How to unlock the blocked Xiaomi Redmi 9: from PIN-code to the Mi Account

Xiaomi Redmi 9 is one of the most popular budget smartphones, but even it is not immune to lock. Have you forgotten the pattern lock? bought a used phone with a tied Mi-account of the previous owner? Or the device was locked after a failed update? In this article, we will analyze all the current ways of unlocking, from official to technical, taking into account the features of the firmware Redmi 9 (codenamed lancelot).

It's important to understand that the method of unlocking depends on the type of lock.

• 🔒 Forgotten PIN/Password/pattern lock – Locking the screen;
• 📱 Mi Account – Linked to Xiaomi account (including Find Device);
• 🔄 Soft-brick – the phone does not boot after firmware;
• 🚫 Hard-brick – Full Brick (not responsive to buttons).

We're going to focus on the first two cases, because they're 90 percent of the time, and the Redmi 9 with the MediaTek Helio G80 and the MIUI 12+ has its own nuances, and we'll take them into account.

1 Unblocking through Mi-account (official method)

If the phone is locked due to being tied to a Mi Account (for example, after resetting or buying a used device), the first step is to try the official method. Xiaomi provides a tool to unlock, but with limitations:

⚠️ Note: Official unlocking is only possible if:

• 📌 You have access to email/phone-linked;
• 📌 The phone was not stolen (check by phone). IMEI on imei.info);
• 📌 Since the last activity has been no more than 30 days.

Instructions:

1. Go to the Mi Account website and log in.
2. In the Devices section, find your Redmi 9 (by model or IMEI).
3. Click Delete Device → Confirm the action via SMS/email.
4. Connect your phone to Wi-Fi, enter your account details - the lock will be removed.

If your account is not yours (e.g., a handheld phone), contact the previous owner.Since 2023, Xiaomi has been blocking unlocking through support without proof of purchase (check, contract).

2. Recovery Mode reset (if the PIN/password is forgotten)

If you have forgotten the pattern lock or PIN-code, but the phone is not tied to the Mi Account, you can do hard reset using Recovery Mode.

For Redmi 9, the procedure looks like this:

1. Turn off the phone (press Power + Volume up for 10 seconds).
2. Press Power + Volume up until the Mi logo appears.
3. From the Recovery menu, select Wipe Data → Wipe All Data.
4. Confirm the action and wait for the reboot.

⚠️ Attention: Redmi 9s MIUI 13+ After the reset, you may need to enter your Mi Account data if it was previously linked!

Turn off the phone from charging

Make sure the battery is at least 30% charged

Prepare original USB-cable (in case of errors)

Download the Mi Flash Tool (if you need firmware)

-->

3. Unlock via Fastboot (for power users)

If resetting via Recovery doesn't help (for example, due to linking to a Mi Account), you can try flashing your phone through Fastboot, USB-cable and basic knowledge of working with ADB/Fastboot.

Step-by-step:

1. Download the Mi Flash Tool and the firmware for Redmi 9 (lancelot).
2. Install Xiaomi drivers on PC (for example, through Xiaomi ADB/Fastboot Tools).
3. Turn the phone into Fastboot mode: (a) Turn off the device; (b) Press Power + Volume down until the hare appears in the eardress cap.
4. Connect your phone to your PC and start the Mi Flash Tool.
5. Select the downloaded firmware (.tgz format) and press Flash.

Important: If the bootloader is locked, you need to unlock it before the firmware through the official Xiaomi tool. This takes up to 72 hours of waiting!

💡

Before you run your Fastboot firmware, check the phone model with the command fastboot getvar product. For Redmi 9, the answer should be lancelot - otherwise the firmware will "brick" the device.

4. bypassing the blocking of the Mi Account through EDL Mode (risky method)

If the phone is locked on the Mi-account, and the official methods do not help, some users resort to the use of the phone. EDL-This method allows you to flash the phone without any locks, but has serious risks:

• 🔧 Requires an authorized Xiaomi account (or paid services like Mi Flash Pro);
• 💻 Qualcomm 9008 drivers are needed (for Redmi 9 with MediaTek chipset – driver) MTK VCOM);
• ⚠️ The probability of “bricking” – up to 20% with incorrect actions.

A brief guide (for experienced users only!):

1. Download Mi Flash Pro or What to Do After EDL If the phone doesn't turn on, if it's through the firmware EDL Redmi 9 does not respond to buttons, try: 1. Connect to charge at 10+ minutes (sometimes helps with a discharged battery). 2. + Volume up 30.+ Seconds (forced rebuke). 3. Repeat firmware with another version MIUI (If nothing works, it is hard-brick and will require repairs at the service center (replacement of hamtz or flashing through the programmer). 5. Alternative methods: from SIM-If none of the above has worked, consider these options: 📞 Contact Xiaomi Service Center – Official centers can unlock the phone on the purchase check (cost) ~1500–3000 ₽). 🔄 Replacing the motherboard is a radical method if the lock is hardware-related (for example, after theft). 📱 Use of the SIM-Previous owner’s card – sometimes helps bypass the Mi Account lock (if the phone is tied to the number). 🛠️ Resistor soldering on board - an extreme method for EDL, Redmi 9 also has paid online services (e.g. DC-Unlocker or Mi Account Remover), but their reliability is questionable. The average cost of the service is 500-1500. ₽, But there's a risk of fraud. 💡If the phone is bought by hand and locked in a Mi Account, the only legal way to unlock it is to contact the previous owner (EDL, Firmware, services) are either illegal or risky. 6. How to avoid blocking in the future To avoid facing Redmi 9 lock again, follow these tips: 🔐 Disable Mi Account binding in Settings → Accounts. → Mi Account → Delete the account. 📱 Use Smart Lock (unlock by Bluetooth device or location). 🔄 Regularly do backups through Settings → System system → Backup. 🔧 Do not install custom firmware without unlocking the bootloader.It is also useful to know: 9 s MIUI 14+ Restore access – you can unlock the phone through SMS If you're selling a phone, make sure to make Wipe Data in Recovery before handing over the device to a new owner. FAQ: Frequent questions about unlocking Redmi 9 Can I unlock Redmi? 9 No, not if it's about locking the screen (PIN/The only way to get around this without resetting is if you have debugging enabled. USB (ADB) You can connect to your phone via a PC, otherwise it's erased. How much does it cost to officially unlock your Mi Account at the service center? Cost depends on the region and the reason for blocking: Unlocking by check purchase - free (if the phone is purchased officially); Unlock without a check - 1500-3000 ₽; Replacement of the board (with hardware lock) – 5000-8000 ₽. What to do if the phone does not turn on after firmware through Fastboot? Probable reasons and solutions: Wrong firmware - download the version specifically for lancelot (Redmi 9); Battery is dead - connect to charging at 15+ Closed bootloader – unlock it through the official tool; Firmware error – repeat the process with another version MIUI. If the phone doesn't respond at all (no vibration, no light) it's a hard-brick and you'll need a programmer (like EasyJTAG). Can you unlock Redmi 9 through an engineering menu? No, the engineering menu (#4636##) doesn't include features to reset the screen lock or Mi Account. It's designed to diagnose network, battery and sensors. How do you check if the bootloader is unlocked on Redmi 9? Transfer the phone to Fastboot (press Power + Volume down) and connect to a PC. Enter the command: fastboot oem device-info If the answer has a line Device unlocked: true - bootloader unlocked.