Xiaomi Redmi 3S β One of the brand's most popular budget smartphones, but even it's not immune to the problem of a forgotten password, PIN-code or digital password, and now you can't unlock your device, don't panic. In this article, we'll look at all the current ways to reset your password on Redmi. 3S, including official methods through Mi Account and alternative solutions for cases where the account is unlinked or unavailable.
Itβs important to understand that unlocking depends on several factors: whether your smartphone is tied to your Xiaomi account, whether USB debugging is enabled, whether custom firmware is installed. Weβll look at options for different scenarios, from the simplest (if you remember the data from Mi Account) to the most complex (if the phone is completely locked), and youβll learn how to avoid data loss and what to do if the smartphone requires confirmation after a reset.
1 Unlocking through Mi Account (official method)
If your Redmi 3S is tied to a Xiaomi account, itβs the fastest and safest way to unlock, and it works even without access to your phone β just a computer or other device with the Internet.
Here's how to do it:
- π Go to account.xiaomi.com and log in with the same account you used on your smartphone.
- π± In the Devices section, find your Redmi. 3S (It can be displayed as land - encoding the model).
- π Press Find the device. β Unlock. The system will send a command to the smartphone, and in 5-10 minutes the lock will be removed.
An important caveat: if your phone has lost mobile internet or Wi-Fi, this method will not work, and note that once unlocked, you may need to re-enter your Mi Account password when you first turn on.
β οΈ Note: If you have previously changed your Mi Account password but havenβt updated it on your smartphone, unlocking through the site may not work.
2. Reset password via Recovery Mode (without loss of data)
If Mi Account is lost but USB debugging is enabled on your smartphone, you can try resetting your password via Recovery without completely resetting your settings.This method is suitable for Redmi 3S with official MIUI firmware (not custom!).
Instructions:
- Turn off the smartphone with a long press of the power button.
- Press Volume Up + Power at the same time and hold for 10-15 seconds until the Mi logo and Recovery menu appear.
- With volume buttons, select Connect with MiAssistant (on some versions β Advanced β Disable Mi Cloud).
- Connect your smartphone to your computer via USB and use the Mi Flash Tool or ADB tool to send a password reset command.
This will require you to enter in the command line (on PC):
adb shell rm /data/system/gesture.keyAfter the reboot, the pattern lock or PIN will be reset.
β οΈ Note: On some versions MIUI After this procedure, you may need to enter a password from Mi Account due to security FRP (Factory Reset Protection. If you don't remember it, you'll have to do a full reset.
Turn off the phone.|Hold the Loud up. + Nutrition|Connect USB-plug-in|Install drivers ADB (unless)-->
3. Full reset to factory settings (Hard Reset)
If previous methods didnβt work, the radical way is to completely reset the phone through Recovery, which will delete all the data on the phone, including photos, contacts and apps, but is guaranteed to unlock the device.
Step-by-step:
- Turn off Redmi 3S.
- Press Volume Up + Power until the Recovery menu appears.
- Select Wipe Data β Wipe All Data.
- Confirm the action by choosing Confirm.
- Once completed, select Reboot to reboot.
It takes 2-5 minutes. Once you reboot, the smartphone will be like a new one, and you'll need an initial setup.
| Unlocking method | Mi Account required | Data retained | Difficulty |
|---|---|---|---|
| Through the Mi Account website | β Yes. | β Yes. | β |
| Recovery (no reset) | β No. | β Yes. | βββ |
| Hard Reset | β No. | β No. | ββ |
| Fastboot (via PC) | β No. | β No. | ββββ |
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If the phone requires you to enter your old Mi Account password after reset, try connecting to Wi-Fi and logging in via a browser on another device. Sometimes the system misses the lock after successfully logging in to your account on the site.
4. Unlock via Fastboot (for advanced users)
If Recovery is blocked or does not respond to commands, you can use Fastboot mode. ADB/Fastboot Basic knowledge of working with the command line.
Algorithm of action:
- Turn off the phone and press Volume Down + Power to enter the Fastboot (the image of a hare in a hat-eared will appear).
- Connect Redmi 3S to your PC via USB.
- Open the command prompt (Windows) or terminal (Linux/macOS) and type:
fastboot oem clean_frpThis command will reset the binding to the Mi Account, after which you can make Wipe Data through Recovery.
If the team doesnβt work, try an alternative:
fastboot erase frpβ οΈ Note: On some firmware, these commands may not work due to the manufacturer's lock, in which case only flashing through the Mi Flash Tool with authorization in the Xiaomi developer account will help.
What if the Fastboot doesnβt recognize the device?
5. Bypassing the lock through EDL-regime (extreme case)
If all previous methods failed, the Emergency Download Mode (EDL) mode remains, allowing you to reflash the phone even with a locked bootloader, but requires a special cable or short circuit of contacts on the board.
On Redmi 3S, EDL is entered by closing test points on the motherboard or via adb reboot edl (if debugging is enabled).
Warnings:
- β‘ Risk of damage to the fee if the contacts are not closed correctly.
- π§ Remove the phone (the warranty will be lost).
- π₯ You need to download the official firmware for Redmi 3S (land-name).
If you are not sure about your skills, it is better to contact a service center. The cost of unlocking through EDL in workshops usually does not exceed 1000-1500 rubles.
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Use it. EDL-The wrong actions can turn a smartphone into a brick).
6.How to avoid blocking in the future
To avoid the problem of forgotten passwords again, follow these tips:
- π Tie up Redmi. 3S To your Xiaomi account and write down the login details to a trusted location (for example, to your password manager).
- π± Enable Smart Lock in Security Settings: It unlocks the phone in trusted Wi-Fi networks or when connected to trusted devices (such as smartwatches).
- π Regularly back up through Settings β Additionally. β Backup.
- π Use password managers (such as Bitwarden or KeePass) to store PIN-codes and graphic keys.
It's also useful to know:
- π§ Nana MIUI You can configure Emergency Information (in security settings) where you specify a spare email or phone for communication.
- π In Google Settings (if installed), enable Android Remote Management β this will allow you to unlock your device through Google service.