How to open a Xiaomi Redmi 5 Plus if you forget your password or pattern lock

Did you forget the password from Xiaomi Redmi 5 Plus or did the phone lock down after multiple failed attempts to enter? The situation is unpleasant, but solvable. This smartphone (codename Vince) has several ways to unlock, from standard to technically complex. The main thing is not to panic and not try to find a combination at random: after 10 wrong attempts, the device can completely block access to data.

In this article, we will discuss 5 working methods, including resetting via Recovery, bypassing locks. MI-Important: some ways will lead to loss of user data, so first check if the phone is connected to the Mi Cloud - perhaps the backup will save your contacts and photos.

If you see on the screen that says "This device is locked" or "Too many pattern attempts," it means that the system has activated the protection, in which case the standard restoration through Google Account (as on other Android devices) will not work - Xiaomi uses its own authorization system. But there are workarounds.

Prepare: Charger (the battery must be charged at least 50 times%), USB-cable (original or high-quality analogue), a computer with installed Xiaomi drivers and the Mi Flash Tool program. If you do not have official firmware, the unlocking process may differ - we will also tell you about this.

1 Unlocking through Mi Cloud (if an account is linked)

The easiest way is to use the official Mi Cloud service, but it only works if you meet three conditions:

1. The phone is connected to the Internet (via Wi-Fi or mobile network).
2. You remember the login and password from MI-account that was linked to the device.
3. The "Find the device" function is activated in the settings.

If so, follow the following steps:

✅ Instructions for unlocking via Mi Cloud:

1. Go to i.mi.com and log in.
2. In the menu, select Find the device → Xiaomi Redmi 5 Plus.
3. Click Delete Data (or Unlock in English).
4. Confirm the action via SMS or email.
5. Wait for the phone to restart (it can take 5-10 minutes).

Once reset, the phone will turn on with factory settings, but the lock will be removed. Importantly, if the device has installed custom firmware (for example, LineageOS), this method will not work - you will need manual intervention through Fastboot.

⚠️ Note: If after reset via Mi Cloud, the phone requires you to enter the old password MI-account, so the account was not detached from the device, in which case you will need to bypass the account link (see section 3).

2. Recovery Mode reset (data loss)

If you don't have access to Mi Cloud, the next step is to hard-reset the recovery menu, which will delete all the data on the phone, including photos, messages and installed apps, but will return access to the system.

🔧 How to get into Recovery on Redmi 5 Plus:

1. Turn off the phone (press the power button for 10 seconds).
2. Press Volume Up + Power at the same time and hold for 10-15 seconds.
3. When the Mi logo appears, release the buttons – you will be taken to the Recovery menu.

⚙️ Next, do it:

1. Choose a language (if available).
2. Go to Wipe Data → Wipe All Data.
3. Confirm the action by selecting Confirm.
4. Once you have finished, select Reboot → Reboot to System.

If the phone reboots and offers to configure it as new, if after the reset the error "This device is locked", then the Mi Account protection is activated, move to the next section.

Turn off the phone from charging

Check the battery power (minimum 30%)

Prepare original USB-cable (in case of problems)

Remember the sequence of buttons to enter Recovery-->

Bypassing the lockdown MI-Account (if the phone is tied)

Xiaomi Redmi 5 Plus is known for the problem with a rigid binding to the MI-account: even after resetting via Recovery, the phone may require you to enter the account details that were previously associated.If you do not remember the username / password or the device was bought with your hands, you will need to bypass this protection.

🛠 Ways of circumvention MI-account:

• 📱 Through EDL-Mode (requires an authorized Xiaomi account to unlock the bootloader).
• 💻 Mi Account Unlock Tool (not working on all firmware).
• 🔧 Fastboot flashing (removes account binding but erases data).

The most reliable method is to run firmware through Fastboot.

• Stock firmware for Redmi 5 Plus (Version Vince).

📌 Step-by-step instruction:

⚠️ Note: Fastboot firmware deletes all data, including internal memory. If your phone had important files, try extracting them first. ADB (if debugging is on USB) Or contact the service center to remove the memory chip.

4. Unlock via ADB (if debugging is enabled)

If you have USB debugging enabled on your phone (Settings → Developer → USB debugging), you can try unblocking through ADB without losing data, which only works if the phone is connected to a computer and recognized by the system.

🖥 Instructions for unlocking through ADB:

1. Download and install Android SDK Platform Tools.
2. Connect your phone to your PC and open the command line in the adb folder.
3. Enter the commands in order: adb devices (to display your device) 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 lock of the pattern lock/password will be reset.

If the commands fail, the phone has been disabled root rights or is using a firmware with enhanced protection (e.g. MIUI 12+), in which case only a reset via Recovery or Fastboot will help.

💡

If USB debugging has been enabled but the phone is not defined in adb devices, try reinstalling the driver manually through Device Manager (select Android ADB Interface driver).

5. Hardware methods (for experienced users)

If the software didn't work, there's hardware, and it requires disassembling the phone, and it's only suitable for users with experience in electronics repair, and in extreme cases, you can go to a service center, but it's going to cost you 1,000 to 3,000 rubles.

🔬 Possible hardware techniques:

• 🔋 Reset through test points (you need to close contacts on the board to enter the test card) EDL).
• 💾 Flip-through ISP (Connecting to flash memory directly).
• 🔄 Replacement of memory chip (last resort if data is critical).

⚠ Risks of hardware methods:

To sign in to EDL on Redmi 5 Plus, you need:

1. Turn off the phone and remove the back cover.
2. Find test points on the board (usually signed by EDL or TEST).
3. Close them with tweezers or wires, simultaneously connecting USB-cable.
4. The Mi Flash Tool will define the phone as a Qualcomm HS-USB QDLoader 9008.

⚠️ Attention: Incorrect closure of test points can lead to short circuit and failure of the board.

💡

Hardware is the last chance that software fails, and it requires special hardware and soldering skills, and 80 percent of the time, you can fix it with a Fastboot or Mi Cloud without breaking your phone.

6.Prevention: How to avoid blocking in the future

To avoid the issue of the Redmi 5 Plus blocked again, follow these tips:

🔐 Methods of protection against blocking:

• 📲 Tie the phone to you. MI-account and enable data synchronization.
• 🔄 Regularly back up through Settings → Additionally. → Backup.
• 🔑 Write your password/pattern lock to a secure location (e.g., Google Keep or Notebook).
• 🛡 Turn off the lock. MI-Account after reset (in security settings).
• 🔧 Put the debugging on. USB in case of future problems.

If you often forget passwords, use biometric unlocking (fingerprint or facial recognition). On Redmi 5 Plus, the fingerprint scanner works quickly and reliably, and data is not lost when reset.

It's also useful to know:

• 🔄 Auto reset: If you enter the wrong password 10 times, the phone will prompt you to reset your data via Mi Cloud (if connected to the Internet).
• 📡 Modem: In extreme cases, you can try to connect the phone as a modem and access files through the ADB.

FAQ: Frequent questions about unlocking Redmi 5 Plus