How to unlock Xiaomi Redmi 5 if you forget the pattern lock: the complete guide

Forgot the pattern lock on Xiaomi Redmi 5 and can't unlock your phone? The situation is familiar to many: you put a simple pattern for convenience, and a month later the device is locked after unsuccessful attempts to enter. Or worse, the phone fell into the hands of a child who accidentally blocked the screen. Fortunately, there are several ways to regain access to the smartphone without losing data (or with minimal losses).

In this article, we will discuss all the current methods of unlocking Redmi 5, from the simplest (via Mi Account) to radical (full reset via Fastboot). Importantly, not all methods will work if the phone is disconnected or the Xiaomi account is not tied. We will also explain how to avoid blocking in the future and what to do if standard methods do not work.

⚠️ Warning: Some methods (e.g., Recovery reset) result in deleting all data on the phone.If Redmi 5 stores important files, try ways to avoid losing information first.

Before you start, check:

🔋 Battery level (must be at least 30% to avoid switching off during the procedure).
📶 Internet access on your phone (via Wi-Fi or mobile network).
📱 Is your Mi Account linked to your device (if so, it will take 5 minutes to unlock).

📊 How often do you forget the pattern lock?

Never.

Once a year.

More than once every six months.

I'm not putting the pattern on anymore.

1 Unlocking through Mi Account (the fastest way)

If your Redmi 5 is tied to a Xiaomi account, this method will work 90% of the time, and the main condition is that the phone must be connected to the Internet (via Wi-Fi or mobile network).

After 5 failed attempts to enter the pattern lock, the "Forgot pattern" button will appear on the screen. Click on it and the system will prompt you to enter the Mi Account (email and password) data. After successful authorization, the phone will unlock and the old pattern will reset.

⚠️ Note: If you do not remember the data from your Xiaomi account, restore it in advance on account.xiaomi.com. Without access to the mail or phone number associated with the account, this method will not work.

✅ Pros: Quickly (2-3 minutes), does not require technical skills, data is not deleted.
❌ Cons: Works only if you have the Internet and a linked account.

💡

If the button "Forgot your password?" does not appear, try to enter the pattern at random 5 times in a row - the system will necessarily offer an alternative way of login.

2 Unlocking by call (if any) SIM-map)

This method is suitable if the Redmi 5 is installed. SIM-It's a card, and you can call the phone from another device. MIUI, But it's worth a try:

From another phone, call the blocked Redmi 5.
Take the call, then immediately press the Home button (or swipe up if gesture control is used).
If you are lucky, you will be on the main screen without the lock.
Go to Settings → Passwords and Security → Lock the screen and turn off the pattern lock.

⚠️ Attention: On new versions MIUI 12+ This bug has been fixed, and it may not work, and remember that when you unlock it, you should immediately change the way you protect the screen to a more reliable way (for example, if you use this method, PIN-code).

Xiaomi regularly closes these loopholes in updates, so if you have the latest firmware installed, the chances of success are minimal, but on Redmi 5 with MIUI 9-11, this method sometimes still works.

Why did this work on new versions of MIUI?

In MIUI 12 and higher, Xiaomi has strengthened protection against bypassing locks through calls and notifications. Now, when calling in, the lock screen remains active, and access to the main menu without unlocking is impossible.

3. Resetting the pattern lock via ADB (without loss of data)

If previous methods failed, but the phone has USB debugging enabled, you can delete the file with the pattern lock via ADB (Android Debug Bridge), which saves all the data but requires pre-preparation.

You'll need:

🖥️ Computer with installed Xiaomi drivers and tool ADB.
🔌 USB-cable (preferably original).
⚙️ Included debugging by USB on the phone (if not on - the method is not suitable).

Instructions:

Connect Redmi 5 to your computer via USB.
Open the command line (Windows) or terminal (macOS/Linux) and type in: adb shell rm /data/system/gesture.key reboot
The phone will reboot and the screen lock will reset.

⚠️ Attention: If debugging is on USB It wasn't enabled in advance, it won't work, and on some firmwares, the path to the file may be different (e.g., the file path, /data/system/locksettings.db).

Install Xiaomi drivers on PC| Download ADB Tools (platform-tools)|Enable USB debugging on your phone (if possible)|Connect your phone to your PC with the original cable-->

4. Hard Reset via Recovery Mode (full reset)

If none of the previous methods worked, the radical method is hard reset via Recovery Mode, which will delete all data on the phone, including photos, contacts and apps, but will return access to the device.

Instructions for Xiaomi Redmi 5:

Turn off the phone (press the power button for 10 seconds).
Press the Power + Volume buttons up at the same time and hold for 10-15 seconds until the Mi logo appears.
In the Recovery menu, select the language (if there is one), then: 📱 Select "Wipe Data" (or "Clear Data"). 🔄 Confirm the reset (usually with the Yes button"). 🔙 Reboot the phone ("Reboot").

After the reboot, Redmi 5 will be like new – you will need to reconfigure the language, connect to Wi-Fi and log into your Google account (if it was tied).

⚠️ Note: On some versions MIUI After the reset, you may need to enter data from Mi Account, which was tied to the phone earlier.If you do not remember the username / password, it will be impossible to unlock the device without an official unlock through Xiaomi.

Unlocking method	Are the data stored?	Need the Internet?	Difficulty
Through the Mi Account.	✅ Yes.	✅ Yes.	⭐ Easy.
Through the bell	✅ Yes.	❌ No.	⭐⭐ Middle-Average
Through ADB	✅ Yes.	❌ No.	⭐⭐⭐ Hardly.
Hard Reset	❌ No.	❌ No.	⭐ Easy.
Through Fastboot.	❌ No.	❌ No.	⭐⭐⭐⭐ Very difficult.

5. Unlock via Fastboot (for power users)

If Recovery Mode is not available or the phone does not respond to buttons, you can try resetting via Fastboot.This method requires a computer and knowledge of the command line.

What you need:

🖥️ Computer with installed ADB and Fastboot.
🔌 Original. USB-cable.
📥 Firmware for Redmi 5 (you can download it at xiaomifirmwareupdater.com).

Instructions:

Turn off the phone and press Power + Volume down to log into Fastboot Mode.
Connect Redmi 5 to your computer and open the command line.
Enter the command to unlock the bootloader (if it is blocked): fastboot oem unlock On some versions of MIUI, this command may require confirmation through Mi Account.
Switch your phone with standard firmware: fastboot flash all [name file firmware.zip]
Reboot the device: fastboot reboot

⚠️ Attention: Unlocking the bootloader via fastboot oem unlock can result in a reset of all data and a requirement to enter the Mi Account after the reboot. Also, new Xiaomi devices require official permission to unlock (via the Xiaomi website).

💡

Fastboot reset is the most reliable way to unlock, but it deletes all data and requires technical skills. Use it only if other methods have failed.

6.Official Unlocking Through Xiaomi Service Center

If you don't succeed in unlocking yourself, you just have to go to the official Xiaomi service center, which is the safest, but also the longest way.

📌 Conditions for official unblocking:

🔧 The unlocking process:

⚠️ Note: Official unlocking can cost anywhere from 500 to 2000 rubles (depending on the region and the policy of the service center.

💡 Tip: Before visiting the service center, back up important data (if the phone is at least somehow responsive to the connection to the PC). ADB pull /sdcard/.

7.How to avoid blocking in the future

To avoid the problem of a forgotten pattern lock, follow these tips:

🔐 Use it. PIN-code instead of a pattern lock – it is more difficult to forget, and enter not much longer.
📝 Write backup unlock codes (for example, in a notebook or password manager).
🔄 Regularly back up data through Settings → Additionally. → Backup.
📱 Link Mi Account to your phone – it will make it easier to unlock in the future.
🔧 Put the debugging on. USB (In Settings → The phone. → Version. MIUI Press 7 times, then return to Additional → For developers).

💡 Useful Lifehack: If you’re afraid to forget your pattern lock, take a screenshot of the lock screen (with the pattern already entered) and save it to the cloud (for example, Google Drive or Mi Cloud!

FAQ: Frequent questions about unlocking Redmi 5

❓ Can you unlock Redmi 5 without losing data?

Yes, if you have USB debugging enabled on your phone or you have Mi Account tied, in which case you can use ADB or restore through your Xiaomi account without resetting your data, and if you have debugging disabled and you don't have access to your account, you'll have to do Hard Reset, which will delete all the files.

❓ What to do if you need a Mi Account after reset?

This means that the phone has activated the Mi Cloud Lock function. To unlock the device, you need to enter data from the Xiaomi account that was linked to the phone. If you do not remember the username / password, restore it to account.xiaomi.com. In extreme cases, contact the service center with documents on the phone.

❓ Why does not unlock the phone through a call?

Your Redmi 5 probably has a new version of MIUI (12 or higher) that fixes the bug, and it may not work if your phone has disabled call notifications or is running a third-party firmware.

❓ Can I unlock Redmi 5 with my Google Account?

No, Xiaomi devices (unlike many other Android smartphones) don’t have the ability to unlock through Google Account.

❓ How much does it cost to unlock in the service center?

The cost depends on the region and the policy of the service center, the average price varies from 500 to 2000 rubles. In some cases, unlocking can be free if the phone is guaranteed and you provide a check.