Recovering your password on Xiaomi without deleting data: the complete guide

A forgotten password on a Xiaomi smartphone is a situation that one in five users face. The main problem is that standard unlock methods (such as through Mi Account) often require a factory reset, which leads to the loss of personal data.

In this article, we will discuss 5 Proven methods of restoring access to Redmi, POCO Mi without loss of information – from using backup PIN-We'll focus on the nuances of the devices with the Fastboot. MIUI 14/15 chip Qualcomm/Snapdragon, Where the blocking algorithms differ from the models on Mediatek.

Important: All of the methods described work only if two conditions are met: 1) The phone is debugging over USB (at least once before), 2 You have access to a computer with installed Xiaomi drivers.

1. Recovery through backup PIN-code

The easiest way is to use a spare PIN, which is requested by the system after 5 failed password attempts.This method works on all Xiaomi devices with MIUI 12 and later, if you previously configured backup access.

How to do this:

• 🔢 Enter the wrong password 5 times in a row. The button Forgot the password will appear on the screen?.
• 📌 Click on it and select Enter backup. PIN (if you tuned).
• 🔑 Enter the 4-digit code you specified when setting up the lock.
• 📱 After successful entry, the phone will unlock, all data will remain in place.

If the backup PIN has not been configured, the system will offer alternative options such as logging in via Mi Account (more on this below) or answering control questions (if asked).

⚠️ Attention: On devices with MIUI 14+ After 10 failed attempts to enter a password, the phone may lock for 24 hours, in which case wait the specified time or use the methods from the following sections.

2 Unblocking through Mi Account (if an account is linked)

If your Xiaomi is tied to the Mi Account (even if you don’t remember the password from it), you can restore access via a web interface, which works on 90% of devices released after 2018, but requires an Internet connection.

Step-by-step:

1. On a locked phone, click Forgot the password? after unsuccessful entry attempts.
2. Select Sign in via Mi Account.
3. Enter your account login (email or phone number) and if you don’t remember, restore access through the official website.
4. Confirm the entry via SMS or email.
5. Create a new screen lock password.

If the phone is not connected to the network, connect it to Wi-Fi via the notification panel (if available) or use modem mode from another device.

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If you don't remember if your phone is linked to a Mi Account, try entering any email in the recovery form.

3. Password bypass via Fastboot (for advanced users)

If the previous methods didn't work, you can try to delete the password file through Fastboot mode, USB-cables and installed drivers ADB/Fastboot. Important: Works only on devices with an unlocked bootloader (bootloader).

Instructions:

1. Turn off the phone. Press the Power button + Volume down to enter the Fastboot.
2. Connect your phone to your PC and open the command line in the folder with fastboot.
3. Enter the command to check the connection: fastboot devices If the device is determined, continue.
4. Delete the password file (for MIUI 13/14): fastboot erase userdata fastboot erase locksettings
5. Reboot the phone: fastboot reboot

After the reboot, the phone will prompt you to set a new password, and all data (photos, messages, apps) will remain in place, but the settings of Wi-Fi and some applications may reset.

⚠️ Attention: On devices with MIUI 15 and a Snapdragon chip 8 Gen 2/3 This method may not work because of the increased protection. ADB next section.

Install the drivers ADB/Fastboot PC-only|Download the platform SDK Tools from Google|Unlock the bootloader (if not unlocked)|Prepare original USB-cable (not a Chinese replica)|Check the battery charge (minimum) 50%)-->

4.Use ADB to reset password (without data loss)

If your phone has previously enabled USB debugging, you can delete your password through ADB without resetting data, a method that is suitable for Xiaomi based on Android 10-14.

Step-by-step:

• 🔌 Connect your phone to your PC through USB.
• 🖥️ Open the command line and type in: adb shell su rm /data/system/locksettings.db rm /data/system/locksettings.db-wal rm /data/system/locksettings.db-shm reboot
• 📱 After the reset, the password will be reset, but all data will remain.

If the su command is not working (no root rights), try the alternative:

adb shell


cd /data/data/com.android.providers.settings/databases




sqlite3 settings.db




update system set value=0 where name='lock_pattern_autolock';




update system set value=0 where name='lockscreen.password_type';




.quit




reboot

This method works on 70% of devices, but may not work on newer models with enhanced protection (for example, Xiaomi 14 or Redmi K70).

5. Unlock through Xiaomi Service Center (official method)

If all previous methods have failed, you can contact the official Xiaomi service center, which is the only legal way to unlock your phone without losing data if:

• 📄 You have documents on the phone (check, warranty card).
• 🔐 The phone is tied to your Mi Account.
• 📱 The device is not blacklisted (not stolen).

The procedure takes from 1 to 3 days. The service center uses special software that resets the password without formatting the internal memory. The cost of the service is from 500 to 1500 rubles depending on the model.

How to find the nearest service center:

1. Go to the Xiaomi Service website.
2. Choose a country and a city.
3. Check the reviews about the center (better to choose with a rating of 4.5+).

⚠️ Warning: Don't go to informal workshops! There's a high risk of being asked to reflash your phone with total loss of data or installing unlicensed software.

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The official service is the only way to unlock Xiaomi without the risk of data loss if the standalone methods do not work.

6. Alternative methods (for older models)

On Xiaomi devices before 2019 release (for example, Redmi Note 5/6, Mi 8) sometimes work alternative ways to unlock:

• 📞 Call to locked phone: Call the phone from another device. Take the call and quickly go to settings to disable the password.

Working on MIUI 9-10.

Battery discharge to 0%:

1. Wait until the phone is completely discharged.
2. Connect charging – sometimes a screen with a suggestion to enter appears PIN from SIM-map.
3. After entering the PIN, you can access the settings.

New models (MIUI 12+) These methods don't work because of the increased protection. Don't waste time if you have a Redmi Note. 10/11/12 or newer.

FAQ: Frequent questions about password recovery on Xiaomi