How to unlock a Xiaomi smartphone if you forget your password: 5 proven ways

The forgotten password from Xiaomi smartphone is a situation that thousands of users face every day. Especially acute problem is when it comes to the phone of a loved one, for example, a wife, and access to the device is necessary for objective reasons: payment of bills, communication in an emergency or recovery of important data. However, it is important to understand that attempts to circumvent the protection without the consent of the owner can violate the law on personal data (FZ-152) and the terms of use of MIUI.

This article will help you understand how to legally restore access to Xiaomi smartphone (including the Redmi Note models). 12, POCO X5, Mi 11 In cases where the owner of the device agrees to unlock or has forgotten the password, we will consider the official methods from Xiaomi, workarounds through the Mi Account account, as well as technical nuances associated with versions. MIUI 14/15 chipset Qualcomm/Snapdragon vs Mediatek.

If the purpose is to access other people’s data without the owner’s knowledge, we remind you: this is illegal and may entail administrative or criminal liability (Article 138 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation – violation of the secrecy of correspondence).

1. Official reset via Mi Account (if linked account)

The easiest and most legal way to unlock Xiaomi is to use a tied Mi Account, which works if:

  • 📱 The phone is connected to the Internet (Wi-Fi or mobile network)
  • 🔑 You have a login/password from your Mi Account that has been synced to your device
  • 🔄 Find Device has been activated in the settings

Step instructions:

  1. Go to account.xiaomi.com and log in.
  2. In the Devices section, select a locked smartphone.
  3. Press Find the device. → Unlock.
  4. Confirm the action via SMS or email (depending on the security settings).

⚠️ Warning: If two-factor authentication is enabled on the device, you will need access to a backup email or phone number associated with the account.

📊 What Xiaomi Unlocking Method You Know?
Through the Mi Account.
Reset to factory settings
Through Fastboot.
Contacting the service center
Never blocked.

2. reset to factory settings (Hard Reset)

If your Mi Account is not tied or you don't remember the login details, the radical method is a complete reset, which will delete all data from the device, including photos, messages and installed apps. Use it only as a last resort!

How to perform the reset:

  1. Turn off the phone (press the power button for 10 seconds).
  2. Hold the combination: For Qualcomm/Snapdragon: Volume up + Power For Mediatek: Volume up + Volume down + Power up

Recovery

Mi Bunny

Wipe Data

Wipe All Data

Confirm the action and wait for the reboot.

☑️ Preparing for Xiaomi's reset

Done: 0 / 4

⚠️ Attention: On devices with MIUI 14/15 After the reset, you may need to enter data from the Mi Account that was previously linked (FRP-If the account is not known, the phone will turn into a brick».

3. Unlock via Fastboot (for advanced users)

The Fastboot method is suitable for Xiaomi models on Qualcomm chipsets (e.g. Redmi Note 11 Pro, POCO F4). It requires a PC with ADB/Fastboot drivers installed and a bootloader unlocked.

Step-by-step:

  1. Install Platform Tools from Google.
  2. Transfer the phone to Fastboot mode: adb reboot bootloader Or manually: Keep Volume down + Power when turned on.
  3. Connect the device to your PC and check the connection: fastboot devices
  4. Run the command to unlock: fastboot flashing unlock (some models may require fastboot oem unlock).

If you do decide to take this step, make sure that:

  1. You have a backup copy of the IMEI (it can be restored through the engineering menu).
  2. You are using official firmware from the Miui Download website.
  3. The process takes place on a charged phone (at least 50% of the battery).

💡

Any unofficial unlock will void Xiaomi’s warranty and could result in data loss without the possibility of recovery.

FAQ: Frequent questions about unlocking Xiaomi

❓ Can you unlock Xiaomi without losing data?
No, if it's a locked screen, all official methods (Mi Account reset, Recovery, Fastboot) result in deleting user data, and the only way to save information is if the phone was synced to Google Account or Mi Cloud before locking.
❓ Why Xiaomi asks for old Mi Account password after reset?
It's FRP-Factory Reset Protection, which is activated if a Mi Account was attached to the device. To get around it, you need to enter data from this account. If you do not remember it, contact Xiaomi with proof of ownership of the device.
❓ Does unlocking work through SMS Xiaomi?
No, unlike some Samsung devices, Xiaomi does not support SMS unlocking.The only official way to remotely manage is to find Device in Mi Account.
❓ Can you unlock Xiaomi through your computer without Fastboot?
Yes, but only if the phone was on debugging mode. USB (USB Debugging) before blocking. In this case, you can use ADB-commands to delete gesture.key or password.key file. MIUI 14/15 This method is often blocked by the system.
❓ How much does it cost to unlock in the service center?
Cost depends on the model and the reason for the lock: Redmi (budget models): 1 500–2 500 ₽ POCO/Mi (middle-class): 2 500–4 000 ₽ Flagman (Xiaomi 13, Mix Fold): 4 000–7 000 ₽ Replacement of the motherboard: from 8 000 ₽ Prices are relevant for Moscow and St. Petersburg 2026 year.