How to remove the screen lock on Xiaomi Redmi: the complete guide

Modern Xiaomi and Redmi smartphones are equipped with a powerful security system that is designed to protect the owner’s personal data from prying eyes. However, it often happens that this protection becomes a barrier to the user. A forgotten pattern lock, a sensor failure or the accidental installation of a too complex password can turn a gadget into an inaccessible brick.

There are several proven methods of bypassing security, each with its own characteristics and requirements. Some methods allow you to save photos and contacts, others require a complete data reset to factory settings. The choice of a specific algorithm of actions depends on the model of your smartphone, the version of the MIUI operating system or HyperOS, and whether you have previously signed in to your Mi Account or Google account.

In this guide, we will take a look at all the current ways to unlock, from the regular functions of the system to more radical methods through the engineering menu. It is important to understand that data security is a priority, so most methods involve losing information when reset. The only way to save data without a password is to use the Find Device function, provided that it was activated in advance. Carefully study each step to choose the optimal solution for your situation.

Standard methods of removing protection through settings

If you have access to your smartphone desktop, but you want to change or remove your password completely, you can do this through the standard settings menu. This is the safest way, not requiring third-party software. Go to Settings, then select Passwords and Security (or Screen Lock in older versions of MIUI), where the system will prompt you to enter the current code to confirm your identity.

Once you have successfully logged in, you can choose to delete your password or replace complex digital code with a simpler one, such as fingerprint unlocking. For owners of new HyperOS models, the interface may be slightly different, but the logic remains the same: login to the security profile and managing authentication methods.

• 🔒 Open Settings and go to Passwords and Security.
• 📱 Select the screen lock and enter the current password.
• ❌ Click the Turn off password or select another protection method.
• ✅ Confirm the action by re-entering the code or biometrics.

It is worth noting that once the password is deleted, the system may require re-assignment of the Mi Account to ensure security, which is standard anti-theft procedure, and if you plan to transfer the device to another user, it is better to perform a full reset, which will be discussed below, so that there are no problems with activation.

Using the “Find Device” function to reset

One of the most effective ways to remove the lock if you forget the password is to use the cloud service Mi Cloud. This method only works if the locked smartphone was signed in to Mi Account and activated the function “Find the device”.

To start the process, go to the official cloud service site from any other device (computer or phone). Enter your credentials. In the management interface, select your device from the list. Among the commands available, you will need the option to Clean the device (Wipe Data).

⚠️ Note: Using the remote cleaning feature will result in the complete removal of all data from the phone, including photos, contacts and apps, and can only be restored from a backup if it was created automatically.

Once the command is confirmed, the smartphone will receive a reset signal, the screen will go out, and the process of reinstalling the system will begin, and when you complete the process, you will get a clean device without a password, which is especially useful when the touch screen is not working correctly and you cannot enter a pattern lock physically.

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Make sure the battery is charged at least 30-40% before starting a remote reset so that the phone doesn’t turn off at the critical moment of the configuration update.

Recovery Mode (Hard Reset)

If the cloud services are not connected, the classic method is Recovery Mode, which is universal for all Xiaomi and Redmi models, from older versions of Android to the latest MIUI 14/15, and allows you to perform Hard Reset, returning the phone to a factory state.

To enter recovery mode, you need to turn off your smartphone completely. Then press the Volume Up and Power button at the same time. Hold them until the Mi logo appears, then you can release the power button while you keep the volume up. A menu with a black or gray background will appear on the screen.

Navigation in this menu is done with volume buttons (up-down), and the choice of item is done with the power button. You need to find and select the Wipe Data item, then confirm the action by selecting Wipe All Data, the system will warn you about the loss of data, and then the cleanup process will start.

It can take 2 to 10 minutes depending on the amount of memory. Once it's done, the phone will automatically reboot. The first boot will take longer than usual, and you'll end up with a factory-setting device that doesn't ask for the old lock password.

Unblocking through Google Account (Find My Device)

An alternative to the Mi Cloud service is Google's standard feature called Find a Device, which is relevant if the phone has logged in to a Google account, geolocated and accessed the network, and works similarly to the Xiaomi cloud, but uses the search giant's servers.

Go to android.com/find from any browser. Sign in with the same account as the locked phone. If the device is online, you'll see its location on the map. From the action menu, select Clear Device.

It’s important to understand that the Lock feature allows you to set a new password, but on modern versions of Android and MIUI, it often doesn’t work to remove the existing lock screen, but only imposes a new layer of protection.

⚠️ Note: After resetting your Google Account, when you first set up your phone, you will need to enter a password from the same Google account (protection) FRP). Make sure you remember your login and mail.

Bypassing the lock through safe mode

Sometimes the locking problem is not caused by a forgotten password, but by a conflict between a third-party application that has installed its lock screen or a virus, and in such cases Safe Mode can help, in which only system applications are downloaded, allowing you to remove malicious software.

To enter Safe Mode on Xiaomi, you usually need to press the turn off button on your desktop. When the Turn Off or Reset icon appears, tap it and hold your finger for a few seconds. A request to enter Safe Mode will appear on the screen. Confirm the action.

Once you boot the system (the screen corner will say “Safe Mode”), try removing newly installed apps, especially those that have administrator rights or access to the lock screen. Go to Settings → Apps → All apps, find suspicious software, and click Remove.

After removing the problem app, restart your phone in the usual way.If the lock was caused by a software glitch or virus, access to the system should be restored without losing personal files.

Unlocking the ADB (for advanced users)

For users familiar with the computer and command line, there is a method of removing lock files through debugging. USB (USB Debugging: This only works if the debugging function has been pre-installed in the developer menu and the computer is previously authorized on the phone.

You'll need to install Xiaomi drivers and the ADB platform on your PC. Connect your phone with a cable. Open the command line in the ADB folder and type in the command to check the connection: adb devices. If the device is displayed, you can proceed to delete system password files.

adb shell rm /data/system/gesture.key


adb shell rm /data/system/password.key




adb shell rm /data/system/locksettings.db

Executing these commands will delete files that store the hashes of graphic keys and passwords. After that, you need to reboot the device with the adb reboot command or manually. When you boot, the system will not find the lock files and let you on the desktop. However, on new versions of Android (11 and above), access to these partitions without root rights is often closed, which makes the method less versatile.

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The ADB method is only effective when USB debugging is enabled. If you didn't turn on Developer Form before locking, it won't work.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)