Why you forget your pattern lock and what to do first
pattern lock on Xiaomi smartphones is a convenient alternative PIN-It's easy to forget, especially if you rarely unlock your phone or you've recently changed the combination, and according to service center statistics, about 15 percent of unblocking requests are due to a loss of your graphical password. Our brains don’t capture visual sequences as firmly as digital codes.
If you find yourself in this situation, don't panic - Xiaomi has several built-in recovery mechanisms. The first thing to do is try to remember the key by brute force. Most users have a combination of 4-6 points, which means there are limited options. Start with the simplest patterns: the letters "Z", "N", squares or crosses. Redmi Note 10 and newer models limit the number of attempts (usually 5 times), after which you will need to wait 30 seconds before the next attempt.
Important: If your phone is connected to your Mi Account, the chances of successfully unlocking without losing data are much higher, check if your phone number is tied to your device or if your email is your best card, and if the smartphone was bought with your hands and the previous owner didn't untie his account, it will be more difficult to unlock it.
Method 1: Recovery with Mi Account (the most reliable method)
If your Xiaomi is linked to an official Mi Account, it will take no more than 5 minutes to unlock, and this method works on all models, including the POCO X3, Redmi 9 and Mi 11, provided that:
- 📧 You have access to an email or phone number linked to your account.
- 🔄 Mobile Internet or Wi-Fi is enabled on the phone (for data verification)
- 🔒 The “Find the Device” function was activated earlier.
Instructions:
- After 5 failed attempts to enter the key, the button Forgot the password? or Restore access will appear.
- Click on it and select Login via Mi Account.
- Enter your email/phone and account password. If you forget your password, retrieve it through account.xiaomi.com.
- Follow the instructions on the screen, and the system will suggest you create a new pattern lock or PIN-code.
Important: if after entering data from Mi Account there is an error "Incorrect account", then:
- 🔄 The phone was reset to factory settings earlier, and the account binding flew off
- 📱 The device was purchased from hand and the previous owner did not untie his account.
- 🌐 Internet connection problems (check mobile network or Wi-Fi)
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If you often forget passwords, enable two-factor authentication in your Mi Account settings, which will not only protect your account, but also make it easier to restore access to your phone.
Method 2: Unlocking with Find Device (if the phone is online)
Xiaomi’s Find Device feature not only allows you to track your smartphone’s location, but also unlock it remotely.
- 📡 The phone is connected to the Internet (mobile network or Wi-Fi)
- 🔋 Battery level above 10%
- 🔒 The “Find Device” function was activated in the settings earlier
Step-by-step:
- Go to i.mi.com from a computer or other phone.
- Sign in with the same Mi Account as on the locked device.
- In the list of devices, select your Xiaomi (for example, Redmi Note 12 Pro+).
- Click Unlock the device and confirm the action.
- Wait 1-2 minutes – the phone will unlock automatically.
If Find Device is disabled, this method won't work, so move on to the next method.
What if your phone doesn’t appear on i.mi.com?
Method 3: Reset the pattern lock via Fastboot (for advanced users)
If previous methods have failed and the phone data is not critical, you can reset the pattern lock via Fastboot mode, which is suitable for all Xiaomi models, but requires a computer and installed ADB/Fastboot drivers.
Warning: The method will delete all data from the device if a backup is not made!
What you need:
- 💻 Computer with Windows/Linux/Mac
- 🔌 USB-cable (original or quality)
- 📦 Installed drivers ADB Fastboot (you can download from the Android website)
- 🔧 Firmware archive for your model (on en.miui.com)
Instructions:
1. Turn off the phone.
2. Press the buttons Volume down + Power before the logo Fastboot (robot with a gear).
3. Connect the phone to the computer.
4. Open the command line (Windows) or the terminal (Mac/Linux) and type:
fastboot devices
(Your device’s serial number should be displayed)
5. Enter the command to unlock the bootloader:
fastboot oem unlock
6. Confirm the action on the phone (if a request appears).
7. Refuse the device with the command:
fastboot flash recovery recovery.img
fastboot reboot⚠️ Warning: after this procedure, all the data on your phone will be erased! If you have important files, try other ways first.
Install the drivers. ADB/Fastboot|Download the firmware for your Xiaomi model|Charge your phone at least to the minimum. 50%|Prepare the original. USB-cable-->
Method 4: Using Recovery Mode (without data loss)
On some Xiaomi models (such as the POCO F3 or Mi 10T), you can reset your pattern lock through the Recovery menu without losing data.
- 🔓 No data encryption on the phone
- 📱 The model supports Mi Recovery (not custom)
- 🔋 Battery level above 30%
How to do this:
- Turn off the phone.
- Press the Volume Up + Power buttons before the Mi logo appears.
- From the Recovery menu, select the language (usually English or Chinese).
- Go to Wipe & Reset → Wipe All Data (don’t be afraid of the name – the data will be saved if there is no encryption).
- Confirm the action. Once you restart, the phone will prompt you to enter a new pattern lock.
⚠️ Note: if encryption is enabled on the phone (there is Encryption in the security settings), this method will lead to the loss of all data!
Method 5: Unlocking through the Service Center (official method)
If all the independent attempts to unlock failed, you just have to contact the official service center Xiaomi. This is the most reliable, but also the longest way.
- 🔧 Guaranteed restoration of access
- 🛡️ Preservation of warranty (if the phone is guaranteed)
- 📄 Official documentation on unblocking
Cons:
- ⏳ Wait 3 to 10 days
- 💰 Possible payment (if the guarantee has expired)
- 📦 Data loss (most of the time)
What you need to apply for:
| Document | Requirements | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Passport | Original + copy | To confirm identity |
| Check of purchase | Original or electronic version | Confirms possession of the device |
| Phone box. | With serial number (IMEI) | Not necessarily, but it will speed up the process. |
| Mi Account data | Email and password | If the phone is linked to the account |
The cost of unlocking in the service center varies from 1,000 to 3,000 rubles, depending on the model and region. Redmi and POCO are usually cheaper than the flagship Mi or Black Shark.
💡
Contacting the service center is the only legal way to unlock if the phone is bought from hand and tied to someone else’s Mi Account.
Method 6: Bypassing the pattern lock through ADB (older models only)
On Android 5.0-7.0 devices (such as Redmi 4X or Mi 5), you can delete a file with a pattern lock via ADB. This method does not work on newer versions of MIUI due to enhanced protection.
Instructions:
- Connect your phone to your computer via USB.
- Open the command line and type in: adb shell su rm /data/system/gesture.key reboot
- After rebooting, the pattern lock will be reset.
⚠️ Attention: on new models (MIUI 12 and above) this method will not work because of the changed structure of password storage. ADB This may result in the device being blocked!
How to avoid loss of access in the future
To avoid the problem of a forgotten pattern lock, follow these tips:
- 🔐 Use the backup. PIN-In the security settings Xiaomi can add an alternative way to unlock.
- ☁️ Sync your data regularly with Mi Cloud, which will help you restore contacts and photos even after resetting.
- 📝 Write the key in a secure location (e.g., Google Password Manager or KeePass).
- 🔄 Update. MIUI Up to the latest version – the new firmware improved access recovery system.
We also recommend that you enable Smart Lock (in your security settings) to automatically unlock your phone in trusted places (such as at home or work), which reduces the need to enter the key.
💡
If you often forget passwords, install the Mi Mover app on your phone and create backups regularly, and if you lock it, you can quickly restore data to the new device.