How to unlock Xiaomi Redmi 8 if you forget your password: official and alternative methods

Forgetting your smartphone password is a familiar situation, especially when it comes to the budget but functional Xiaomi Redmi 8, which is still popular among users. Unlike flagships, where biometric unlocking (fingerprint or face) often saves the day, Redmi 8 owners often face the need to enter a PIN or pattern lock manually, and if the code is lost, panic begins.

It’s important to understand that unlocking your phone without a password is always risky. At best, you’ll lose unsaved data (photos, messages, notes), at worst, turn your device into a brick with corrupted firmware. This article will help avoid mistakes: it’s a collection of all the current ways to unlock Redmi 8, from official (via Mi Account) to technical (using Fastboot and ADB).

Before you start, answer two questions: 1. Is the phone tied to your Mi Account (you remember the username and password)? 2. Is debugging enabled on the device. USB (USB Debugging)?

The answers depend on which method is right for you.

1 Unblocking through Mi Account (official method)

The most secure and recommended method for Xiaomi is to use a tied Mi Account, which works if:

• 📱 The phone is connected to the Internet (Wi-Fi or mobile network).
• 🔑 You remember the email and password from the Mi Account that was used on the device.
• 🔄 Find Device has been activated in the settings.

Instructions:

1. On the Redmi 8 lock screen, enter the wrong password 5 times in a row and the message will appear: “Forgot the password?”.
2. Click on this caption → select “Unblock through Mi Account”.
3. Enter your email and account password. If two-factor authentication is enabled, confirm your login via SMS or backup email.
4. Follow the instructions on the screen. The system will suggest creating a new PIN or a pattern lock.

Advantages of the method: does not require resetting, all data (photos, contacts, messages) will be saved. Disadvantages: it does not work without the Internet or if the Mi Account was not linked.

⚠️ Note: If you bought the Redmi 8 with your hands, the previous owner may not have deleted your Mi Account. In this case, unlocking through Mi Account is not possible - you will need to contact the seller or perform a hard reset (see section 3).

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If you do not remember the password from Mi Account, restore it on the official website account.xiaomi.com. Use the attached email or phone number.

2 Unlocking through Find Device

This is a good way to do it if the Redmi 8 has enabled Find Device (similar to Apple's Find iPhone), which allows you to remotely unlock your phone through a web browser, but with one caveat: once unlocked, all data will be erased (except files on the iPhone). SD-map).

Step-by-step:

1. Go to i.mi.com from a computer or other phone.
2. Sign in with the same Mi Account as the blocked Redmi 8.
3. In the menu, select the locked device (if there are several).
4. Click on Erase Data. Confirm action.
5. Wait until the process is complete (it can take up to 10 minutes) and the phone will reboot and be unlocked.

After the reset, you will need to reconfigure the Redmi 8, as you did after the purchase.

• 🌐 The phone's offline.
• 🔌 Device discharged (charge less than 20%).
• 🔒 Find Device feature has been disabled in settings.

3 Hard Reset via Recovery Mode

If the previous methods didn't work, the radical method is hard resetting through the Recovery Mode, which will erase all the data on the phone, including photos, apps and settings, but will return access to the device. On Redmi 8, the procedure looks like this:

Instructions:

1. Turn off the phone (press the power button for 10 seconds).
2. Press the Power button + Volume up at the same time and hold for 10-15 seconds until the Mi logo appears.
3. Release the buttons. You will be taken to the Recovery Mode menu (navigation is done by volume buttons, the choice is by power button).
4. Select “Wipe Data” → “Wipe All Data” → Confirm the action.
5. After the reset is complete, select Reboot → Reboot to System.

The phone will reboot and prompt you to configure it as new, and it's important that if the device has been enabled with the factory Mi Account, you may need to enter your account information for activation (FRP protection) after the reset.

⚠️ Warning: Some Redmi 8 firmwares will have a “This device is locked” error after Hard Reset, which means that the phone is tied to a Mi Account and you will need to enter a login/password to unlock it. If you don’t remember them, contact the Xiaomi service center with proof of purchase.

Get out. SIM-card and memory card (the data on them will not be affected)|Charge your phone to at least 50%|Prepare data from Mi Account (if it was linked)|Make sure your important files are synced to the cloud-->

4. Unlock through ADB (for power users)

The method is suitable if Redmi 8 includes debugging USB (USB Debugging) and the phone was previously connected to the computer, in which case you can delete the file with the password through the ADB (Android Debug Bridge without erasing any other data.

What you need:

• 🖥️ Computer with Windows/Linux/macOS.
• 🔌 USB-cable (preferably original).
• 🛠️ Installed Xiaomi drivers and package ADB Tools.

Instructions:

1. Connect Redmi 8 to your computer via USB.
2. Open the command prompt (cmd on Windows or Terminal on macOS/Linux).
3. Enter the command to check the connection: adb devices If the device appears in the list, go further.
4. Delete the file with the password: adb shell rm /data/system/gesture.key or PIN-code: adb shell rm /data/system/password.key
5. Reboot your phone: adb reboot

After restarting, the lock screen should disappear.

• ❌ It doesn't work if the debugging is USB switched off.
• ❌ On some firmware MIUI Password file can be restored after rebooting.
• ❌ Requires technical skills (errors in teams can cause system failure).

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ADB-Unlocking is the only way to save data on your phone, but it only works when debugging is enabled. USB. If USB Debugging is off, the method is useless.

5. Unlock via Fastboot (for advanced)

If ADB is not available but the phone can be switched to Fastboot mode, there is a way to reset password settings via firmware, which requires an unlocked bootloader and is only suitable for users who have previously worked with custom firmware.

Step-by-step:

1. Turn off Redmi 8.
2. Press the Power Button + Volume down until the Fastboot logo appears.
3. Connect the phone to your computer and open the command line.
4. Check the connection: fastboot devices
5. Unlock the bootloader (if it is blocked): fastboot oem unlock Attention: this will erase all data on the device!
6. Flush the stock firmware through the command: fastboot flash all [name file firmware.zip]

Once the firmware is in place, the phone will be unlocked, but all data will be deleted.

• 🔧 The wrong firmware can “brick” the device.
• 🔒 Unlocking the bootloader resets the phone to factory settings.
• ⚠️ Violates the warranty (if it is still valid).

Download official firmware for Redmi 8 on MIUI Downloads. Choose the Fastboot version for your region.

6. Contact the Xiaomi Service Center

If all the independent attempts to unlock failed, you have to contact the official service center Xiaomi. This is the most reliable, but also the most expensive way. The cost of the service varies from 1,000 to 3,000 rubles depending on the region and the complexity of the case.

What will be required:

• 📄 Check or warranty card (proof of purchase).
• 🆔 Passport (for proof of identity).
• 📱 Charged phone (minimum 30%).

The process of unlocking in the service:

1. The wizard will check the phone's link to the Mi Account.
2. If the device is not blacklisted (not stolen), the specialist will perform a reset through service utilities.
3. In some cases, it may be necessary to firmware the phone with data loss.

Advantages: guarantee of safety of the device, official confirmation of unlocking. Disadvantages: cost and waiting time (1 to 3 days).

⚠️ Warning: Don’t trust unblocking to unofficial workshops that promise to “bypass Mi Account” in 5 minutes. Often such services involve the use of hacked firmware, which leads to: – Loss of warranty. – Unstable phone operation. – Risk of data theft (if the wizard copies your files).

Comparison of unlocking methods Xiaomi Redmi 8

FAQ: Frequent questions about unlocking Redmi 8