How to unlock Xiaomi Mi 10: from bootloader to Mi Account

Forgot the password from Xiaomi Mi 10 or bought a used device with a tied Mi Account? Smartphone locked after a failed firmware or requires unlocking the bootloader to install custom software? In this article, current unlock methods for all scenarios, including bypassing official Xiaomi restrictions in 2026.

We'll look at 5 ways, from standard Recovery resets to advanced ADB and Mi Unlock Tool techniques, and focus on unlocking the bootloader, a key step for installing alternative firmware, all of which have been tested on Mi 10 (codenamed umi) with the latest versions of MIUI 14/15 and HyperOS.

⚠️ Important: Mi Account bypassing methods may violate Xiaomi’s user agreement. Use them only to unlock your own devices. For devices with a previous owner’s account, we recommend contacting Xiaomi Support with proof of purchase.

Why Xiaomi Mi 10 is blocked: the main reasons

Locking a smartphone isn’t always the result of a forgotten password.The Xiaomi Mi 10 may not be available for several reasons, each requiring a different approach to unlocking.

The most common scenarios:

• 🔒 A forgotten pattern lock/PIN-code is a classic situation where the user enters the wrong password too many times and the system locks the device into the device. 24–72 hour.
• 📱 Link to Mi Account – when resetting settings or firmware, the phone requires entering a login / password from the account of the previous owner (even if you reset data via Recovery).
• 🔧 Blocked bootloader – without unlocking, it is impossible to install custom software (for example, LineageOS or Pixel Experience).
• 🚨 Hardware locking is a rare case where a phone is locked after a failed repair (for example, replacing a motherboard without transferring data). EEPROM).
• 🔄 Firmware failure – after a failed update via Fastboot or Recovery, the device can hang on the Mi logo or go to Bootloop.

In 90% of cases, the problem can be solved software, but hardware locks (for example, after replacing the NFC chip or camera module) require the intervention of the service center. If your Mi 10 does not respond to charging or does not turn on at all, first check the FAQ section at the end of the article.

Method 1: Unlocking through Recovery Mode (reset to factory settings)

The easiest method is hard reset via the standard recovery menu, which is suitable if:

• ✅ You forgot your password, but you didn’t link your Mi Account to your device.
• ✅ The phone is turned on but does not accept password input (for example, after a drop or damage to the screen).
• ✅ You are ready to lose all data on the device (photos, messages, applications).

Step-by-step:

1. Turn off the phone with a long press on the power button (10-15 seconds).
2. Press the Power Button + Volume up and hold for 5-7 seconds until the Mi logo and Recovery menu appear.
3. Select a language (e.g. English) from the menu, then go to Wipe Data → Wipe All Data.
4. Confirm the action, wait for the process to be completed (it will take 1-3 minutes).
5. Choose Reboot. → Reboot to System.

⚠️ Note: If after resetting the phone requires the username / password from Mi Account, then the previous owner has linked the account.

The Mi 10 uses OrangeFox Recovery or standard MIUI Recovery depending on the firmware version. If the menu doesn't look like the screenshots on the network, don't panic - the functionality remains the same.

Method 2: Unlock the bootloader via Mi Unlock Tool

If you plan to install custom firmware (like LineageOS or Pixel Experience), you first need to unlock the bootloader. Xiaomi officially allows this, but the process requires an account and a wait.

What you need:

• 🖥️ Windows computer 7/10/11 (on macOS/Linux Mi Unlock Tool is not working).
• 🔌 Cable USB Type-C (original or high-quality).
• 📱 Mi Account Linked to Phone at least 7 Days Ago.
• 🔧 Mi Unlock Tool (Last version).

Instructions:

1. Turn on the phone Developer Mode: go to Settings → About Phone → MIUI version and tap 7 times on the build number.
2. Return to Settings → More → For developers and activate: Debugging by USB Unlock OEM (an important item!)

Connect the phone to the PC, confirm the debugging permission on the smartphone screen.

Mi Unlock Tool

Mi Account

"Wait 168 hours"

alternative

Once successfully unlocked, the bootloader will be open to custom firmware installation. Note: unlocking the bootloader resets all data on the device, including internal memory!

💡

If the Mi Unlock Tool gives you a "Couldn't unlock" error, try using the 5.5.224.24 version of the utility, which is often more stable than new releases.

Method 3: Bypassing Mi Account binding after resetting

If the phone requires data entry from the previous owner’s Mi Account after resetting via Recovery, you’ll need one of the following methods: Warning: these methods may not work on the latest versions of MIUI (especially HyperOS), as Xiaomi tightens protection.

Option 1: via Fastboot (for firmware up to MIUI 13)

1. Download the archive with Mi Account Remove Tool.
2. Unpack it in a folder with fastboot (for example, C:\platform-tools).
3. Put the phone in Fastboot mode: turn it off, then press Power + Volume down.
4. Connect to your PC and execute the command: fastboot erase frp Then: fastboot reboot

Instructions:

1. Connect your phone to your PC via USB.
2. Open the command line in the ADB folder (e.g., C:\platform-tools).
3. Follow commands in order: 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 reset, the password will be reset. If the commands don't work, try an alternative method:

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

This command will open a password change menu where you can set a new one.

Note: On some firmware, Xiaomi blocks access to su even when the bootloader is unlocked, in which case only a full reset via Recovery will help.

Method 5: Fastboot Firmware (for power users)

If the phone doesn't turn on or is stuck on the Mi logo, you can try flashing it over the Fastboot.

• 🔄 The device is in Bootloop (cyclic reboot).
• 📱 Firmware damaged after failed update.
• 🔧 You need to return stock firmware after unsuccessful experiments with custom software.

What you need:

• 🖥️ Computer with installed Xiaomi drivers.
• 🔌 Cable USB Type-C.
• 📦 Official firmware for Mi 10 (codename umi) in.tgz format from en.miui.com.
• 🛠️ The Mi Flash Tool.

Step-by-step:

1. Unpack the archive with firmware in a folder without Cyrillic characters (for example, C:\mi10_fastboot).
2. Install the Mi Flash Tool and run it on behalf of the administrator.
3. Turn your phone into Fastboot mode (Power + Volume Down).
4. Connect your phone to your PC. In the Mi Flash Tool, press Refresh, the device needs to be determined.
5. Select a folder with unpacked firmware.
6. At the bottom, select Clean All (full reset) or Clean All and Lock (reset) mode. + loader-lock).
7. Press Flash and wait until it is completed (it will take 5-10 minutes).

⚠️ Note: If you choose Clean all and lock, the bootloader will lock again and you will have to wait 7 days to unlock it (see Method 2).

Tip: If the firmware fails and you get an anti-rollback error, you're trying to install an older version of MIUI than the one on your phone, in which case you're going to download a newer firmware.

What do you do if nothing helps?

If all of these methods fail, there are three options:

1. Contact the Xiaomi Service Center. ✅ Official repairs with guarantee. ❌ Long (2-4 weeks) and expensive (3,000 to 10,000) ₽).
2. Use paid unlocking services. ✅ Quickly (1-3 days). ❌ Risk of getting scammed (check reviews!). ❌ Cost: 1,500–5,000 ₽.

• ✅ You can return 30-50% of the cost.
• ❌ Loss of device.

Before you take your phone for repair, try again:

• 🔍 Clarify the model and firmware version through Fastboot command: fastboot getvar all (look for the lines version-bootloader and version-baseband).
• 📡 Check out the XDA-Developers forums or 4PDA — Perhaps your Mi 10 revision has unique unlocking techniques.

FAQ: Frequent questions about unlocking Xiaomi Mi 10