How to unlock Xiaomi Redmi phone: from reset to bypass Mi Account

The blocked Xiaomi Redmi smartphone is a situation that thousands of users face every day. The reasons are diverse: a forgotten password, buying a used device with a previous owner's account tied, a firmware failure or even locking after failing to enter a pattern lock. Unlike other brands, Xiaomi phones have an additional layer of protection - binding to Mi Account, which complicates the unlock process but does not make it impossible.

In this article, we will look at all the ways Redmi can unlock in 2026, from official (through account restoration) to technical (using fastboot and ADB). Particular attention will be paid to bypassing Mi Account lock after resetting, the most common problem among owners of used devices, each method is accompanied by step-by-step instructions, risk warnings and recommendations for data preservation.

1 Unlocking through Mi Account (official method)

If you forget your password or pattern lock, but remember your Mi Account (mail and password), this method is the fastest and most secure. Xiaomi provides an official tool to restore access without losing data.

The procedure works on all Redmi models (including Redmi Note 12 Pro+, Redmi 10C, POCO X5, etc.) if:

• 📧 Device connected to the Internet (Wi-Fi or mobile network).
• 🔒 The phone is synchronized with Mi Account.
• 📱 The lock screen is not damaged (sensor is working).

Instructions:

1. On the lock screen, click Forgot Password? (or Forgot Password?).
2. Choose the recovery method: by SMS (if the number is tied) or through Mi Account.
3. Enter the email address associated with your account and follow the instructions in the email from Xiaomi.
4. After confirmation, create a new password or pattern lock.

⚠️ Note: If the phone was purchased from hand and tied to someone else's Mi Account, this method will not work, in which case you will need to contact the previous owner to untie the device or use alternative methods (see section 4).

2. Hard Reset (reset to factory settings)

Hard Reset is a versatile unlocking method that works on any Redmi, but has a critical drawback: once reset, the device can require data input from the previous Mi Account.This is due to the Mi Cloud Activation Lock feature, similar to Apple's "Find My iPhone."

When to apply Hard Reset:

• 🔄 You forgot your password and don’t remember your Mi Account.
• 📦 New (not used) phone and not tied to someone else's account.
• 💾 Ready to lose all data on the device.

Instructions for Redmi with physical buttons (e.g. Redmi 9A, Redmi Note 11):

1. Turn off the phone with a long press of the power button.
2. Press Volume Up + Power at the same time and hold for 10-15 seconds until the Mi logo appears.
3. In the Recovery menu, select Wipe Data (use volume buttons for navigation, power for confirmation).
4. Confirm the reset by selecting Confirm.
5. After completion, select Reboot.

For models without physical buttons (e.g. Redmi K60):

• Connect your phone to your PC via USB.
• Press Volume Down + Power for 10 seconds to log in to Fastboot.
• In the PC command line, type: fastboot oem edl Then: fastboot flashing unlock

⚠️ Note: On devices with MediaTek chip (e.g. Redmi) 10A) After Hard Reset, you may see an error "This device is locked" in which case you will need to officially unlock through Xiaomi Unlock Tool (see section 5).

3. Unlock through ADB (for advanced users)

If the phone has USB debugging enabled and access to a PC, you can delete the password file via ADB (Android Debug Bridge), a method that is suitable for unlocking Redmi without losing data, but requires prior preparation.

Conditions for using ADB:

• 🖥️ The PC has installed Xiaomi drivers and ADB Tools.
• 🔌 Debugging by USB was enabled prior to blocking (in Settings) → The phone. → Version. MIUI 7 times to activate the developer mode).
• 📡 The phone is determined by the PC in mode MTP or PTP.

Step-by-step:

1. Connect Redmi to your PC via USB.
2. Open the command line (Win + R → cmd) and type: adb devices If the device appears in the list, go further.
3. Enter the commands in turn: 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

After the restart, the phone unlocks, but may require you to reconfigure the pattern lock. If the commands do not work, try an alternative:

adb shell am start -n com.android.settings/.ChooseLockGeneric

⚠️ Attention: On devices with MIUI 13/14 Xiaomi blocks access to system files through ADB. In this case, the method may not work and you will need to use Fastboot (section). 5).

4.Backpassing Mi Account lock after reset

The most difficult situation is when, after Hard Reset, the phone requires data entry from the previous Mi Account, which is due to the Mi Cloud Activation Lock feature that Xiaomi has implemented to protect against theft, which is legally circumvented only in two cases:

• 📄 You have a check or document confirming the purchase of the device (you can contact Xiaomi for support).
• 🤝 Previous owner ready to untie the device via account.xiaomi.com.

If these options are not available, informal methods remain that require technical skills:

The most reliable way through EDL Mode:

1. Download the firmware for your model from the Xiaomi Firmware Updater website.
2. Install the Qualcomm HS-USB QDLoader 9008 (for Snapdragon) or MediaTek Preloader (for MTK).
3. Connect your phone to your PC in EDL mode (this may require short circuiting test points on the board).
4. Swipe your device through the Mi Flash Tool with the Clean All option.

💡

If you are not sure about your skills, contact the service center with a request to flash your phone through EDL. The cost of the service is from 1000 to 3000 rubles, depending on the model.

5. Official Unlocking through Xiaomi Unlock Tool

Xiaomi provides the official tool for unlocking the bootloader - Mi Unlock Tool.It allows you to reset the binding to the Mi Account, but has limitations:

• ⏳ You need to wait 7-15 days after linking your account to your device.
• 📱 The phone should be in Fastboot mode.
• 🔗 I need it. SIM-The card used in the first setup.

Instructions:

1. Download the Mi Unlock Tool and install it on PC.
2. Log in to your Mi Account in the tool.
3. Connect Redmi in Fastboot mode (clip Volume Down + Power).
4. Press Unlock and wait for the process to be completed.

If the tool is running a "Couldn't unlock" error, check:

• 🔌 Cable USB (must support the transmission of data).
• 🔒 Account status (must not be blocked).
• ⏱️ Waiting time (if new, wait 168 hours).

💡

Mi Unlock Tool only works on official firmware. If the phone was stitched with custom software, return the stock MIUI first.

6. Alternative methods and service centers

If none of the above methods worked, there are two options:

1. Contact the service center Xiaomi - official centers can unlock the device on the purchase documents. the cost of the service: from 1500 rubles.
2. Use of paid services - there are services for remote unlocking Mi Account (for example, through DC Unlocker or Octoplus) on the Internet.

Advantages of the service center:

• 🛡️ Work guarantee (if the center is authorized).
• 🔧 Conservation IMEI and serial number.
• 📄 The ability to unlock the check without the data of the previous owner.

Risks of informal services:

• 🔒 Possible lock of Xiaomi device after hacking detection.

⚠️ Warning: Forums often offer "free" ways to bypass Mi Accounts through patch firmware boot.img or vendor.img. These methods can lead to total loss. IMEI or lock the bootloader (error "Device is corrupted").

7.How to avoid blocking in the future

To avoid the problem of blocked Redmi, follow the simple rules:

• 🔐 Use it. PIN-code instead of a pattern lock (it is easier to restore).
• 📧 Link two emails and a phone number to Mi Account.
• 🔄 Make backups regularly through Settings → Additionally. → Backup.
• 📱 Before selling the phone must: Reset settings (Settings) → Untie the device from Mi Account at account.xiaomi.com.

If you are buying a Redmi, check out:

• 🔍 Mi Account Status: Ask the Seller to log out of your account.
• 📋 Availability of a check or box (to confirm legality).
• 🔋 Battery status (C Settings) → Battery status).

💡

Starting with MIUI 14, Xiaomi introduced an additional reset check, which can now request a password from the last Wi-Fi network used. Remember or write down this information!

FAQ: Frequent questions about unlocking Xiaomi Redmi