How to remove the screen lock on Xiaomi: all working methods

Locking the screen on Xiaomi smartphones is an important security feature, but sometimes it becomes an obstacle. Have you forgotten your password, bought a used phone with someone else's pattern lock or just want to speed up unlocking? In this article, we will discuss all the official and alternative ways to disable locks on Redmi, POCO and Mi devices running MIUI 14/15 and Android 13/14.

It's important to understand that the manufacturer deliberately makes it harder to remove the lock without knowing the password - this is protection against data theft. So some methods will require a factory reset or Mi Account. We will describe each option in detail, its pros and cons, and give recommendations for restoring access to files after unlocking.

If you are looking for a way to get around a lock on a stolen phone, we warn you right away: this is against Xiaomi’s policy and can be classified as hacking.This article is intended for device owners who have legally forgotten their password or purchased the phone from their hands without the ability to contact the previous owner.

1. disable the lock through settings (if you know the password)

The easiest way is to use the standard MIUI menu if you have access to a phone, which works on all models, from the Redmi Note 10 to the Xiaomi 14 Ultra.

Instructions:

• 🔓 Open the Settings. → Passwords and security
• 📱 Select Screen Lock (may be called Screen Protection on older versions)
• 🔄 Enter the current password/PIN/graphical
• ❌ Click Remove Screen Lock or No when selecting a new method

On some firmware, the system may require confirmation via Mi Account. If the phone is linked to your account, enter your login and password. Once the lock is removed, the phone will be unlocked by swipe.

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If the menu does not have the option “Remove the lock”, try to install another method (such as a fingerprint) first, and then remove it – this sometimes works on custom firmware.

2. reset via Mi Account (official method)

If you have forgotten your password but your phone is linked to your Mi Account, use Find your device, which works even when your phone is turned off (provided it is connected to the Internet).

Step-by-step:

1. Go to account.xiaomi.com from a computer or other phone
2. Sign in with the same account as on a locked device
3. Select Find the Device → Your Device → Unlock
4. Confirm the action via SMS or email
5. Wait for a notification of successful unlocking (can take up to 5 minutes)

Limitations of the method:

• ⚠️ The phone must be connected to the Internet (Wi-Fi or mobile network)
• ⚠️ The “Find Device” function must be activated in the settings earlier
• ⚠️ In some models (POCO F5, Redmi K60) Confirmation is required through SMS on SIM-card inserted into the phone

3. Hard Reset (full reset via Recovery)

A radical method that removes all data from your phone, including photos, contacts and apps, use it if other methods have failed or the phone is bought with your hands.

Instructions for most Xiaomi models:

1. Turn off the phone with a long press of the power button
2. Press Volume Up + Power before the Mi logo appears
3. From the Recovery menu, select Wipe Data → Wipe All Data (volume button management)
4. Confirm the action by choosing Confirm
5. After reset, select Reboot → Reboot to System

On the newer models (Xiaomi 13T, Redmi Note 12), the Recovery menu may look different:

1. Select Language → English


2. Wipe Data → Format Data




3. Enter "yes" to confirm




4. Reboot

⚠️ Attention: On phones with MIUI 14+ After Hard Reset, you may need to enter the Mi Account that was tied to the reset. If you're not the owner of the phone, this method won't work!

4. Unlock through ADB (for advanced users)

The method for those familiar with Android Debug Bridge is to require a computer with Xiaomi drivers installed and USB debugging enabled on the phone.

Conditions for this method:

• 🔧 The phone should be on debugging. USB (In Settings → The phone. → Version. MIUI Press 7 times, then return to Additional → For developers)
• 🖥️ Android is installed on the computer SDK Platform Tools
• 🔌 The phone is connected to the PC with the original cable

Commands to remove the lock:

adb shell


su




rm /data/system/gesture.key




rm /data/system/password.key




rm /data/system/pattern.key




rm /data/system/locksettings.db




rm /data/system/locksettings.db-wal




rm /data/system/locksettings.db-shm




reboot

Once the phone is restarted, it will unlock, and if there is an adbd cannot run as root error, it means that the phone has no root rights.

Install Android SDK PC-only|Enable debugging on USB phone-on|Connect your phone to the original cable|Check the availability of the device by the team `adb devices`-->

5. Alternative methods (for specific cases)

If the standard methods didn’t work, try these options:

For methods with unlocking the bootloader (Fastboot, EDL) you will need:

1. Apply for unblocking via the official website (can take up to 720 hours)
2. Install Mi Unlock Tool on PC
3. Connect your phone in Fastboot mode (clamp Volume down + Power)

⚠️ Attention: Unlocking bootloader methods void warranty and can result in a complete loss of phone performance if you make an error. Use them only if other options are exhausted!

6.How to recover data after reset

If you had to do Hard Reset, you can return deleted data in several ways:

Option 1: Restore from backup

• 📱 If you previously enabled sync with Mi Cloud, the data will be automatically restored when you first connect to your account.
• 🔄 For hand backups: Settings → The phone. → Backup
• 💾 If the backup was on the memory card, paste it and select Restore in the backup menu.

Option 2: Recovery programmes

For phones with unlocked bootloader you can use:

• 🖥️ Dr.Fone (restores photos, messages)
• 🖥️ EaseUS MobiSaver (works with internal memory)
• 🖥️ DiskDigger (requires root rights)

Important: Don't write new data to your phone after a reset, which reduces your chances of recovering old files, and use a memory card or cloud services to save new data.

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The most reliable way to save data is to back up regularly to Mi Cloud or external drive. Set up an automatic backup in the Settings menu → Accounts → Mi Cloud → Backup.

FAQ: Frequent questions about unlocking Xiaomi