How to reset Xiaomi settings if you forget your password: the full guide

It is common for the device owner to be unable to log in because of loss of access; a pattern lock, digital code, or complex password can simply fly out of their minds after a long period of using a screen lock. Owners of Xiaomi, Redmi, and POCO smartphones often face panic, believing that data is lost forever, but modern recovery methods allow them to regain access to the gadget.

It is important to understand that the unlocking process depends on the version of the Android operating system and the version of the MIUI or HyperOS shell. On older versions of the software, there were vulnerabilities that allowed to bypass the protection without losing information, but modern security protocols require more radical measures.

Before you start taking action, you need to understand the risks and prepare tools: you may need a stable Internet connection, a Mi Account account or access to a computer to perform certain manipulations, and then we will look at all possible scenarios, from standard methods to using the engineering recovery menu.

Device preparation and important warnings

The reset procedure is an irreversible operation that erases all user data from the internal drive, which means that photos, contacts, instant messengers and installed applications will be destroyed if they were not synced with the cloud, so the first step should always be to try to remember the code or find it in the notebook, if such a possibility still exists.

If you are determined to proceed with a reset, make sure that the battery charge of the device is at least 40-50%. interruption of the reset process due to battery discharge can damage the file system and turn the smartphone into a “brick”.It is also critical to know the data from the Google account and Mi Account, which were tied to the device before locking.

⚠️ Warning: After resetting the settings will work protection FRP (Factory Reset Protection: The system will require you to enter the username and password of the Google account that was synced to the phone before locking.

To perform some methods, you may need a PC with ADB drivers installed or access to another smartphone to receive confirmation codes. Check in advance if the on button and volume buttons are working, as they are the ones that navigate the recovery menu.

Recovery Menu Reset (Hard Reset)

The most common and efficient way to reclaim access to your phone is to use Recovery mode, which is built into the device’s memory and allows you to perform system operations regardless of the state of the main operating system, and to log in, you need to turn off your smartphone completely, and then pinch the button combination.

You usually need to press the Volume Up and Power button at the same time. Hold them until the Mi logo appears, then the power button can be released while keeping the volume up. A multi-point menu will appear on the screen, which is controlled by volume buttons and selected by a short press of the power button.

• 📱 Reboot – Simple device reboot (useful if you happen to be on this menu).
• 🔧 Connect with MIAssistant – a mode for connecting to your computer and firmware via Fastboot.
• 🔄 Wipe Data – a menu item needed to completely reset settings and delete password.

Select Wipe Data and confirm the action. The system may request confirmation again or require you to enter a special code that will be displayed on the screen (for example, "Enter the word CONFIRM"). Once the process is completed successfully, the phone will prompt you to restart.

Use of Xiaomi Find Device

If your smartphone is connected to the Internet (Wi-Fi or mobile network) and you have your Mi Account activated with the device search feature enabled, you can perform a remote reset, which is convenient because it does not require physical interaction with the phone buttons if it lies somewhere within reach of the network.

To do this, go to the official i.mi.com website from any other device (computer or tablet). Log in using the same Mi ID that is configured on the locked smartphone. In the service interface, select your device from the list of available gadgets.

In the device control menu, find the Wipe Device button or Wipe Device. Once the command is confirmed, the phone will receive a signal to perform a complete reset. The device will be rebooted, all data deleted, and the screen lock is removed.

Alternative ways to find my device through Google

Google's ecosystem also provides tools to manage a locked device. If your phone has logged in to a Google account and geolocation enabled, you can use Find My Device. Go to android.com/find and log in.

Unlike older versions of Android, where you could simply change your lock password, modern versions (Android 9 and above) most often offer only the "Clear Device" feature. Press the appropriate button and the phone will be reset to factory settings remotely.

This method is especially useful if the buttons on the smartphone itself are faulty or the screen doesn't respond to touch, but the backlight and communication module are working. Once reset, you can set the phone up as new using Google Photos and Google Drive backups to recover data.

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Use the “Secure Device” feature in Google Find My Device to lock the screen with a message with your contact number if the phone is lost, not just a password forgotten.

Reset via ADB (for advanced users)

If the device has been pre-enabled to debug USB and the computer has been given permissions, you can try to delete the lock key file via the command line.This method does not require a complete data reset, but only works on older versions of Android or if root rights are available.

Connect your phone to your PC, open the command line in the ADB tool folder, and enter a command to delete the system key file.The path to the file may vary depending on the OS version, but the most commonly used command is to delete gesture.key or password.key.

adb shell rm /data/system/gesture.key


adb shell rm /data/system/password.key

Once the commands are executed, you need to restart the device, and if the method works, the phone will request a new password or unlock automatically, but on modern disk-encrypted devices, this method hardly works without an unlocked bootloader.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

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The most reliable way to avoid problems with a forgotten password in the future is to regularly back up data and write unlock codes in a safe place (a paper notebook or password manager).