How to disable application protection on Xiaomi: a step-by-step guide

Owners of Xiaomi, Redmi and POCO smartphones often face a situation where when trying to open a popular application (for example, Gallery or Messages), the system requires entering a pattern lock or password. This is a built-in application protection feature designed to limit access to confidential data by unauthorized people. However, in some cases, constant authorization requests begin to annoy, especially if the gadget is only in your hands.

The process of disabling this feature is not always obvious, since the developers of the MIUI shell or the new HyperOS periodically change the location of the settings. Sometimes users forget the installed code, and sometimes just want to return the standard run of programs without unnecessary checks. In this article, we will discuss in detail all available ways to unblock, including cases with a forgotten password.

If you're using your phone or it might fall into the hands of third parties, it's best to leave it locked on critical applications like bank clients or personal photo albums, and you take responsibility for data security when you do this.

Why you need an application protection function

App Lock is part of the system’s Security app, and its main goal is to create an additional barrier between the lock screen of your smartphone and the content of specific programs, which is especially true when you give someone a phone to call or see a photo, but you do not want that person to click through your messaging messages.

Unlike full screen locking, application protection allows you to flexibly configure access. You can leave games and your browser open, but you can block access to the gallery and contacts. The system uses the same authentication methods as the phone itself: a pattern lock, a digital key. PIN-code, fingerprint or facial recognition.

⚠️ Warning: Fully disabling application protection makes all previously blocked programs available to anyone unlocking the smartphone screen.Make sure the device doesn't store sensitive data without backups.

Many users activate this feature accidentally by confusing the settings in the security menu; in other cases, parents install the feature to monitor the time spent by children in certain games or social networks; Understanding the mechanism of operation helps to find the right switch in the depth of the menu faster.

Standard way to disconnect via the security menu

The easiest and most correct method of unlocking is to use the standard system settings, which is suitable for all current versions of the shells, including MIUI 12, 13, 14 and the latest HyperOS. You will need to know the current password or have access to biometrics if it was configured to unlock.

To start, open the standard Security app (green icon with shield) that is preinstalled on all smartphones of the brand. In the bottom menu or in the list of tools, find the Application Protection item. If the icon is not on the home screen, search by settings by entering the "Protection" query.

Once you enter the password, you'll see a list of all the applications that are available to lock, and there'll be a switch next to each of them, and you just have to click the switch in front of the desired program to remove the protection, and the system can ask you to confirm the action by re-entering the password or scanning your finger.

If you want to completely deactivate the feature so that it does not request a password for any application, use the Settings button (usually the gear in the upper right corner of the list), where you can completely turn off the App Protection slider or delete the password set by selecting the corresponding item in the menu.

Settings depending on the version of MIUI and HyperOS

Xiaomi's shell interface is constantly evolving, and the layout of controls may vary. Owners of older models with MIUI 11 and newer ones with HyperOS may notice differences in the logic of the menu. It is important to understand where to look for settings in your version of the software.

In MIUI 12-14 versions, the path is usually: Settings → Passwords & Security → Application Protection. This is where the privacy and second space settings are located. The new HyperOS structure is more logical, but the basic controls remain in the security section.

Below is a table that helps you navigate the ways to access settings depending on the version of the system:

If you can't find a location, search at the top of the Settings menu, type in the word "Protect" or "Lock," and the system will prompt you to navigate to the desired section, which is the fastest way to navigate in confusing menus.

What to do if you forget the password from the applications

It's quite common for users to forget a pattern lock or a digital code set to protect applications, and unlike the lock screen password, there's a recovery mechanism through a Mi Account, but it has to be set up in advance.

If you try five times to enter your password, you'll see a countdown timer on the screen and a button called Forgot your password. When you click on it, you'll be prompted to enter your Mi Account password, which is the only legal way to reset your forgotten code without losing data.

⚠️ Note: If you did not link the Mi-account to the application protection function or forgot the password from the account itself, you will not be able to restore access to blocked applications using standard methods.

In the event of a complete lockdown and no access to the account, the only solution is to reset all phone settings to factory (Hard Reset), which will delete all user data, including photos, contacts and installed programs, so it should be resorted to only as a last resort.

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Tip: Always link Mi-acca!unt to the application protection function as soon as it is installed. This is the only way to avoid complete data loss with a forgotten password.

Use of Engineering Menu and ADB (for Advanced)

For users with superuser rights (Root) or USB debugging experience, there are deeper methods for managing system functions. However, using the ADB command line to disable system security components requires caution.

With ADB, you can try to reset the settings of a particular system application that is responsible for blocking, and the command looks something like this:

adb shell pm clear com.miui.securitycenter

Executing this command will clear the security application data, which will reset application protection settings, including passwords. However, on modern versions of Android and MIUI shells with enhanced protection, this method may not work without root rights or may require reauthorization.

Using third-party scripts or modified versions of system applications to bypass security carries high risks. You can violate the integrity of the system, which will lead to unstable smartphone operation or getting into a “bootloop” (cyclic reboot).

Problems unlocking by fingerprint or face

Often users don’t want to turn off application protection completely, but because the fingerprint scanner or facial recognition has stopped working to unlock specific programs, in which case the system constantly requires the input of a pattern lock, which is inconvenient.

The problem may lie in privacy settings. In Settings → Passwords and Security → Unlocking from a fingerprint, check if the "Use to Protect Applications" option is activated. If the switch is off, the biometrics will not work.

It’s also worth checking if a security mechanism that requires you to enter a password after a device reboots or after 24 hours of downtime has worked, a standard Android practice for encrypting data that you can’t get around without entering the main code at least once.

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Biometric unlocking for apps only works if it is set up and active for the phone lock screen itself.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)