The situation when the smartphone Xiaomi, Redmi or POCO It's a lot more common than you might think, because a forgotten pattern lock, a sensor that's entered the wrong data, or a banal joke by kids, there's a lot of reasons. The user is in front of a black screen with a requirement to enter PIN-It's a code he doesn't know about, and you don't have to panic at this point, because the shells are modern. MIUI HyperOS provides several scenarios for access recovery.
Before we go into radical measures, we need to analyze what kind of protection is installed and whether you have a binding to accounts. Screen lock is the first line of defense of your personal data, and the security system will resist attempts to circumvent by all available means. However, if you are the legitimate owner of the device, there are proven algorithms of actions that will help to regain control of the gadget.
It's important to understand that unlocking methods fall into two categories: those that store data and those that require a complete reset. The choice of strategy depends on whether the Internet is on on the device, whether the Mi Cloud is activated, and whether the phone remembers your biometric data. In this article, we will discuss all the current methods, from simple manipulation of the menu to using engineering modes.
Using Mi Accounts to Remotely Unblock
The most civilized and safe way to get back to the system is to use the manufacturer's cloud service. If you have signed in to Mi Account and enabled Find Device, you can unblock it through any other gadget with Internet access. This method is ideal, because it allows you not only to unlock the phone, but also to save all photos, contacts and correspondence.
To start the procedure, you need to go to the official website of the Xiaomi cloud service. The interface will need to log in using the same credentials as on the locked smartphone. After successful login, the system will suggest selecting a specific device from the list of associated devices, if there are several.
- 📱 Go to i.mi.com and log in to your profile.
- 🔓 Select the menu item "Find Device).
- 🗑️ Click on the Unlock button to remove screen protection.
- 🔄 Wait for confirmation of the operation on the smartphone screen (Internet required).
It's worth noting that this method only works when the network is active, and if the phone is in air mode or out of Wi-Fi, the command from the server will not reach the destination, in which case the system can queue the operation, and unlock will occur automatically as soon as the device appears on the network.
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If Find Device has been disabled, remote unlocking without loss of data via the Mi Cloud site is not possible.
Google Find My Device Resets
An alternative to the proprietary cloud is Google’s standard service, which is pre-installed on every certified Android smartphone, and the mechanism of action here is similar to the Mi Cloud, but there is a critical difference: most often, this method involves completely resetting the device to factory settings, which means that the pattern lock or password will be deleted, but with it all user data will disappear.
It makes sense to use this tool if you don't have access to your Mi Account, but the phone is linked to a Google profile. Going to google.com/android/find will allow you to see the location of the gadget and manage its basic security features. The service interface is minimal and understandable even to a beginner.
In the list of actions available, we're interested in the option "Clean the device." Once confirmed, the phone will receive a formatting command. Importantly, once enabled, the device will require you to enter the password from the Google account to which it was previously associated, which is a theft protection known as FRP lock (Factory Reset Protection).
⚠️ Note: Using Google Find My Device will result in the complete removal of all files, photos and applications. This method should be used only if the backup data is not important or not.
Unlocking the Recovery (Hard Reset) menu
When software methods are not available through the cloud, recovery mode, or Recovery Mode, comes to the rescue. It is a low-level environment built into the firmware that allows you to diagnose and reset even when the operating system is broken, and enters this mode with a combination of physical buttons, making the method universal for all Xiaomi, Redmi and POCO models.
The login process may vary depending on the type of processor and the version of the shell. Most often, a combination of the power button and the volume control is used. You need to act quickly and clearly, because the system boot timer counts out seconds. If you don't have time, the phone will just turn on as normal and ask for a password again.
☑️ Recovery login algorithm
Once you enter the Recovery menu, the navigation is done with volume buttons (up/down), and the choice is confirmed by the power button. You need to find the option "Wipe Data" or "Clear Data." Inside this section, the option "Wipe All Data" is selected. The system will warn you that action is irreversible - here you will need to confirm the choice, often you need to press "Confirm" several times.
Once the cleaning process is complete, the phone will automatically restart. The first start can take longer than usual, from 5 to 10 minutes. Don't be alarmed if the device hangs on the logo - this is normal behavior when the system is first initialized after a reset.
| Action. | Button combination | nuance |
|---|---|---|
| Entrance to Recovery | Volume + and Nutrition | Hold it until it vibrates. |
| Entrance to Fastboot | Loudness - and Nutrition | For firmware through PC |
| Data resetting | Wipe Data Menu | Requires confirmation. |
| Reboot. | Reboot to System | First item on the menu |
What to do if the buttons don’t work?
Bypassing the lock through Safe Mode (Safe Mode)
Sometimes the problem is not with the system lock, but with a third-party application that has intercepted the screen or set its password, and in such cases, it helps to run in Safe Mode, in which case the operating system loads only with basic services, ignoring all user software.
To activate this mode, you need to call the phone switch off menu. When the Turn off icon appears on the screen, you don't just press it, you hold your finger for a few seconds. On some versions of MIUI, you'll then pop up a pop-up window telling you to go to Safe Mode, and you'll agree that the phone will reboot.
If you turn on the corner of the screen and say "Safe Mode", try to remove the recently installed applications, especially those that have access to the lock screen (launchers, call blockers, memory cleaners). After removing the problem software, just reboot the device in the usual way.
This method will not work if you forget the system. PIN-A code or pattern lock installed in standard security settings. Safe Mode is designed to combat software errors and viruses, not bypass the owner's forgotten passwords.
Using ADB for Advanced Users
For technically trained users, there is a method of unlocking through debugging by USB (USB If this feature was activated in the Developer Menu before blocking, and the computer already has permission to access the device, you can try to delete key files via the command line.
To work, you will need to install the Platform-tools package on your PC and connect your smartphone with a cable. In the command line (terminal), special commands are entered to access the file system. However, in modern versions of Android, this method is becoming less effective, since key files are stored in an encrypted partition, accessible only with superuser rights (Root).
adb shell rm /data/system/gesture.key
adb shell rm /data/system/password.keyExecuting these commands can help reset a pattern lock or digital password on older versions of Android (up to 5.0-6.0).On new HyperOS shells and fresh security patches, the system can simply ignore the command or require confirmation on the phone screen that you can’t give due to locking.
⚠️ Attention: Use ADB Mistakes to delete system files can lead to a "brickle" device, and only flashing it will help.
Firmware of the device via Fastboot
The radical, but often the only working method in difficult cases is to completely flash through Fastboot mode, which completely erases the memory contents and installs a clean copy of the operating system, and is effective even when the Recovery menu is damaged or unavailable.
To implement this plan, you will need a computer with Windows, the original USB-cable and a special utility Mi Flash Tool. You also need to download the firmware image (Fastboot) ROM) It is important that the firmware must be global or correspond to the region of the device, otherwise there may be problems with activation.
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Fastboot flashing is a “nuclear option” that solves 99% of software problems, but requires drivers and a stable Internet to download files.
The process begins with putting the phone into Fastboot mode (usually by pressing the power and volume button minus), in which the screen often shows a hare repairing an android. Connecting the device to a PC, launching the Mi Flash Tool, selecting the path to the unpacked firmware and pressing the "Flash" button.
It's important to select "Clean all" mode to ensure that you delete the old password, which takes 5 to 15 minutes, and you can't interrupt it, because you can't shut down the cable or power at this point, and when you're done, you can take the memory controller out of action.