How to unlock Xiaomi Mi 9T if you forget your pattern lock or password: all the working ways

Introduction

Forgetting your password or your smartphone pattern lock is a familiar situation, especially when it comes to the Xiaomi Mi 9T (also known as the Redmi K20 in some regions), where locking can become a serious problem due to the features of MIUI firmware. Unlike other brands, a standard Recovery Mode reset won’t always work here – the system may require you to enter data from the Mi Account, even if you have never tied it.

In this article, we will discuss all the current ways to unlock the Mi 9T without losing data (where possible) and with minimal risks of “bricking” the device. Importantly, the methods differ depending on whether the phone is tied to the Mi Account, whether debugging is enabled over USB (ADB), and which version of MIUI is installed. We will also warn about the hidden pitfalls that users face when trying to circumvent the lock through third-party services.

If you are reading this article on a locked phone via another device, immediately go to the Emergency Measures section, which describes actions for cases when there is no computer or cable at hand.

Preparation: What to Know Before Unblocking

Before you start resetting your password, check out a few critical points:

• 🔋 Battery charge: Make sure the phone has at least 50% charge. interruption of the process due to discharge can result in loss of all data or damage to firmware.
• 📱 Model of the device: Mi 9T It has two versions, davinci (global version) and davinciin (in India), and the unlocking methods may differ.
• 🔑 Mi Account Link: If the phone is tied to a Xiaomi account, you will need to enter your login and password after resetting via Recovery. Without them, unlocking is impossible (unless you use the workarounds, which will be discussed below).
• 🖥️ PC availability: Most reliable methods require a computer with drivers installed ADB and Fastboot.

If you don’t remember if your phone is tied to Mi Account, try entering any password 5 times in a row, then the system can show you a hint from your email account (if it was added), and check if you receive notifications about attempts to log in to emails associated with Xiaomi.

⚠️ Note: After resetting via Recovery Mode on Mi 9T s MIUI 12 and later, Factory Reset Protection may work (FRP). This means that even after the reset, the phone will require you to enter data from the last synchronized Google account.If you don't remember this data, unlocking will become more difficult.

Method 1: Unlocking with Mi Account (official method)

The safest and most recommended way for Xiaomi is to use a tied Mi Account, which works even if you forget your pattern lock or your mobile phone. PIN-code, but remember the account information.

Instructions:

1. On the lock screen, enter any password 5 times in a row, and the message will appear "Forgot the password?".
2. Click on this caption and select "Unblock via Mi Account".
3. Enter the email and password from the Xiaomi account that was linked to the phone.
4. Confirm unlocking via SMS or email (if two-factor authentication is enabled).

If you do not remember the password from Mi Account, restore it on the official website account.xiaomi.com. This will require access to the email or phone number specified during registration.

⚠️ Note: If the phone was purchased from hand, the previous owner could not delete his Mi Account, in which case unlocking through the account is impossible without his participation. Contact the seller for details or request removal of the device from his account through Xiaomi support (you will need a check or a sales contract).

Do I remember the email from Mi Account?|Is there access to a mail/phone for recovery?|The phone is connected to the Internet (Wi-Fi or mobile network)|There's enough charge on the phone.-->

Method 2: Recovery Mode (with loss of data)

If Mi Account is not tied or you don't remember the data from it, you're resetting it with Recovery Mode, which removes all the data from your phone, including photos, contacts and apps, but it works even without a computer.

Step-by-step:

1. Turn off the Mi 9T by pressing the power button for 10 seconds.
2. Press the Power button + Volume up at the same time and hold until the Mi logo appears.
3. Release the buttons and you will be taken to the Recovery Mode menu (may be in Chinese or English).
4. Use volume buttons for navigation and power buttons for selection. Select: Wipe Data → Wipe All Data → Confirm.
5. After reset, select Reboot → Reboot to System.

The phone will reboot and suggest that you configure it as new, if you previously had a Mi Account attached, you'll need to enter your Mi Account details, and if you're not tied, the device will be unlocked.

⚠️ Attention: On Mi 9T s MIUI 12.5+ After resetting via Recovery, the error "This device is locked" may appear even without the Mi Account attached. This is due to the hardware protection of eFuse. In this case, only the official Xiaomi service or Fastboot bypass will help (see Method 4).

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If the phone asks for an old password after reset, try entering 123456 or 000000 – sometimes this works due to firmware errors.

Method 3: Unlock without a computer (for MIUI 10–11)

If you don't have a PC on hand, but your phone is connected to a mobile network or Wi-Fi, you can try bypassing the lock via an emergency call, which doesn't work on all versions of MIUI, but it sometimes helps.

Instructions:

1. On the lock screen, click "Emergency Call".
2. Enter the combination: ##4636## (this is the code for the Android test menu).
3. If the menu is open, select "Usage statistics".
4. Press the badge "⋮" (three dots) in the upper right corner and select "All apps".
5. Find in the list of "Settings" and click on it.
6. Go to System → Reset options → Erase all data.

This method is unstable and depends on the firmware version. If the test menu does not open, try other combinations:

• 📞 ##7780## - Resetting settings (not always working).
• 📞 *2767*3855# — complete reset (risky, can lead to bricks!).

Method 4: Unlocking via Fastboot (for advanced users)

If previous methods have failed and Mi Account is not tied, you can try resetting via Fastboot mode.This method requires a computer with ADB and Fastboot drivers installed, as well as command line knowledge.

What you need:

• 🖥️ Computer with Windows/Linux/macOS.
• 🔌 Original. USB-cable (not cheap charging!).
• 🛠️ Utilities. ADB Fastboot (you can download from the official Android website).
• 📄 Firmware file for Mi 9T (You can download the Xiaomi Firmware Updater).

Step-by-step:

1. Turn off your phone and press the Power button + Volume down to log into Fastboot Mode.
2. Connect your phone to your computer and open the command prompt (cmd in Windows or Terminal on macOS/Linux).
3. Check that the device is determined by entering: fastboot devices should appear serial number of the phone.
4. Enter the command to unlock the bootloader (if it is locked): fastboot oem unlock Note: On some versions of MIUI, this command may not work without the Mi Account tied.
5. If the unlock is successful, run the phone with clean firmware: fastboot flash all [name file firmware].zip

After flashing the phone will be unlocked, but all data will be erased. If the bootloader is blocked and the fastboot oem unlock command does not work, official permission from Xiaomi will be required (the procedure takes up to 7 days).

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Unlocking via Fastboot is the only way to bypass the eFuse hardware protection on the Mi 9T with MIUI 12.5+, but it requires an unlocked bootloader.

Method 5: Factory Reset Protection (FRP) bypasses after resetting

If the phone requires data from a Google account (FRP protection) after resetting via Recovery, you can try to bypass it with ADB. This method does not work on all versions of MIUI, but often helps.

Instructions:

1. Connect your phone to your computer and install ADB drivers.
2. Turn it on. USB-debug via emergency menu (if possible) or use Fastboot for temporary access.
3. Open the command line and type in: adb shell am start -n com.google.android.gsf.login/ Then: adb shell am start -n com.google.android.gsf.login.LoginActivity
4. Follow the on-screen instructions to add a new Google account.

If this method does not work, try an alternative method:

• 🔧 Install the Mi program on your computer FRP Tool (available on forums) XDA Developers).
• 📥 Connect your phone in Fastboot mode and follow the program instructions.

⚠️ Attention: Use of third-party tools to bypass FRP This method can lead to blocking of Google account or damage the firmware.

What do you do if nothing helps?

If all of these methods do not work, there are two options:

1. Official Xiaomi service: 📍 Find the nearest service center on Xiaomi’s website. 📄 Bring a check or a box from your phone (to confirm ownership). 💰 The cost of unlocking: from 1000 to 3 000 rubles (depending on the region).

Self-flashing via EDL (only for power users!):

• 📥 I need an official firmware for Mi. 9T.tgz.

If the phone was purchased with hands and the previous owner did not delete the Mi Account, contact them and ask them:

• 📧 Delete your device from your account at account.xiaomi.com.
• 🔑 Provide login details (if you trust the seller).

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Before contacting the service, try contacting Xiaomi support via Twitter (@MiSupport).Sometimes they help to delete the Mi Account remotely when providing proof of purchase.

FAQ: Frequent questions about unlocking Xiaomi Mi 9T