Owners of Xiaomi, Redmi and POCO smartphones often use the built-in Application Protection feature to hide personal data from prying eyes. This option, based on the MIUI shell or the new HyperOS, allows you to set an additional barrier in the form of a pattern lock, pin code or biometrics. However, it is not uncommon for a user to forget the installed code, change the phone or simply want to abandon this feature due to the inconvenience of constantly entering a password.
The process of restoring access or completely disabling protection depends on whether your Mi Account is tied to the device and whether the system remembers biometric data. In some cases, you can unblock it in a few seconds through security settings, in others you will need a more complex approach with data reset. It is important to understand that Xiaomi security system is designed to protect information, so you can not just bypass it without traces.
In this article, we will look at all the current methods of unlocking, from standard account recovery to radical measures. We will examine the nuances of working with fingerprint and facial recognition, and explain why knowing the password from the Mi Account is a critical success factor. If you are faced with an access problem, carefully study the options offered to choose the most suitable for your situation.
Standard Recovery of Access through Mi Account
The easiest and safest way to remove a forgotten application protection password on Xiaomi is to use a tied account. The system is specifically designed to offer recovery when you have several failed attempts to enter, and you need to enter the wrong code several times or draw the wrong pattern lock on the application lock screen.
After a series of errors, the screen will say, "Forgot your password?" or "Reset your password." By clicking on it, the system will require authorization in your Mi Account. This is the main mechanism of protection: even if the phone is stolen, without access to a cloud account, an attacker will not be able to unblock the applications. Enter the username and password from the account that was active on the device at the time of installation of protection.
⚠️ Note: If you do not remember the password from your Mi Account, restore it via i.mi.com from your computer or other device before you try to unlock your phone.
Once authenticated, the system will suggest creating a new password to protect applications or disabling the feature entirely, a method that works on most modern models, including the Redmi Note and Mi series.
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If the internet on your phone is not working, connect the device to a Wi-Fi hotspot or use the mobile internet of another smartphone via tethering before entering your account data.
Using biometrics to bypass the lock
Many users forget that they have configured logging into secure applications through a fingerprint or Face ID. If biometrics were activated earlier, you can bypass password entry simply by putting your finger on the scanner or looking at the screen, which works even if the primary password is forgotten, since biometrics is an alternative access key.
To check your biometrics settings for application protection, go to Settings → Apps → Application Protection. If you have access to this menu (for example, through a fingerprint when you log in to settings), you can see a list of protected programs. Here you can add a new fingerprint or delete old ones that may not be read due to sensor contamination.
- 👉 Make sure your finger is dry and clean – this improves sensor reading.
- 👉 Try registering another fingerprint for backup access.
- 👉 In low light conditions Face ID It may not work properly, try to improve the light.
It’s worth noting that once the device is rebooted, Android often requires you to enter the master password or lock screen pin before the application biometrics are available. If you’ve just turned on the phone, you can’t get around the code entry with your finger, which is a security limitation for the operating system itself.
Why did the print stop working?
Reset via MIUI and HyperOS security settings
If you remember your current password but want to change or delete it, you can do it through the standard settings menu. The interface may vary slightly depending on the shell version, but the logic remains the same. You will need access to the phone and knowledge of the current access code.
To enter the protection menu, open the Security app (green zipper icon), scroll down to Application Protection. In some versions of MIUI, this item is displayed in a separate Application Protection app in the Tools folder. Enter the current password to open the management menu.
In the window that opens, you'll see a list of all the blocked programs, and in the upper right corner, there's a gear icon, which is the security settings, and you can click on them and you can:
- 🔓 Completely disable protection for all applications.
- 🔑 Change the type of password (from graphic to digital or vice versa).
- 🗑️ Delete password (confirmation via Mi Account required).
Importantly, if you change your password, the system will require you to enter the old code, and if the old code is forgotten, this method will not work, and you will have to resort to recovery through the account, as described in the first section, and you can also configure Hidden Applications, which are not just blocked, but disappear from the desktop.
☑️ Checking before resetting password
Table of comparison of methods of unlocking
To make it easier for you to navigate the way you remove protection, we have prepared a comparative table that will help you quickly assess the risks and requirements of each method.
| Method | Required data | Risk of data loss | Difficulty |
|---|---|---|---|
| Through the Mi Account. | Account login and password | No. | Low. |
| Biometry | Pre-tuned finger/face | No. | Low. |
| Resetting phone settings | Password from Mi Account (after reset) | High (all data deleted) | Tall. |
| Recovery Mode | Lack of Mi Account Linkage | High (all data deleted) | Medium |
As you can see from the table, the least risky way is to use an account. Complete data cleanup is only required in extreme cases when other methods are not available. Deleting the data partition when resetting your settings irreversibly deletes all photos, contacts and correspondence if no backup was made.
Radical method: complete reset of the device (Hard Reset)
If your application password is forgotten, your Mi Account is unlinked or your access is lost, the only way out is to completely reset your device to factory settings, a process that completely cleans your phone’s internal memory by deleting all your personal files along with your application protection password.
To do the reset, you need to go into Recovery mode. Turn off your smartphone completely. Then press the button combination: usually it's Volume Up + Power (some Redmi models may require a USB cable connection). Hold the buttons until the Mi logo or Recovery menu appears.
⚠️ Note: Before performing Hard Reset, remove SIM-card and memory card to avoid accidental formatting of external media or locking SIM-code.
In the Recovery menu, you can control the volume buttons (up/down for selection) and the power button (for confirmation). Select the language (English), then the Wipe Data → Wipe All Data. Confirm the action. After the process is complete, select Reboot → Reboot to System.
Once turned on, the phone will be like a new one. If the phone was turned on before the reset and logged in to the Mi Account, the first time you set up the system will require you to enter the password for this account (anti-theft protection), without this password, you will not be able to activate the phone.
Third-party apps and ADB: myths and reality
On the Internet you can find many tips on using computer programs such as Xiaomi. ADB/Fastboot Tools, or special APK-It's important to understand the real situation: modern versions of Android and MIUI High level of data isolation.
Attempts to use ADB commands to delete password files (e.g. gatekeeper.device.key) without root rights are doomed to failure. Accessing system security files requires superuser rights, which require a data reset in and of itself (unlocking the bootloader), so you get the same result: a complete cleanup of the phone.
- 🚫 “Hacking” programs often contain viruses and Trojans.
- 🚫 Scripts for ADB without root rights, do not have access to the database passwords.
- 🚫 Installing third-party launchers does not remove the protection of system applications.
The only working software method without data loss is official recovery through Xiaomi servers with a linked account. All other “magic buttons” at best will not work, and at worst will damage the phone’s software.
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There is no universal code or program that instantly removes the password of applications without knowing account details or resetting your phone.