How to open a Xiaomi phone if you forgot the lock password: all the ways of 2026

A forgotten password on Xiaomi is a situation that even experienced users face, especially when important data is left on a locked device: photos, contacts or work documents. Fortunately, the manufacturer has provided several official and informal ways to unlock, but each of them has its own nuances.

In this article, we will analyze all the current methods of unlocking Xiaomi, Redmi and smartphones. POCO — from simple backup PIN-the use of Fastboot code through complex manipulations and ADB. You will learn which ways will save your data and which will lead to a complete reset, how to bypass the lock without losing information and what to do if the phone requires confirmation of your Mi Account after the reset.

Important: Some methods require pre-preparedness (e.g., USB debugging enabled or a tied Mi Account). If you read this article in advance, save your instructions for the future. If your phone is already locked, choose the appropriate method from the list below.

1. Unlocking through backup PIN-code

The fastest and safest way is to use the backup unlock method if you set it up in advance.The Xiaomi lock screen appears after 5 failed password attempts, the Forgot Password button? or Another login method.

What to try:

• 🔢 Put in a backup. PIN-code (if you set it when setting your password).
• 📊 Switch to a pattern lock if it was activated in parallel with the password.
• 📧 Use a Mi Account (if your phone is connected to the Internet and you remember your username/password).

If these options are not available, move on to the next option. Note: after 10 failed attempts, some Xiaomi models block the input option for 30 minutes or require a reboot.

2 Unblocking through Mi Account (if linked)

If your Xiaomi is tied to a Mi Account and your phone is connected to the Internet (Wi-Fi or mobile), you can reset your lock password via a website, a method that works on most models released after 2018.

Step-by-step:

1. Go to account.xiaomi.com from another device.
2. Sign in with the same account as on a locked phone.
3. In the Devices section, find your smartphone and select Find the device.
4. Click Unlock the screen and follow the instructions (SMS or email confirmation may be required).

⚠️ Note: If your phone is disconnected or not linked to your Mi Account, this will not work, and if you unlock it, you may need to re-authorize some apps (e.g., banking apps) after you unlock it).

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If you don’t remember the Mi Account password, try to restore it via email or a linked phone number. To do this, click on the authorization site Forgot the password? and follow the instructions.

3.Reset to factory settings via Recovery Mode

If previous methods failed, you'll have to resort to a hard reset through Recovery Mode, which will remove all data from your phone, including photos, messages and installed apps, and use it only as a last resort!

How to run Recovery Mode on Xiaomi:

1. Turn off the phone (press the power button for 10-15 seconds).
2. Press the Power button + Volume up at the same time and hold for 10-15 seconds until the Mi logo appears.
3. In the recovery menu, select the language (usually English or Chinese).
4. Go to Wipe Data → Wipe All Data and confirm the action.
5. After reset, select Reboot to reboot.

⚠️ Note: On some models (POCO F3, Redmi Note 10 Pro and later) after reset via Recovery may require data input from Mi Account, which was associated with the phone. If you do not remember the username / password - unlock the device will be impossible without contacting the service center.

Turn off the phone.

Press the power button + volume up

Wait for the Recovery Menu to arrive

Select Wipe Data → Wipe All Data

Confirm reset and restart the device-->

4. Unlock via Fastboot (for advanced users)

Fastboot is a good way to do this if you have access to your computer and you're ready to work with the command line, and it doesn't delete data, but it requires an unlocked bootloader and USB debugging enabled (if it was activated before locking).

What you need:

• 💻 Computer with installed Xiaomi drivers (you can download on the official website).
• 🔌 USB-cable (preferably original).
• 📥 Archive with utility ADB and Fastboot (download from Android site).

Instructions:

1. Connect the phone turned off to the computer.


2. Press the Power button + Volume down to enter Fastboot mode.




3. Open the command line in the folder with ADB and type:




fastboot oem unlock




(Some models may require a different command, such as fastboot flashing unlock)




4. Confirm unlocking on the phone (if a request appears).




5. Reset the device with the command:




fastboot reboot

⚠️ Note: On newer models (Xiaomi 13, Redmi Note 12 and later), unlocking the bootloader via Fastboot can result in a loss of warranty and a reset of all data. XDA Developers.

5. Use of ADB (if USB debugging was enabled)

If you have enabled USB debugging before locking your phone (Settings → About Phone → MIUI Version → 7 times press to activate developer mode), you can try deleting the password file via ADB. This method saves data, but only works on some versions of MIUI.

Step-by-step:

1. Connect your phone to your computer via USB.
2. Open the command line in the ADB folder.
3. Enter the commands in order: adb shell su 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 reboot
4. After rebooting, the password must be reset (sometimes any arbitrary password must be entered).

⚠️ Attention: MIUI 12 and later, this method may not work due to changes in the structure of system files, and to execute commands requires root rights, which are not available on all devices.

6. Contact the Xiaomi Service Center

If none of these methods worked, the last option is to contact the official service center of Xiaomi.

• 🔒 Phone requires Mi Account confirmation after reset and you don't remember the data.
• 📱 The device is locked by the operator (for example, when buying under a contract).
• 🛠️ You are afraid to manipulate the Fastboot yourself or ADB.

What you need to unlock in the service:

The cost of unlocking the service varies from 500 to 3000 rubles depending on the model and the reason for the lock. In some cases (for example, if you lose Mi Account data), it may take up to 72 hours to confirm ownership.

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The official service is the only legal way to unlock Xiaomi if the phone is tied to Mi Account and you don’t remember the data.

Unlocking methods comparison: what to choose?

To make it easier for you to determine, we have collected the key features of each method in one table:

Important: On Xiaomi models with a Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 processor (e.g. Xiaomi 13 Ultra, Redmi K60 Pro), unlocking via Fastboot or ADB can lead to hardware locking of eMMC, which will require flashing in the service.

FAQ: Frequent questions about unlocking Xiaomi