Protecting apps on Xiaomi smartphones is a useful feature that prevents unauthorized access to personal data. But what if you forget your password and access to a messenger, gallery or banking application is urgently needed? The situation is complicated by the fact that MIUI does not provide a standard way to reset the password of application protection — unlike unlocking the screen, where you can use a pattern lock or fingerprint.
In this article, we’ll look at all the current ways to disable application protection on Xiaomi, Redmi and POCO – from simple (via Mi Account) to radical (reset to factory settings). Each method is tested on the latest versions of MIUI 14/15 and is suitable for most models, including Xiaomi 13/14, Redmi Note 12/13 and POCO F5/X5. Important: some solutions require preliminary preparation (for example, enabled debugging over USB), so read carefully!
1. Reset password through Xiaomi account (Mi Account)
The safest way is to use a Xiaomi account, which works if:
- 🔹 You have previously logged in to Mi Account on your device.
- 🔹 You have access to email/phone-linked.
- 🔹 On the smartphone, the Internet connection is enabled (Wi-Fi or mobile network).
Instructions:
- Open the Settings. → Accounts. → Mi Account.
- Click on the profile avatar and select Account Management.
- Scroll down to Security and tap Reset the application protection password.
- Confirm the action via SMS or email (depending on your account settings).
If there is no application password reset, then your version of MIUI does not support this method, in which case move on to the next method.
2.Use Recovery Mode to Reset Security Settings
If Mi Account is lost, you can try resetting security settings via Recovery Mode, which does not delete user data, but resets all passwords, including application protection, and is suitable for devices with a bootloader unlocked.
Step-by-step:
- Turn off your smartphone.
- Press the Power button + Volume up until the Mi logo appears.
- From the Recovery menu, select Wipe & Reset → Wipe Security Settings (navigation is done with volume buttons, the power button is the choice).
- Confirm the action and restart the device.
⚠️ Note: On some models (Xiaomi) 12T, Redmi K50) Wipe Security Settings may not be available, in which case only a full reset will help (see Section 5).
☑️ Preparing for resetting through Recovery
3. Disable protection via ADB (for advanced users)
The method requires USB debugging enabled (Settings → About Phone → MIUI version – tap 7 times to activate developer mode, then turn on USB Debugging in Settings → Additional → For Developers). If debugging wasn’t enabled in advance, this method won’t work.
Instructions for Windows:
- Download and install ADB Tools.
- Connect your smartphone to your PC via USB (select File Transfer Mode).
- Open the command line in the adb.exe folder and type:
adb shell pm clear com.miui.guardprovider
adb shell pm uninstall -k --user 0 com.miui.guardproviderOnce the commands are executed, the application protection will be disabled. If a device unauthorized error appears, confirm the connection on the smartphone screen.
What if the ADB can’t see the device?
4. Delete the data of the "Security" application (without root)
This works on MIUI 12-15 and does not require superuser rights, but resets the standard Security application, which is responsible for protecting applications.
Instructions:
- Go to Settings → Applications → Application Management.
- Find the Security app (or Security in English firmware).
- Slip the vault. → Delete the data.
- Confirm the action and restart the smartphone.
⚠️ Note:Together with an application protection password, this method can reset other security settings, such as application permissions or Smart Lock data.
| Method | Is a reset required? | Do you need root/ADB? | Is it good for MIUI 14/15? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Reset via Mi Account | ❌ No. | ❌ No. | ✅ Yes. |
| Recovery (Wipe Security) | ❌ No. | ❌ No (but you need an unlocked bootloader) | ⚠️ Partially. |
| ADB | ❌ No. | ✅ Yeah (debugging by) USB) | ✅ Yes. |
| Deletion of "Security" data | ❌ No. | ❌ No. | ✅ Yes. |
| Hard Reset | ✅ Complete. | ❌ No. | ✅ Yes. |
5. Full reset (Hard Reset) - Last Chance
If none of the methods worked, it will be completely reset to factory settings, which will delete all data, including passwords, accounts and files. Devices with a locked bootloader may need to enter data from the previous Mi Account (FRP protection) after Hard Reset!
How to make a Hard Reset:
- Turn off the phone.
- Press the Power button + Volume up until the Recovery menu appears.
- Choose Wipe Data → Wipe All Data.
- Confirm the action and wait for the completion.
Once rebooted, the phone will look like new. To avoid data loss, try extracting files via TWRP (if installed) or connecting your smartphone to your PC in Fastboot mode and copying data using ADB pull.
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Before Hard Reset, extract SIM-card and memory card – this will speed up the process and reduce the risk of file damage.
Alternative methods: bypassing protection without resetting
If you don’t want to lose data, try these options:
- 🔧 Temporary bypass through Safe Mode: Press the power button, hold off until the prompt to go to Safe Mode appears. In this mode, some system restrictions are turned off.
- 📱 Using a second device: If app protection is tied to a Google account, try logging in on another phone and resetting your password through Google Smart Lock.
- 🔓 Specialized utilities: Programs like Mi Account Unlock Tool (require PC and debugging by the user) USB). Caution: Risk of blocking your account!
⚠️ Note: Using third-party utilities to bypass protection may violate Xiaomi's policy and result in device locking.
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Before using alternative methods, check if the password is saved in notes, SMS or mail. Often users write it down "just in case".
Frequent Mistakes and How to Avoid Them
When trying to disable application protection, users often face these problems:
- ❌ "Mi Account Password Cannot Be Reset: Make sure you log in to the same account that was linked to the phone. If the device was bought with your hands, the previous owner may not have deleted his account.
- ❌ "ADB Does not see the device: Check if the debugging is enabled USB Windows may require manual driver installation for Xiaomi.
- ❌ "After reset asks for the old Mi Account: This FRP-To get around it, you need data from the previous account or specialized services (paid).
If you bought the phone with your hands and can’t contact the previous owner, the only legal way is to contact Xiaomi’s service center with purchase documents. FRP This can result in a complete locking of the device.