Forgot the password from the Mi Account on Xiaomi Redmi 4X, and the phone requires authorization after reset? Or bought a used device with a tied someone else's profile? The situation is familiar to many owners of Xiaomi smartphones - locking through Mi Cloud can turn a device into a "brick" if you do not know how to delete the account correctly. In this article, we will analyze 5 proven ways to unassign without password and login, including official and technical methods.
The manufacturer deliberately complicates the process of deleting an account to protect against theft, but this creates problems for legitimate users. Redmi 4X (codename santoni) is especially vulnerable due to the old version of MIUI and the lack of support for new unlock protocols. We will look at options for different scenarios, from software bypass to “hard” methods through Fastboot and EDL. Importantly, not all methods are safe – some can lead to data loss or firmware damage.
Before you start, check:
- 🔋 Battery charge of at least 60% (the process can take up to an hour).
- 📥 Availability of original USB-cables (cheap cables often don't transmit data to Fastboot).
- 💻 Access to Windows PCs (most methods will require drivers and utilities).
1.Official way: unlock through Xiaomi Unlock Tool
The most legal method is to use Xiaomi's Mi Unlock Tool, which is suitable if you have access to an email or phone number linked to an account but you don't remember the password, which takes up to 72 hours due to security checks.
Algorithm of action:
- Go to the Mi Account website and select “Forgot your password”.
- Enter the email/phone associated with your account and follow the recovery instructions.
- After resetting the password, download the Mi Unlock Tool (Windows version).
- Log in to the tool with a new password and connect Redmi 4X in Fastboot mode (clamp Volume down + Power).
- Press Unlock and wait until the device is finished (the device will reboot).
Limitations of the method:
- ❌ Not working if your account is not yours (no access to your account) email/phone).
- ❌ Requires 3 days for new accounts.
- ❌ On some of the Redmi firmware 4X This is a mistake: "Couldn't unlock".
2. bypass Mi Account through reset to factory settings (Hard Reset)
If the phone is not locked after reset (i.e., does not require you to enter a Mi Account when you first set up), you can try hard reset, which only works on firmware older than MIUI 10 and does not guarantee 100% results.
Instructions:
- Turn off the Redmi 4X.
- Press Volume Up + Power before the Mi logo (Recovery Mode) appears.
- Select the language (volume buttons) and go to Wipe & Reset → Wipe All Data.
- Confirm the reset and wait for the reset.
Critical information: On Redmi 4X with MIUI 11+, this method only works 30% of the time – after a reset, you may need to re-enter your Mi Account. If the device requests authorization, move on to the following methods.
Make sure the battery is over 50% charged
Connect the original USB-cable (in case of errors)
Download the firmware for Redmi 4X (in case of recovery)
Remember the sequence of buttons to enter Recovery-->
3. Delete Mi Account via Fastboot (for power users)
The method involves using Fastboot commands to modify the persist partition, which stores the account's link information, and the risk of firmware damage is high, but if executed correctly, the chances of success are up to 80%.
What you need:
- 🖥️ PC with installed Xiaomi drivers (download from the official website).
- 📂 Archive with utility ADB Fastboot (Platform Tools).
- 🔧 File. persist.img for Redmi 4X (can be found on the forums 4PDA or XDA).
Step-by-step:
1. Transfer the phone to Fastboot mode:
- Turn off the device.
- Press Volume down + Nutrition until the hare appears in the hat-eared.
2. Connect to the PC and check for detection:
Enter in the command line: fastboot devices
- The serial number of the device should be displayed.
3. Unlock the bootloader (if not unlocked):
- fastboot oem unlock
On the phone, confirm the unlock (volume button).
4.Sweep modified persist.img:
- fastboot flash persist persist.img
- fastboot reboot⚠️
Warning: Incorrect firmware persist.img can lead to loss of IMEI or network problems. Before executing, back up the original partition with the command fastboot dump persist.
What if the Fastboot can’t see the device?
4. Unlocking through EDL (Emergency Download Mode)
EDL mode allows you to flash the device at a low level, bypassing all locks, which is the most reliable method, but requires:
How to Sign In to EDL on Redmi 4X:
Firmware via MiFlash:
- Unpack the firmware in a folder without Cyrillic symbols.
- Launch MiFlash.exe, click Select and specify the path to the firmware folder.
- Select Clean All (complete reset) mode.
- Press Flash and wait until it is completed (10-15 minutes).
⚠️ Attention: Firmware through EDL erases all data, including IMEI. After the procedure, you may need to restore your network settings via the engineering menu (#4636##).
| Method | Difficulty | Time. | Risk of damage | Chance of success |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Official Mi Unlock | Low. | 1-3 days | Low. | 90% |
| Hard Reset | Low. | 5 minutes. | Medium. | 30% |
| Fastboot | Medium | 30 minutes. | High-pitched | 80% |
| EDL | Tall. | 15 minutes. | critical | 95% |
5. Alternative ways: cheating the system through ADB
If the phone is on but blocked by the Mi Account request, you can try to bypass the ADB check. The method works on firmware up to MIUI 12 and requires USB debugging enabled.
Instructions:
1. Connect the phone to the PC and open the command line in the folder with ADB.
2. Enter the commands in turn:
adb shell
su
rm /data/system/mi_account.xml
reboot
3. After the reboot, check if the authorization request has disappeared.If the su command doesn’t work (no root rights), try an alternative path:
adb shell
pm uninstall -k --user 0 com.xiaomi.account
reboot1. Connect the phone to the PC.
2. type the combination on the phone keyboard to enable debugging (for example, type ##284## for the test menu).
3. In some cases, this activates ADB even without unlocking the screen.-->
6. Contact Xiaomi Service Center: When Nothing Helps
If all of these methods fail, the official request to Xiaomi service remains, which is the only legal way to delete someone else’s Mi Account, but it will require proof of purchase.
What it takes to apply:
- 📄 Check or contract of sale (if the phone used - a contract with the previous owner).
- 🆔 Passport for identification.
- 📱 Serial number of the device (IMEI battery-mark).
The process takes 5 to 14 days, as Xiaomi checks documents through its head office in China, and in some cases, it may be necessary to pay for the service (about 1000-2000 rubles).
💡
Service center is the only way to guarantee that you can delete your Mi Account without damaging your phone, but without your ID, you'll be denied 99% of the time.