How to completely remove a fingerprint Xiaomi: all working methods

Fingerprints are one of the most convenient ways to unlock Xiaomi smartphones, but sometimes you need to remove them. Perhaps you are selling a phone, transferring it to another person or just want to reset all biometric data for security. In this article, we will discuss all the current methods of removing fingerprints on devices with MIUI 14/15, including hidden features and nuances for different models.

It’s important to understand that the procedure differs depending on the firmware version and model. For example, on the Redmi Note 12 Pro+ with MIUI 15, the path to settings may be slightly different from the POCO X5 with MIUI 14. We took these features into account and prepared universal instructions that will be suitable for most modern Xiaomi devices.

If you encounter a deletion error (e.g., the system says "Failure to remove fingerprint"), there is a section on the solution to typical problems, and we'll also show you how to completely erase all biometric data through Recovery Mode, which will be useful when preparing your phone for sale.

Why can't you get the print removed?

Most often, problems arise due to:

• 🔒 Active screen locking – the system requires the input of a pattern lock or PIN before changing biometric data.
• 📱 An outdated version MIUI — firmware MIUI 12 The settings interface may differ.
• 🚫 Device Administrator Restrictions – Some applications (like Find My Device) block security changes.
• 🔧 Hardware failures – if the fingerprint sensor is damaged, the system may not respond to commands.

Before proceeding with removal, make sure that:

1. The phone is charged at least 20% (when reset via Recovery, the discharge can interrupt the process).
2. You remember the primary password or PIN – without it, you can’t delete the fingerprint.
3. There are no active remote locks on the device (for example, through Mi Account).

Method 1: Remove via MIUI settings (main method)

This is the easiest and safest way to do it, and works on all modern Xiaomi, Redmi and POCO smartphones with MIUI 12-15. Instructions are suitable for models: Xiaomi 13/14 series, Redmi Note 11/12, POCO F5/X5 and others.

Steps:

1. Open Settings (the gear icon on the main screen).
2. Go to the Passwords and Security section (some firmware may call it Lock and Protection).
3. Select a fingerprint (or fingerprint sensor).
4. Enter the current one. PIN-code, pattern lock or password for confirmation.
5. Click on the saved print (usually displayed as Fingerprint 1, Fingerprint 2, etc.).
6. At the bottom of the screen will appear button Remove – tap it and confirm the action.

If there is no button to delete, try:

• 🔄 Restart the phone and try again.
• 📲 Update MIUI Up to the latest version (sometimes bugs are fixed in new builds).
• 🔧 Delete all fingerprints immediately through Biometric Data Reset (see next section).

Method 2: Complete reset of biometric data

If you want to remove all the fingerprints immediately (for example, before selling a phone), you can use the biometric reset feature, which also deletes facial recognition data if it is stored.

Instructions:

1. Open the Settings. → Passwords and security.
2. Scroll down and find the Privacy or Additional Settings section.
3. Select Biometric Data Reset (some firmware may call Remove All Fingerprints).
4. Enter a password or PIN to confirm.
5. Confirm the action - all fingerprints and facial recognition data will be erased.

Important! This way doesn't delete other data (photos, apps, messages), but it resets all security settings, and if you're selling a phone, then it's recommended that you do a full factory reset.

Method 3: Recovery Mode Removal (for power users)

If the fingerprint is not deleted through settings (for example, due to a system failure), you can use the Recovery Mode. This method is also useful if you forgot your password, but remember the data from Mi Account.

Attention! Mistakes in Recovery can lead to data loss or phone lockdown, and only use this method if others have not worked.

Steps:

1. Turn off the phone.
2. Press the button combination to enter Recovery: For most models: Power button + Volume up. For older devices (until 2020): Power button + Volume up + Volume down.

From the Recovery menu, select the language (usually English or Chinese).

Wipe & Reset → Wipe Fingerprint Data

Confirm the action and wait for the process to be completed.

Reboot → Reboot to System

If you don’t have Wipe Fingerprint Data, try:

• 🔧 Select Wipe Data (full reset) – this will delete all data, including fingerprints.
• 📱 Connect to Mi Account and reset your settings via Find My Device.

💡

Before you log in to Recovery, back up your sensitive data via Mi Cloud or locally to your computer. In this mode, you can't choose which files to save - resets affect everything.

Table: Compatibility of methods with Xiaomi models

What to do if the print is not removed?

If you have errors when trying to remove, try the following solutions:

Error: "Failure to remove fingerprint" or "System error"

• 🔄 Reboot your phone – sometimes a basic reboot helps.
• 📱 Update. MIUI Up to the latest version through Settings → The phone. → Updating the system.
• 🔧 Reset security settings: Go to Settings → Passwords and security → Select Reset Security Settings. Confirm Action (this will delete all passwords, fingerprints and lock settings).
• 🛠️ Clear the system cache: Log in to Recovery Mode (see method 3). Select Wipe Cache (not to be confused with Wipe Data.

Error: "Mi Account connection required"

This means that the phone has activated a link to a Xiaomi account to remove the fingerprint:

1. Connect to the Internet (Wi-Fi or mobile data).
2. Enter the data from Mi Account (email and password).
3. After authorization, try again to delete the fingerprint.

💡

If the phone requires confirmation via Mi Account, but you do not remember the data, restore access to the official account.xiaomi.com or through the Mi Community application.

Error: "Prince sensor is not responding"

This could indicate a hardware problem.

• 🧹 Clean sensor – wipe it with a dry wipe (do not use alcohol!).
• 🔧 Firmware updates – sometimes sensor bugs are fixed in new versions.
• 🛠️ The sensor's working -- try adding a new print. If it doesn't work, it might need repair.

⚠️ Note: If the sensor is physically damaged (for example, after a phone crash), attempts to remove fingerprints will not help.

How to delete a fingerprint if you forget your password?

If you don’t remember the main PIN-You can reset your lock with a code or a pattern lock, but remember the Mi Account, you can reset the lock using Find My Device:

• 📱 Phone's connected to the Internet.
• 🔒 The device is tied to Mi Account.
• 📍 Find My Device is activated in the settings.

Instructions:

1. Go to i.mi.com from a computer or other phone.
2. Sign in with the same Mi Account as on the locked device.
3. Select your phone from the list of devices.
4. Click Find the device → Lock the device.
5. Set a new temporary password (e.g. 123456).
6. Unlock your phone with this password.
7. You can now remove fingerprints through settings (see Method 1).

If the Mi Account is not tied or you don’t remember the data from it, only a full reset via Recovery (see Method 3) remains. However, after that, the phone will require you to enter data from the previous Mi Account at the first setting (anti-theft protection).

⚠️ If you bought the phone from hand and do not know the data of the previous owner, you can unlock it only through the official Xiaomi service (you need a check or a sales contract).

FAQ: Frequent questions about fingerprint removal on Xiaomi