How to Reset All Settings on a Locked Xiaomi Phone

When a Xiaomi smartphone stops letting its owner in because of a forgotten password, pattern lock or interface freeze, it panics: The device turns into a piece of plastic and glass, access to contacts and photos is limited, and standard code entry methods don’t work, at which point the only working solution is often forced data reset, which in the technical documentation is called Hard Reset, a process that completely cleans the internal memory of the device, returning it to a factory state.

However, before you start taking action, you need to be clear about the consequences: Recovery Mode resets completely all user data: photos, videos, instant messengers, installed apps and saved passwords. If you did not have Mi Cloud cloud backup or synchronization with Google enabled, it will be impossible to restore information after the procedure, which is why it is important to act consistently and carefully read each step of the instructions so as not to aggravate the situation.

In this article, we will discuss in detail all the available ways to unlock the device of the Xiaomi, Redmi and POCO brand. We will consider the standard method through a combination of buttons, the nuances of working with a Mi Account account, as well as ways to bypass the lock through computer utilities. Particular attention will be paid to security issues, since modern versions of the shell MIUI and HyperOS have serious protection against theft, which may require entering account data even after a complete reset.

Preparation for discharge procedure and precautions

Before you go into the technical manipulation of the buttons, you need to assess the current state of the gadget. If the screen responds to touch, but you just can not remember the unlock code, try using the "Forgot Password" or "Forgot the pattern lock" function, which can appear after several failed attempts to enter. This option often allows you to reset the lock through a tied Google account or Mi Account without losing data. However, if the device is completely locked or the system does not respond, this path is closed.

The critical thing is the battery level. The process of overwriting system partitions and cleaning memory requires stable power. If the phone turns off when the data partition is formatted, it can damage the file system and turn the smartphone into a brick. Charge the device to at least 50-60%, even if you have to leave it on charge for several hours in the off state.

⚠️ Warning: If the device has Find Device enabled, after resetting, the phone will require you to enter the username and password from the Mi Account that was synced earlier.

In some cases, especially when drivers are in trouble or you need to unlock the bootloader, you may need to use official tools from the manufacturer. Check in advance if you remember data from your Google account, as the FRP (Factory Reset Protection) security system will request it immediately after you reboot.

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Before reset, if you have the slightest chance of unlocking your screen or connecting to your PC in file transfer mode, copy important photos and documents to your computer or to the cloud. After Hard Reset, this will not be possible.

Classic method: Enter Recovery mode via buttons

The most common and reliable way to reset settings on a locked Xiaomi phone is to use physical navigation buttons, which works even when the touch screen is not fully responsive to touch or the system is getting stuck during the boot phase. The Recovery Mode special recovery menu uses a combination of the power key and volume control to enter.

The login procedure may vary slightly depending on the model, but the general algorithm is the same for most devices. First, you need to completely turn off your smartphone. If the device is getting stuck and does not turn off in the standard way, press the power button for 10-15 seconds before vibration and switching off the screen. Once the screen goes out, immediately proceed to the next step.

Press the Volume Up (+) and Power button at the same time. Keep them clamped until the Mi or Redmi logo appears. Once the logo appears, the power button can be released, but keep holding the volume button for a few more seconds until the Recovery menu appears. In this menu, the touch screen usually doesn't work, so the navigation is done with volume buttons (up/down), and the choice of item is made by a short press of the power button.

In the menu that opens, you'll see a few lines in English or Chinese, and we're interested in Wipe Data, move the cursor to that, and confirm the choice, and then the system can offer you a choice between Wipe All Data and Reboot, and choose Wipe All Data, and confirm the action by selecting Confirm, and the cleaning process will take from a few seconds to a couple of minutes.

Recovery Menu: Navigation and Action Confirmation

Xiaomi's recovery menu interface looks ascetic, but it contains all the necessary tools for diagnosis and reset. It's important not to confuse the modes, since there is also Fastboot mode, which is called by pressing the Volume Down (-) button and Power. In Fastboot mode, the screen shows a hare fixing an android, and you can't reset data through it with standard means - it is designed to flash through the computer.

If you've been successful in Recovery, make sure that there's Wipe Data on the list. With newer versions of MIUI 12/13/14 and HyperOS, the menu structure may be slightly different. Once you've selected Wipe Data, the system will display a warning that all data will be deleted, which is the last frontier after which the process will become irreversible.

Once the reset is confirmed, the cleaning process will begin, the Mi logo or a progress text message can be displayed on the screen, and when the procedure is complete, the phone will automatically prompt you to return to the main menu (Back to Main Menu) or immediately restart (Reboot).

⚠️ Warning: If after a reset, the phone asks you to enter a password from a Mi Account that you don't remember, unlocking the device without going to the service center with purchase checks will be extremely difficult.

Alternative methods: reset via Google Find My Device

If the buttons are difficult to physically access or are faulty, you can try to perform a remote reset, which works only if the locked phone has Internet (Wi-Fi or mobile data) on and geolocation activated, and the device must be linked to a Google account.

To do this, you'll need a computer or other smartphone. Go to the official Google Find My Device website from any browser and log in under the same account used on the blocked Xiaomi.

From the list of available actions, select the option Erase Device. The system will issue a warning that all data will be destroyed. Confirm the action. If the phone is on the network, it will receive a reset command and reboot in factory settings. This method is effective, but less reliable than physical reset buttons, because it depends on the quality of communication.

Mi Account and FRP lock problems

Modern Xiaomi smartphones are equipped with dual protection. One is the lock of the Mi Account itself, which binds the device to a specific user. The second is FRP (Factory Reset Protection) from Google. Once you run Hard Reset, the phone will require you to enter a password from a Google account that was synced earlier.

If you forget your Mi Account password, you can restore access through i.mi.com. However, if the phone was purchased from hand and the previous owner did not untie the device, you will encounter an activation screen that cannot be circumvented by simple methods, in such cases, official unlocking is possible only in authorized service centers with documents proving ownership.

There are various bypasses that change with each Android security update.Using questionable FRP reset software can result in malware being installed on your computer or the device permanently locked.It is safest to remember your credentials or to carefully check the phone when buying from hand.

Frequent errors and ways to fix them

Users often experience a situation where the phone, after reset, requests a password again, but from the lock screen that was allegedly deleted, this happens if the reset was performed incorrectly or the system managed to sync the old password before locking, in which case only re-entering Recovery and selecting the Wipe All Data point again helps.

Another common mistake is to interrupt the charging or reset process, where if the battery is down at the most inopportune moment, the phone can go into an endless bootloop, which means plugging the device into the original charger and leaving it for 30-60 minutes, even if the screen isn't lighting up, and then try re-entering Recovery mode.

Also worth mentioning is the Chinese firmware issue: Devices designed for the Chinese market but re-flashed to the global version may experience an activation check error after reset, which is because the device serial number is not listed in Xiaomi’s global database, requiring flashing to the original Chinese firmware or specialized unlocking of the bootloader.

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The main reason for a failed reset is a process interruption or low battery charge. Always monitor your energy levels before starting the procedure.

Initial setup after Hard Reset

Once the procedure is completed successfully, the phone will restart and the initial setup process will begin, similar to the one you had when you bought a new device: select a language, connect to the Wi-Fi network, at which point the system can check for updates.

This will be followed by a request to restore data from the backup. If you have synced with Mi Cloud or Google Drive, you will be able to restore contacts, notes and a list of installed applications. Enter your Google account and password from Mi Account (if required), this is a mandatory step to confirm that you are the owner of the device.

Once you have set up, you should immediately set up a reliable lock method and, more importantly, remember or write your account details. Regularly back up your important data so that if you lock it again, you lose only your system settings, but not your valuable files.