The forgotten password on the Xiaomi Redmi 4X is a problem that thousands of users face. It is especially frustrating when the phone contains important data, such as photos, correspondence or work documents. Unlike modern models with biometric unlocking, the Redmi 4X (released in 2017) relies on classic security methods, which makes it difficult to restore access.
In this article, we will discuss all the working ways of unlocking, including those that do not require data loss. Importantly, not all methods are universal, their effectiveness depends on the firmware version (MIUI 8/9/10), the status of the Mi Account and even the region of purchase of the phone. For example, on the Chinese versions of Redmi 4X (with firmware for the Chinese market), Find Device may not work. We took these nuances into account and prepared instructions with all scenarios in mind.
Before you start, answer yourself 3 questions:
- Is the phone linked to your Mi Account (remember your login/password)?
- Is it on the device? USB-Debugging (section For developers)?
- Do you have a backup of your data (e.g., in Mi Cloud)?
The answers will determine which method is right for you, starting with the safest one: recovery through official Xiaomi services.
1 Unlocking through Mi Account (if phone is tied)
If you have previously logged in to a Mi Account on a blocked Redmi 4X, this method is the fastest and most secure, the data will not be deleted, and access will be restored in 5-10 minutes, the main condition is to remember the username (email or phone number) and password from the account.
Algorithm of action:
- 🔹 Enter the wrong password 5 times in a row on the lock screen and a message will appear: Forgot the password?".
- 🔹 Click on this inscription and the Mi Account entry window will open.
- 🔹 Enter your account details (login and password) If two-factor authentication is enabled, confirm the login via SMS email.
- 🔹 After successful authorization, the phone will be unlocked automatically.
If you don’t remember the Mi Account password, restore it to account.xiaomi.com. This requires access to the linked email or phone number.Caution: when you restore an account via SMS, the code can come with a delay of up to 10 minutes – this is normal for Xiaomi servers.
⚠️ Note: If the phone was purchased from hand and linked to someone else's Mi Account, this method will not work.In this case, contact the seller for login data or use alternative methods (see sections below).
2. Use of the "Find Device" function (remote unlock)
Google’s Find Device service allows you to remotely unlock Redmi 4X if:
- 📱 The phone is connected to the Internet (via mobile network or Wi-Fi).
- 🔄 Find Device has been activated in settings (Settings) → Mi Account → Find Device).
- 🔑 You are logged in to the same Mi Account as your phone.
Instructions for unlocking:
- Go to i.mi.com and log in.
- In the menu on the left, select Find Device (or Device Management).
- Click on your Redmi 4X icon in the list of devices.
- Select Unlock (or Unblock) and confirm the action.
If the phone is connected to the network, it unlocks within 1-2 minutes, and the advantage of this method is that it doesn't require physical access to the device and it stores all the data.
- ❌ It doesn’t work on the Chinese version of Redmi. 4X (firmware).
- ❌ If the phone is dead or off, the team will not reach.
- ❌ On some versions MIUI Unlock function may not be available.
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If Find Device doesn’t show your phone, check if geolocation is enabled in Mi Account settings. Sometimes the device only shows up after the location update.
3. Reset password via Recovery Mode (without loss of data)
If previous methods failed, try resetting your password through Recovery Mode, a method that works for Redmi 4X with MIUI 8-11 firmware and does not delete user data (photos, contacts, messages), but requires confirmation through your Mi Account.
Step-by-step:
- Turn off the phone with a long press of the power button.
- Press Volume Up + Power at the same time and hold for 10-15 seconds until the Mi logo appears.
- Release the buttons – you will be taken to the Recovery menu (management is carried out by the volume and power buttons).
- Choose a language (usually English or English).
- Go to Wipe & Reset → Wipe All Data (on some versions of MIUI, the item may be called Reset Password).
- The system will request a username and password from the Mi Account. Enter them and confirm the reset.
Once you reboot, the phone will be unlocked and the password reset, and it's important that if you don't remember your Mi Account details, this won't work, you'll need Hard Reset (see next section).
⚠️ Note: Some custom firmware (LineageOS, Pixel Experience) may have a different Recovery menu if you see a non-standard menu (e.g., a custom menu, TWRP), Do not choose Format Data or Wipe System options, this will result in total data loss!
Turn off the phone.|Remember the button combination (volume up) + Nutrition)|Prepare data from your Mi Account|Check the battery charge (minimum 30%)-->
4. Hard Reset (full reset) - last resort
Hard Reset is a complete reset of your phone to factory settings. All data (including photos, apps, and settings) will be permanently deleted.
- 🔐 You do not remember the password and data from the Mi Account.
- 📵 Your phone is not tied to your account (or you can’t restore it).
- 🔧 Other ways of unlocking did not work.
Instructions for Hard Reset:
- Turn off the Redmi 4X.
- Press Volume Up + Power before the Recovery menu appears.
- With volume buttons, select Wipe Data (or Wipe All Data) and confirm with the power button.
- Then select Confirm (or Yes).
- After reset, go back to the main menu and select Reboot.
The phone will reboot and suggest you set it up as new.
- ⚠️ All data, including files on internal memory, is deleted.
- ⚠️ If the phone was linked to a Mi Account, you may need to enter that account data after the reset (Mi Account Lock).
- ⚠️ On the Chinese versions of Redmi 4X Hard Reset may result in a “This device is locked” error, meaning that the phone is linked to the previous owner’s account.
| Script | Hard Reset will help? | Will you need a Mi Account after the reset? |
|---|---|---|
| The phone is not tied to the account | ✅ Yes. | ❌ No. |
| Your phone is linked to your Mi Account. | ✅ Yes. | ✅ Yes (you will need to enter a login / password) |
| The phone is tied to someone else's account | ⚠️ Yes, but you will need to unlock through the previous owner. | ✅ Yes (without account data, the phone will become a brick") |
| Chinese version of Redmi 4X (firmware for China) | ❌ No, there will be an error This device is locked") | ✅ Yes. |
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Hard Reset is the last chance to unlock the phone if other methods have failed, but remember, once reset, you can get a device tied to someone else's Mi Account, making it useless without the previous owner's data.
5. Unlock through ADB (for advanced users)
If it's Redmi. 4X was included USB-debugging (Settings) → For developers, you can try to reset the password through ADB (Android Debug Bridge: This method requires a computer, USB-Cable and Basic Command Line Knowledge.
What you need:
- 🖥️ Computer with installed Xiaomi drivers (you can download on the official website).
- 🔌 Original. USB-cable (not all cables support data transmission).
- 📦 Utility. ADB (is part of Android SDK).
Step-by-step:
- Connect Redmi 4X to your computer via USB.
- Open the command prompt (cmd in Windows) and type:
adb devicesIf the device appears in the list, execute the command to delete the password:
adb shell rm /data/system/gesture.key
adb shell rm /data/system/password.key
adb shell rm /data/system/locksettings.db
adb shell rm /data/system/locksettings.db-wal
adb shell rm /data/system/locksettings.db-shm- Reboot the phone:
adb rebootAfter resetting, the password must be reset.
- ❌ It doesn't work if USB-The debugging was not enabled until the lockdown.
- ❌ On some versions MIUI Password files may be stored elsewhere.
- ❌ Requires technical skills – wrong commands can damage the system.
What if the ADB can’t see the device?
6. Contact the Xiaomi Service Center
If all of these methods do not work, you can contact the official Xiaomi service center.
- 🔒 The phone is linked to someone else's Mi Account (for example, bought with hands).
- 📱 The device will give you an error "This device is locked" after Hard Reset.
- 🔧 You are not sure about your technical skills and are afraid of damaging your phone.
What you need to unlock in the service:
- 📄 Checks or documents confirming the purchase (if the phone is new).
- 🔑 Account information of the previous owner (if the phone used).
- 💳 Payment for the service (cost varies from 500 to 2000 rubles depending on the complexity of the service).
Advantages of using the service:
- ✅ Guaranteed access restoration without risking damage to the phone.
- ✅ Unlockable even on Chinese versions of Redmi 4X.
- ✅ Preservation of the guarantee (if it is still valid).
How to find the official Xiaomi service:
- Go to mi.com/global/service.
- Choose a country and a city.
- Check the reviews about the service center (some informal centers may offer "unlock" with loss of functionality).
⚠️ Warning: Be careful of artisanal workshops that offer to unlock your phone in 5 minutes, often involving firmware that can lead to unofficial software: 🚫 Poose. IMEI (phone will stop catching the network). 🚫 Blocking Mi Accounts for Suspicious Activity. 🚫 Loss of warranty.