How to remove the password on the Xiaomi phone, if you forgot: all ways to unlock

A forgotten password on a Xiaomi smartphone is a situation that thousands of users face every day, especially when the phone stores important data such as contacts, photos, work correspondence or access to banking applications. Fortunately, the manufacturer has provided several official and informal ways to unlock, but each of them has its own nuances and risks.

In this article, we will discuss all the current methods of password removal on Xiaomi, Redmi and POCO devices – from the simplest (via a linked Mi Account) to the radical (full reset via Fastboot), you will learn which methods save data and which lead to their irrevocable loss, how to bypass the lock without losing warranty and what to do if the phone requires confirmation after a reset.

Important: Before you start unlocking, evaluate how critical the data on the device is. Some methods (such as Hard Reset) erase all information from internal memory, including photos and apps. If the phone is encrypted, it will be impossible to restore files after reset.

1 Unlocking through Mi Account (official method)

The most secure and recommended method for Xiaomi is to use a tied Mi Account, which works if:

• 📱 The phone is connected to the Internet (Wi-Fi or mobile network).
• 🔑 You remember the username and password from Mi Account that was tied to the device.
• 🔄 Find Device has been activated in the settings.

If these conditions are met, follow the instructions:

1. On the lock screen, click Forgot Password? (or Forgot Password? on English firmware).
2. Select the Restore option via Mi Account.
3. Enter the email or phone number associated with the account and the password.
4. Confirm unlocking via SMS or email (if two-factor authentication is enabled).

After successful authorization, the system will prompt you to create a new password or PIN-This method does not delete data from the phone, but requires a stable Internet connection. If the device is not connected to the network, try connecting to Wi-Fi through the Quick Settings Panel (swipe your finger down from the top edge of the screen).

⚠️ Warning: If you have previously changed your Mi Account password and haven't updated it on your phone, unlocking may not work.

2.Reset via Recovery Mode (Hard Reset)

Hard Reset is a radical method that completely erases all data from your phone, including apps, settings and files in internal memory.

• 🔐 You don’t remember the data from your Mi Account.
• 📵 The phone is not connected to the internet.
• 🚫 Other ways didn't work.

Instructions for most Xiaomi/Redmi/POCO models (on the example of the Redmi Note 10 Pro):

1. Turn off the phone with a long press of the power button.
2. Press the Power button + Volume up at the same time and hold for 10-15 seconds until the Mi logo appears.
3. Release the buttons and you will be taken to the Recovery Mode menu.
4. Use the volume buttons for navigation and the power button to select the Wipe Data (or Clear Data) item.
5. Confirm the reset by selecting Wipe All Data.
6. After the process is complete, select Reboot to reboot.

The phone will boot as new, with factory settings. You will need to go through the initial setup, including the binding of Mi Account. If encryption was enabled before the reset, file recovery will be impossible - even through specialized programs like Dr.Fone or Tenorshare 4uKey.

⚠️ Note: Some models (e.g. Xiaomi Mi 11 or Redmi) K40) After Hard Reset, you may need to verify your old Mi Account to unlock it, it's part of the theft protection, and if you don't remember your account information, the phone will turn into a brick».

3. Unlock via Fastboot (for advanced users)

The method via Fastboot is suitable if:

• 🔧 You have access to a computer with drivers installed ADB/Fastboot.
• 📥 You can download the official firmware for your model.
• 🛠️ You are ready for possible data loss (depending on the method you choose).

This is more difficult than Hard Reset, but sometimes you can bypass the Mi Account lock after you reset.

• 💻 Computer with Windows/Linux/macOS.
• 🔌 USB-cable (preferably original).
• 📦 Archive with firmware for your model (you can download on the official website of Xiaomi).
• 🛠️ Utilities. ADB and Fastboot (download here).

Step-by-step:

1. Turn off the phone and put it in Fastboot mode: press the Power button + Volume down.
2. Connect the phone to the computer.
3. Open the command prompt (cmd in Windows) and check the connection command: fastboot devices If the device is determined (serial number will appear), continue.
4. Unpack the downloaded firmware and find the file flash_all.bat (for Windows or flash_all.sh (for macOS/Linux).
5. Double-click the file and start the firmware process, which takes 5-10 minutes.
6. Once completed, the phone will restart automatically.

This method can bypass Mi Account locking on some models, but does not guarantee 100% results. On new devices (released after 2021), protection is strengthened, and firmware via Fastboot may not remove the binding to the account.

4. Use of service codes (for older models)

Some older Xiaomi smartphones (e.g. Redmi 4X, Mi A1) can reset passwords through the service menu, a method that doesn’t work on all devices and can vary depending on the firmware version.

Try the following combinations:

Enter the code in the Phone app as a regular number. If the menu opens, look for Reset Password or Factory Reset. Be careful: some codes can lead to a complete reset without warning!

⚠️ Note: Service codes are often blocked in new versions MIUI. If nothing happens after entering the code, this method is not suitable for you.

5. Contact the Xiaomi Service Center

If independent attempts to unlock failed, you can contact the official service center.

• 🔒 Phone requires Mi Account confirmation after reset.
• 📱 The device is not saying "This device is locked".
• 💼 You need to save data (some services have equipment to extract information).

What will be required to unlock:

• 📄 Document confirming the purchase (check, warranty card).
• 🆔 Passport or other identification document.
• 📧 Data from Mi Account if it was tied.

The cost of the service varies from 500 to 3000 rubles depending on the model and complexity of the work, in some cases, the service may refuse to unlock if the phone is listed in the database of stolen devices.

💡

Before visiting the service center, check if your model is eligible for a free unlock promotion, for example, in 2023 Xiaomi ran such a campaign for owners of the Redmi Note 9 and POCO X3.

Alternative methods (with data risk)

If standard methods don't work, you can try informal solutions that are suitable for power users and can lead to loss of warranty or device failure.

Among them:

• 🖥️ Use of Unlocking Programs (Tenorshare) 4uKey, They're paid and don't always work on new models.
• 🔧 Firmware through EDL (Requires special cable and knowledge of QFil or Mi Flash commands.
• 📱 Exploits to bypass Mi Account (e.g., through the ADB). They only work on older versions. MIUI.

Example of Tenorshare 4uKey:

1. Install the program on the computer.
2. Connect the locked phone to the PC.
3. Select the Remove Screen Lock function.
4. Follow the instructions of the program (usually you need to download the firmware).

Careful: these programs may contain malicious code or incorrectly stitch the device, which will lead to a "brick" (completely inoperable, 4PDA or XDA Developers).

💡

Unofficial unlocking methods can disrupt the NFC module, fingerprint or camera, and if the phone is important to the job, you should contact the service.

FAQ: Frequent questions about unlocking Xiaomi