How to unlock Xiaomi phone if you forgot the password: the full guide

The situation when the screen of a smartphone turns into an impregnable fortress due to a forgotten password is familiar to many users. Owners of Xiaomi, Redmi or Poco devices often face the fact that the security mechanism designed to protect data becomes a source of headache.

Modern Android smartphones have a multi-stage security system that blocks not only menu entry but also file system access, which means simple methods like rebooting or retrieving a SIM card won’t work here, but there are a number of technical procedures to get around the lock, although some will require the complete deletion of user data.

Before you start taking action, you need to evaluate the criticality of the information stored in the memory of the device. If the photos and contacts were not synchronized with the cloud, the choice of reset method will be a compromise between access to the system and the safety of files. In this article, we will discuss in detail all legal ways to regain control of the gadget.

Using a Mi Account to reset the lock

The most civilized and safe way is to use the built-in Mi Account function. If your device has pre-signed in to your Xiaomi account and activated the Find Device function, the system allows you to remotely or directly on the lock screen to initiate a password reset, this method works only if you have an active Internet connection.

To do this, you'll need a computer or other smartphone with network access, go to the manufacturer's official cloud service portal and log in with your credentials, and then select your device from the list of available gadgets.

• 🔒 Click on the "Device Lock" icon to temporarily restrict access.
• 🗑️ Select the “Erase” option to delete the password and all memory contents.
• 🔄 Wait for the team to sync with the phone, which can take 1 to 5 minutes.
• 📱 After cleaning, the device will restart and you can configure it as new.

It's important to understand that this is a radical procedure, which brings the phone back to factory status by erasing all contacts, messages and installed applications, but it's the only way to keep the system intact without using complex engineering menus.

⚠️ Warning: Once you have done a remote reset, the phone will require you to enter the username and password from the Mi Account that was previously linked, which is a theft protection that you can't get around without the original data.

Reset via Recovery Mode Menu

If you don't have Internet access or if you don't have device search enabled, Recovery Mode comes to the rescue, a diagnostic interface that's sewn into your phone's memory at a low level, and allows you to control the system bypassing the main Android interface, and you can log in with a combination of physical buttons.

The login procedure may vary depending on the model and firmware version (MIUI or HyperOS), most often you need to turn off the device and press the volume button and power button simultaneously. Hold them until the logo appears, then release power, continuing to keep the volume.

Navigation in the Recovery menu is done with volume buttons (up/down), and the choice of item is confirmed by the power button. You need to find the Wipe Data or Clear Data section, which selects the Wipe All Data option inside.

Once confirmed, the system will start the formatting process, display the progress bar on the screen, and then prompt the phone to return to the main menu (Back to Main Menu) and select the reboot.

It is worth noting that new firmware versions in the Recovery menu may require you to enter a digital code that appears on the screen by pressing volume buttons, an additional security measure to prevent accidental reset.

Remote management through Google Find My Device

Alternative to Xiaomi branded tools are services of Google. If the locked smartphone is logged in to Google account, enabled geolocation and access to the network (Wi-Fi or mobile Internet), you can use the service "Find device".

To do this, go to google.com/android/find from any other device, log in to the same mailbox that was used on the locked phone, and the system will try to locate the gadget.

You'll have three basic features on the side menu, and we're interested in the Clean Device option, and pressing this button will send you a command to force reset to factory settings.

• 🌍 Works through an Internet browser on any device.
• 📍 Requires inclusion GPS and phone data.
• 🗑️ Completely deletes all user data without recovery.
• 🔓 Remove the screen lock along with the pattern lock.

This method is especially effective if you forget the unlock pin, but remember the password from the Gmail mail. However, as in previous cases, saving personal files is impossible.

Use of debugging by USB and ADB

For advanced users who have previously activated the developer mode and enabled USB Debugging, there is a possibility of unlocking via a computer. This method requires the presence of ADB drivers (Android Debug Bridge) and the corresponding cable.

The method is to send special commands through the command line of the computer operating system, which force the deletion of files that store the access keys. Importantly, on modern versions of Android (10 and above), this method does not always work due to the enhanced security protocols.

The algorithm of actions is as follows: connect the phone to the PC, open the command line in the folder with ADB tools and enter the command to start the shell.

adb shell rm /data/system/gesture.key

Or, to delete the password:

adb shell rm /data/system/password.key

Once you've done the command, you need to reboot the device, and if the Android version allows it, the lock will disappear, and you can set a new password, and if the system requests a password even after you delete the files, this method won't work, and you'll have to resort to a full reset.

⚠️ Note: This method requires that the computer has already been logged in to the phone before, and if you need to confirm access when you connect a cable on the phone screen (which you can't see), you won't be able to execute the commands.

Discharge through the service center and warranty cases

If none of the software methods did not help, or you are afraid to harm the device by acting on your own, there is a call to professionals. Xiaomi official service centers have special equipment for flashing devices.

Contacting the service makes sense if the phone is warranty and the problem is hardware in nature (for example, the sensor reacts with a delay, which prevents you from entering the correct password), in which case employees can diagnose and possibly save the data.

However, if the problem is only a forgotten password, service centers usually perform a paid firmware service, which also involves a complete data reset, you will need to provide a check of purchase and the device itself.

There are also private workshops that offer unlock services without losing data, and be careful: these methods often involve interference with the bootloader, which automatically voids the warranty and can lead to unstable system operation in the future.

💡

Keep your check and box away from your smartphone. Proof of purchase makes it much easier to restore access to authorized service centers, especially if FRP protection is working.

FRP protection and its impact on unlocking