How to turn off security on Xiaomi: the complete guide

Xiaomi smartphone users often face the need to change standard security settings. Sometimes the built-in MIUI Security features become too intrusive, blocking the installation of applications from unknown sources or requiring constant password entry. Other times, the device goes to the child, and the parent wants to temporarily remove restrictions on installing games or accessing content.

It’s important to understand that the term “security” in the Xiaomi ecosystem covers many levels, from the simple screen unlock password to the deep system limitations of Google Play Protect and antivirus scanners. Completely disabling protection can make a gadget vulnerable to malware, so you need to act consciously. In this article, we will discuss all the ways to remove locks, from simple menu settings to using engineering modes.

Before you make any changes, make sure you really understand the risks. Disabling Android's system defenses makes your device open to remote access by attackers and theft of bank data. APK-If you want to delete the entire antivirus file, you just need to make an exception. Next, we'll look at step-by-step methods for different use cases.

Disabling the screen unlock password

The most basic level of protection is a pattern lock, PIN-You can remove them through the standard settings menu, but the system will prevent this by warning you of risks. First, go to Settings, then find Passwords and Security. MIUI This path may be different, for example, additionally → Passwords.

Inside the menu, you have to select the type of current lock, and if you have a pattern lock installed, the system will require you to enter it to verify your identity, and then you will enter the option "Disable password", and click on it, you will see a warning that all stored fingerprints and facial data will be deleted, which is a necessary measure of data security, since the biometrics are tied to the main encryption key.

If you forget your password, the standard path through the settings will not be available, in which case only a full reset via Recovery Mode will help. To do this, turn off your phone and press the button combination Volume Up + Power.

⚠️ Warning: Recovery will delete all data from the internal drive.Be sure to back up important information before the procedure if you have access to files.

Select a language (usually English) to the menu, then go to Wipe Data and confirm the action. Once you reboot, the phone will be as new as it is, without any passwords.

It's worth noting that modern Mi Account-based devices may require login and password input from the account to which the phone was attached after a reset, an Anti-Theft feature that can't be circumvented by simple reflashing without special tools.

Managing application blocking

The MIUI shell features a unique “App Lock” feature that allows you to set a separate password to run specific programs, such as Gallery, Messages or Banking Applications, which sometimes requires users to turn off this feature so that, for example, widgets on the desktop work correctly or so that a child can start a game without entering a code.

To manage these settings, open the standard Security app (green shield icon). Scroll down to the Application Lock section. Here you will see a list of all installed programs. To remove protection, you need to click on the switch opposite the desired application or use the Settings button (cog) in the upper corner to turn off the function globally.

If you want to completely deactivate this module:

• 🔒 Go to the lock settings through the gear.
• 🔒 Find the item "Enable lock" and transfer the switch to the position "Off».
• 🔒 The system will require you to enter the current password unlock applications to confirm.

Often, users have a problem when they forgot the password from the application lock, not from the phone itself. In this case, if you were attached to the Mi Account, you can use the recovery function. Click Forgot the password on the input screen, and the system will prompt you to send the confirmation code to the associated number or email.

It's important to distinguish between app lock and second space. These are different security mechanisms. The second space creates an isolated environment, similar to a new phone inside your device, and it turns off through the profile settings in the second space section.

Setting up antivirus and MIUI scanner

Built-in antivirus running on the basis of Avast engines and AVL, It often blocks the installation of apps that are not downloaded from the official Google Play store. APK-The file appears with a red alert, and to disable this check, you don't have to delete the system component itself.

Go to the Security app and select the Antivirus section. Click on the settings icon (cogs) in the upper right corner. Here you are interested in "Real-time Monitoring" or "Installation Checker" and by disabling these options, you will allow the system to ignore potential threats when downloading files from the browser.

You should also check the Google Play Protect settings, which work independently of MIUI:

• 🛡️ Open the Play Store app.
• 🛡️ Click on the profile icon in the corner.
• 🛡️ Select Play Protection and turn off scanning.

After this, the system will stop interrupting the installation of third-party programs. However, the file manager can still warn about the risks. In this case, when you start the APK, click "Details" and "Still Install" - this is a standard procedure for experienced users installing modified versions of the software.

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Periodically (once a month) turn the antivirus back on and perform a full scan to help identify hidden threats that may have entered the system while operating without protection.

Disabling Device Search and Mi Cloud

Find Device is a critical security feature, but it can also be a problem when selling a phone or changing ownership, and while it's active, the phone is tightly tied to the owner's account, and you can only turn it off by knowing the Mi Account password.

To disable, go to Settings → Mi Account → Find the device. Transfer the switch to off. The system will immediately request the password from the account. If you plan to sell the phone, this is a must, otherwise the new owner will not be able to activate the gadget.

There is a table of correspondence of protection statuses and actions:

If the phone was bought with hands and it is someone else’s account, legally disable the protection without the participation of the previous owner is almost impossible. Xiaomi service centers also will not unlock devices without checks and boxes confirming ownership, as this is a fight against stolen gadgets.

Removing restrictions for the developer and debugging

To deeply configure a system or connect to a computer through ADB, it often requires a developer mode. It is hidden by default. To activate it, you need to quickly click 7 times on the build number in the About Phone section. Once the "You became a developer" notification appears, a new item will appear in the settings menu.

In the section Advanced settings → There are a lot of critical switches for developers, and the ones that are most important for removing constraints are the ones that are critical:

• 🔧 «Debugging by USB» — Allows the computer to control the phone.
• 🔧 «Factory Unlocking – allows you to unlock the bootloader (Bootloader).
• 🔧 «Don’t turn off the screen – useful for demonstration.

⚠️ Attention: Including debugging by USB On public Wi-Fi or when connected to someone else’s charging stations (“juice jacking”) can allow attackers to access your phone’s files.

Unlocking the bootloader is a separate complex procedure that requires filing an application on the Mi Unlock site and waiting from 3 to 30 days. Only after the official unlocking of the bootloader, the user gets full root access and the ability to change system files, remove embedded software and install custom firmware.

Hidden Android Settings and Engineering Menu

Deep inside the Android system on which MIUI is based, there are hidden hardware testing menus, and you can access it through a special code word in the "caller," for example, code ##4636## opens a testing menu where you can see usage statistics or battery information.

However, in current versions of MIUI 12, 13 and 14, many engineering codes are blocked by the manufacturer, sometimes requiring the installation of special activator applications from third-party sources, such as Activity Launcher, which allows you to run hidden system activities by their internal name.

Finding the right activity, for example, associated with USB-You can change the settings that are not available in the regular menu with configuration or network settings, but be careful: changing the wrong setting in the engineering menu can cause the phone to stop catching the network or even turn on.

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Using Activity Launcher is the safest way to access hidden Android features without having to unlock the bootloader or get root rights.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)