When you pick up your Xiaomi and realize you can’t remember a pattern lock or a digital code, it happens more often than you think, and it causes panic, especially if the device stores important contacts, photos or access to banking applications. However, modern Android security systems, such as the MIUI shell or HyperOS, are designed in such a way that without authorization, access to personal data is impossible.
The only solution is to completely clean the device's memory, known as Hard Reset, which will permanently delete all user information, but return the gadget to factory settings, allowing you to reconfigure it. It's important to understand that simply "remove" the password by saving files, without special knowledge and access to debugging via USB, it's a basic principle of information protection.
In this article, we will take a look at all the available methods for resetting a lock, from using a Mi Account to forced reboot via the Recovery menu. You will learn how to proceed if the device does not respond to clicks, and what to do if the system requires password confirmation after a reset. Follow the instructions carefully so that you do not damage the smartphone software.
Preparation for resetting settings and important nuances
Before you start taking drastic measures, you need to understand the consequences of the procedure: Factory Reset completely cleans the internal drive, which means that your photos, videos, contacts (if they are not synced with Google or Mi Cloud), call history and installed applications will be destroyed, and it will be impossible to recover data after that with standard methods.
There's a critical security aspect that many people forget about, and once you reset, it activates FRP, which is Google's mechanism that requires you to enter a login and password from a Google account that was previously linked to the device, and if you don't remember that data, the phone will turn into a brick, which will be extremely difficult and expensive to unlock.
⚠️ Warning: Make sure you remember your Google account details (Gmail and password) without them you won't be able to activate your phone after resetting.
It is also worth checking the battery level. The process of formatting and reinstalling system files can take from 5 to 15 minutes. If the device turns off in the middle of the process due to a dead battery, this can damage the system partition and the inability to load the operating system in the future. Charge the phone to at least 50-60% before the procedure.
☑️ Checklist before reset
Method 1: Reset via the Recovery (Hard Reset) menu
The most common and reliable method, which works even if the lock screen completely blocks access to the system, is a diagnostic interface built into the firmware at a low level, and it uses a combination of physical buttons to log in, which allows you to bypass the software lock screen.
The login process may vary depending on your Redmi or Poco model. On most modern models with or without a side fingerprint scanner, the algorithm is the same. You'll need to turn off your smartphone completely. Not just turn off the screen, but to terminate the system through the off menu or hold the power button.
After turning it off, press the volume button and the power button at the same time. Hold them until the Mi logo appears, then release the power button, but keep the volume down until the main Recovery menu appears. If you have a side-scanner device, sometimes you need to pinch the fingerprint scanner instead of the volume button, but this is rare for current versions of MIUI.
- 🔘 In the Recovery menu, navigation is carried out by volume buttons (up/down), and the choice is confirmed by the power button.
- 🔘 You need to find the Wipe Data item and select it.
- 🔘 Next, select Wipe All Data and confirm the action by selecting Confirm.
- 🔘 After the process is complete, press Back to Main Menu, then Reboot. → Reboot to System.
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If the Recovery menu doesn’t open the first time, try connecting your phone to your computer via the Recovery Menu. USB-cable before buttons are pressed, and on some models, it's a prerequisite for resetting.
After the reboot, the initial setup will begin. The system may require a Wi-Fi connection and a password from your Google account. Be prepared for the first run after the reset to take longer than usual, the system optimizes applications and checks files.
Method 2: Remote reset via Find My Device
If the buttons on your smartphone don't work or you can't log in to Recovery, you can use Google's cloud service, which requires that the locked phone has the Internet turned on and geolocation activated, and the device must be linked to your Google account.
To start the procedure, take any other computer or smartphone that has Internet access. Go to the official Google Find My Device website. You will need to log in to the same Google account that is used on the blocked Xiaomi device.
In the service interface, select your device from the list on the left. If you have a connection to your phone, you will see its location on the map. In the available actions, select the option to Clear the device (Erase Device), the system will warn you that all data will be deleted without recovery.
| Parameter | Description of the requirement | Probability of success |
|---|---|---|
| Internet on the phone | Mobile data or Wi-Fi | Tall. |
| Geolocation | GPS should be active. | Medium |
| Google account | Must be added to the system | I'll be sure. |
| Battery charge | The phone should be on. | Critically. |
Once the command is confirmed, the phone will receive a reset signal, and if it was offline at that point, the command will be executed as soon as the device is online, and the good thing about this technique is that it doesn't require physical manipulation of the buttons that can be worn out.
What if the phone's off?
Method 3: Cleaning up your Mi Cloud account
Xiaomi smartphone owners often ignore the creation of a Mi Account, and it is a powerful tool of the ecosystem that allows you to manage your device remotely, similar to Google services. If you have Mi Cloud and Find a Device enabled, you can erase data through the browser.
Go to i.mi.com and log in using your Mi Account (phone number or email). In the interface, select the "Find Device" section, which will display a map and a list of your gadgets associated with that account.
Select a locked smartphone. The Wipe Data button will be available in the device management menu, and clicking on it will initiate a remote command to reset completely. Unlike Google Find My Device, Mi Cloud sometimes works more stable in regions with unstable connections, because the company's servers have specific routing.
⚠️ Warning: Once reset via Mi Cloud, the phone will require you to enter a password from the Mi Account when you first activate it).
This method is especially relevant if you forgot the screen unlock password, but remember the password from the Xiaomi account. It allows you not only to erase data, but also, in some cases, unlock the device without losing data if the unlock function was pre-configured, but in the context of a forgotten password, we consider it cleaning.
Method 4: Use ADB (for advanced users)
The Android Debug Bridge (ADB) method is only suitable for those who have previously enabled USB debugging in the Developer Menu and authorized the computer. If this feature was disabled by default (which is most often the case), this method will not work.
The essence of the method is to send a command to restart in recovery mode or directly to reset through the command line of the computer. You will need to install ADB drivers on the PC, connect the phone with a cable and start the terminal.
adb reboot recoveryThis command will send the smartphone directly to the Recovery menu, bypassing the need to catch the moment of button clamping. Next, you can use the command to directlywipe:
adb shell recovery --wipe_dataHowever, on current versions of Android with security patches above 2020, a direct command to reset via ADB is often blocked if the phone is in lock-down state. So the main function of ADB in this case remains a convenient reboot in Recovery, where you can already reset with buttons if the touchscreen does not work.
- 🔌 Cable required USB computer.
- 💻 Installed software is required ADB Drivers.
- ⚙️ Mandatory Included Debugging for USB lock-in.
- 🚫 On the new versions MIUI smear ADB may be prohibited.
Method 5: Service centers and specialized software
If none of the above methods worked, or the phone goes into an endless restart (bootloop) after trying to reset, the system partition may be damaged.
Fastboot is activated by pressing the power button and the volume button when the phone is turned off, and you can completely rewrite the device's memory with clean firmware, which is guaranteed to remove the password, but requires PC skills and finding the right firmware for a particular model.
Also worth considering is contacting an authorized service center, if you have checks confirming the purchase and documents for the device, specialists can remove the lock officially, it is a paid service, but it guarantees the preservation of the operability of all modules (camera, fingerprint scanner, NFC).
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Fastboot flashing is a “heavy artillery” that solves 99% of software problems, but requires technical skills and a PC.
Protection against blocking in the future
To prevent this from happening again, you should start a regular backup habit, set up automatic synchronization of contacts and photos with Google Photos and Google Contacts, in which case even losing your phone completely will not be a disaster for your data.
Use biometrics. Face unlocking or fingerprinting on Xiaomi works quickly and conveniently. However, remember that biometrics is just an addition to the primary password. Once you reboot your phone, the system will still require you to enter a digital code or a pattern lock. So you can't forget the main code.
Write down yours. PIN-code or draw a pattern lock on paper and store that note in a safe, safe, or among documents. Digital memory can fail, and paper media remains the most reliable archive of important information.