How to unlock Xiaomi phone if you forget your password: all working methods

Forgetting your smartphone password is a frustrating situation, but it's not a dead end. Especially when it comes to Xiaomi phones, where the manufacturer has provided several ways to restore access. In this article, we'll look at all the current methods, from standard (via Mi Account) to technical (using ADB or Fastboot), It's important to understand that the effectiveness of each method depends on the phone model, the version of MIUI and whether the security features were turned on before locking.

Before you start unlocking, answer three key questions:

1. Is the phone linked to your Mi Account (you were previously logged in)?
2. Is USB debugging enabled on the device?
3. Do you have a backup copy of the data?

The answers will determine whether you can do without a factory reset, and remember that some methods require proof of identity (e.g., via a linked phone number or email), while others may only work on older versions of MIUI (up to 12.5).

If the phone is locked after purchase from hands and the previous owner did not remove the link to his account – this is a separate story, in this case, you can officially unlock the device only through the support team Xiaomi, providing proof of purchase (check, contract). Self-attempts to bypass are fraught with complete loss of functionality (for example, blocking). IMEI).

1 Unlocking through Mi Account (official method)

The most reliable and recommended way for Xiaomi is to use a tied Mi Account, which works on all models (including Redmi 9A, POCO X3 Pro, Mi 11 Ultra) if:

• 📱 The phone is connected to the Internet (via Wi-Fi or mobile network).
• 🔑 You remember the username and password from Mi Account (or you can restore them through the email/phone).
• 🔄 The device was not reset via Recovery after blocking (this removes the account binding).

Instructions:

1. On the lock screen, tap the button "Forgot your password?" (or a similar inscription at the bottom of the screen).
2. Select the recovery option through Mi Account.
3. Enter the email or phone number associated with the account.
4. Confirm your identity through SMS-mail-in.
5. Create a new unlock password.

If you don't have a "Forgot Password?" button, try entering the wrong password 5 times in a row, and then the system will offer alternative ways to sign in. Some models (e.g. Redmi Note 8 Pro) may require you to connect to Wi-Fi manually via the emergency call menu (#4636## does not work on a locked screen!).

⚠️ Warning: If the phone was bought with hands and tied to someone else's account, this method will not work.Attempts to enter someone else's data can lead to temporary blocking of the account on suspicion of theft.

Battery charge > 30%|Wi-Fi connection (if not) SIM-map)|Data for entering Mi Account (email/phone)|Access to the postal or SMS confirm-->

2. Reset password via Find Device (remote)

The Find Device feature, similar to Google’s Find Your Phone, not only allows you to track Xiaomi’s location, but also remotely reset your lock password if your device is connected to the Internet, which works even if you don’t remember your Mi Account password but have access to your email.

Step-by-step:

1. Go to i.mi.com from a computer or other phone.
2. Sign in with the same account as on the locked device.
3. From the menu, select Find Device → Delete data (or Unlock Device in English).
4. Confirm the action via SMS or email.
5. Wait for the phone to restart (it can take up to 5 minutes).

Once reset, the phone will unlock, but all data will be deleted (photos, messages, apps).

• 🚫 The phone's offline.
• 🚫 Device turned off or discharged.
• 🚫 Mi Account was not linked to the phone.

3. Unlock through ADB (for advanced users)

The ADB (Android Debug Bridge) method is suitable if the phone is debugging on USB and has access to a computer, one of the few ways to save data after unlocking, but it requires technical skills.

What you need:

• 🖥️ A computer with installed Xiaomi drivers and ADB.
• 🔌 USB-cable (original, not damaging ports).
• 📱 Charged phone > 50%.

Instructions:

1. Connect your phone to your PC via USB.
2. Open the command prompt (Win + R → cmd) and type: adb devices If the device appears in the list, go further. If not, install the drivers or enable debugging through Fastboot (see next section).
3. Enter the commands alternately: adb shell su rm /data/system/gesture.key rm /data/system/password.key reboot
4. After resetting, the password will be reset.

⚠️ Attention: On new models (MIUI 13+) This method may not work due to the increased protection, and root rights are required, which are not available on most Xiaomi stock firmware.

4.Reset via Recovery Mode (Data Loss)

If other methods fail, it will be hard to reset through Recovery, which will delete all data but unlock the phone, and works on all Xiaomi models, including Redmi, POCO and Mi, regardless of the MIUI version.

How to reset:

1. Turn off the phone (squeeze the power for 10 seconds).
2. Press the button combination: For most models: Power + Volume up. For POCO F1/F2: Power + Volume down.

Recovery

Wipe Data → Wipe All Data

Reboot

New phones (MIUI 14+) may require data entry from the Mi Account that was previously linked after reset, and if you don’t remember it, the phone will turn into a brick (it won’t load beyond the activation screen), in which case only contacting the service center with proof of purchase will help.

💡

If the phone requires an old password after reset, try connecting to Wi-Fi and entering Mi Account data on the activation screen. Sometimes the system allows you to unlock the device without losing functionality.

5. Bypassing locking via Fastboot (for technical models)

Fastboot mode allows you to interact with the phone at a low level, but requires an unlocked bootloader.If you previously unlocked it through the official Xiaomi tool, you can try resetting your password without losing data.

Instructions:

1. Transfer the phone to Fastboot: (a) Turn off the device. (b) Press Power + Volume down for 10 seconds.

Execution time: from 1 to 3 days.