How to unlock Xiaomi phone: from Mi Account to pattern lock

The locking of a Xiaomi smartphone is a situation that one in five brand users face, and the reasons are different: a forgotten password from Mi Account, an accidentally activated pattern lock, buying a used phone with a previous owner’s account tied, or even locking hardware after unsuccessful PIN-entry attempts. Unlike other brands, Xiaomi phones (including the Redmi, POCO and Mi series) have a unique security system that often requires non-standard solutions.

Many users panicked about going to service centers, spending money on services that can be done on their own, and this article provides up-to-date unlocking methods for 2026, including official and alternative ways. We will look at scenarios from the simplest reset via Recovery Mode to complex manipulations with the help of the Recovery Mode. EDL-Mi Cloud Lock mode and bypass. Importantly, not all methods are universal - their effectiveness depends on the model of the phone, the version of the phone. MIUI and type of lockdown.

Before you start, answer the key question: what type of lock is activated? This depends on the choice of method. For example, unlocking the pattern lock on the Redmi Note 12 is solved by resetting via Fastboot, while Mi Account Lock on the POCO X5 Pro may require you to contact the official Xiaomi service with proof of purchase. Below is a detailed analysis of each case.

1. unlocking the pattern lock or PIN-code

If you have forgotten the pattern lock or PIN-code, but the phone is not tied to Mi Account, the problem is solved by a standard reset via Recovery Mode.This method works on 90% of Xiaomi models, except for devices with a locked bootloader and activated Find My Device function.

Step-by-step:

1. Turn off the phone with a long press of the power button.
2. Press the combination of Volume up + Power (for some models – Volume down + Power) and hold for 10-15 seconds until the Mi logo appears.
3. In the Recovery menu, select Wipe Data (use volume buttons for navigation, power for confirmation).
4. Confirm the reset by selecting Wipe All Data.
5. After the process is complete, restart the device via Reboot.

⚠️ Warning: Reset will delete all data on the phone, including photos, contacts and installed apps.If the device was enabled sync with Google Account or Mi Cloud, some data can be restored after unlocking.

Turn off the phone from charging.

Make sure the battery is at least 30% charged.

Prepare a backup of important data (if your phone has previously synced to the cloud)

Remember the username and password from Mi Account (if the phone is linked to the account)

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If after a reset, the phone requires you to enter Mi Account data that you do not remember, go to the section about unlocking the associated account. On some models (for example, Xiaomi 13 Ultra), after a reset, an error may appear “This device is locked” – this means that the bootloader is locked, and additional unlocking through Fastboot will be required.

2 Unlock Mi Account (if you forgot your password)

Mi Account Lock is one of the most difficult locks on Xiaomi phones, which is activated if the device was reset without decoupling from the previous owner’s account or if you forgot the login details. The official solution is to appeal to Xiaomi with proof of purchase (check, box with IMEI), but this process can take up to 30 days.

Alternative methods (for advanced users):

• 🔧 Through EDL-Mode: Requires special cable and software (e.g. Mi Flash Tool) Suitable for models until 2022 (new models may not work due to improved protection).
• 📱 Test mode bypass: On some devices (e.g. Redmi) 9A) You can go to the engineering menu and reset your account, which is unstable and can lead to a phone blink.
• 💻 Use of utilities like Xiaomi Tool V2: Automates the unlocking process, but requires an unlocked bootloader and command knowledge ADB.

⚠️ Warning: Attempts to bypass Mi Account Lock by unofficial methods may result in blocking IMEI On devices with Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chipsets (for example, Xiaomi 13 Pro), the chances of a successful bypass are minimal - it is better to contact the service center immediately.

3 Unlock via Fastboot (if Recovery is not available)

If the phone doesn’t boot even in Recovery Mode (for example, because of a damaged firmware or a blocked bootloader), you can try unlocking it via Fastboot.This method requires a connection to the computer and the ADB/Fastboot drivers installed.

Instructions for Windows:

1. Install Platform Tools from Google.
2. Turn off the phone and press Volume Down + Power to log into the Fastboot.
3. Connect your phone to your PC via USB.
4. Open the command line in the platform-tools folder and type: fastboot devices If the device is determined, continue. If not, install the drivers manually.
5. To reset user data, type: fastboot erase userdata fastboot erase cache fastboot reboot

If after the phone is restarted, again requires a password from Mi Account, then the account is tied to the device at the hardware level, in which case only official unlocking or bypassing through EDL will help (see the previous section).

Reset via Recovery

Contacting the service center

Used. EDL-regime

I tried utilities (SP Flash, Xiaomi Tool)

I haven't tried unlocking yet.

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4. Unlocking the bootloader (Bootloader)

On Xiaomi phones, the bootloader is blocked by default, which prevents customized backups (such as TWRP) or alternative firmware from being firmware-free, and is officially unlocked via the Mi Unlock Tool, but requires a Mi Account binding and waiting (usually 7-15 days).

How to unlock the bootloader:

• 📱 Download Mi Unlock Tool from the official website.
• 🔗 Link your phone to Mi Account in Settings: Settings → Xiaomi account → Mi Cloud.
• 🔧 Put the debugging on. USB unlock OEM In Settings → The phone. → Version. MIUI (Press 7 times on the version to activate the developer mode).
• 💻 Connect your phone in Fastboot to your PC and launch the Mi Unlock Tool.

⚠️ Note: Once the bootloader is unlocked, all data will be deleted from the phone and the Xiaomi warranty is canceled, POCO F5) Unlocking can lead to blocking of Widevine functions L1 (lack of HD streaming).

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5 Unlocking after purchasing a used phone

Buying a Xiaomi phone from hand often turns into an unpleasant surprise - blocking the previous owner's Mi Account. If the seller has not untied the device from his account, you can only unlock it officially, providing support for Xiaomi:

• 📄 Check or sales contract.
• 📦 Phone box with IMEI.
• 📧 Letter from the seller confirming the transfer of rights (if possible).

Alternative path (risky):

If you cannot contact the seller, you can try:

1. Find out the IMEI of the phone (printed on the box or under the battery).
2. Contact Mi Account with a claim of theft/loss of the device (police report required).
3. Use paid unlock services (such as DC-Unlocker), but they do not guarantee 100% results and can be fraudulent.

On Xiaomi phones from 2023 to 2026 (for example, Redmi Note 13 Pro+), bypassing Mi Account through third-party services is almost impossible due to the hardware binding of the account to the chipset.

6. Unlocking after hardware failure (brick)

If the phone stopped turning on after an unsuccessful firmware or reset ("brick"), you will need firmware via Fastboot or EDL.

• 🖥️ Computer with Qualcomm or MediaTek drivers installed (depending on the phone processor).
• 📁 Official firmware for your model (you can download it on the Xiaomi website).
• 🔧 Utilities: Mi Flash Tool (for Qualcomm) or SP Flash Tool (for MediaTek).

Step-by-step instructions for Qualcomm devices:

1. Unpack the firmware in a folder without Cyrillic symbols.
2. Start the Mi Flash Tool, select the folder with the firmware.
3. Put the phone in. EDL-mode (this may require a special cable or closure of contacts on the board).
4. Press Refresh – the program must define the device as COM-port.
5. Select Clean All mode and press Flash.

⚠️ Attention: Firmware through EDL on phones with Snapdragon 8 chipsets+ Gen 1 (e.g. Xiaomi) 12S Ultra) may lead to blocking IMEI. In this case, you will need to restore through the service center using official Xiaomi software.

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Firmware through EDL is an extreme method. If the phone turns on even before the Mi logo, try first to reset it via Fastboot or Recovery.

7. Frequent mistakes and how to avoid them

When unlocking Xiaomi phones, users often encounter common errors, and here are the most common ways to solve them:

Another common problem is the loss of IMEI after firmware is EDL. It can be restored using an engineering menu (#4636##) or a utility like Maui META (for MediaTek), but it requires technical skills.

FAQ: Answers to popular questions