How to unlock Xiaomi if you forgot your password – without resetting to factory settings

A forgotten password on a Xiaomi smartphone is a situation that one in five users encounter, according to service center statistics. The main problem is that most unlocking methods (like hard reset) erase all data — photos, contacts, messages. But there are legal ways to get around the lock without losing information, if you act carefully and take into account the features of the MIUI firmware.

In this article, we will discuss 4 working methods of unlocking Xiaomi, Redmi or POCO without resetting to factory settings, including little-known techniques using ADB, Mi Account and even physical access to the motherboard (for advanced users). MIUI 14/15, We warn you that not all methods are universal, their effectiveness depends on the phone model, the firmware version and whether the Xiaomi account was previously linked.

1 Unlocking through Mi Account (official method)

The most reliable and secure way to use a tied Mi Account is to use it on all Xiaomi, Redmi and POCO models, if:

• 📱 The phone was synced to Xiaomi’s account (even if you don’t remember it).
• 🌐 Internet access (via Wi-Fi or mobile network).
• 🔑 You remember the username/password from Mi Account or you can restore them.

If the conditions are met, follow the instructions:

1. On the lock screen, tap Forgot password? (or Forgot password? on English firmware).
2. Select the option to Sign in via Mi Account.
3. Enter your email/phone and account password, and if you don't remember, use the recovery function at account.xiaomi.com.
4. After successful authorization, the system will prompt you to create a new password or PIN-code.

Important: If your phone is not connected to the Internet, connect it to Wi-Fi via the notification panel (you can swipe it down even on a locked screen). On some models (for example, Redmi Note 12 Pro+), this will require you to enter the old password, in which case you move to the following methods.

2.Use of Recovery and ADB (for advanced)

If Mi Account is not tied or you do not remember the login details, you can try to bypass the lock through Recovery mode and utility. ADB (Android Debug Bridge. This method requires enabled debugging. USB If you don't activate it, it won't work.

Step-by-step:

1. Turn off the phone. Press the Power button + Volume up to enter Recovery Mode.
2. Connect your smartphone to your PC through USB-cable.
3. On the computer, open the command line (Win) + R → Type in cmd) and execute the commands: adb devices If the device appears in the list, type: adb shell 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 the reboot, the phone will unlock, but you may need to set a new password.

Limitations of the method:

• ⚠️ Not working. MIUI 14/15 with Mi Cloud Lock enabled.
• ⚠️ On some models (Xiaomi) 13 Pro, Redmi K60) Additional deletion of the file is required /data/system/lockscreen.password_key.
• ⚠️ If debugging is on USB It was turned off, the method was useless.

Install ADB-PC drivers|Download Platform Tools from Google|Enable debugging on USB (If the phone is not blocked yet)|Prepare original USB-cable-->

3. Unlock via Fastboot (for models without Mi Account)

If the previous methods didn’t work, you can try to delete the lock files via Fastboot mode, which is a riskier method, but sometimes helps even without the Mi Account attached.

• 🖥️ Computer with installed Xiaomi drivers.
• 🔌 Original. USB-cable (low-quality cables may interrupt the process).
• 📥 Firmware archive for your model (download at xiaomifirmwareupdater.com).

Instructions:

1. Turn off your phone. Press the Power button + Volume down to enter the Fastboot Mode.
2. Connect the device to your PC and open the command line in the folder with Platform Tools.
3. Enter the command to check the connection: fastboot devices If the device is detected, execute: fastboot oem unlock On new models (Xiaomi 14, Redmi Note 13), this command can require confirmation through Mi Account, even if the phone was not previously tied.
4. If the unlock is successful, reflash the phone through the command: fastboot flash all [name file firmware].zip

⚠️ Note: On models with Qualcomm Snapdragon processor (for example, POCO F5) After the fastboot oem unlock command, the hardware protection can work, and the phone will turn into a brick. 4PDA.

Hardware method: short circuit of contacts (extreme case)

If the software fails, you have to physically reset the protection by closing the contacts on the motherboard, which requires disassembling the phone and is only suitable for power users or service centers.

• 🔥 Possibility to damage the fee for negligent actions.
• 🚫 Loss of warranty (if the phone is under warranty).
• 💀 Irreversible data damage in case of error.

How it works:

1. Disassemble the phone by removing the back cover and disconnecting the battery.
2. Find the TEST POINT contacts on the motherboard (their location depends on the model - for the Redmi Note 10 it is usually a pair of dots next to the battery connector).
3. Connect the phone to the PC via USB, then for 1-2 seconds close the contacts with tweezers or a screwdriver.
4. In the command line, run: fastboot erase userdata fastboot erase frp
5. Restart the device – it will boot without a password, but the data will remain.

⚠️ Note: On models with a MediaTek chip (e.g. Redmi) 12C) Closed contacts can lead to loss IMEI. Before the procedure, make sure you have a backup copy. NVRAM and NV_DATA.

5. Alternative methods: bypassing through Safe Mode and third-party utilities

If the standard methods do not work, you can try less well-known techniques:

Safe Mode sometimes allows you to temporarily bypass the lock if it was installed by a third-party application (such as AppLock). → Applications, however, on new versions MIUI lock-in (PIN/Password/graphic keys in Safe Mode are not reset.

Utilities like Miracle Box or UFi Box are used in service centers, but they require a lot of knowledge, and using them on MIUI 14/15 can lead to permanent locking of the bootloader if the procedure is interrupted, and we do not recommend them for self-use without experience.

💡

If the phone is locked after a failed firmware, try pinching Volume Up + Volume Down + Power for 10 seconds. On some models, this resets the EDL Mode and allows you to reflash without losing data.

6. What should I do if nothing helps?

If all of these methods fail, there are two options:

1. Contact the Xiaomi Service Center: 📍Official Service Center (list on official website). 💰 Unblocking cost: from 1,500 to 5,000 ₽ (model). ⏳ Time: 1-3 days.

The service center uses official tools (such as the Mi Authorized Tool) that allow you to unlock your phone without losing data if it was tied to your Mi Account.

Accept the loss of data and make a reset

• 🔄 Recovery Mode: Wipe Data → Factory Reset.
• 📱 Find My Device (if you have a Google account attached).

Unlocking is possible only after turning on the phone.