Forgot the password from the Xiaomi phone - what to do in 2026?

A forgotten password on a Xiaomi smartphone is a situation that one in five users encounter. It is especially frustrating if the phone stores important data, such as photos, correspondence or work documents. Unlike the iPhone, where unlocking often requires contacting a service center, Android devices (including Redmi, POCO and Mi) offer several ways to restore access. But here lies the catch: not all methods are safe, and some can lead to complete data loss or even “bricking” the device.

In this article, we will discuss 7 proven ways to unlock Xiaomi – from official (via Mi Account) to technical (using ADB or Fastboot).

• 🔓 How to bypass the lock if your Mi Account is tied (even without access to mail).
• 📱 Why Recovery Resets Don't Always Work on New Models (Redmi Note 12, POCO X5).
• ⚠️ What actions can permanently lock your phone (spoiler: this concerns) FRP).
• 💾 How to save data before resetting if your phone is not unlocked.

Importantly, the methods are different for devices with MIUI 12/13/14 and older versions, we will give nuances for each, and at the end of the article we will also provide an FAQ with answers to frequent questions (for example, what to do if the phone requires an old password after a reset).

1. Unlocking through Mi Account – official way (works on 90% of devices)

The most reliable and recommended method Xiaomi uses is the use of a linked Mi Account, which works even if you forget the pattern lock or the user’s account. PIN-code, but remember your account details, suitable for all models, including the Redmi 10C, POCO F4 and Mi 11 Ultra.

How does it work? When you lock the screen, the system offers the option "Forgot password?" and clicking on it, you will be taken to the Mi Account data entry form. Once you successfully log in, the phone will unlock without losing data (unless more than 5 failed password attempts have been made in a row).

• 📧 Enter the email or phone number associated with the Mi Account.
• 🔑 Get a confirmation code (by post or by post) SMS).
• 📲 Enter the code and create a new password to unlock.

⚠️ Note: If you have previously disabled sync with Mi Cloud or deleted your account from your phone, this method will not work, and it is not available if the device was purchased “hand-held” and tied to someone else’s account.

On newer models (MIUI 14), after 3 failed login attempts, the system can block the "Forgot Password?" option for 24 hours, in which case try other methods or wait a day.

Make sure your phone is connected to Wi-Fi or mobile network

Check if the "Do Not Disturb" mode is off.

Have access to mail or SMS to receive the code

The battery should be at least 30%-->

2. Reset password via Recovery Mode – when Mi Account does not help

If you don't remember the Mi Account data or the phone doesn't offer a recovery option, the next step is a hard reset via Recovery Mode, which will delete all the data from the device but return access to the system, and is suitable for most models, except those that have FRP (Factory Reset Protection) enabled.

Step-by-step:

1. Turn off the phone (press the power button for 10 seconds).
2. Press the button combination to enter Recovery: For most Xiaomi: Volume up + Power. For POCO F3 and new models: Volume up + Volume down + Power.

Wipe Data

Wipe All Data

Confirm the reset, wait until it is completed and restart the phone.

⚠️ Note: After resetting via Recovery, the phone may require data input from the Mi Account that was previously linked (protection) FRP). If you do not remember this data, the device will become a “brick” – it will be possible to unlock it only through the official Xiaomi service (cost from 1500 rubles).

Some models (Redmi 8A, Mi A3) will have a “This device is locked” error after reset, which means that OEM Lock protection is enabled.

3. Unlocking via Fastboot – for advanced users

The Fastboot method is suitable if:

• 🔧 You do not remember the data from the Mi Account.
• 📵 Recovery Mode does not help (for example, because of the FRP).
• 💻 You have a computer and USB-cable.

The method is to connect the phone to a PC and send commands to unlock the bootloader or reset the password. This is a risky way: if you make a mistake, you can damage the firmware. We recommend only for Xiaomi models where the bootloader is unlocked (on new devices it is blocked by default).

Instructions:

1. Download and install Android SDK Platform-Tools (or Mi Flash Tool for Xiaomi).
2. Turn off the phone and press Volume Down + Power to log in to Fastboot.
3. Connect your phone to your PC and open the command line in the folder with the platform-tools.
4. Enter the command to check the connection: fastboot devices If the phone is determined, continue.
5. To reset your password, use: fastboot erase userdata fastboot erase frp Then reboot your phone with the command fastboot reboot.

⚠️ Note: On devices with a locked bootloader (Redmi Note 11 Pro)+, POCO F5) First you need to unlock it through the official Xiaomi tool. This will take up to 72 hours (waiting). SMS-code) and erase all data.

If the phone doesn’t unlock after the commands, try flashing stock firmware through the Mi Flash Tool. For specific model instructions, look for 4PDA or XDA Developers forums.

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Before using Fastboot, check if the bootloader is unlocked: turn off the phone, press Volume Down + Power and look at the screen. If there's "Unlocked" on the bottom, you can continue. If "Locked" unlock first through the official tool.

4.Use of ADB — if USB-debugging was included

It's one of the few ways to save data when you unlock it, but it only works if the phone has been on before. USB-debugging (Settings) → The phone. → Version. MIUI → 7 times tap to unlock the developer mode, then enable debugging in Settings → Additionally. → For developers).

How to unlock:

1. Connect your phone to your PC via USB.
2. Open the command line and type in: adb shell rm /data/system/gesture.key rm /data/system/password.key rm /data/system/locksettings.db rm /data/system/locksettings.db-wal rm /data/system/locksettings.db-shm
3. Reboot your phone with the reboot command.

Once rebooted, the password will be reset, but all data (photos, apps) will remain in place.This method works on MIUI 12 and older, but may not work on MIUI 14 due to security changes.

⚠️ Note: If you do not remember whether it was turned on USB-Trying to connect to a locked phone without debugging can lead to activation of Anti-Theft protection, which will permanently lock the device.

5. Password bypass through service codes – myth or reality?

There are often “secret codes” on the Internet to unlock Xiaomi, such as ##7378423## or ##3646633##. This does not work on modern devices (starting with MIUI 10).

The only service code that works for Xiaomi is ##4636## (battery and network information), but it won't help with the password either. Don't waste time looking for "magic combinations" - they don't exist for new models.

Exception: Some older phones (Redmi 4X, Mi 5) could reset the password through Emergency Call, but this bug has long been locked in security updates.

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Service codes do not help unlock modern Xiaomi. The only working methods are Mi Account, Fastboot or Recovery (with the risk of data loss).

6. Contact Xiaomi Service Center – When Nothing Helps

If all of these methods did not work, the last option is the official Xiaomi service.

• 🔒 Phone requires data from Mi Account you don't remember.
• 📱 The device “brickled” after a failed reset via Fastboot.
• 🛠️ The phone's got security on. FRP or OEM Lock.

Cost and timing:

• Unlocking without data loss: 2000-4000 rubles (depending on the model).
• Data loss reset: 1000-2500 rubles.
• Term: from 1 to 3 days (in some centers - immediately).

To find the nearest service center, go to Xiaomi’s official website and enter your city. Before visiting, check by phone if they are engaged in password unlocking – some centers refuse this service.

⚠️ Warning: Don't go to informal workshops that promise to unlock "in 5 minutes." Often, these "specialists" use illegitimate methods that can lead to: IMEI (The phone will stop catching the network.Blocking your Mi Cloud account.Firmware damage (the phone will not turn on). 7. How to avoid blocking in the future - prevention To avoid encountering the problem of a forgotten password again, follow these tips: 🔐 Link your Mi Account to your phone and remember the login details (or save them in a safe place, such as Google Password Manager). 📝 Use a graphical key instead of a graphical key PIN-code, it is easier to remember. 🔄 Make backups regularly through Settings → System system → Backup. 🔧 Turn it on. USB-Debugging (in case you need to unlock through the ADB). 📋 Write your password in a notebook and keep it separate from your phone (but not on your phone!). On the new models of Xiaomi (Redmi Note 13, POCO X6) You have a Smart Lock feature that automatically unlocks your phone in trusted places (such as at home or work). → Screen locking → Smart Lock. 💡If you often forget passwords, use password managers like Bitwarden or KeePass, which store all data in encrypted form and sync between devices. FAQ: Frequent questions about unlocking Xiaomi ❓ The phone asks for an old password after reset. What to do? This happens if you reset your phone through Recovery but you didn't delete your Mi Cloud or Google account. Solutions: Enter your old password (if you remember). If you don't remember, try unlocking through Fastboot (remove frp and userdata). Contact the service center. ❓ Can you unlock Xiaomi without losing data? Yes, but only if: You remember the data from the Mi Account (method 1). The phone was on. USB-Debugging (method 4) In all other cases, the data will be deleted. ❓ If you bought a used Xiaomi account, and it is blocked. How to unlock? If the phone is tied to someone else's Mi Account, you can only unlock it: through the previous owner (let him delete the device from his Mi Cloud account). Self-unlocking is not possible – it is protection against theft. ❓ After unlocking, he disappeared. IMEI. How to restore? This happens when you get the wrong firmware through Fastboot. Solution: Download the stock firmware for your model from Xiaomi. IMEI not recovered – contact the service center (self-recovery through the engineering menu may be illegal). ❓ Can I unlock Xiaomi through Google’s Find My Device. Find My Device allows you to: Find your phone on the map; lock it remotely (if it is already unlocked); erase data (but it will not help bypass the lock screen); it is not suitable for unlocking the screen.