Owners of Xiaomi, Redmi and Poco smartphones often face a situation where the device is blocked by digital security system, this can be a standard Family Link installed by parents, or a corporate profile that restricts functionality. Regardless of the reason, the unlocking process requires careful attention, as erroneous actions can lead to a complete blocking of a Google account or loss of personal data.
Modern versions of MIUI and HyperOS are closely integrated with Google services, making removing restrictions not always a trivial task. The user needs to understand the difference between time limiting screen time and completely removing the warden profile. In this article, we will discuss all legal and technical ways to solve the problem, from standard settings to resetting the device.
It is worth noting that if you forget the password from the account through which the control was carried out, simple methods may not work. The only guaranteed way to completely delete someone else's account-administrator often remains a complete reset (Hard Reset).
MIUI and Family Link security features
Xiaomi’s ecosystem uses layered protection that can conflict with or complement standard Android tools. Parental control is most often implemented through the Google Family Link app, which has device administrator rights, meaning that simply uninstalling the app through the settings menu will not work without confirming the password of the parent account.
Redmi and Poco also have their own add-on, Second Space or Child Mode, which can also restrict access to phone features, and it’s important to distinguish between these levels of protection. If the restrictions are imposed at the Google account level, resetting the phone itself without logging out can activate FRP (Factory Reset Protection).
Users often confuse locking with parental control, and if there's a timer or a message on the screen that the time is up, that's the job of digital well-being, and removing those restrictions requires either input or input. PIN-Parent code, or disabling the service in the system settings, which is impossible without the rights of the superuser or the administrator password.
⚠️ Warning: Attempts to crack a password by matching can lead to a temporary locking of the device by Google services for 24 hours or more.
Understanding security architecture is the first step to success, and the system is designed so that the child can't get around the constraints on his or her own, so any action should be geared toward changing the status of the device in the cloud or physically resetting it to factory settings.
Disable control via Family Link settings
The most appropriate way to restrict your child's phone is to use the Family Link app on a parent's device, and if you have physical access to a parent's phone or account, it only takes a few minutes to open the app on the parent's phone, select the child's profile, and change the group settings.
In the device management menu, you should find the “Account Settings” option and select the option to remove supervision. The system will request confirmation of the parent’s Google account password. Once successful, all restrictions will be removed remotely, and the child’s phone will be notified of the change of status.
If your parent’s phone is not available but you know their password, you can try to log in to your Google account directly on a locked Xiaomi device. Go to Settings → Google → Parental Controls. However, often the system will require confirmation via a push notification on a trusted device, which makes this method difficult without accessing the parent’s phone.
It is also worth checking whether there are hidden profiles or spy apps that could be installed in parallel.
Delete profile through Android settings
In some cases, especially if the control has been set up long ago or with errors, it can be removed through the standard account management menu. This method does not always work, but it is worth trying, since it does not require a data reset. Go to Settings → Passwords and Security → Privacy → Special Access Rights → Access to Use.
You can find Family Link or Digital Well-Being here, try to revoke their device administrator rights, and if the system allows you to do that without entering a password, you can easily uninstall the app, but in modern versions of Android 11-14, this path is often closed by the authorization requirement.
An alternative path is through the app menu. Go to Settings → Apps → All apps. Find the Google Family Link. If the Remove button is active (not grey), press it. If the system requires a password, try clearing the app data before deleting, although this rarely helps bypass security.
☑️ Checklist before deleting profile
There's a nuance about incognito mode in Chrome, where parents sometimes block the browser, not the whole phone, and check if the problem is just the settings of the browser, so you can just clear the Chrome data or reinstall it.
Use of safe loading mode
Safe Mode loads the MIUI operating system without third-party apps. This can help if parental controls are implemented through third-party software rather than Google system services. To enter this mode, press the off button and then keep your finger on the "Stop" option on the screen for a long time until the suggestion to go to Safe Mode appears.
While in Safe Mode, many control services may not start because they are labeled as custom applications. In this state, you can try to remove the blocking application through settings. Once rebooted in normal mode, the restrictions may disappear if they depended on the remote component.
However, if you use native Family Link, this method is unlikely to help, since Google services are system and load even in safe mode. However, it is a good way to diagnose: if in safe mode the phone is working normally and does not require a password, then the blocking is carried out by a third-party application.
How do you get out of safe mode?
Remember that in safe mode, some interface features may not work properly. Don't be alarmed if widgets disappear or design changes - this is normal behavior for error detection.
Resetting to factory settings (Hard Reset)
If none of the software methods worked, the radical, but most effective way is to completely reset the data, which will return the Xiaomi phone to a store-like state. It is important to understand that all photos, contacts and apps will be deleted, so having a backup is critical.
To perform a menu reset (if you have access): go to Settings → About Phone → Settings Reset → Erase all data. The system will warn you if you lose information. If the phone requires a password to log into the settings menu, this path is closed, and you will have to use Recovery Mode.
Recovery Mode resets when the phone is off. Press Volume Up + Power at the same time. Hold them until the Mi logo appears, then release power but keep the volume. From the Recovery menu, select Wipe Data → Wipe All Data → Confirm.
| Resetting method | Data security | Access to the menu is required | Risk of blocking FRP |
|---|---|---|---|
| Through Settings. | Data is deleted | Required. | High-pitched |
| Recovery Mode | Data is deleted | Not required | High-pitched |
| Mi Cloud (Remotely) | Data is deleted | Not required | Medium. |
| ADB Command | Data is deleted | PC required | High-pitched |
⚠️ Warning: Once reset, the phone will require you to enter a Google account that was synced to the device before the reset.If you don't know this password, the phone will remain locked forever (protection) FRP).
The reset process can take anywhere from 5 to 15 minutes. Do not interrupt or turn off the phone even if the screen goes out. Interrupting the firmware can lead to a software failure ("brick"), which can only be restored in the service center through a paid firmware.
Bypassing the lock with Mi Account
Xiaomi smartphones have their own security system, independent of Google, and if the phone has Mi Cloud and Find Device enabled, the password from the Mi Account will be required after the reset, which often becomes an obstacle if the phone is bought by hand or obtained from relatives.
If you know the username and password from the Mi Account, but can not log in due to the locking of the interface, try to restore access through the official website i.mi.com. There you can remove the associated device from the list of trusted, which sometimes helps to remove the activation lock after reset.
If the phone is corporate and blocked by a corporate Mi-account, it is almost impossible to remove the restriction yourself. IT-department of the organization issuing the device to remove the serial number from their registry MDM (Mobile Device Management).
💡
Before selling or transferring your phone, always log out of all accounts (Google and Mi) and do a full reset, which will protect your data and save the new owner from activation problems.
FRP unlocking services exist, but they carry risks, often requiring paid access to the manufacturer’s servers or exploiting vulnerabilities that are closed in new Android security updates.
Prevention and Management of Digital Well-Being
Once the restrictions have been successfully removed, it is recommended that you set up the system correctly to avoid future problems. If you need control, set it up competently, saving the master password in a safe place. Use Google's Family Group feature, which allows you to manage rights flexibly without completely locking the device.
For younger children, it is better to use the built-in Second Space mode in MIUI.It creates an isolated, restricted environment that is easy to remove or change the password from it through the owner's main profile without affecting the system settings of the phone itself.
Check the list of applications with administrator rights regularly. Go to Settings → Passwords and Security → Privacy → Special Access Rights → Access to Use. Make sure there are no programs unknown to you that can secretly mine cryptocurrency or transfer data.
💡
The best protection against accidental locking is knowing passwords from all accounts synced to the device and regularly backing up important data.
Digital hygiene is important not only for data security but also for psychological comfort, and over-control can lead to a desire to circumvent it by any means, so it is important to strike a balance between security and trust.