Owners of devices that display the words Xiaomi Communications Co Ltd on the screen often face the need to gain advanced access to the system. This phrase, visible when booting, indicates the hardware manufacturer, but in the context of unlocking we are talking about software restrictions imposed by the shell MIUI or HyperOS. There are two main types of locks: bootloader (Bootloader) and Mi Account (Mi Account Lock), and they should not be confused.
Before you start any action, it is important to be clear about what kind of problem you are solving: If the phone asks for a password from your account after a reset, it is protection against theft. If you want to install custom firmware or get root rights, it is about unlocking the bootloader. Unlocking the bootloader is officially allowed by Xiaomi, but requires waiting and leads to complete deletion of data from the device.
In this article, we will discuss official and alternative methods of circumvention, the application process, the Mi Unlock Tool, and the nuances associated with regional features and firmware versions. Careful study of the material will help to avoid turning a smartphone into a “brick”.
Identification of the type of lock on Xiaomi
The first step is to accurately diagnose the condition of the device. Many users mistakenly believe that the phrase Xiaomi Communications Co Ltd is itself a bug or type of lock, but this is only a standard greeting of the system.
If you turn on a screen with a lock logo and a password requirement from a Mi Account that was previously linked to the device, you activate Find Device, which is anti-theft protection, and you can't get around it legally without the owner's password, and then no firmware will help, because the link is to a unique identifier on the company's servers.
It's a completely different situation when you need access to the system partition to modify the software, and in this case, the bootloader is blocked, and you can check its status through the engineering menu.
- 📱 Turn off the smartphone completely.
- 🔌 Press the buttons Volume Down and Power before the appearance of the Fastboot logo (hare in a hat-eared hat).
- 👀 Look at the text at the bottom of the screen: if it says Locked, then the bootloader is blocked.
⚠️ Warning: Attempts to unlock the bootloader on devices with the activated "Mi Account Lock" function will lead to a complete lock of the device. First, make sure that the account is untied in the settings.
It is important to distinguish between global and Chinese firmware versions. ROM) have less stringent restrictions on unlocking than the Chinese (China) ROM), where additional checks may be made in the region SIM-The lock status is displayed in orange if the unlocking process is started but not yet completed.
Official unlocking of the bootloader via Mi Unlock
The most reliable and secure way to obtain superuser rights or install custom firmware is to use the official Mi Unlock Tool.This method requires an Internet connection, a Mi Account, and, as a rule, waiting for 168 hours (7 days).
It starts with the account being linked to the device. SIM-map, connect to Wi-Fi and select "Mi Unlock Status" from the Developer menu. After successful binding, which is confirmed by the message "Added successfully", you can move to work with the PC.
Next, you have to prepare your computer. Download the current version of MiUnlock from the official website. Install the ADB and Fastboot drivers so that the system correctly recognizes the smartphone in boot mode. Without the right drivers, the program will give a connection error.
☑️ Preparation for unlocking
When you're done, put your phone in Fastboot mode (clutching Volume Down + Power) and cable it to your computer. In the program, press Unlock. The system will alert you that all data will be deleted. This is an inevitable security step.
If the waiting period has not expired, the program will show the exact number of days and hours remaining before unlocking. It is useless to interrupt this process or try to trick the timer into resetting the settings - the countdown goes on Xiaomi servers. Only after the time has expired, reconnecting and pressing Unlock will lead to a successful result.
Alternative methods and circumvention of regional restrictions
In some cases, the standard procedure may not work, such as if you're using a Chinese version of a global firmware smartphone or vice versa, in which situations the server may refuse to unlock, citing a region mismatch.
There is a method to change region in your phone settings before you apply. Go to Settings → Advanced Settings → Region and select a country different from your current one (often assisted by Indonesia, India or Singapore).
For advanced users, there is a possibility of using paid unlock services, which use special authorized dealer accounts that can ignore the waiting timer, but using such methods carries risks:
- 💰 High cost of service compared to free official method.
- 🔒 Transferring account data to third parties that is not secure.
- ⚠️ Possibility of blocking IMEI device in case of an error of the contractor.