How to open the Xiaomi Redmi 9 phone: all ways to unlock the screen and the account Mi

Xiaomi Redmi 9 remains one of the most popular budget smartphones even in 2026, but its owners often face the problem of a locked screen or a tied Mi Account. The reasons are different: a forgotten pattern lock, buying a used phone with someone else’s account, software failure after an update or even blocking after unsuccessful attempts to enter a password. In this article, 5 working methods of unlocking, including official and technical methods, taking into account the features of Redmi 9 (codename lancelot) based on MIUI 12-14.

It's important to understand that not all methods are universal. For example, resetting through Recovery won't help if the phone activates the "Find the device" (Mi Cloud) function. And bypassing Mi Account through EDL requires special equipment and can lead to irreversible loss of IMEI if you do not do the right thing. We will analyze each method with the risk, the tools necessary and the step-by-step actions - from simple to complex.

1 Unlocking through Mi Account (official method)

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

• 🔑 Forgotten pattern lock or PIN-lock-screen;
• 📱 Phone requires you to enter a password from Mi Account after resetting;
• 🔄 The device is locked after too many failed unlock attempts.

Instructions:

1. On the locked screen, tap the button "Forgot your password?" (if it is active).
2. Enter the email or phone number associated with the Mi Account.
3. Confirm your identity via SMS or backup email (code arrives within 1-2 minutes).
4. Create a new password for the lock screen.

⚠️ Note: If the phone was purchased from hand and tied to someone else's account, this method will not work, in which case you will need to contact the previous owner to untie the device via account.xiaomi.com (section "Device Management").

If there is no “Forgot Password?” button (for example, after a hard reset), try unlocking the device via the web interface:

1. Go to i.mi.com and log in.
2. In the "Find the device" section, select your Redmi 9.
3. Click "Unlock Device" (the function is only available if the phone is connected to the Internet).

2.Reset to factory settings via Recovery

The method is suitable if:

• 🔓 You don’t remember the screen password, but Mi Account isn’t tied;
• 📦 You need to delete all data (photos, contacts, applications);
• 🔧 The phone doesn’t respond to touch or hovers on the logo MI.

For Redmi 9, the procedure is performed via stock Recovery (not to be confused with custom TWRP!).

1. Turn off the phone with a long press on the power button (10-15 seconds).
2. Press the Power button + Volume up simultaneously and hold for 10-15 seconds until the Mi logo and Recovery menu appear.
3. In the Recovery menu, use the volume buttons for navigation and the power button for selection.
4. Select Wipe Data → Wipe All Data (Erase all user data).
5. Confirm the action by choosing Confirm.
6. After reset, select Reboot → Reboot to System.

⚠️ Note: If after a reset, the phone requires you to enter Mi Account details that do not belong to you, further actions without the consent of the previous owner may be considered a violation of Xiaomi’s policy. In such cases, we recommend contacting the support service with proof of purchase (check, contract).

3. Bypassing the lock through ADB (for enabled debugging)

This method only works if USB debugging was enabled before the lock (Settings → About Phone → MIUI → 7 taps according to version → For developers → USB debugging). If debugging is disabled, skip this section.

It will require:

• 🖥️ Computer with Windows/Linux;
• 🔌 USB-cable (original or high quality);
• 📥 Installed Xiaomi drivers and ADB Tools.

Instructions:

1. Connect the blocked Redmi 9 to your PC.
2. Open the command line (Win + R → cmd) and type: adb devices If the device appears in the list, go further. If not, install the drivers or try another cable.
3. Enter the command to delete the lock key file: adb shell rm /data/system/gesture.key or PIN-code: adb shell rm /data/system/password.key
4. Reboot your phone: adb reboot

After restarting, the lock screen should disappear. If not, try repeating the command or using an alternative method:

adb shell


su




rm /data/system/locksettings.db




rm /data/system/locksettings.db-wal




rm /data/system/locksettings.db-shm




reboot

💡

If the su command doesn't work, then there's no root rights on the phone, and then only the Fastboot firmware will help.

4. Firmware via Fastboot (for power users)

The method is suitable if:

• 🔧 Recovery reset didn't help (requires Mi Account);
• 📱 Phone "brickled" (not included, stuck on the logo);
• 🔄 You need to install a clean firmware without locking.

Redmi 9 (lancelot) will require:

• 🖥️ PC with Mi Flash Tool installed;
• 📥 Official Fastboot firmware ROM for your model;
• 🔌 Cable USB (preferably original);
• 🔧 Unlocked bootloader (if you are stitching through an informal firmware).

Step-by-step:

1. Download and install the Mi Flash Tool.
2. Unpack the firmware archive in a folder without Cyrillic characters (for example, C:\MIUI\lancelot).
3. Turn off the phone and put it into Fastboot mode: press the Power button + Volume down for 10 seconds. The hare in the eardress hat will appear on the screen.
4. Connect the phone to the PC.
5. Open the Mi Flash Tool, press Select and point the path to the firmware folder.
6. At the bottom, choose Clean all (full cleaning) or Clean all and lock (clean + lock bootloader).
7. Press Flash and wait for the process to end (5-10 minutes).

⚠️ Note: Firmware through Clean all and lock will block the bootloader, which will complicate further manipulation of the software. Use this mode only if you are sure that you will not install custom firmware.

5 Unlocking through EDL (last resort)

EDL (Emergency Download Mode) is a "emergency" firmware mode that allows you to restore the phone even if it does not turn on. On Redmi 9, bypassing Mi Account via EDL is possible, but requires an authorized Xiaomi account or a special box (for example, UFi or EasyJTAG). Without them, the firmware in EDL will lead to locking the device!

When you need an EDL:

• 🚨 The phone does not respond to buttons and does not load;
• 🔒 bootloader locked and Mi Account tied;
• 📱 We need to rebuild. IMEI post-fast-fast.

Instructions (for experienced users):

1. Download firmware for EDL (for example, with Xiaomi Firmware Updater).
2. Install Qualcomm 9008 drivers (can be found on 4PDA).
3. Connect the phone off to the PC by clamping Volume up + Volume down, then insert the cable USB. The device must be defined as QHUSB_BULK qualcomm HS-USB QDLoader 9008.
4. Open the Mi Flash Tool, select the firmware and press Flash.

Risks:

• 🔴 Loss of loss IMEI (The phone won't catch the network);
• 🔴 Locking the device if the firmware is not authorized;
• 🔴 Loss of guarantee.

💡

EDL is the most powerful, but also the most dangerous method. Without experience and an authorized Xiaomi account, you should contact the service center.

Frequent mistakes and their solutions

Even following the instructions, users often encounter problems, and consider common errors and ways to fix them:

If none of the methods worked, there may be a hardware problem (for example, a damaged memory chip or screen controller), in such cases, we recommend contacting the Xiaomi service center or a trusted smartphone repairman.

FAQ: Answers to Frequent Questions