How to unlock Xiaomi Redmi Note 9 if you forget your graphical password: all working ways

Forgetting a graphical password on a smartphone is a difficult situation, but it is not a hopeless one, especially if we are talking about the popular Xiaomi Redmi Note 9 model, where the manufacturer has provided several ways to restore access. The main thing is not to panic or try to guess the combination hundreds of times: after 5-10 unsuccessful attempts, the system can lock the device for 30 minutes or even require you to enter data from your Mi Account account.

In this article, we’ll look at all the current unlocking methods, from the simplest (via a Xiaomi account) to the most radical (full reset via Fastboot). Importantly, not all methods will save your data. For example, resetting via Recovery will delete all information from internal memory, including photos, contacts and messages. So before you start, try to remember whether your data is synced with the Mi Cloud or Google cloud.

If you're not sure about your abilities, you should go to Xiaomi's service center, but most users do it on their own, following our instructions, and we'll start with the safest method.

1 Unlocking through Mi Account (if the phone is linked to the account)

This is the most reliable and secure way if you remember the username and password from your Mi Account, and it works even after multiple failed attempts to enter a pattern lock when the system requires authorization.

After 5-10 incorrect attempts to enter a password, the lock screen will appear on the button Forgot the password? or Unblock via Mi Account.

• 📱 Enter the email or phone number associated with your Mi Account.
• 🔑 Get the confirmation code by SMS or by post (depending on the settings).
• 🔓 Enter the code in the appropriate field – the phone will unlock automatically.

If the buttons Forgot the password? no, try entering the pattern lock incorrectly 5 times in a row - it should appear. This method does not delete data from the phone and takes no more than 2-3 minutes.

⚠️ Note: If you don't remember the Mi Account data or the phone isn't tied to your account, this won't work. Don't try to guess the password - after 10 failed attempts, the device can lock for a day.

2. Reset your graphical password via Find Device (Mi Cloud)

If you have access to a computer or other phone, you can try unlocking the Redmi Note 9 via Xiaomi’s Find Device service, which only works if:

• 🔄 The phone is connected to the Internet (via mobile network or Wi-Fi).
• 📍 Find Device has been activated in settings (Settings) → Mi Account → Find Device).
• 🔐 You remember the data from the Mi Account tied to the device.

Instructions:

1. Go to i.mi.com from any device.
2. Sign in with your Mi Account.
3. From the menu, select Find Device → find your Redmi Note 9 in the list.
4. Press Unlock and confirm the action.

After 1-2 minutes, the phone should unlock automatically, and if this does not happen, check the Internet connection on your smartphone or try again.

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If Find Device is disabled but your phone is connected to Wi-Fi, try sending an SMS to it with the find command (without quotes), sometimes this works to start a search for the device.

3. Unlock via Recovery Mode (reset to factory settings)

If the previous methods didn't work, you'll have to resort to a hard reset through Recovery Mode, which removes all data from your phone, including apps, photos and settings, and only use it as a last resort!

Instructions for Xiaomi Redmi Note 9:

1. Turn off the phone (press the power button for 10 seconds).
2. Press the Power button + Volume up at the same time and hold for 10-15 seconds until the Mi logo appears.
3. Release the buttons and you will be taken to the Recovery menu.
4. Use volume buttons for navigation and power button for selection.
5. Select Wipe Data → Wipe All Data.
6. Confirm the action and wait for the process to be completed.
7. Restart the phone (Reboot).

Once rebooted, the phone will be like new, without a password, but without your data, and if you sync your contacts with Google or Mi Cloud, they can be restored after you log in.

⚠️ Note: Some Xiaomi firmware may require data entry from Mi Account, which was previously linked to the phone, after resetting via Recovery. If you don’t remember it, the phone will turn into a brick).

Turn off the phone.

Slam Power + Volume Up

Wait for the Mi logo

Select Wipe Data

Confirm the reset

Reset the device-->

4. Unlock via Fastboot (for advanced users)

If resetting through Recovery doesn't work (for example, because of the Mi Account binding), the most radical method is Fastboot firmware, USB-cable and basic knowledge of working with ADB and Fastboot.

You'll need:

• 💻 Computer with Windows/Linux/Mac.
• 🔌 Original. USB-cable (better than the one that came with the kit).
• 📥 Firmware for Redmi Note 9 (you can download on the official website of Xiaomi).
• 🛠 Mi Flash Tools and Drivers ADB.

Step-by-step:

1. Install the ADB and Mi Flash Tool drivers on your computer.
2. Turn off your phone and turn it into Fastboot mode: press Power + Volume Down for 10 seconds.
3. Connect your phone to your computer via USB.
4. Start the Mi Flash Tool, select the downloaded firmware (.tgz format).
5. Press Refresh – the program must detect the device.
6. Select Clean All mode and press Flash.
7. Wait for the process to complete (5-10 minutes) and restart the phone.

Once firmware is in place, the phone will be completely clean, lock-free and data-free, a method that is guaranteed to work, but requires caution: wrong actions can cause the device to break down.

5. Alternative methods (without loss of data)

If you don't want to lose data, you can try to bypass the lock with special utilities or debugging features, which don't always work on new firmware, but sometimes they do.

Method 1: ADB (if USB debugging is enabled)

If the phone has previously been activated by USB Debugging (Settings → About Phone → MIUI Version → 7 times press to unlock the developer options), you can try to delete the file with the password through ADB.

adb shell


su




rm /data/system/gesture.key




rm /data/system/locksettings.db




rm /data/system/locksettings.db-wal




rm /data/system/locksettings.db-shm




reboot

Once you reboot, the graphical password has to reset, and if the debugging hasn't been enabled, it won't work.

Method 2: Safe Mode (Safe Mode)

On some MIUI firmware, you can boot into Safe Mode and uninstall the application responsible for blocking.

1. Press the power button before the off menu appears.
2. Hold your finger to Turn off – you will be prompted to switch to Safe Mode.
3. Confirm and wait for the download.
4. In Safe Mode, try to remove or disable the Screen Lock app (if it is on the list).

This method rarely works, but if you’re lucky, you can unlock your phone without resetting.

6. What should I do if nothing helps?

If none of these methods work, you have three options:

• 🔧 Contact the Xiaomi service center, official centers can unlock the phone on the documents (passport) + check for purchase. The cost of the service is from 500 to 2000 rubles.
• 🛒 Buying a box to unlock (like a UFi Box or Medusa Pro) is expensive (from 10,000 rubles), but if you repair phones, it pays off.
• 📱 Sell the phone as a used part and buy a new one. The price of a locked Redmi Note 9 is about 30-50% of the market.

Before you bring your phone to the service, check if you have backup codes from Mi Account (sometimes they come to the mail when you sign up) or backups from Google Drive/Mi Cloud.

⚠️ Warning: Don't trust "masters" who promise to unlock your phone in 5 minutes through "secret commands": Often these are scammers who will just drop the phone through Fastboot and charge you for 10 minutes of work. Xiaomi’s official service centers never ask for an advance payment for unlocking.

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If your phone is locked because of multiple misentry of your password, don’t rush to reset it via Recovery.Try to wait 24 hours – sometimes the lock is automatically removed.

FAQ: Frequent questions about unlocking Redmi Note 9