How to Unlock a Xiaomi Phone: A Complete 2026 Guide

A blocked Xiaomi smartphone is a problem that thousands of users face every day. Have you forgotten your password, a child accidentally entered the wrong pattern lock 10 times, or the phone fell into your hands after buying with an active lock? In any case, you should not panic: there are legal ways to unlock that do not require contacting the service center. In this article, we will analyze all the current methods of delocking the screen on Xiaomi, Redmi and POCO, including models from 2023 to 2026.

It's important to understand that the choice of method depends on whether the phone is linked to the Mi Account, whether debugging is enabled over USB, and whether you have a backup. Some methods (for example, reset via Fastboot) work on all devices, others (like unlocking through ADB) require preliminary preparation, we will describe each option in detail, specify their pros and cons, and also warn against common errors that can turn the phone into a brick.

1 Unlocking through Mi Account (official method)

If your Xiaomi is tied to your Mi Account, this is the easiest and safest way to unblock it, and it works even after a hard reset if sync with Xiaomi servers was previously enabled.

• 🔹 Enter the wrong password or pattern lock 5 times in a row until the message “Forgot the password?” or “Unblock through Mi Account” appears".
• 📱 Click on this link and enter details from your Mi Account (email or phone number) + password).
• 🔓 If the data is correct, the phone will unlock automatically. SMS email.

⚠️ Note: If you bought your phone with your hands and the previous owner didn’t untie your Mi Account, this method will not work, in which case you will have to contact Xiaomi with proof of purchase (check, purchase agreement) to force the account to be detached.

If the button "Unlock via Mi Account" does not appear, it means:

• 🚫 The phone has disabled synchronization with the account (check in Settings). → Accounts. → Mi Account).
• 🌍 The device was purchased in China (the domestic version) – such models often do not support global accounts.
• 🔄 The phone was dropped via Fastboot without detachment of the account (then you will need to unlock the bootloader).

2.Reset to factory settings via Recovery

If Mi Account doesn’t work or the phone isn’t tied to the account, the next step is hard resetting through Recovery Mode, which will remove all data from the device, including photos, contacts and apps, but will return access to the system, which is suitable for most Xiaomi, Redmi and POCO models released after 2018.

Instructions:

1. Turn off the phone with a long press of the power button.
2. Press Volume Up + Power Button at the same time and hold for 10-15 seconds until the Mi logo appears.
3. From the Recovery menu, select the language (usually English or Chinese), then go to Wipe Data → Wipe All Data.
4. Confirm the action and wait for the process to be completed (it will take 2-5 minutes).
5. Reboot your phone with Reboot → Reboot to System.

⚠️ Note: Some models (e.g. Xiaomi) 12T Or the Redmi Note 11 Pro.+) After the reset, you may need to enter data from Mi Account if you have previously activated the "Find Device" function.

Turn off the phone from charging.

Make sure that the battery is >30%

Download Xiaomi drivers on PC (if you need Fastboot)

Prepare data from Mi Account (in case of blocking after resetting)-->

3. Unlock via Fastboot (for advanced users)

If resetting through Recovery didn't work because of the Mi Account binding, you can try flashing your phone through Fastboot mode, USB-Cable and basic command line knowledge, suitable for unlocked bootloader devices (if you previously received permission from Xiaomi via the Mi Unlock Tool).

Step-by-step:

1. Download and install the Mi Flash Tool (the official utility from Xiaomi).
2. Download the firmware for your model from the Xiaomi Firmware Updater website (choose the Fastboot version).
3. Turn off your phone and put it in Fastboot mode: Press Volume Down + Power.
4. Connect your phone to your PC, open the Mi Flash Tool, select the downloaded firmware and press Flash.
5. Wait for the process to complete (10-15 minutes) and restart the device.

⚠️ Warning: Firmware through Fastboot without unlocking the bootloader will cause the "Anti-Rollback" error and turn the phone into a "brick". Before the procedure, make sure that the bootloader is unlocked (checked by the fastboot oem device-info command in the terminal).

4. Unlock via ADB (if USB debugging is enabled)

If the phone has previously been enabled to debug via USB (Settings → About Phone → MIUI Version → 7 times press to activate the developer mode), you can unblock through ADB without losing data.

Instructions:

1. Connect your phone to your PC via USB.
2. Open the command line (Win + R → cmd) and type:

adb shell


su




rm /data/system/gesture.key




rm /data/system/locksettings.db




rm /data/system/locksettings.db-wal




rm /data/system/locksettings.db-shm




reboot

After the reboot, the screen lock will be reset.

⚠️ Note: On newer models (Xiaomi 13, Redmi Note 12), this method may not work due to enhanced protection. MIUI 14+. In this case, try an alternative team:

adb shell am start -n com.android.settings/.ChooseLockGeneric

💡

If the su command doesn't work, there's no root permission on the phone. Try rooting through Magisk first or using another method.

5. Contact the Xiaomi Service Center

If all of these methods fail, the last option is the official service, Xiaomi provides an unlock service for confirmed purchase devices.

• 📄 Check or sales contract (if the phone was bought with hands).
• 🆔 Passport of the holder (to confirm the identity).
• 📱 Serial number of the device (you can find it on the box or under the battery).

The cost of the service varies from 500 to 2000 rubles depending on the model and region. In some cases (for example, if the phone was stolen), Xiaomi may refuse to unlock.

🔹 How to find an official service:

1. Go to the Mi Service website.
2. Choose your country and city.
3. Check the reviews about the service center (some informal workshops offer a Mi Account bypass, but this violates the warranty terms).

💡

Official unlocking through Xiaomi is the only legal way to bypass the binding to someone else’s Mi Account without the risk of losing the warranty.

6. Alternative methods (at your own risk)

There are dozens of magical ways to unlock Xiaomi online, from using paid software to flashing it through EDL (Emergency Mode), and we don’t recommend using them, because:

• 💸 Most paid utilities (such as Mi Account Unlock Tool) are frauds, and they either don't work or they contain viruses.
• 🔧 Flip-through EDL Requires an authorized Xiaomi account (only available to service centers) and attempts will lead to hard bricks.
• 📵 Test Point methods are risky and can damage the phone irrevocably.

If you still decide to experiment, at least do a backup of data through TWRP (if installed) or remove the memory card before manipulation.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)