Locking the screen of Soft Lock Screen on Xiaomi smartphones is not just protection from accidental clicks, but a whole set of restrictions that can appear after a failed firmware, system failure or activation of parental control. PIN-This type of lock is often not removed by conventional methods, forcing users to look for workarounds. 80% of the time the problem occurs after the update. MIUI Resetting your settings through Recovery when the system requires confirmation of a Mi Account that the user may not have.
The main difficulty is that Soft Lock blocks not only the screen, but also access to the basic functions of the phone: you can not enter the settings, connect to Wi-Fi or even use Fastboot/EDL modes without first unlocking. In this article, we will discuss 5 proven methods of removing Soft Lock Screen on Xiaomi, including official and informal solutions, taking into account the models of 2020-2026 (from Redmi Note 9 to Xiaomi 14).
What is Soft Lock Screen and Why Does It Appear?
The term Soft Lock Screen (or "soft lock") is not the official name of Xiaomi's feature, but is widely used in the user community.
- 🔒 The screen is blocked in a non-standard way (no fields for input). PIN/password).
- 📱 Phone asks to confirm Mi Account even if it wasn’t previously linked.
- ⚙️ You can’t log into Settings or Recovery without first unlocking.
- 🔄 After restarting, the lock is returned, even if it was temporarily bypassed.
The main reasons for the appearance:
| Reason. | Models that are more common | Can I remove it without losing data? |
|---|---|---|
| Failure after MIUI update | Redmi Note 10/11, POCO X3/X4 | Yes (mode 1 or 2) |
| Activating Parental Controls through Mi Family | Xiaomi 12/13, Redmi K50 | Yes (mode 3) |
| Wrong Resetting Through Recovery | POCO F3/F4, Redmi 9A/9C | No (reset required) |
| Blocking by the operator (for example, when buying on credit) | Any model you want. | No (operator code needed) |
It is important to distinguish Soft Lock from Hard Lock, which occurs when an eMMC chip is damaged or a boot partition error occurs. In the case of Hard Lock, the phone does not turn on at all or hangs on the Mi logo, and Soft Lock allows you to at least see the lock screen (albeit non-working).
⚠️ Warning: If the screen displays a message "This device is locked. Connect to Mi Account" asking you to enter a username/password, but you have never linked an account, this is a sign of a firmware swap.
Method 1: Unlocking with Mi Account (official method)
If the phone asks you to confirm your Mi Account, but you remember the login details, it’s the fastest and most secure way to do it, and it works on 90% of Xiaomi models released after 2018, and doesn’t require a data reset.
Instructions:
- On the lock screen, select the option "Forgot password?" (or similar in Russian).
- Enter the email/phone associated with Mi Account and request a confirmation code.
- Once you log in, the system will suggest resetting the screen lock.
- Restart your phone and the lock should disappear.
If the option "Forgot password?" is not available:
Make sure your phone is connected to Wi-Fi or mobile network | Check if Flight Mode is disabled | Use the original USB cable to connect to your PC (if required) | Stock up on time – confirmation can take up to 72 hours
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On some models (POCO X3 Pro, Redmi Note 10 Pro) after logging into the account, a message may appear "Device locked. Wait 72 hours", which means that Xiaomi suspected unauthorized access and blocked the unlock for 3 days.
- 🕒 Wait until the time is set (the timer will reset only after the full expiration date).
- 📧 Check the email linked to your account – sometimes an email comes with instructions for accelerated unlocking.
- 🔄 Do not try to reflash your phone at this time – this can extend the lock period to 30 days.
⚠️ Note: If you bought the phone with your hands and the previous owner did not untie his Mi Account, official unlocking is not possible.In this case, only informal methods (method 4 or 5) remain, but they require unlocking the bootloader.
Yes, and I remember the account details | Yes, but I don't remember the data | No, another type of lock | I don't know how to check-->
Method 2: Bypass Safe Mode (without data loss)
Safe Mode allows you to temporarily disable all third-party applications and some system restrictions, including Soft Lock Screen.This method works if the lock is caused by a MIUI malfunction or application conflict (for example, after installing a custom theme).
How to log in to Safe Mode:
- Turn off the phone with a long press on the power button.
- Hold the Volume Down (-) button and press the power button without letting it go.
- Hold both buttons until the Mi logo appears, then release the power button, but continue holding Volume Down.
- After downloading, the inscription “Safe mode” will appear in the lower left corner of the screen.
If you can get into Safe Mode:
What to do next in Safe Mode?
Limitations of the method:
- ❌ Does not work on models with a locked boot loader (Xiaomi) 12T, Redmi K60).
- ❌ If the lock is connected to Mi Account, Safe Mode will not help.
- ⚠️ After restarting, the lock may return if the cause is not fixed (for example, virus software).
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If the lock is still in Safe Mode, try connecting the phone to the PC and execute a command via ADB.
adb shell pm uninstall --user 0 com.miui.securitycenterMethod 3: Recovery Reset (with data loss)
If previous methods failed and the phone doesn’t contain critical data, you can perform hard reset via Recovery Mode, which deletes all data, including apps, photos and settings, but is guaranteed to remove Soft Lock Screen (except when linked to Mi Account).
Instructions for Xiaomi with MIUI 12-14:
- Turn off the phone.
- Press the Volume Up (+) and Power buttons at the same time before the Mi logo appears.
- Release the buttons when the Recovery menu appears (in English or Chinese).
- Select "Wipe Data" (or "Clear Data") with the volume buttons, confirm the choice with the power button.
- After reset, select "Reboot".
Important nuances:
| Problem. | Decision |
|---|---|
| Recovery menu in Chinese | Look for the characters "" (clear the data) and "" (reboot). |
| After the reset, you need to reclaim your Mi Account. | So the phone was linked to the account, so you need to enter the previous owner's data or use method 4. |
| Recovery won't open | Button problem or damaged recovery section. Try method 5. |
⚠️ Note: On Xiaomi models with MediaTek chip (Redmi) 9A, POCO C31) Recovery resets can result in brick if the firmware is damaged.Be sure to reset the battery at least 50 times%.
Method 4: Unlocking via Fastboot (for advanced)
If Soft Lock Screen appeared after a failed firmware or failure MIUI, And the bootloader is unlocked, and you can use the fastboot command to reset the lock, USB-Cable and Minimal Knowledge of Working with ADB/Fastboot.
Step-by-step:
- Install Platform Tools on PC (includes fastboot and adb).
- Turn off your phone and press Volume Down (-) + Power to log in to Fastboot Mode.
- Connect the phone to the PC and in the command line perform: fastboot devices (should display the serial number of the device).
- Run the command to unlock: fastboot flashing unlock (some models may require fastboot oem unlock).
- Once the bootloader is unlocked, reset: fastboot erase userdata fastboot erase cache fastboot reboot
Warnings:
- 🔓 Unlocking the bootloader erases all data and resets the settings to the factory.
- 🛠️ New models (Xiaomi 13 Ultra, Redmi) K70) Requires binding to Mi Account to unlock the bootloader.
- ⚡ If the phone restarted after the fastboot flashing unlock command, but the lock remained - the bootloader was not unlocked.
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Unlocking the bootloader via Fastboot is the only way to bypass Soft Lock Screen if it is caused by corrupt system files, but after this procedure, the phone will become vulnerable to viruses, since the firmware signature check will be disabled.
Method 5: Flashing through EDL (extreme case)
EDL Mode (Emergency Download Mode) is a firmware mode that allows you to restore your phone even in severe crashes, including Soft Lock Screen. This method requires special equipment (EDL cable or circuit board contacts) and firmware for your model.
When to use EDL:
- 🔧 The phone does not turn on or hangs on the Mi logo.
- 🔒 Fastboot and Recovery are not available.
- 📱 Blocking is associated with damage to the system or boot partition.
Instructions (simplified):
- Download the firmware for your model from MIUI Download (select the Fastboot version).
- Install the Qualcomm HS-USB QDLoader 9008 driver (for Snapdragon phones) or MediaTek Preloader (for MTK).
- Transfer your phone to EDL Mode: For Snapdragon: lock the Test Point pins on the motherboard or use an EDL cable. For MediaTek: hold Volume Up + Volume Down when you connect to your PC.
Mi Flash Tool
Flash
⚠️ Attention: Firmware through EDL on models with a locked loader (Xiaomi) 11T, Redmi Note 12 requires an authorized Mi Account. Without it, the firmware will end in an error "SLA Auth Error. In this case, contact the service center.
Risks of the method:
- 💀 The wrong firmware can turn your phone into a brick".
- 🔌 Closing Test Point without experience is fraught with damage to the board.
- 📉 After the firmware through EDL might fly IMEI (remediation).
Frequent Mistakes and How to Avoid Them
When trying to remove Soft Lock Screen, users often make critical errors that exacerbate the problem, and here are the most common ones and ways to prevent them:
| Mistake. | Effects of consequences | How to avoid |
|---|---|---|
| Trying to flash your phone through Fastboot with a locked bootloader | 3-30 days of locking ("Device locked. Wait X hours") | First, unlock the bootloader through the Mi Unlock Tool. |
| Using a firmware not for your model | Hard brick (phone not switched on) | Check the firmware name for model code (davinci for Redmi K20, alioth for POCO F3) |
| Recovery reset on phone with Mi Account tied | Requirement for data entry of the previous owner | Check your account binding via Settings → Mi Account before resetting |
| Interrupting the firmware through EDL | Damage to the boot or system partition | Use Uninterruptible Power Supply (UPS) for PC |
Another common problem is the loss of IMEI after running through Fastboot or EDL.
- Download the archive with QCN Rebuilder or Maui META (for MediaTek).
- Connect your phone in Diag Mode (usually ##717717## or ##36446337###).
- Count the original IMEI from a sticker under the battery or box.
- Write down the IMEI back using the utility.
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If the phone stopped catching the network after unlocking the bootloader, check for nvdata and nvram files in the firmware, which is the main reason for losing IMEI on MediaTek.