Previous articleChild has blocked the Xiaomi phone – how to unlock without losing data?

The situation is familiar to many parents: the child took a Xiaomi smartphone, played with the settings - and now the device is locked. PIN-You don't remember the combination or you never created it, you don't need to panic, because in 90% of cases, you can unlock your phone without going to the service center.

In this article, we’ll look at all the working ways to unlock for Xiaomi, Redmi and POCO smartphones, from simple (if you remember your account details) to radical (full reset via Fastboot).

1. Unblock through Mi Account (if you remember the login / password)

The fastest and most secure way to use a linked Mi Account is to use a Mi Account that works if:

• 🔑 Remember the email and password from the Xiaomi account that was linked to the phone.
• 📶 The device is connected to the Internet (via Wi-Fi or mobile network).
• 🔄 On the lock screen is the button Forgot password? or Forgot password?.

Instructions:

1. On the lock screen, click Forgot Password? (or Forgot Password?).
2. Enter the email associated with Mi Account and password.
3. Confirm your login via SMS or email (if two-factor authentication is enabled).
4. Follow the system instructions for resetting the lock.

If the buttons Forgot the password? no, try entering any wrong password 5 times in a row - after that, a recovery link should appear.

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If you don’t remember the Mi Account password but your phone is connected to the same Wi-Fi network as your computer, try re-accessing via your browser at account.xiaomi.com. Use the “Forgot Password?” function and follow the instructions.

2 Unblocking through Google Account (for Android 7.0 and below)

On older versions of Android (7.0 Nougat and below), you can use a Google Account to reset the lock.This method works on Xiaomi models until 2018 (for example, Redmi 4X, Mi A1).

Instructions:

1. On the lock screen, enter any wrong password/pattern lock 5 times.
2. Will you see a message Forgot the pattern lock? – click on it.
3. Select Sign in through Google Account.
4. Enter the email and password from Google that was linked to the phone.
5. Create a new one. PIN-code.

Important: On newer versions of Android (8.0 and higher), this method doesn’t work due to changes in Google’s security policy.If you have a Redmi Note 8, POCO X3 or newer, move on to the following ways.

3.Reset lock via Find Device (Mi Cloud)

If the phone is tied to Mi Account but you don’t remember the lock screen password, you can try unlocking it through Find Device, which works even if the phone isn’t currently connected to the internet (the reset command will be executed when you first connect).

Step-by-step:

1. Go to i.mi.com and log in to your Mi Account.
2. In the menu, select the locked device.
3. Click Find the Device → Unlock (or Unlock).
4. Confirm the action via SMS or email.
5. Wait for a notification of successful unlocking (can take up to 5 minutes).

If the device does not appear in the list, check:

• 🔌 Is the phone connected to the Internet (at least at the time the command is sent).
• 🔄 Is Find Device enabled in your phone settings (before locking).
• 📱 Is the Mi Account linked to this device.

4. Hard reset via Recovery Mode (data loss)

If previous methods failed, the Recovery Mode will remove all data from the phone, including photos, messages and apps, but will return access to the device.

Instructions for all Xiaomi models:

1. Turn off the phone (press the power button for 10-15 seconds).
2. Press the button combination to enter Recovery: For most models: Volume up + Power. For POCO F1/F2/F3: Volume up + Volume down + Power.

Mi

Recovery

Wipe Data

Wipe All Data

Confirm the reset (may be required to enter) PIN-code SIM-map).

Reboot

Reboot to System

Warning: Some models (Redmi Note 10 Pro, POCO X3 Pro) may require a reset via Recovery to enter data from the Mi Account that was previously linked.If you do not remember the username / password, the phone will remain locked!

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Recovery resets all data, but doesn’t always remove the binding to Mi Account. If the phone requires you to enter an account after you reboot, use the Fastboot method.

5. Unlock via Fastboot (for advanced users)

If resetting via Recovery doesn’t help (for example, due to binding to Mi Account), you can try flashing your phone through Fastboot mode, USB-cable and basic knowledge of working with ADB and Fastboot.

What you need:

• 🖥️ Computer with Windows/Linux/Mac.
• 🔌 Original. USB-cable (better from the set).
• 📥 Firmware for your model (download from the official Xiaomi website).
• 🛠️ Utilities. ADB Fastboot (can be downloaded as part of Android) SDK Platform-Tools).

Step-by-step:

1. Turn off your phone and put it in Fastboot mode: Volume down + Power Hold buttons until the Fastboot logo appears.
2. Connect your phone to your computer via USB.
3. Open the command prompt (CMD in Windows or Terminal in Mac/Linux) and check the connection: fastboot devices must display the serial number of the device.
4. Unpack the downloaded firmware (file with.tgz or.zip extension) and find the file flash_all.bat (for Windows or flash_all.sh (for Mac/Linux).
5. Run the firmware with a double click on the file flash_all.bat.
6. Wait for the process to be completed (10-15 minutes) and the phone will reboot automatically.

Note: Fastboot removes all data but removes the binding to Mi Account. If the phone requires you to enter an account again after the firmware is installed, then an unofficial firmware has been installed or the device has the status of Locked Bootloader.

6. Official unlock through Xiaomi service (for blocked Bootloader)

If all previous methods did not work, most likely, the phone activated protection Mi Cloud Lock (link to the Xiaomi account at the hardware level), in this case, unlocking is possible only through the official service Xiaomi.

How it works:

1. Go to the unlock page: en.miui.com/unlock/.
2. Sign in with your Mi Account (should be linked to your phone).
3. Fill out the form with the device data (serial number, IMEI).
4. Pay for the service (the cost varies from 5 to 30 dollars depending on the model).
5. Wait for confirmation (usually 1-3 days) and follow the instructions from the support.

It's worth considering:

• ⏳ The process can take up to 72 hours.
• 💰 Service paid, but guaranteed to remove the lock.
• 🔧 Once unlocked, the phone will be completely reset.

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Officially unlocking through Xiaomi is the only legal way to bypass Mi Cloud Lock. Using “gray” services or unofficial firmware can lead to a complete loss of warranty and blocking IMEI.

7.How to avoid blocking in the future

To avoid having a locked phone, follow the following simple rules:

We also recommend:

• 🔐 Make it simple. PIN-a child code (e.g., 1234), but enable a password request when enabled.
• 📱 Create a separate user profile for your child (available on Android 9.0 and higher).
• 🔄 Regularly backups through Settings → System system → Backup.

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Xiaomi has a Second Space feature that allows you to create a separate desktop with your own apps and security settings, which is the perfect solution if you give a phone to a child: it will only see the allowed apps, and the main space will remain protected.

FAQ: Frequent questions about unlocking Xiaomi