How to reset Xiaomi to factory settings if you forgot your phone password

A forgotten password on a Xiaomi smartphone is a situation that even experienced users face, especially when the device stores important data: photos, contacts or work documents. Fortunately, the manufacturer has provided several ways to unlock, even if you don’t remember the pattern lock, PIN-Password or code from your Mi Account.

In this article, we will take a look at all the current factory reset methods on Xiaomi, Redmi and POCO phones, including models with MIUI 12/13/14. You will learn how to bypass locks through Recovery Mode, Fastboot, and with the help of official tools from Xiaomi. Importantly, some methods will lead to complete data loss, so we will also tell you how to minimize the risks.

If your phone is locked but connected to the Internet, the chances of reconnecting without resetting are higher, and if your phone is disconnected, you'll have to use more radical methods, and let's start with the simplest and move on to the more complex solutions.

1. Method: Unblocking through Mi Account (if an account is linked)

The safest method is to restore access through an attached Mi Account, which works if:

• 📱 The phone is connected to a mobile network or Wi-Fi.
• 🔑 You remember the username and password from Mi Account (or you can restore them through the email/SMS).
• 🔄 Find Device has been activated in the settings.

If these conditions are met, follow the following steps:

1. Go to account.xiaomi.com from a computer or other phone.
2. Sign in to your Mi Account account.
3. Select the Find Device tab.
4. The map will show your locked smartphone. Click on it and select the option to Unlock the device.
5. Confirm the action via SMS or email.

After that, the phone unlocks and you can log in without resetting. If this method does not work (for example, there is no Internet connection), move to the next method.

2. Method: Recovery Mode reset (without data loss – only for some models)

Many users fear a hard reset due to data loss. However, on some Xiaomi models (e.g. Redmi Note 10/11, POCO X3/X4) you can try resetting only the lock settings by saving files.

Turn off the phone (press Power + Volume up for 10 seconds)

Connect the charger (the battery must be charged at least 30%)

Prepare. PIN-code SIM-Cards (if the phone requests it after resetting)

Make sure that there are no important unsaved data on the phone (for example, drafts in messengers)-->

Instructions:

1. Turn off the phone (if it is on, press the Power button for 10-15 seconds).
2. Press the combination of Loudness up + Power and hold for 5-10 seconds until the Mi logo appears.
3. Release the buttons and you will be taken to the Recovery Mode menu (may be in Chinese or English).
4. Use volume buttons for navigation and power for selection.
5. Select Wipe Data → Wipe All Data (some firmware may call Factory Reset).
6. Confirm the action by selecting Confirm or Yes.

Once rebooted, the phone will look like new. On models with MIUI 14 and Snapdragon 8 Gen 1/2 chipset (such as Xiaomi 13/13 Pro), this method may not work due to the increased protection, in which case you will need to use Fastboot.

⚠️ Note: If the device has been activated, the device protection function may be required to enter data from the previous Google account after the reset!

3. Method: Reset via Fastboot (for advanced users)

If Recovery Mode doesn’t help or the phone doesn’t even load into it, there’s still a Fastboot option, which requires a computer and ADB/Fastboot drivers installed. It’s suitable for all Xiaomi models, including Redmi 9/10, POCO F3/F4, Xiaomi 12/13.

What you need:

• 💻 Computer with Windows/Linux/macOS.
• 🔌 USB-cable (preferably original).
• 📦 Google's Platform Tools (includes fastboot).
• 🔧 Drivers for your model (you can download from the official Xiaomi website).

Step-by-step:

1. Turn off the phone.
2. Press Volume Down + Power for 5-10 seconds until the hare appears in the hat-eared (Fastboot logo).
3. Connect the phone to the computer.
4. Open the command prompt (cmd on Windows or Terminal on macOS/Linux) in the folder with Platform Tools.
5. Enter the command to check the connection: fastboot devices If the phone is determined (the serial number will appear), continue. If not, install the drivers.
6. Enter the command to reset: fastboot erase userdata fastboot erase cache fastboot reboot

The phone will reboot and be reset to factory settings, a method that is guaranteed to work on 99% of Xiaomi devices, but will delete all data, including photos, apps and settings.

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If the phone is not detected after the fastboot device command, try another one. USB-cable or port, and check if debugging is enabled USB Developer’s Settings (if the phone is working at least a little bit).

4. Method: Use of Mi Flash Tool (for "bricks")

If the phone has turned into a brick (it doesn't turn on, doesn't respond to buttons, hovers on the logo), the official Mi Flash Tool utility will help, which flashes the phone from scratch, restoring its performance.

• 📱 Devices that don’t load into Recovery or Fastboot.
• 🔄 Phones after a failed firmware update.
• 🛠 Smartphones with a damaged system (for example, after viruses).

Instructions:

1. Download the Mi Flash Tool from the official website.
2. Download the firmware for your model (choose the Fastboot version, not Recovery!).
3. Unpack the firmware in a folder without Cyrillic characters (for example, C:\Xiaomi\ROM).
4. Launch the Mi Flash Tool, press Select and specify the path to the firmware folder.
5. Connect the phone to your computer by clamping Volume Down + Power (should be in Fastboot mode).
6. In the program, press Refresh - the phone must be determined.
7. Select firmware mode: Clean All - full reset (recommended). Clean All and Lock - reset + lock bootloader (only for experienced!).

Flash

Once the firmware is in place, the phone will turn on as new, and this method is guaranteed to delete all data, but it brings the device back to life even in the most severe cases.

⚠️ Note: Firmware via the Mi Flash Tool can lead to the blocking of the Mi Account account if the phone was linked to it, in which case, after turning on, you will need to enter the username and password from the account, otherwise the phone will remain blocked!

5. Method: Bypassing the lock via EDL Mode (for power users)

EDL (Emergency Download Mode) is a firmware emergency mode used by service centers, which allows you to flash your phone even when Fastboot is not available.

• 🔧 Special cable (EDL cable) or circuits of the circuit board.
• 💻 Mi Flash Tool or QFil (for Qualcomm chips).
• 📄 Firmware in.mbn or.elf format.

Since the process is complex and risky (you can finally "kill" the phone), we will not give detailed instructions. If you are not an experienced user, you should contact the service center.

• 🔒 Blocked loader (Bootloader).
• 🚫 Damaged firmware (for example, after a failed rooting).
• 🔄 "Soft brick" (the phone vibrates but does not turn on).

6. Method: Contact the Xiaomi Service Center

If all of these methods did not help or you are afraid to drop your phone yourself, the only reliable option is to contact the official Xiaomi service center.

• 🔐 Your phone is tied to your Mi Account and you don’t remember the data.
• 🛠 The device has physical damage (for example, the screen is not working).
• 📱 The phone has a custom firmware installed and it does not load.

What needs to be done:

1. Find the nearest service center on the official website.
2. Take with you: Phone (preferably with a charge of >20%), check or box (to confirm possession), passport (may be required to unlock the account).

Describe the problem to the master. In most cases, password resets take 1-2 hours.

The cost of the service varies from 500 to 2000 rubles depending on the model and complexity, but you are guaranteed to get a working phone without the risk of damaging it yourself.

Frequent Mistakes and How to Avoid Them

When resetting Xiaomi, users often face typical problems, and here are the most common ones and ways to solve them:

1. Phone's not included in Recovery/Fastboot: Check the button combination (on some models you need to pin the volume up). + downward + Power. Connect the charger, maybe the battery has gone down. Try another one. USB-cable (a faulty cable may block entry to modes).
2. Fastboot doesn't see the phone: Install Qualcomm or MediaTek drivers depending on the processor. try another USB-port USB Disable the antivirus - it can block adb.
3. The old Google account requires a reset: This is FRP-blocking (Factory Reset Protection), to get around, you need to enter data from the previous account. If you don't remember, try to restore access through Google.
4. The phone is stuck on the logo after the firmware: Wait 10-15 minutes — the first download can be long. If it doesn't work, repeat the firmware with another version of MIUI.

If none of the tips worked, don't try to "sort" further - contact the service. Wrong actions can lead to irreversible data loss or phone failure.

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Always check the battery before resetting! If the phone runs out during the process, it can damage the firmware and "brick" the device.

FAQ: Answers to Frequent Questions