How to remove parental controls on Xiaomi phone: the complete guide

Parental controls on Xiaomi smartphones are a useful feature to limit children’s access to unwanted content, but sometimes it becomes an obstacle for owners themselves. Have you forgotten your password, bought a used phone with activated restrictions or experienced a software failure? In this article, we will discuss all the working ways to disable parental controls on Redmi, POCO and Mi devices, including bypassing through MIUI settings, resetting to factory settings and using ADB.

It is important to understand that the methods differ depending on the firmware version and the phone model. For example, on Xiaomi 12T Pro (2022) with MIUI 14, the password reset algorithm will be different from the Redmi Note 8 (2019) with MIUI 11. We will look at universal solutions, as well as nuances for specific cases - from simple switching off the menu to complex technical manipulations.

Warning: Some methods require a complete data reset or superuser rights (root).If the phone contains important information, back up in advance via Mi Cloud or locally on your PC.

1. disable parental control through MIUI settings

The easiest way is if you know the password from your Mi Account or the PIN of restrictions, which works on all Xiaomi devices with MIUI 9 and later, including the latest versions of HyperOS.

Instructions:

• 📱 Open the Security app (shield icon) on the home screen.
• 🔒 Go to Parental Controls (may be referred to as Digital Wellbeing on global firmware).
• 🔑 Enter the current password or confirm with a fingerprint.
• ⚙️ Click on the gear icon in the upper right corner and select Disable Parental Controls.

If Parental Control is not in the Security menu, check:

• 🔍 Section of the Annex → Permits → Special access → Parental control.
• 🔍 Account settings → Family (for devices with MIUI 12+).

⚠️ Note: On some models (e.g, POCO F4 GT) Parental controls can be linked to a Google Family Link account, in which case you need to disable restrictions through the Google web interface.

2. reset the password of parental control through Mi Account

If you forgot your password, but your Mi Account is active, use the Restore function:

1. 📧 Go to account.xiaomi.com from a PC or other device.
2. 🔑 Sign in with the same account as on a locked phone.
3. 🔄 In the Devices section, find your smartphone and click Remove Parental Controls.
4. 📱 Confirm the action through SMS email.

After that, the restrictions will be removed within 5-10 minutes, if the option does not appear, then:

• 🚫 Parental control is not established through Mi Account, but through third-party software (for example, Kids Place or Norton Family).
• 🚫 The device is not synced to the cloud (check your internet connection).

Xiaomi models with MIUI 13+ (such as Xiaomi 13 Lite) may require additional confirmation via the “Mi Home” app. Install it on a second phone and log in under the same account.

Bypassing parental control through recovery mode (Recovery)

If standard methods don't work, you'll have to use a hard reset, which will remove all data from your phone, including apps, photos and settings, but is guaranteed to remove the restrictions.

Step-by-step:

1. 🔋 Turn off your phone and press the button combination: For most models: Volume up + Food. POCO X3 Pro/Redmi K40: Loudness down + Nutrition.

Recovery

Wipe Data

Wipe All Data

✅ Confirm the action and wait for the process to be completed (5-15 minutes).

Reboot

⚠️ Note: On devices with a bootloader, you may need to log in to Mi Account after reset. If you don't remember your account details, your phone will turn into a brick. Check the lock status through fastboot oem device-info (should be unlocked: true).

4. Removal of Parental Controls through ADB (for Advanced)

The method is suitable for users familiar with ADB (Android Debug Bridge) if the phone is unlocked for debugging, but parental controls block access to settings.

Conditions required:

• 🖥️ Computer with installed ADB Tools.
• 🔌 USB-cable (preferably original).
• 🔧 Included debugging by USB (Settings → The phone. → Version. MIUI — Press 7 times, then additionally → For developers → Debugging by USB).

Instructions:

adb shell


pm uninstall -k --user 0 com.miui.guardprovider # Removes the Parental Controls App




pm clear com.android.settings # Resets security settings




reboot

If the first team didn’t work, try:

adb shell settings put global parental_controls_enabled 0

💡

If USB debugging is disabled due to parental controls, try activating it via fastboot oem enable-adb (unlocked bootloader required).

⚠️ Attention: MIUI 14+ And HyperOS, these commands may not work because of the security architecture, and then only resetting through Recovery or flashing it will help.

5. bypassing third-party applications (risky method)

If standard methods do not help, some users resort to third-party utilities like Mi Account Unlock Tool or FRP Bypass APK. We do not recommend this method for reasons:

• 🛡️ Security: Most of these programs contain malicious code or spyware.
• 🔄 Instability: After use, the phone may stop updating or lose access to Google services.
• 🚫 License Violation: Xiaomi May Block Device for Using Unofficial Tools.

If you do decide, follow the rules:

• 🔍 Download programs only from verified forums (XDA Developers, 4PDA).
• 📥 Before using, turn off the internet on your phone (to prevent data leakage).
• 🔄 After the round, reset the settings.

💡

Third-party tools to remove parental control are a last resort, and 90% of the time, the problem is solved through official methods (Mi Account or Recovery).

6. Features for specific Xiaomi models

Some devices have unique nuances when working with parental controls.

Redmi Note 8/9/10 series

In these models, parental controls are often linked to the Google Family Link app to disable the restrictions:

1. Delete your child’s account through the Family Link web version.
2. On your phone, go to Settings → Accounts → Google and delete your child profile.

POCO X3/X4 Series

On POCO with global firmware, parental controls can block access to the developer's settings.

• Use ADB to unlock (see section 4).
• Or reset through Recovery with mandatory authorization in Mi Account after rebooting.

Xiaomi 11/12/13 series (flagships)

On flagships with MIUI 13+, parental control is integrated into the “Mi Protect” security system.

1. Go to Settings → Passwords and Security → Mi Protect.
2. Turn off the Family Access Protection option.
3. Confirm the action via SMS or fingerprint.

FAQ: Frequent questions