Forgot Mi Account on Xiaomi smartphone? 7 ways to return access

Forgot the password from the Mi Account or do not remember the attached email? This situation is familiar to many owners of Xiaomi, Redmi and other companies. POCO — without an account, you cannot use your smartphone after a reset, update or even a normal reboot. SIM-card or after a hardware reset, and without data for entry, the phone turns into a “brick».

In this article, we've got 7 proven ways to restore Mi accounts, including official methods through account.xiaomi.com, bypassing locks with an engineering menu, and even radical measures like flashing. We'll also look at why Xiaomi is so tightly protecting accounts, what data you can lose when you unlock, and how to avoid similar problems in the future. If you've tried to reset your password through SMS, but nothing has worked, here you'll find alternative solutions.

Why Xiaomi is blocking a phone without a Mi Account

Mi Cloud (aka Mi Account) is not just a way to synchronize contacts or backups; Xiaomi is the main tool for protecting against theft and unauthorized use of devices.

• 🔄 Resetting settings through Settings → The phone. → Reset or combination of buttons (Power) + Volume Up).
• 📱 Replacement SIM-maps (on some models with MIUI 12+ Re-entering of the password is required).
• 🔧 Update your firmware via Fastboot or Recovery (if Find Device was previously enabled).

Without entering the username and password from the Mi Account, the phone remains locked – this is called FRP-Factory Reset Protection: Xiaomi is more robust than Samsung or Google Pixel because it's a very powerful device:

⚠️ Note: On Redmi Note models 10/11, Xiaomi 12/13 And the newer lock works even when you try to roll back the firmware to an older version, and this is done to combat "gray" imports and flashing for other regions.

The main problem is that Xiaomi does not provide official tools to bypass the lock, as Google does for Android, so users have to look for workarounds, risking data or a guarantee.

Method 1: Recovering passwords through the official website

If you remember an email or phone number linked to your Mi Account, the first step is to try resetting your password through account.xiaomi.com. This method works 90% of the time if you have access to email or SMS.

Instructions:

1. Go to the recovery page.
2. Enter the email or phone attached to your account.
3. Select the confirmation method: 📧 Email – the code will come to the mail (check the Spam folder»). 📱 SMS — The code will be sent to the number (it does not work for all regions). 🔑 Backup email – if you specified it when registering.

8 characters

Confirm the change and try to log in to the phone.

If the site says “Account not found” or “Too many attempts”, try:

• 🔍 Enter. email/phone without spaces and typos (for example, user)@gmail.com, not a user @gmail.com).
• 🌐 Change the region on the site (in the upper right corner, select Global, Russia or China).
• 🕒 Wait 24 hours – Xiaomi may temporarily block recovery attempts.

💡

If you don't remember which email is linked to your account, try entering all your email addresses in turn, and the system will tell you if there is an account with such an email, even if the password is entered incorrectly.

Method 2: Unlock through the Engineering Menu (for advanced)

If the official method didn’t work, you can try bypassing the lock via the Engineering Mode, which is suitable for MIUI 10-14 models, but requires access to Recovery and ADB skills.

⚠️ Warning: Incorrect actions on the engineering menu can damage the firmware or erase data.

Step-by-step:

1. Turn off your phone and press Power + Volume Up to log into Recovery Mode.
2. Connect your smartphone to your PC via USB (you need the original cable!).
3. On your computer, open Command Prompt (Win + R → cmd) and type: Adb devices If the device is not defined, install ADB drivers.
4. Enter the command to enter the engineering menu: adb shell am start -n com.android.engineeringmode/.qualcomm.EngineeringMode
5. From the menu, select Qualcomm Settings → Ports → Diag Enable.
6. Restart your phone and try to log in without a Mi Account.

If this method didn’t work, try an alternative command for Mediatek chips:

adb shell am start -n com.mediatek.engineermode/.EngineerMode

Install drivers ADB PC-only|Enable debugging on USB (If the phone is not blocked)|Have originality. USB-cable|Know the processor model (Qualcomm/Mediatek)|Download Mi Unlock Tool (for some models)-->

Method 3: Use the Mi Unlock Tool (official tool)

Mi Unlock Tool is Xiaomi’s official bootloader unlocking utility, which can help bypass Mi Account locks, but only if:

• 📱 The phone was not stolen (otherwise Xiaomi will block the phone). IMEI).
• 🔓 You can log in to Fastboot Mode (Power) + Volume Down).
• 💻 You have a Windows PC (the utility does not work on Windows) Mac/Linux).

Instructions:

1. Download Mi Unlock Tool from the official website.
2. Unpack the archive and launch it. miflash_unlock.exe on behalf of the administrator.
3. Log in to Fastboot Mode on your phone and connect it to your PC.
4. In the utility, click Unlock and follow the instructions (confirmation through Mi Account is required).

⚠️ Note: Xiaomi has tightened its unlocking rules since 2023, requiring account-to-device binding 72 hours before locking, and if the phone is hand-buyed or flashed before, it may not work.

If the utility gives you a “Couldn’t unlock” error, try:

• 🔌 Use the other USB-port (preferably) USB 2.0).
• 🔄 Restart your PC and phone.
• 📥 Download an older version of the Mi Unlock Tool (e.g. 5.5.224.24).

Method 4: Bypassing the lock through EDL-regime (for experienced)

EDL (Emergency Download Mode) is a firmware emergency mode that allows you to overwrite system partitions, including locking your Mi Account. This method works on 99% of models, but requires:

• 💻 PC with Windows and installed Qualcomm HS-USB QDLoader 9008.
• 📂 Fastboot firmware for your model (download at xiaomifirmwareupdater.com).
• 🔧 Ability to work with Mi Flash Tool.

⚠️ Warning: Incorrect Firmware in the EDL It can kill your phone, and if you're not sure, call the service center.

Instructions:

1. Download and install the Mi Flash Tool.
2. Turn off your phone and hold the Volume Up. + Volume Down + USB-gateway EDL.
3. In the Mi Flash Tool, select the downloaded firmware and press Flash.
4. Wait until the process is completed (the process will take 5-10 minutes).

After firmware, the phone will be completely reset, but the Mi Account will disappear.

💡

EDL-Mode is the most reliable way to get around lockdown, but it is only suitable for devices on Qualcomm processors. 9A) This method doesn't work.

Method 5: Calling for Xiaomi Support (If Nothing Works)

If all previous methods failed, the last option is official support, and Xiaomi can unblock your account if you provide:

• 📄 Check or warranty card (proof of purchase).
• 📱 IMEI phone (you can find out via *#06# or on the box).
• 📧 Email that may have been linked to an account.
• 📸 Photo of the box and phone (with serial number).

How to contact support:

1. Write to the online chat (select the region Global or Russia).
2. Describe the problem: “Forgot Mi Account details, phone locked.”
3. Attach screenshots with an error and documents to the phone.
4. Wait for a response (usually 1-3 days).

⚠️ Note: Xiaomi support often refuses to unlock if the phone:

• Bought by hand without a check.
• I was using unofficial firmware.
• It has a discrepancy between IMEI and serial number.

If you are denied, try to write again, indicating that the phone is not stolen, and you just forgot your account details.

Method 6: Flashing through TWRP (alternative method)

TWRP (Team Win Recovery Project) is a custom recovery that allows you to flash modified images of a system.

• 🔓 Delete files responsible for blocking Mi Account.
• 📱 Install firmware without checking your account.
• 🔄 Make a backup of data before resetting.

⚠️ Warning: Installation TWRP Resets the warranty and can lead to problems with OTA-On newer models (Xiaomi 13, Redmi Note 12), this method often fails due to a blocked bootloader.

Instructions:

1. Download TWRP for your model from twrp.me.
2. Install ADB and Fastboot on PC.
3. Enable OEM Unlock in the developer settings (unless the phone is locked).
4. TWRP: fastboot flash recovery twrp.img fastboot boot twrp.img
5. V TWRP Go to Advanced. → File Manager and delete files: /data/system/mi_account.db /data/system/mi_account_info.xml
6. Reboot the phone.

If the phone still asks for a Mi Account after deleting the files, try flashing Magisk to bypass the check:

fastboot flash magisk_patched.img

Method 7: Reset through test mode (for older models)

On Xiaomi phones before MIUI 10 (e.g. Redmi 4X, Redmi Note 5) you can bypass locking through test mode.This method doesn't work on new devices, but can help owners of older smartphones.

Instructions:

1. Turn off the phone.
2. You can also use the Power + Volume Up + Volume Down at the same time.
3. Wait for the Test Mode menu to appear.
4. Choose Wipe & Reset → Wipe All Data.
5. Confirm the reset (the phone will reset).

⚠️ Note: This method erases all data and only works on phones with a Qualcomm processor. on Mediatek instead of the test mode can open Fastboot.

If the menu doesn’t appear, try an alternative combination:

• Redmi 3S/4A: Power + Volume Up (hold 10 seconds)
• For Mi 5/6: Power + Volume Down (after vibration release Power)

What to do if nothing helps

If all methods are tried and the phone is still locked, there are three options:

1. Contact the service center: 🔧 Xiaomi can unlock the phone for 1-3 thousand rubles (if there is a check). 🛠️ Unofficial workshops offer a service for 500-1500 rubles, but you risk running into scammers.
2. Selling your phone for parts: 💰 On Avito or Yula, Xiaomi is blocked for 30–50% market-price. 📱 Most often, Redmi Notes are purchased. 10/11 and POCO X3 — fix them easily.
3. Used as a media player: 🎵 If the phone turns on but asks for a Mi Account, you can connect it to the phone. TV through HDMI-Adapter and use it to watch movies. 🎮 Some games (such as Brawl Stars) work without unlocking.

⚠️ Warning: Don't buy left-wing accounts or unlock keys online: Scammers often sell:

• 🔑 Mi accounts – they can be blocked in a week.
• 📧 Fake support letters – Xiaomi never sends passwords to email.
• 💻 Viruses disguised as “unlockers” – check files through VirusTotal.

FAQ: Frequent questions about blocking Mi Account