How to remove the password from Xiaomi Mi 9: official and alternative methods

Why your phone is locked and what to do first

Forgotten password on Xiaomi Mi 9 – the situation is unpleasant, but solvable. Most often users face locking after a long break in use, change of user experience. PIN-It's important to understand that the method of unlocking depends on whether the phone is linked to a Mi Account, whether debugging is enabled. USB and whether there is a backup of the data.

Before you start taking drastic measures (like factory reset), check the obvious options:

• 🔢 Try entering the last password you use – sometimes an error occurs due to incorrect input (for example, a Caps Lock enabled or a change of layout).
• 📧 If the phone is tied to Mi Account, use the Forgot Password function on the lock screen - the system will offer to unlock the device via email or SMS.
• 📱 Check if the phone is connected to a trusted device (such as a smartwatch or a Xiaomi tablet) that can unlock it automatically.

If these methods don't work, move on to more sophisticated methods, but remember: any password reset without official tools can result in data loss or FRP (Factory Reset Protection) activation.

Method 1: Unlocking with Mi Account (official method)

The safest and most recommended way for Xiaomi is to use a linked Mi Account, which works even if you don't remember the password from the lock screen, but remember the login details.

1. On the lock screen, click Forgot Password? (or Forgot Password? on English firmware).
2. Select the recovery option: via Mi Account.
3. Enter the email or phone number associated with the account and password.
4. Confirm your login via SMS or email (depending on your security settings).
5. Follow the instructions on the screen to reset the lock password.

If the system requests a confirmation code from SMS/email, but you do not receive it:

• 📧 Check the spam folder in the mail.
• 📱 Make sure that SIM-card inserted into the phone (if the number is restored).
• 🔄 Try to request the code again in 1-2 minutes.

⚠️ Warning: If you've previously untied your Mi Account from your phone or changed your firmware to custom, this method may not work.

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If you have two-factor authentication enabled in Mi Account, prepare backup codes or access to an authenticator application (e.g. Google Authenticator) in advance.

Method 2: Reset to factory settings (Hard Reset)

If you can't unlock it through Mi Account, you have a radical method, which is factory reset, which will delete all the data from your phone, including your password, but it will return access to your device. On Xiaomi Mi 9, you can do this in two ways:

Method 2.1: via the Recovery Menu

Suitable if the phone is turned on, but does not go beyond the lock screen:

1. Turn off the phone with a long press on 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. From the Recovery menu, select the language (usually English or Chinese).
4. Go to Wipe Data → Wipe All Data and confirm the action.
5. After reset, select Reboot to reboot.

Method 2.2: Through Fastboot (if Recovery is not available)

If your phone doesn’t load into Recovery, use Fastboot:

fastboot oem edl

But this method requires an unlocked bootloader and can cause the device to break down. Read more about the risks below.

⚠️ Note: After resetting on Xiaomi Mi 9 can be activated FRP-Factory Reset Protection: To get around it, you need to enter data from the Mi Account that was tied to the phone before the reset, and if you don't remember that data, the phone becomes a brick".

Turn off the phone from charging.

Make sure the battery is at least 30% charged.

Prepare. SIM-Internet access card (for the FRP)

Save it. IMEI telephone (on a box or in a check)-->

Method 3: Password bypassing ADB (for advanced users)

If your phone has USB debugging enabled and you have access to your computer, you can try removing your password through ADB (Android Debug Bridge), a method that doesn’t work on all Xiaomi Mi 9 firmware, but it’s worth trying.

Instructions:

1. Connect your phone to your PC through USB-cable (original!).
2. Open the Command Prompt (Windows) or Terminal (macOS/Linux) in the folder with ADB.
3. Enter the command to check the connection: adb devices If the phone appears in the list, continue.
4. Delete the password file: adb shell rm /data/system/gesture.key adb shell rm /data/system/password.key adb shell rm /data/system/locksettings.db adb shell rm /data/system/locksettings.db-wal adb shell rm /data/system/locksettings.db-shm
5. Reboot your phone: adb reboot

After resetting, the password should be reset, but:

• 🔧 On some versions MIUI This method does not work due to the changed file structure.
• 🔐 If there was a pattern lock, you may need to enter a backup PIN-code.
• 🖥️ The PC must be installed drivers Xiaomi and ADB.

Method 4: Using the Mi Flash Tool (phone firmware)

If the previous methods didn't work, you just have to reflash the phone through the Mi Flash Tool, which is a last resort, because you have to:

• 💻 Windows computer;
• 🔌 Original. USB-cable;
• 📥 Official firmware for Xiaomi Mi 9 (cepheus version);
• 🔓 Unlocked bootloader (if not unlocked, you will need to wait 72–168 hours after you link your account).

Step-by-step:

1. Download the Mi Flash Tool from the official website.
2. Download the firmware for Mi 9 (select the Fastboot version).
3. Turn off the phone and put it in Fastboot mode (clip Power + Volume down).
4. Connect your phone to your PC and start the Mi Flash Tool.
5. In the program, click Select, specify the path to the unpacked firmware.
6. Select Clean All mode and press Flash.
7. Wait for the process to end (5-10 minutes) and restart the phone.

After the firmware:

• ✅ The phone will be as new as new, without a password.
• ❌ All data is deleted.
• ⚠️ You may need to re-attach your Mi Account to get around FRP.

⚠️ Note: Unofficial firmware (custom) ROM may result in loss IMEI Or camera problems. Use only official firmware from Xiaomi's website.

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Firmware via Mi Flash Tool is the only way to unlock Xiaomi Mi 9 if you forget the password from Mi Account and debugging is disabled by USB. But requires an unlocked bootloader!

Method 5: Contact Xiaomi Service Center

If all the self-unblocking attempts fail, you just have to go to an authorized Xiaomi service center, which is the most reliable, but also the longest way.

• 🔧 Guaranteed data retention (in some cases).
• 📄 Official job security.
• 🔒 Circumvention FRP lock-free.

What will be required for the application:

• 📄 Documents confirming the purchase of the phone (checks, warranty card).
• 🔐 Data from Mi Account if the phone is tied.
• 💳 Payment for the service (cost varies from 1000 to 3 000 rubles).

Where to find a service center:

• 🌍 On the official Xiaomi website (select country and city).
• 📍 Google Maps for Xiaomi Service Center.
• 📞 By phone, Xiaomi hotline in your area.

The service's unlock period is usually 1-3 business days, and if the phone is warranty, the service can be free.

Frequent Mistakes and How to Avoid Them

When trying to unlock the Xiaomi Mi 9, users often make critical mistakes that make things worse.

Another common problem is that the phone is not defined in Fastboot.

• 🔌 The problem with the cable: use the original USB-Xiaomi cable.
• 🖥️ No drivers: install Mi PC Suite.
• 🔄 Wrong Mode: Keep Volume Down + Food before the appearance of the hare in the hat-earshank (Fastboot logo).

FAQ: Answers to Frequent Questions