How to open a Xiaomi Redmi 4X smartphone if you forget your password or pattern lock

Xiaomi Redmi 4X (codename santoni remains a popular budget smartphone even 7 years after its release, but many users face the problem of a locked screen - whether it is a forgotten screen. PIN-code, pattern lock or binding to your Mi Account. In this article, we will discuss all the current ways to unlock Redmi 4X 2026, including data retention and forced resetting.

It’s important to understand that modern versions of MIUI (even on older devices) are heavily using cloud account protection, which means that simply flashing or resetting through Recovery can lead to activation locking (requiring username/password entry from Mi Account after reset).

1 Unlocking through Mi Account (official method)

If you remember the data from the Xiaomi account that the phone is linked to, this method is the fastest and most secure.

• 🔐 Forgotten. PIN-code
• 📱 Phone requires a password from Mi Account after reset
• 🔄 You need to unlock the device without losing data

Instructions:

1. On the locked screen, tap Forgot your password? (or Forgot password?).
2. Select the recovery option through Mi Account.
3. Enter the email or phone number associated with the account.
4. Confirm the login via SMS or backup email.
5. Create a new unlock password.

⚠️ Note: If the Find Device function was enabled on the phone, additional verification may be required after unlocking via Mi Account. SMS. Make sure you have access to the number attached.

💡

If you don’t have access to your linked email/phone, try to restore access to Mi Account via [Xiaomi official form] (https://account.xiaomi.com/pass/retrieve). Specify the phone’s IMEI (you can find it through the box or sticker under the battery) – this will speed up the verification process.

2. Recovery Mode reset (data loss)

When Mi Account is lost and other methods fail, it is hard to reset through Recovery mode, which will delete all data on the phone, including photos, contacts and apps. Redmi 4X uses custom Recovery (TWRP) or standard MIUI Recovery.

Steps for standard MIUI Recovery:

1. Turn off the phone with a long press of Power.
2. Press the Power + Volume up simultaneously for 10-15 seconds until the Mi logo appears.
3. From the Recovery menu, select the language (if available) and tap Wipe Data → Wipe All Data.
4. Confirm the reset by swipe or press Confirm.
5. Once you have finished, select Reboot → Reboot to System.

⚠️ Attention: On Redmi 4X s MIUI 10+ After such a reset, Mi Account may be blocked (requiring you to enter a login / password from the previous account). If you do not remember the data, the phone will become a “brick” before unlocking through the official Xiaomi service.

Get out. SIM-memory-card|Charge your phone at least 50 times%|Download firmware for Redmi 4X (in case of error)|Prepare. OTG-cable (if you need firmware via Fastboot)-->

3. Unlock via Fastboot (for advanced)

The method is suitable if:

• 🔧 You have access to a PC with drivers installed ADB/Fastboot
• 📥 You can download the official firmware for Redmi. 4X (santoni)
• 🔓 Ready for possible data loss

Step-by-step:

1. Download the official firmware for Redmi 4X (choose the Fastboot version).
2. Unpack the archive in a folder on the disk C:\ (for example, C:\santoni_fastboot\).
3. Turn off the phone and turn to Fastboot mode: press Power + Volume down.
4. Connect Redmi 4X to your PC via USB.
5. Open the command line in the firmware folder and do:

fastboot oem edl


fastboot flashall




fastboot reboot

⚠️ Note: The fastboot oem edl and flashall commands will completely rewrite the system partition. If the phone was tied to the Mi Account, after firmware, it may be necessary to unlock the bootloader through the official Xiaomi website (the process takes up to 30 days).

4. bypassing the pattern lock through ADB (without loss of data)

If the phone is debugging on USB And you've connected it to this PC before, you can try to delete the key file through this PC. ADB. The method works only for the pattern lock or PIN-code, but not to block the Mi Account.

Instructions:

1. Connect Redmi 4X to your PC via USB.
2. Open the command line and do:

adb shell


su




rm /data/system/gesture.key




rm /data/system/password.key




reboot

Once the phone is restarted, it must start without asking for a password, and if the su command is not working, root rights are required, which cannot be obtained on a locked device.

Yes, I had to reset | No, I always remember passwords | Using biometrics (print/face) | I keep backup codes-->

5 Unlocking through Xiaomi Service Center

If all the independent methods did not work, the official service remains. Xiaomi provides the unlock service in 3-7 business days (depending on the region).

• 📄 Check or warranty card (proof of possession)
• 🆔 Passport of the owner
• 📱 IMEI phone (can be recognized through a box or sticker under the battery)

The cost of the service in Russia and the CIS is from 1,500 to 3,000 rubles. In some cases, service centers may require you to disable the Find Device function via another phone with the same Mi Account.

📌 Important: Since 2023, Xiaomi has tightened its unlock policy. If the phone was bought with hands and the previous owner did not untie the account, it is officially impossible to unlock it - you will need proof of purchase (check, contract).

6. Alternative methods (with caution!)

You can find “magic” ways to unlock through repair machines (for example, UFi Box, Octoplus) or exploits in older versions of MIUI. We do not recommend using them for reasons:

• 🚫 Violation of Xiaomi’s License Agreement
• 💻 The risk of installing malware on a PC
• 🔧 Probability of “filling” the phone (30–50%)
• 💰 Paid programs are often a fraud

If you do decide on this method, make sure that:

• 🔹 The program is supported by Redmi. 4X (santoni)
• 🔹 There are reviews of successful unblocking on forums (for example, 4PDA or XDA-Developers)
• 🔹 You are ready for the fact that the phone may stop turning on

💡

Any unofficial unlock methods will void Xiaomi’s warranty and may result in the device permanently locked through the manufacturer’s servers.

FAQ: Frequent questions about unlocking the Redmi 4X