How to open a smartphone Xiaomi Mi 5, if you forgot your password or pattern lock: all working ways

Xiaomi Mi 5 is the legendary flagship of 2016, which is still used by many users. But what if you forget your password, pattern lock or tied Mi Account? In this article, we will analyze all the current ways of unlocking, including official and technical methods, taking into account the features of this particular model.

It's important to understand that the Mi 5 runs on a Qualcomm Snapdragon 820 processor and has a closed bootloader, which limits some unlocking methods. We've analyzed the 4PDA forums, XDA Developers and official Xiaomi documentation to collect only working solutions. If your phone is locked after a firmware or reset, here's the answer.

1 Unblocking through Mi Account (official method)

The safest method is to use a linked Mi Account, which works if:

• 📱 The phone is connected to the Internet (Wi-Fi or mobile network)
• 🔑 Remember the username and password from the Mi Account
• 🔄 The device was not reset to factory settings

After 5 failed attempts to enter the password, the system will offer the option “Forgot the password?” Click on it and enter the data from the Mi Account. If the phone is not connected to the network, connect it to charging and wait for the notification to connect to Wi-Fi (even without unlocking the screen, the Mi 5 can automatically connect to the saved networks).

⚠️ Note: If you bought the phone with your hands, the previous owner could not untie your account. In this case, official unlocking is possible only through Xiaomi support service with the provision of a purchase check.

If your Mi Account is not tied or you don’t remember the data, please move to the next method, and note that after a reset via Recovery or Fastboot, proof of ownership of the device may be required (this applies to models with a locked bootloader).

2. Recovery Mode reset (without data loss?)

Many users mistakenly believe that resetting through Recovery always erases all data. On Xiaomi Mi 5, this is not quite true: if you use stock Recovery (non-custom), there is a chance to save files to internal memory, but guaranteed to be deleted: applications, settings, accounts and Wi-Fi passwords.

Resetting instructions:

1. Turn off the phone.
2. Press the Power Button + Volume up for 10-15 seconds at the same time until the Mi logo appears.
3. From the Recovery menu, select Wipe Data → Wipe All Data (control – volume buttons for navigation, power for selection).
4. Confirm the action and wait for the process to be completed.

Once the phone is rebooted, it will suggest setting it up as new. If a Mi Account was previously linked, it may be necessary to enter its details to confirm ownership (this is protection against theft that cannot be circumvented legally).

Check the battery charge (minimum 30%)

Back up important files (if your phone is responding)

Prepare data from your Mi Account (if linked)

Make sure you have access to SIM-Card (may be required to confirm)-->

3. Unlock via Fastboot (for advanced)

This method is suitable if:

• 🔧 You have unlocked the bootloader (Bootloader Unlocked)
• 💻 There is a computer with drivers installed ADB/Fastboot
• 📂 You are ready for total data loss

If the bootloader is locked, you will need to unlock it first through the official Mi Unlock Tool. For the Xiaomi Mi 5, this takes up to 72 hours of waiting (by Xiaomi rules).

fastboot oem unlock


fastboot flash recovery twrp.img




fastboot boot twrp.img

You can then reset your data or flash a new firmware through TWRP, and note that the Mi 5 will be locked by hardware after unlocking the bootloader, and the phone may require you to enter a password from the last Mi Account even after the reset.

⚠️ Note: Using unofficial firmware on Mi 5 may lead to blocking IMEI or problems with the Qualcomm module. Before firmware check compatibility on the forum 4PDA model-themed.

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4. bypass the pattern lock through ADB (if debugging is enabled)

If USB debugging was enabled on the phone (Settings → For Developers → Debugging over USB), you can try to delete the key file via ADB. This only works when you connect to a previously authorized computer!

Instructions:

1. Connect your phone to your PC via USB.
2. Open the command line in the folder with ADB and execute: adb shell rm /data/system/gesture.key
3. Reboot the phone. The pattern lock should reset.

If this method does not work, try to delete the password.key file (for example, the password.key file is not used). PIN-code) or locksettings.db. Please note that new versions MIUI (above 10) this method may not work due to the changed password storage structure.

5 Unlocking through Xiaomi Service Center

If all the independent methods did not help, the official service remains. Xiaomi provides the unlock service if you have:

• 📄 Check of purchase (or warranty card)
• 🆔 Identity document
• 📱 Serial number of the device (on the box or under the battery)

The cost of the service in Russia and the CIS ranges from 1,500 to 3,000 rubles (2026), in some cases it may be necessary to send the phone to a central service center (for example, in Moscow or St. Petersburg), the average unlocking period is 3-7 working days.

If the phone was bought by hand and the previous owner did not untie the Mi Account, the service center can refuse to unlock without proof of purchase, in which case only the flashing remains with the risk of turning the device into a brick.

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Before contacting the service, take photos of the box, check and IMEI (typing *#06# on a locked phone).

6. Alternative methods (at your own risk)

If none of the above has worked, some users resort to extreme measures, and we do not recommend using them without experience, but for completeness of information we will give you:

• 🔨 Flip-through EDL-Mode (requires an authorized Qualcomm account and boxing) UFED On the Mi 5, this works 60 percent of the time, but there's a risk of losing it. IMEI.
• 📡 Exploiting vulnerabilities MIUI (For example, the DirtyCOW exploit for older versions. MIUI 9.
• 🔧 Replacement of the motherboard (extreme case, if the phone is critically important) The cost is from 5 000 rubles, but there is no guarantee of performance.

On forums, there are often offers to “unblock for 500 rubles” – this is a scam. No legal service can bypass the binding of a Mi Account without proof of purchase. If you are offered a “clean” Mi 5 after unlocking – most likely, it is a phone with a changed IMEI (illegal).

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Any manipulation of the firmware on the Xiaomi Mi 5 can result in a 30-day suspension of the Mi Account, which is a protection against unauthorized access and cannot be circumvented.

FAQ: Frequent questions about unlocking Xiaomi Mi 5