How to unlock a Xiaomi phone if you forget your password or pattern lock

A forgotten password on a Xiaomi smartphone is a situation that even power users face, especially when the phone stores important data and access to it is suddenly closed. Fortunately, the manufacturer has provided several official and informal ways to unlock, but each of them has its own nuances.

In this article, we will discuss all the current methods, from simple sign-in via Mi Account to complex manipulations with Fastboot and ADB. You will learn how to bypass the lock on Redmi Note 12, POCO X5, Mi 11 and other models, what risks certain actions carry, and how to save data before reset. Importantly, some methods require preliminary preparation (for example, enabled debugging over USB), so read carefully!

If you’re looking for a solution for a phone with a broken screen or a broken sensor, there’s a separate section at the end of this article with instructions for such cases, and we’ll answer some of the common questions: can you unlock Xiaomi without losing data, what to do if you don’t remember the username from Mi Account, and why it asks for the old password after reset.

1 Unlocking through Mi Account (official method)

The most secure and recommended method for Xiaomi is to use a tied Mi Account, which works if:

• 📱 The phone is connected to the Internet (Wi-Fi or mobile network).
• 🔑 Remember the username and password from the Mi Account.
• 🔄 The device previously activated synchronization with Mi Cloud.

To unlock the phone:

1. On the lock screen, click Forgot Password? (or Forgot Password?).
2. Select the option to Sign in via Mi Account.
3. Enter your email/phone and password from your account.
4. Confirm your login via SMS or email (if two-factor authentication is enabled).
5. Create a new password or pattern lock.

Important: If your phone is not connected to the network, try connecting to Wi-Fi first via the Quick Settings Panel (swipe down on the lock screen). On some models (Redmi 9, POCO M3), you need to enter any password 5 times in a row - will the Forgot Password button appear?

⚠️ Note: If you haven't previously tied a Mi Account or don't remember the login details, this won't work.

2.Reset to factory settings via Recovery Mode

If you can’t log in through Mi Account, you’ll have a hard reset, which will remove all data from your phone, including photos, contacts and apps, but will return access to the device, and is suitable for all Xiaomi models, including the Redmi 10, POCO F4, Mi 11 Lite.

Instructions:

1. Turn off the phone (press the power button for 10 seconds).
2. Press the button combination: For most models: Volume up + Power. For older devices (until 2019): Volume up + Volume down + Power.

Mi

Recovery Mode

Use volume buttons for navigation and power button for selection.

Wipe Data → Wipe All Data

Factory Reset

Confirm

Reboot → Reboot to System

The phone will reboot and suggest that it be set up as new. MIUI 12 and later after the reset may require data entry from the previous Mi Account (FRP-If you don't remember them, go to the Fastboot method.

Turn off your Google Account (if you remember your password)

Backup important data (via Mi Cloud or PC)

Charge your phone at least 50%

Make sure you know the username/password from Mi Account (for FRP)

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3. Unlock via Fastboot (for advanced users)

If the reset via Recovery does not help because of FRP-lock (request old account after reset), you can try to remove the protection through the Fastboot mode.This method requires a computer with installed Xiaomi drivers and the Mi Flash Tool utility.

Step-by-step:

1. Download and install the Mi Flash Tool (the official Xiaomi website).
2. Turn off the phone and put it in Fastboot mode: Clip Volume Down + Power before the hare appears in the hat-ear (Fastboot logo).
3. Connect your phone to your PC through USB-cable (preferably original).
4. In the Mi Flash Tool, click Select and select the firmware folder for your model (download at xiaomifirmwareupdater.com).
5. Press Refresh – the program must detect the device.
6. Select Clean All mode and press Flash.
7. Wait for the process to be completed (5-10 minutes) and the phone will reboot automatically.

Warning: This method deletes all information, including data about the associated Mi Account. Once the firmware is installed, the phone will become “clean”, but there may be problems with activation (for example, a request to unlock the bootloader).

⚠️ Note: On models with a locked boot loader (Redmi Note 11, POCO X4 Before you use Fastboot, you must unlock Bootloader through the official Xiaomi Unlock Tool. This takes up to 720 hours of waiting (according to Xiaomi rules).

4.Use ADB to unlock (without data loss)

If the phone is on debugging mode USB (USB Debugging, you can try unlocking it through ADB (Android Debug Bridge, without data resetting, is suitable for devices that have previously been debugged (e.g., for developers or after manually enabling in settings).

Instructions:

1. Download and install Platform Tools (includes ADB and Fastboot).
2. Connect your phone to your PC via USB.
3. Open the command line (Win + R → cmd) and type: adb devices If the phone appears in the list, go further. If not, check the driver or cable.
4. Enter the commands alternately: adb shell su rm /data/system/gesture.key rm /data/system/password.key rm /data/system/locksettings.db rm /data/system/locksettings.db-wal rm /data/system/locksettings.db-shm reboot
5. After the reboot, the phone will be unlocked.

The process looks like this:

1. Find the nearest service center on the official website.
2. Make an appointment (sometimes a pre-registration is required).
3. Provide the phone and the documents, and the technicians will drop the security through the service utilities.
4. Wait until the end (usually 1-3 days).

The advantage of this method is that it is guaranteed without the risk of damaging the phone, the disadvantage is time and possible costs, and in some cases, the service center may refuse if the phone is purchased informally or has signs of hacking (for example, an unlocked bootloader).

6. Unlocking a phone with a broken screen or a broken sensor

If the phone's screen is broken or the sensor is not responsive to touch, unlocking is complicated, but possible.

Method 1: Connecting a mouse via OTG

• 🖱️ Buy it. OTG-adapter (USB-C Micro-USB depending on the model).
• 🔌 Put it on the phone. USB-mouse.
• 🖲️ The mouse cursor should appear on the screen – use it to enter a password or go to Recovery.

Method 2: Control over PC (Mi PC Suite)

1. Download Mi PC Suite.
2. Connect your phone to your PC via USB.
3. In the program, select Device Management → Unlock the screen (the function is not available on all models).

Method 3: Reset through hardware buttons

If the sensor is not working, but the screen is visible:

1. Restart your phone in Recovery Mode (see Section 2).
2. Use volume buttons for navigation and power button for selection.
3. Do a reset (Wipe Data).

⚠️ Warning: If the screen is completely black (no image visible) but the phone is turning on (vibrates, lights are on), try connecting it to an external monitor via a phone. USB-C to HDMI Adapter (powered by Redmi Note 10 Pro, POCO F3 Other models with DisplayPort support).

Frequent Questions (FAQ)

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If you are not sure about your actions, you should contact the service center. Wrong firmware or reset can turn the phone into a "brick" (inoperable device).