How to lock up Xiaomi phone: all ways to protect the device from strangers

Protecting personal data on Xiaomi’s smartphone is not just a recommendation, but a necessity in the era of digital threats.Blocking the device prevents access to photos, correspondence, banking applications and other sensitive data if the phone is lost or stolen. However, many users are limited to the standard PIN-without even knowing the additional layers of protection available on Mi, Redmi and other devices. POCO.

In this article, we will discuss all the current ways to lock Xiaomi phones – from basic methods (pattern lock, PIN) to advanced ones (face scanner, Mi Account, hardware encryption). Particular attention will be paid to the nuances that the manufacturer does not always voice: for example, how to set up Find Device to lock even after resetting, or why a fingerprint does not replace a password, but only complements it.

Basic methods of blocking: PIN, password and pattern lock

The most obvious, but not always the most reliable way of protection is installation. PIN-A code, a password, or a pattern lock, and these methods are built into the MIUI Default and available on all models, from budget Redmi A2 to the flagship Xiaomi 14 Ultra.

To set up the basic lock:

1. Go to Settings → Password and Security → Screen Lock.
2. Select the type of lock: 🔢 PIN-code (4-16 digits) – fast, but vulnerable to selection. 🔑 Password (letters) + Numbers: The most reliable option. ✏️ pattern lock – convenient but easy to peek.

Confirm the new code/password and save the changes.

Important: If you use a pattern lock, avoid simple combinations (such as the letter "Z" or a square). PIN-Do not use dates of birth or repeating numbers (1111, 1234).

⚠️ Attention: On devices with MIUI 14+ If you enter your password five times incorrectly, the system automatically erases all data (if you have the Erase Data function in your security settings enabled!

Biometric blockage: fingerprint and facial recognition

Biometrics are a convenient way to unlock, but they don’t replace the main password, they only supplement it. Most Xiaomi models (starting with the Redmi Note 5 and later) are available:

• 👆 Fingerprint – works even with wet or dirty hands (on ultrasonic scanner devices, such as Xiaomi 13 Pro).
• 😊 Facial recognition is a quick but less reliable method (you can fool a photo on some models).

To add a fingerprint:

1. Open Settings → Password and Security → Fingerprint.
2. Enter the current password/PIN for confirmation.
3. Follow the instructions on the screen, putting your finger on the scanner from different angles.
4. Save up to 5 fingerprints (e.g., thumb of the right and left hand).

To set up facial recognition, go to Settings → Password & Security → Face Recognition. The system will require you to create a backup password if you don't already have one.

⚠️ Note: On devices without an infrared camera (e.g. Redmi) 9A) Facial recognition only works in good lighting and can work on a photo. For maximum security, turn off this feature in the settings.

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If your fingerprint doesn't work, try re-registering it under different lighting conditions, and clean the scanner of dirt with a dry wipe.

3. Blocking through Mi Account: Protection against resetting settings

One of Xiaomi’s unique features is the device’s binding to a Mi Account, a feature called Find Device (or Remote Management in Russian firmware) that allows you to:

• 🔒 Lock your phone remotely via i.mi.com.
• 📍 Tracking the location of the device.
• 🗑️ Delete all data remotely (if the phone is stolen).
• 🚫 Lock the device even after resetting (activation lock function).

To activate Find Device:

1. Go to Settings. → Mi Account → Find Device.
2. Turn on the switch and confirm the action with a password from the Mi Account.
3. Make sure that data transfer and geolocation are enabled on the phone.

If your phone is lost or stolen, go to i.mi.com, log in and select the device in the list, and you can send a command to lock or erase the data, and note that for this, the phone must be connected to the Internet (via mobile network or Wi-Fi).

Hardware lock: Anti-Rollback and encryption

Starting with the Xiaomi Mi 8 (2018) and later, the company has implemented Anti-Rollback (ARB) technology, which locks the device’s bootloader and prevents firmware rollback.

• 🛠️ Unauthorized flashing (for example, to bypass the lock).
• 🔄 A rollback to the old version MIUI vulnerable.
• 🚨 Install custom firmware without unlocking the loader.

Check the status of Anti-Rollback in Fastboot mode:

fastboot getvar anti

If the answer has a line anti: 4 (or higher), then the protection is active. On ARB devices, it is impossible to roll back the firmware below a certain version without a hard link to the account (even after a reset).

An additional layer of protection is data encryption. MIUI 12, all Xiaomi phones encrypt user data by default.This means that without a password or PIN-code even when connected to a PC through ADB or TWRP You can't read the files, so you can check the status of the encryption:

1. Go to Settings → About Phone → MIUI version.
2. Click 7 times on the MIUI version bar to activate Developer Mode.
3. Back to Settings → Additionally. → For developers.
4. Check the status in the file encryption section.

⚠️ Attention: On devices with encryption FBE (File-Based Encryption Resetting via Recovery can result in data loss if you don’t know the password from your last Google or Mi Account!

5. Additional security measures: Safe Folder and hidden apps

In addition to locking the device itself, MIUI offers tools to protect individual files and applications:

• 📁 Safe Folder is an encrypted folder in the Gallery or Files that is password-protected, and even if someone unlocks the phone, the contents of the folder remain hidden.
• 🔍 Hidden applications – allows you to hide the icons of applications (for example, banking) from a common list, access to them through a search or gesture (for example, swipe down on the desktop).
• 🛡️ Application protection – blocking individual programs (such as WhatsApp or SberBank Online) with an additional password.

To set up Safe Folder:

1. Open the Files or Gallery app.
2. Click on the three dots in the top right corner and select Safe Folder.
3. Set a password (it may be different from the main one) PIN-phone-code).
4. Move confidential files (photos, videos, documents) to the folder.

To hide applications:

1. Press your finger on the desktop and select Desktop Settings.
2. Go to Hidden Apps.
3. Select the programs you want to hide and confirm the action.

6 What to do if your phone is stolen: emergency measures

If your Xiaomi is lost or stolen, act quickly.

1. Block it. SIM-The card is via the operator (call from another phone) and this will prevent access. SMS (For example, to confirm payments).
2. Use Find Device: Go to i.mi.com. Select a device and click Lock. Set a message with a contact number (in case an honest person finds the phone).

Remotely erase data

Report to the police

If the phone is already reset to factory settings, but you had Find Device enabled, the next time you connect to the Internet, it will require you to enter data from Mi Account (activation lock function), which makes the device useless for a thief, since it is impossible to unlock it without your data.

⚠️ Attention: On devices with MIUI Global Activation Lock only works if the phone was tied to the account before the reset (MIUI China) this function may not be available!

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Even if a thief drops the phone over Recovery, Activation Lock will lock it when it first connects to the network.Without data from your Mi Account, the device will become a "brick."

7. Frequent mistakes and how to avoid them

Many Xiaomi users make critical errors when setting up a lock that negates all security measures.

• 🔄 Using one password for Mi Account and locking the screen, if an attacker picks it up, they will gain access to both the phone and the account.
• 📱 Disable Find Device "to save battery" without this feature, the phone will not be tracked or remotely locked.
• 🔓 Storing passwords in notes or screenshots, even if the phone is locked, this data can be accessed through notifications or widgets.
• 🔄 Ignoring updates MIUI. New versions often close vulnerabilities that allow you to bypass the lock.

To avoid problems:

• Use a password manager (such as Bitwarden or KeePass) to store credentials.
• Enable two-factor authentication for Mi Account (in account settings).
• Check active sessions regularly in Settings → Mi Account → Account Management → Security.

If you are buying Xiaomi with your hands, be sure to check the status of Find Device and Activation Lock. ask the seller:

1. Exit from Mi Account in the settings.
2. Reset your phone to factory settings with you.
3. Turn on the phone and make sure it doesn’t require the previous owner’s data to be entered.

If the phone requests Mi Account details after the reset, it means that Activation Lock is active, in which case return the device to the seller - it is impossible to unlock it without the data of the previous owner.

FAQ: Answers to Frequent Questions