finger on the sensor at different angles until the indicator is 100% full.

Modern models (e.g. Xiaomi 14 or Redmi Note 13 Pro+) support up to 5 prints at a time. Older devices (up to MIUI 12) can limit this number to 3-4. If the system does not allow you to add a new print, check if the maximum number is reached.

Make sure the screen is clean and dry.|Check if there are any cuts or calluses on your finger.|Remove the case if it interferes with sensor access|Connect your phone to charge (if the charge is below 15%)-->

The important thing is, if you add a second hand print, apply your finger to the sign-up as you would when you unlock it, for example, if you normally hold your phone with your left hand and you want to use your right thumb to unlock it, practice beforehand to keep the position natural.

2. how to remove or modify an existing imprint

You can't change a print directly -- you can only delete it and add it back in, and it's related to how the biometrics storage system works, where each print is encrypted and stored in a Trusted Execution Environment, and there's no on-the-fly editing.

To remove the print:

1. Go to Settings → Passwords and Security → Fingerprint.
2. Select the fingerprint you want from the list (they are numbered or signed if you added names).
3. Click on the basket icon or Delete.
4. Confirm the action. PIN-code.

If you want to replace a print (for example, because the old one doesn't read well), delete it first, then add a new one from the previous section. Some users mistakenly think you can "overwrite" the print over the old one - that's impossible.

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If the sensor refuses to remove the fingerprint, restart the phone and try again. In rare cases, resetting security settings helps (but it will delete all saved passwords and biometrics!).

3.Why Xiaomi isn't keeping a new fingerprint: typical bugs

The situation where the sensor "can't see" the finger or refuses to save the fingerprint is familiar to many, and the reasons can be both hardware and software.

• 🩹 Skin damage: Cuts, calluses, moisture or dirt on your finger interfere with the scan.Try another finger or wait for healing.
• 📱 Contaminated sensor: fat, dust, or scratches on the sensor impair recognition.
• 🔋 Low battery power: At a charge level below 15%, the system can block the addition of fingerprints.
• 🛠️ Sensor damage: If the phone fell or got wet, the scanner could have failed. Check it on the service menu (#4636##).
• 🔄 Software failure: after the update MIUI Sometimes security settings get lost, and it helps to reset or reset biometrics.

Critical error: if you add a fingerprint, the system says, "You can't save the fingerprint. Try again," and the sensor doesn't respond to the touch, that's a hardware malfunction, and 90 percent of the time, you need to replace the scanner.

4.How to Reset All Fingerprints on Xiaomi

If you're selling a phone or you want to completely clean up your biometrics, you can reset all your prints at once.

Method 1. Through settings:

1. Go to Settings → Passwords and Security → Fingerprint.
2. Enter. PIN-code.
3. Click on the three dots in the top right corner and select Delete all fingerprints.

Method 2. Through resetting security settings:

1. Open Settings → About the phone → Reset settings.
2. Select Reset Security Settings (not to be confused with a full reset!).
3. Confirm the action. It will delete fingerprints, faces and all saved passwords.

⚠️ Note: If you delete all prints without adding a new one, then forget PIN-It's going to be very difficult to unlock the phone, and in some cases, you're going to need to run a firmware through the phone. EDL-regime.

5.Can you fool the fingerprint sensor on Xiaomi?

In theory, yes, but in practice, it's almost impossible without specialized equipment. Modern Xiaomi sensors (such as the Xiaomi 13 Ultra or Redmi K60 Pro) use ultrasonic or optical scanners that analyze not only the pattern of papillary lines, but also depth, temperature and even pulse. Simple casts of gel or finger photos will not work.

However, there are several vulnerabilities that sometimes exploit:

• 🔍 Evil Double Attack: If you have a twin or a person with a very similar fingerprint pattern (probability of being a twin) ~1 in 50,000), sensor can work.
• 💀 Fingerprint from a corpse: In the first hours after death, the skin retains elasticity, and the scanner can work (used in forensics).
• 🖨️ 3D-Printing of print: with a high-precision scanner and 3D-The printer can reproduce the print, but this requires access to the original finger or a cast of the finger.

In everyday life, these methods are irrelevant. PIN-- code or hack into a Mi Account, rather than fool the sensor. MIUI 14+ added protection against live attacks: the system can request PIN, if you notice suspicious behavior (such as a scan too fast).

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Xiaomi’s fingerprint sensors are more reliable than you think, and even if an attacker gets your fingerprint (like a glass), they won’t be able to reproduce it with enough accuracy to unlock it.

6. Frequent questions and problems with fingerprints on Xiaomi

We’ve collected answers to some of the most popular user questions, and if you’re not here, check out Xiaomi’s official support website or 4PDA/XDA-Developers forums.

7. Comparison of fingerprint sensors on different Xiaomi models

Not all scanners are the same. The table below shows the main types of sensors used in Xiaomi smartphones and their features:

If you’re choosing a phone and you’re critical to unlock speed, look for models with ultrasonic sensors (like the Xiaomi 14), which are not only faster, but also more reliable in high humidity or dirty hands.

8.Fingerprint alternatives: What to use if the sensor breaks

If your Xiaomi fingerprint sensor has stopped working, don’t despair.There are several alternative ways to unlock and confirm payments:

• 🔐 PIN-code or password: the most reliable option, but less convenient. Use a combination of at least 6 characters.
• 👤 Facial recognition: works on most models (except budget ones). MIUI 14 added protection from photos.
• 📍 Smart Lock: Unlock to a trusted location (such as home) or device (such as a smartwatch). → Passwords and security → Smart Lock.
• 🔑 Physical security key: for example, YubiKey via USB-C. Supported in Mi 11 and newer.

Tip: If you use payment systems frequently, set up two-factor authentication in banking applications. Even if an attacker gains access to your phone, they will not be able to confirm the transfer without an SMS or push notification.

⚠️ Note: Do not use a graphical key as the primary method of unlocking if you have Mi Pay or Google Pay enabled. The graphical key is easy to peek or guess, and banking applications often only require it to confirm transactions.