How to Reset Your Password to Xiaomi Without Losing Data: The Complete 2026 Guide

Forgot the password from Xiaomi and fear losing photos, contacts or messages? This situation is familiar to many: according to statistics, one in five users at least once blocked their smartphone because of a lost device. PIN-Fortunately, it is possible to unlock Xiaomi without resetting data, but only if you follow proven schemes and avoid common errors.

In this article, we will discuss 5 official and informal methods that work on devices with MIUI 12-14 (including Redmi Note 12, POCO X5, Xiaomi 13T and other models). Importantly, not all methods are universal – their effectiveness depends on the firmware version, the type of lock (password, pattern lock, fingerprint) and the associated Mi Account. We will also tell you what actions lead to irretrievable data loss and how to avoid them.

1 Unblocking through Mi Account (official method)

The most reliable method, if your Xiaomi is linked to a Mi Account, is to restore access through the website, which works even when the screen is locked, but requires:

• 📱 Access to another device (PC, tablet, phone) with the Internet;
• 🔑 Login knowledge (email/phone) and password from the Mi Account;
• 🌐 Stable connection of a locked smartphone to the network (Wi-Fi or mobile Internet).

Instructions:

1. Go to account.xiaomi.com and log in.
2. In the menu, select Devices → Find your smartphone.
3. Click Find the device, then Unlock the screen.
4. Confirm the action via SMS or email.

⚠️ Note: If the device has enabled the function Data Protection Mi (in) MIUI 14), after unlocking, you may need to enter the old password to decrypt files, in which case the data will not be available until the correct code is entered.

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If you don't remember the password from your Mi Account, try to restore it through your linked email or phone number. To do this, click on the login page and follow the instructions.

2.Use of the recovery mode (Recovery Mode)

If you don’t have a Mi Account attached or you don’t remember the login details, you can try resetting your password through Recovery Mode, which is suitable for devices with a bootloader unlocked and requires minimal technical skills.

Important: on some models (Redmi 9, POCO M3), this method can lead to partial data loss (only the settings will be deleted, and the files will remain). On Xiaomi 12/13 with MIUI 14, there is a high risk of a complete reset.

Step-by-step:

1. Turn off your smartphone.
2. Press the Power Button + Volume up for 10-15 seconds at the same time until the Mi logo appears.
3. From the Recovery menu, select Wipe Data → Wipe All Data (use volume buttons for navigation, power button for confirmation).
4. Confirm the action and wait for the reboot.

Password bypass with ADB (for advanced users)

If you have USB debugging enabled on your smartphone (Settings → About Phone → MIUI → 7 times press to activate developer mode), you can reset your password via ADB (Android Debug Bridge), which works on MIUI 12-14, but requires prior preparation.

Tools required:

• 🖥️ Computer with Windows/Linux/macOS;
• 🔌 USB-cable (original);
• 🛠️ Installed drivers Xiaomi and ADB Tools.

Instructions:

1. Connect your smartphone to your PC via USB.


2. Open the command line (Windows) or the terminal (macOS/Linux).




3. Enter the commands in order:




adb shell




su




rm /data/system/gesture.key (for pattern lock)




or




rm /data/system/password.key (for PIN/password)




4.Reboot the device: reboot

⚠️ Attention: On devices with MIUI 14 and encryption FBE (File-Based Encryption: This method can result in loss of access to internal memory after rebooting. FBE safety-setting.

pattern lock|PIN-code|Password.|Fingerprint/face|I remember.-->

4 Unlock via Mi Flash Tool (for unlocked bootloader)

If previous methods fail, you can still firmware the device through the Mi Flash Tool, which is guaranteed to reset the password, but requires:

• 🔓 Unlocked bootloader (bootloader);
• 💻 Computer with Mi Flash Tool installed;
• 📄 Official firmware for your model (download at xiaomifirmwareupdater.com).

Step-by-step:

1. Download and install the Mi Flash Tool.
2. Unpack the archive with firmware in a folder without Cyrillic characters.
3. Turn off the smartphone and put it in Fastboot mode (clamp Power + Volume down).
4. Connect the device to your PC and in the Mi Flash Tool press Refresh.
5. Select the firmware folder and click Flash (select the Clean All option for a full reset or Save User Data to try saving files).

⚠️ Note: Firmware via the Mi Flash Tool with Clean All option deletes all data, including photos and apps. Save User Data option does not work on all models - check compatibility on forums before using it 4PDA or Xiaomi.EU.

Download the correct version of the firmware for your model|Install Xiaomi drivers on PC|Unlock bootloader (unlocked)|Backup of important data (if possible)|Prepare. USB-cable and charge the phone up to 50%-->

5. Alternative methods (for specific cases)

If the standard methods didn’t help, you can try informal solutions, but they are only suitable for power users:

(a) Use of TWRP (castom recovery):

By installing TWRP, you can manually delete password files (/data/system/locksettings.db). However, this method requires an unlocked bootloader and risks disrupting the system.

(b) Service code circumvention:

Some models (Redmi 5/6) have a combination of #3646633## (Engineering Mode), but newer devices have blocked this method.

(c) Contact the service centre:

If the device is enabled FRP protection and there is no access to the Mi Account, the only legal way to unlock is to contact the official Xiaomi service with purchase documents.

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Xiaomi service centers can unlock the device without losing data if you have a check or warranty card, but this method takes 3-7 days and is paid.

6. How to avoid data loss when unlocking

Even if you managed to reset your password, you still have the risk of losing your files to minimize the damage.

• 📱 Regularly sync your data with Mi Cloud (Settings) → Mi Account → Mi Cloud);
• 🔄 Use local backup (Settings) → Additionally. → Backup and reset);
• 💾 Save important files to SD-card;
• 🔐 Set up a Smart Lock (Settings) → Screen locking → Smart Lock for automatic unlocking in secure locations (e.g. at home).

⚠️ Attention: On devices with MIUI 14 and encryption FBE Even a backup in the Mi Cloud may not be available after the password is reset, in which case the data can only be restored through a full reset followed by synchronization.

If you often forget passwords, consider alternative unlocking methods:

• 👆 Fingerprint (works even when the screen is locked);
• 👤 Facial recognition (less safe but convenient);
• 🔑 Password-picture (pattern lock is easier to remember).

FAQ: Frequent questions about unlocking Xiaomi