Forgot the password on Xiaomi and blocked the phone: 5 ways to unlock

Forgotten password on Xiaomi is a situation faced by one in five smartphone users of this brand. Especially critical if the phone is permanently locked: after 5 incorrect attempts of entering, the system requires Mi Account, and its data is also lost. In this article, proven methods of unlocking, from official (via Xiaomi account) to technical (reset via Fastboot or EDL).

Importantly, not all methods are universal. For example, resetting through Recovery only works on older models (before the Redmi Note 8), and new ones (for example, Xiaomi 13 or POCO F5) will require an authorized Mi Account or special equipment, we will analyze each method with an indication of the limitations and risks, from data loss to complete loss of warranty when using informal firmware.

1 Unlocking through Mi Account (official method)

If you have linked your phone to your Xiaomi account (Mi Account), this is the fastest and most secure way, and the system will prompt you to enter your username and password after 5 false attempts to unlock the screen.

• 🔹 The phone must be connected to the Internet (Wi-Fi or mobile network).
• 🔹 If you changed your Mi Account password after the last sync, the method won’t work.
• 🔹 Some models (e.g. Redmi 9 or POCO X3) Confirmation is required through SMS email.

Instructions:

1. On the lock screen, click Forgot Password? (or Forgot Password).
2. Enter the email or phone number associated with the Mi Account.
3. Confirm the entrance through SMS-code.
4. Create a new password to unlock the screen.

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If you don’t remember the email from Mi Account, check the emails in the mail with the subject line “Xiaomi Account Registration” or “Mi Account Verification” – there may be a login.

⚠️ Note: If the phone was purchased from hand, the previous owner may not have deleted his Mi Account.In this case, unlocking through the account is impossible - you will need a reset via Fastboot (see section 3).

2. Recovery Mode reset (no data loss works!)

The method is suitable for older Xiaomi models (until 2019 release), where the Find Device function is not activated. On new smartphones (Redmi Note 10, Xiaomi 12 and later), resetting via Recovery will require entering Mi Account data after rebooting.

How to log in to Recovery Mode:

1. Turn off the phone (press Power + Volume up for 10 seconds).
2. Hold Power + Volume up until the Mi logo appears.
3. In the Recovery menu, select Wipe Data → Wipe All Data (manage volume buttons, confirmation – power button).

Turn off the phone.

Charge the battery at least 30%

Connect the charger (in case of a long process)

Make sure there is no important data on your phone (it will be deleted)

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⚠️ Note: On models with a locked bootloader, after reset, the phone may require authorization to the Mi Account, even if you do not remember it.

3. Unlock via Fastboot (for advanced users)

If previous methods didn’t work, then Fastboot, a mode that allows you to flash your phone through your computer, is suitable for all Xiaomi models, but requires:

• 🖥️ Computer with drivers installed ADB/Fastboot.
• 🔌 Cable. USB (preferably original).
• 📥 Firmware for your model (download only from the official Xiaomi website).

Step-by-step:

1. Install Google’s Platform Tools (includes fastboot and adb).
2. Turn off the phone and press Volume Down + Power to log into the Fastboot.
3. Connect your phone to your PC and execute the command: fastboot oem edl (for transitions to EDL mode, if you need firmware through the Mi Flash Tool).
4. Swipe your phone with the official firmware through the Mi Flash Tool (select the Clean All option).

⚠️ Note: On models with locked bootloader (Xiaomi 11, Redmi) K40 Before you open the firmware, you need to unlock Bootloader through the official Xiaomi tool. This takes up to 72 hours and requires a binding to the Mi Account.

4. Bypass locking through EDL (for tech-savvy)

EDL (Emergency Download Mode) is the last chance to unlock Xiaomi if other methods have failed. It allows you to flash a phone even with a locked bootloader, but requires:

• 🔧 Special cable. EDL (Or the ability to make it yourself. USB-cable).
• 💻 Mi Flash Tool and Firmware for Your Model.
• 🔐 Possible authorized Mi Authorized Account (for new models).

Algorithm of action:

1. Download the.tgz firmware for your model with Xiaomi Firmware Updater.
2. Unpack the archive and put the files in the Mi Flash Tool folder.
3. Connect your phone to EDL mode: adb reboot edl (if adb is not available, use a button combination or special cable).
4. In the Mi Flash Tool, select the firmware and press Flash.

Mi Account|Recovery Mode|Fastboot|EDL|Never tried-->

⚠️ Attention: Firmware through EDL On models with a Qualcomm processor (most of Xiaomi) can lead to hard-brick (complete failure) if the process is interrupted!

5. Contact the Xiaomi Service Center

If all independent methods are exhausted, the official service remains. Xiaomi provides the unlock service according to the documents confirming the purchase:

• 📄 Check or guarantee card.
• 🆔 Passport of the owner.
• 📱 IMEI phone (can be recognized through a box or sticker under the battery).

The cost of the service is from 500 to 2000 rubles depending on the model. In service centers use internal tools Xiaomi, which are not available to ordinary users.

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Officially unlocking the service is the only way to keep the warranty, and self-driving methods (Fastboot, EDL) void it.

⚠️ Note: If the phone was purchased abroad (e.g., the global version of Redmi from China), Russian service centers may refuse to unlock.

Alternative methods (with data risk)

If you can't unlock Mi Account and Fastboot/EDL seems complicated, you can try workarounds. They don't guarantee 100% results, but sometimes they help:

Example with ADB (if debugging was enabled before blocking):

1. Connect your phone to your PC and execute: adb shell rm /data/system/gesture.key
2. Restart the device and the password will be reset.

⚠️ Attention: MIUI 12 and later gesture.key file is protected, and its deletion can lead to bootloop ( looped download).

Comparison of Unlocking Methods

FAQ: Frequent questions about unlocking Xiaomi