Users of Xiaomi, Redmi and POCO smartphones often face a situation where access to a particular application is blocked by built-in security features, which can be a forgotten pattern lock installed for App Lock, or the need to remove restrictions imposed in the Guest or Second Space mode. MIUI system and its current HyperOS shell offer powerful security tools, but sometimes they become an obstacle for the owner of the device.
There are several layers of protection that can be perceived as a lock on the program. Depending on which mechanism was activated earlier, the methods of unlocking will be radically different. In some cases, it is enough to remember the control question, in others, you will need to completely reset the security settings or even delete the system data.
In this article, we will look at all possible scenarios, from standard password removal from applications to exit from hidden profiles. We will look at the standard methods that do not require root rights, and we will discuss the complex cases when access to a Mi Account is lost.
Types of locks in the shell MIUI and HyperOS
Before you start active actions, you need to clearly identify the type of protection installed. Xiaomi smartphones have several independent mechanisms that the user can confuse, most often we are talking about the App Lock feature, which requires you to enter a password or fingerprint every time you run the selected program.
Another common option is Second Space, which is a fully-isolated environment inside the phone that looks like a separate desktop with its own apps and settings, leaving or deleting it requires specific actions other than simply removing your password, and there is a Guest mode that restricts access to contacts and the gallery.
⚠️ Note: Trying to guess password by brute force in some versions MIUI may temporarily block the input function or, in rare cases, delete application data if the appropriate security option is enabled.
The third type of lock is the Mi Account, which is an anti-theft mechanism that you can't get around by simply manipulating the menu, if you're tied to a cloud service and you're enabled with Find Device, even after you reset the settings, the phone will need to enter the username and password of the owner.
- 🔒 App Lock: Protects individual applications with a password, pattern lock, or biometrics.
- 👤 Second Space: Creates an isolated environment with a separate set of programs and files.
- 🛡️ Guest mode: restricts access to personal data when transferring a phone to another person.
- ☁️ Mi Cloud Lock: locking device at the account level Xiaomi after reset.
Removing password from App Lock through security settings
The most common scenario is that a user has forgotten the password set to a particular application (such as WhatsApp, Gallery or Bank).If you remember the password from the lock screen of the phone or can log in, it will take a couple of minutes to resolve the problem.
Go to Settings, then select the App and find Application Lock (or open the Desktop Security app immediately). The system will ask you to enter your current password or pattern lock. If you remember that, great, go to management. If not, click on the Forgot Password link (usually under the input field).
Resetting will require confirmation via Mi Account or answering a secret question if it was set up in advance, enter the data, and the system will prompt you to create a new password, after successfully changing the code, access to all previously blocked programs will be restored, and the old key will cease to work.
☑️ Check before resetting the App Lock
It's important to note that if you haven't set up a secret question or linked an account, the standard menu recovery method may not be available, and the security system will work properly to prevent the unauthorised reset, and this is done to protect your data in the event of a device being stolen.
Use of the “Forgot Password” function and Mi Account
Xiaomi’s access recovery mechanism is closely integrated with the company’s cloud services, and if you forget your password from App Lock or Second Space login, the system will offer verification via Mi Account, ensuring that only the phone’s legal owner can unlock it.
When you click on the restore button, you will be asked to enter the login and password from the account that was active at the time of the lock installation. If you enter the correct data, the system will allow you to specify a new access code, which works even if you completely forgot the old pattern lock.
The linkage test path:
Settings → Mi Account → Cloud → Find the deviceHowever, if you don't remember the password from your Mi Account, it gets complicated, and you have to restore access to your account through the official i.mi.com website or support service, and without this step, it's almost impossible to unblock the system-level lock without losing data.
What if your Mi Account is also blocked?
Removal of the Second Space and exit from the Guest Mode
The solution to Second Space is not to remove the password from a particular application, but to remove an entire isolated environment, and if you want to get rid of the extra apps and free up space, the easiest way to do that is to delete the entire space.
To do this, go to Settings → Features (or Advanced Settings) → Second Space. In the upper right corner, click on the gear icon or menu. Select the option “Delete Second Space.” The system will warn that all data (photos, contacts, apps) inside this profile will be permanently deleted.
Similarly, the Guest mode is the way to exit, you need to hang the notification curtain, click on the user's avatar and select "Get Out" or switch to the main owner. To completely disable the guest function, use the path: Settings → Passwords and security → Guest mode → Off switch.
| Function | The way is on the menu | Effects of removal | Password requirement |
|---|---|---|---|
| App Lock | Security → App Lock | Removal of protection from applications | Required (or Mi ID) |
| Second space | Settings → Second Space | Deletion of all profile data | Required for entry |
| Guest mode | Settings → Passwords → Guest mode | Exit to the main profile | Not required |
| Hidden applications | Settings → Hidden applications | Unlocking icons | Password required |
Remember that deleting Second Space is a non-cancellable operation, and if important work documents or personal photos are stored there, try logging into your profile first (if you remember your password) and transferring your files to the main space.
💡
Before deleting the Second Space, connect your phone to your computer and copy important files from your internal memory, as they may become unavailable after deleting.
Radical methods: Recovery reset and data loss
In cases where the password is forgotten completely, the Mi Account is not tied (or access to it is lost), and the system does not even allow you to enter the settings, the last option is a complete reset of the device (Hard Reset), this method is guaranteed to delete all user data, including photos, contacts and installed applications, returning the phone to a factory state.
To do the reset, turn off your smartphone. Then press the key combination: usually Volume Up + Power. Hold them until the Mi or Redmi logo appears. When the Recovery menu appears (may be in Chinese or English), select the language (if available) and press Wipe Data → Wipe All Data.
Once confirmed, the phone will begin the cleaning process, which will take 2 to 10 minutes, and when it's finished, it will reboot as new, and if the phone has been activated with a Find Device, it will require you to enter the Mi Account password that was on it before the reset, and it's officially impossible to get around this without a password.
⚠️ Warning: Hard Reset won't help if you don't remember the Mi Account password that the phone is attached to.You'll get a completely clean but locked device!
There are also methods of resetting via a computer and a fastboot command, but they require an unlocked bootloader. On a locked bootloader, which is the default on all Xiaomi smartphones, these commands will not work without authorization through the manufacturer's servers.
Prevention: How to avoid access problems in the future
To prevent a forgotten password from happening again, it is important to set up your security system right after you buy or dump it. First of all, be sure to link the device to your personal Mi Account.This is your main recovery key in the Xiaomi ecosystem.
Second, when you set a password to an app or lock screen, the system always suggests setting up a "Secret Question" or adding an alternative login method (like face unlock or fingerprint). Don't ignore these steps. Write down the answers to secret questions in a secure location not associated with the phone.
- 📝 Write down passwords: Use a paper notebook or password manager on your PC.
- 🔗 Attach Mi Account: Make sure your email is displayed in the settings.
- 🆔 Add biometrics: Fingerprints often work even if the pattern lock is forgotten (depending on settings).
- 💾 Backup: Backup regularly in Mi Cloud or on your computer.
It is also recommended to periodically check the relevance of backups. In MIUI, this can be done through the Settings menu → About Phone → Backup and Restore. Having a fresh copy of the data will allow you to safely reset in case of problems, without fear of losing important information.
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The main security deposit is not a complex password, but the presence of a working way to restore it (Mi Account or secret question).