How to Change Your Password on Xiaomi Redmi 4: All Ways (including Forgotten Password)

Xiaomi Redmi 4 is one of the brand’s most popular budget smartphones, released in 2016, but still in active use. Over time, many users face the need to change their password: whether it’s a planned security measure, suspected data leakage or trivial forgetfulness. In this article, we will discuss all the current ways to change the password on Redmi 4, including emergency methods if you forget the current access code.

It’s important to understand that the procedure depends on several factors: whether the smartphone works, whether it is tied to a Mi Account, whether USB debugging is enabled, and which version of MIUI is installed. We’ll look at options for different scenarios, from a standard password change in settings to a full Fastboot reset. Here you’ll find solutions to typical errors (such as “Can’t Confirm Account”) and tips for protecting data after changing your password.

1. Standard method: changing the password through settings

If you remember the current password and the smartphone works fine, this method is the easiest and most secure. It is suitable for Redmi 4 on any version of MIUI (including global and Chinese firmware).

Here's the step-by-step instruction:

• 📱 Open the Settings app (cog icon on the home screen).
• 🔒 Go to Lock and Protect (or Lock Screen and Password in older versions) MIUI).
• 🔑 Select the Password (or Change the Password).
• 📝 Enter the current password to confirm.
• ✏️ Set a new password (minimum 4 characters, recommended 6)+ safe).
• ✅ Confirm the changes by repeating the new password.

After that, the smartphone will request a new password the next time you unlock it, and note that if you have synced with your Mi Account, the system may require you to enter your account login and password for additional verification.

2. change password through the Mi Account (if you forgot the current one)

If you don't remember the lock screen password, but your smartphone is tied to your Xiaomi account (Mi Account), you can reset the access code via a website, which works even if your device is locked, but requires:

• 🌐 Accessing the Internet on another device (PC, tablet, second phone).
• 📧 Access to an email or phone number linked to your Mi Account.
• 🔄 Possibilities to confirm identity (through SMS backup email).

Instructions:

1. Go to account.xiaomi.com and log in.
2. In the Devices section, find your Redmi 4 (it can be displayed as HM4X or markw – model encoding).
3. Press Find the device. → Unlock the screen.
4. Confirm the action via SMS or email (the code will come to the linked number / mail).
5. Set a new password for the lock screen (it syncs with the device the next time you connect to the Internet).

Important: This method does not work if:

• 🚫 The internet is off on the smartphone (Wi-Fi/mobile data).
• 🚫 The device is not tied to a Mi Account (or tied to someone else's account).
• 🚫 Find the device has been disabled in the settings.

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If you unlock your Mi Account smartphone and ask to enter your old password, reset it. Sometimes the data is not synchronized immediately.

3. Reset password through Recovery mode (without loss of data)

If previous methods have failed, you can try resetting your password through Recovery mode, which is suitable for Redmi 4 with an unlocked bootloader or if you previously enabled debugging over USB. Unlike full reset (Wipe Data), this method saves user data.

You'll need:

• 🔌 Cable USB (original or quality).
• 💻 Computer with drivers installed ADB/Fastboot.
• 📥 Archive with the utility MiUnlock (download from the official website of Xiaomi).

Step-by-step:

1. Turn off Redmi 4.
2. Press the Volume Up + Power buttons before the Fastboot logo appears.
3. Connect your smartphone to your PC and start MiFlashUnlock.
4. Sign in to your Mi Account (should match the device attached!).
5. Follow the instructions of the program to unlock the bootloader (it may take 72-360 hours to wait if the device is new to the account).
6. After unlocking, go to Recovery (Speak Up + Power → Select Recovery Mode).
7. From the Recovery menu, select Wipe & Reset → Wipe Lock Settings (this will only reset lock settings without affecting data).

Warning: After resetting via Recovery, the smartphone may require you to enter Mi Account details when you first turn on. If you do not remember the associated account, the device will become a “brick” (cannot be used without unlocking through the service center).

4.Hard Reset – a last resort

If all other methods fail, you'll only have to reset completely to factory settings, which will delete all the data on your device: photos, contacts, messages, and installed apps.

• 🔐 You do not remember your password or have attached your Mi Account.
• 📱 The device does not respond to other unlock methods.
• 💾 You have a backup of important data (or loss of it is not critical).

How to make Hard Reset on Redmi 4:

1. Turn off your smartphone.
2. Press Volume Up + Power for 10-15 seconds until the Recovery menu appears.
3. Use volume buttons for navigation and power button for selection.
4. Choose Wipe Data → Wipe All Data.
5. Confirm the action (usually you need to select Yes).
6. After reset, select Reboot to reboot.

Once rebooted, the smartphone will be like a new one, reconfiguring the language, connecting to Wi-Fi, and going through the initial setup, and if the device was tied to a Mi Account, after resetting, it can request that account's FRP-protected information.

5. Typical errors and their solutions

When you change or reset your password to Redmi 4, users often experience errors, and we've collected the most common problems and ways to fix them:

If you see an error not listed in the table, try:

• 🔍 Enter the error text in the search engine with the model (Redmi 4) + error).
• 📞 Contact Xiaomi official support (you need a check or confirmation of purchase).
• 🛠️ Contact the service center (if the device is guaranteed, resetting the password can cancel it).

6. How to protect data after changing the password

After a successful password change on Redmi 4, it is recommended to take additional security measures to avoid repeated problems:

1. Enable two-factor authentication (2FA) for the Mi Account: 🔐 Go to the Mi Account Settings → Security → Two-step verification. 📱 Link a phone number or authenticator app (e.g. Google Authenticator).
2. Create a backup copy of the data: ☁️ Use Mi Cloud (in settings) → Additionally. → Backup). 💾 Or connect the device to the PC and copy the files manually.

Set up alternative ways to unlock:

• 👆 Add a fingerprint (if the sensor is working properly).
• 🖼️ Set up the pattern lock as a backup option.

It is also worth updating MIUI firmware regularly, as newer versions often fix security vulnerabilities. To check for updates, go to Settings → About Phone → System Update.

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Even if you don’t plan to sell Redmi 4, it’s recommended that you change your password every 3-6 months and check your account(s) associated with the device (Mi, Google, social networks).

7. Frequent questions about changing your password to Redmi 4

If your question is not covered in the article, try to clarify it in search engines with the model (Redmi 4) and the version of MIUI (you can find it in Settings → About phone).

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Before selling or transferring Redmi 4 to another person, make sure to perform Hard Reset and untie the device from your Mi Account in the Mi Account → Device Management settings.