How to remove the lock from the Xiaomi phone, if you forgot the password when you turn on: 5 working ways

Why Xiaomi is blocked when you forget your password and what to do first

You turn on a Xiaomi smartphone, you type in a password, and you realize it doesn't fit, or worse, the phone needs to be unlocked after it's rebooted, and the combination you've been using for years suddenly stops working. According to statistics, one in five users at least once forgot the pattern lock or PIN-But if the iPhone is solved with iCloud, the owners of Redmi, POCO Mi has to deal with Mi Account, Fastboot mode and other nuances of the Xiaomi ecosystem.

The first rule is: don’t panic. Even if the phone is locked tightly, there are always chances of regaining access. In this article, we will discuss all the current ways to unlock Xiaomi in 2026, including official methods (via Mi Account) and alternative methods (using ADB, Fastboot or service codes).

Before you start unlocking, answer two questions:

• 🔒 Is there a Mi Account linked to the phone? If so, the chances of recovery without data loss are higher.
• 📱 Is debugging on-line USB? This is critical for methods with ADB (Check if you have ever heard of this regimen).
• 🔧 Do you have a backup? If not, be prepared for photos and messages to disappear.

If you're not sure about the answers, don't worry, we'll go through each scenario in detail, start with the simplest way and move on to the more complex.

Method 1: Unlocking with Mi Account (official method)

The safest and most secure way to use a linked Mi Account is to use a linked Mi Account, which works if:

• 📧 You remember the username (email or phone number) and password from your Mi Account.
• 🌐 The phone has access to the Internet (via Wi-Fi or mobile network).
• 🔄 Find Device has been activated in the settings.

Instructions:

1. On the locked screen, tap the Forgot Password button (or Forgot Password?).
2. Enter the email or phone number associated with the Mi Account.
3. Confirm your login via SMS or email (depending on your security settings).
4. Follow the instructions on the screen to reset the lock password.

If the buttons forgot the password? no, try:

• 🔄 Restart your phone and check again – sometimes the option appears after the reboot.
• 🌍 Change the interface language to English (if available) – in some firmware, the button is only visible in English.

💡

If you don’t remember the password from Mi Account, restore it through account.xiaomi.com. Use a backup email or linked phone number.

⚠️ Note: If the phone was purchased with hands, the previous owner may not have deleted his Mi Account.In this case, unlocking through the account is impossible - you will need to contact the seller or use alternative methods.

Method 2: Recovery Mode (without Mi Account but with data loss)

If the Mi Account is not tied or you don’t remember the login details, you will be hard-reset via Recovery Mode, which will remove all data from your phone, including photos, messages and installed apps, but will return access to the device.

Instructions for most Xiaomi models (Redmi Note 10/11/12, POCO X3/X4, Mi 11/12, etc.):

Turn off the phone (press the power button for 10 seconds)

Connect the charger (the battery must be charged at least 30%)

Make sure you have a backup of your important data (if you’ve synced with Google/Mi Cloud)

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1. Turn off the phone (if it is on, press the power button for 10-15 seconds).
2. Press the button combination to enter Recovery: For most models: Power button + Volume up. For older devices (Redmi 4/5, Mi A1/A2): Power button + Volume up + Volume down.

Mi

Recovery

Use volume buttons for navigation and power button to select the item.

Wipe Data

Wipe All Data

Factory Reset

Confirm

Yes

Reboot

Reboot to System

⚠️ Note: On some models (POCO F3, Redmi K40) After the reset, you may need to enter data from the Mi Account that was previously linked, FRP). If your account is not yours, you will need to use other methods (see Method 4).

If after resetting the phone asks for an old password, try:

• 🔄 Repeat the reset again (sometimes double Wipe helps).
• 📡 Connect to Wi-Fi and try unlocking through Mi Account (if your account was tied).

💡

Recovery is a universal method, but it deletes all data. If the phone has been enabled to sync with Google or Mi Cloud, some of the information (contacts, photos) can be restored after unlocking.

Method 3: Unlock via ADB (if USB debugging was enabled)

If the phone has previously been activated debugging USB (USB Debugging, you can try to remove the lock through ADB (Android Debug Bridge is free of data loss.This method works on most Xiaomi models, but requires a computer and drivers installed.

What you need:

• 💻 Computer with Windows/macOS/Linux.
• 🔌 USB-cable (preferably original).
• 📦 Installed Xiaomi drivers (you can download from the official website).
• 🛠️ Tools ADB and Fastboot (download here).

Step-by-step:

1. Connect your phone to your computer via USB.
2. Open the command prompt (cmd in Windows or Terminal on macOS/Linux) in the folder with ADB.
3. Enter the command to check the connection: adb devices If the phone appears in the list, go further. If not, check the drivers or cable.
4. Enter the command to delete the file with the password: adb shell rm /data/system/gesture.key or PIN-code: adb shell rm /data/system/password.key
5. Reboot your phone: adb reboot

After the reboot, the lock should disappear. If not, try repeating the command or using an alternative method:

adb shell rm /data/system/locksettings.db


adb shell rm /data/system/locksettings.db-wal




adb shell rm /data/system/locksettings.db-shm

⚠️ Note: On new models (Xiaomi 13, Redmi Note 12 Pro)+) This method may not work due to enhanced security, and after deleting password files, some features (such as fingerprint) may need to be reconfigured).

Method 4: Unlocking via Fastboot (for advanced users)

If previous methods have failed and Mi Account is not tied, Fastboot unlocks, which requires unlocking the bootloader, which is officially supported by Xiaomi but takes up to 72 hours (due to account verification).

⚠️ Attention: Unlocking the bootloader erases all data and may result in a loss of warranty (POCO F5, Redmi Note 12 Turbo) may require firmware via Mi Flash Tool after unlocking the bootloader.

Instructions:

1. Download and install Mi Unlock Tool (the official utility from Xiaomi).
2. Turn off your phone and press the Power button + Volume down to log into the Fastboot.
3. Connect your phone to your computer and start the Mi Unlock Tool.
4. Sign in to your Mi Account (should be tied to your phone!).
5. Follow the instructions of the program to unlock the bootloader.

If the Mi Unlock Tool is making an error, check:

• 🔌 Cable and port USB (Try the back port on the PC).
• 🔄 Mi Unlock Tool (download the latest version from the official website).
• 📡 Internet connection (the program checks the status of the account).

After successfully unlocking the bootloader, you can flash the phone through Fastboot using the command:

fastboot flash all [name file firmware].tgz

💡

Unlocking through Fastboot is the only official way to get around lockdowns if you have forgotten your password and no access to Mi Account.

Method 5: Bypassing locking through service codes (for older models)

Some older Xiaomi models (Redmi 3/4, Mi 5/6) can try to bypass the lock with service codes, which does not work on all devices and may depend on the firmware version.

Try the following combinations:

• 📞 Enter the dial number: ##7378423## (service menu).
• 🔢 Or: ##3646633## (engineering menu).
• 🔒 Some firmware is running code: ##7780## (reset settings without deleting data).

If you open a menu after entering the code, look for sections like:

• Factory Reset (reset to factory settings).
• Security or Lock Screen (lock settings)

⚠️ Warning: Service codes can permanently damage firmware if entered incorrectly.Do not use them on new models (Xiaomi) 12/13/14, Redmi Note 11/12) — there they're off.

If none of the code worked, try an alternative method:

1. Turn off the phone.
2. Press Volume Up + Power button to enter Recovery.
3. Connect your phone to your computer and try to enter the ##4636### code through your PC keyboard (sometimes this works to bypass locking).

What to do if nothing helps: alternative solutions

If all of the above methods do not work, the following options remain:

1. Contact the Xiaomi Service Center.

• 📍 Find the nearest authorized service on the official website.
• 💰 The cost of unlocking: from 1000 to 3 000 rubles (depending on the model).
• ⏳ 1-3 days (confirmation of purchase may be required).

2. Use paid online services.

There are sites offering Xiaomi unlock for money (e.g. XiaomiTool).

• 🚨 Fraud (many services take prepayment and disappear).
• 🔓 Possible loss of guarantee.
• 📦 Unguaranteed result (on new models bypassing) FRP nearly impossible).

3. Sell the phone for parts.

If unlocking is not possible and the data is not critical, you can sell the device as malfunctioning (for example, on Avito or Yule).

• 📱 Redmi Note 10/11: 3 000–5 000 ruble.
• 📱 POCO X3/X4: 4 000–6 000 ruble.
• 📱 Xiaomi 11/12: 8 000–12 000 ruble.

⚠️ Note: Before selling, it is mandatory:

• Delete. SIM-memory-card.
• Take an IMEI photo (on the box or under the battery) to lock the device through the operator (if the phone is stolen).

FAQ: Frequent questions about unlocking Xiaomi