Forgot a graphical password on Xiaomi – how to unlock your phone without losing data?

Forgetting a graphical password on a Xiaomi smartphone is a bad situation, but not a hopeless one. MIUI (12, 13, 14) offer several ways to restore access, but their effectiveness depends on the preliminary settings: whether the Mi Account is linked, whether debugging is enabled. USB, is there a backup PIN-If you've never configured additional authentication methods, unlocking may require resetting to factory settings, which means losing all unsaved data.

In this article, we will discuss all the current methods of unlocking Xiaomi, Redmi and POCO, including official solutions from the manufacturer and alternative approaches for power users. We will pay special attention to the nuances: what to do if you do not remember the data from Mi Account, how to bypass the lock without a computer, and why some methods stop working after system updates. Importantly, not all methods are universal – their performance depends on the phone model and the firmware version.

⚠️ Note: If the phone has enabled data encryption (Settings) → Additionally. → Encryption, resetting via Recovery or Fastboot will lead to irreversible file loss, in which case it is impossible to restore access without a password - you will need to flash it with a complete memory cleanup.

1 Unlocking through Mi Account (official method)

The most reliable and recommended method Xiaomi uses is a tied account Mi Account, which works on all devices with MIUI 9 and newer, but requires two conditions:

1. The phone must be connected to the Internet (Wi-Fi or mobile network).
2. You should remember the username (email/phone) and password from the Mi Account.

If the conditions are met, follow the following steps:

1. On the lock screen, enter any graphic password 5 times in a row - the message "Forgot the password?" will appear.
2. Click on the Unblock button via Mi Account (or similar label).
3. Enter your email/phone and account password. If two-factor authentication is enabled, confirm your login via SMS or Mi Security.
4. After successful authorization, the system will prompt you to create a new pattern lock or PIN-code.

⚠️ Note: On some models (for example, Redmi Note 10 Pro with the MIUI 13) after 5 failed attempts, a lock timer (30 seconds to 24 hours) appears, in which case wait for the specified time or restart the phone, holding the power button for 10-15 seconds.

If you don't remember the Mi Account, try to restore access through the official website, note that you will need to access the linked email or phone number to restore the account, and if you don't restore the account, go to alternative methods.

2. Reset graphical password via Find Device (remote)

Find Device not only tracks your smartphone’s location, but also remotely resets your lock password if your phone is connected to the Internet, which works even if you don’t remember your Mi Account data but have access to another device (PC, tablet, second phone).

Instructions:

1. Go to Find Device and log in with the same Mi Account as on the locked phone.
2. In the list of devices, select your Xiaomi/Redmi/POCO.
3. Click on the Unlock Device option (or Erase Device if the interface is in English).
4. Confirm the action via SMS or email.
5. Wait for the phone to restart – after that, the graphic password will be reset.

Limitations of the method:

• 🔄 The phone must be connected to the network (Wi-Fi/mobile).
• 📱 Find Device must be activated in settings (Settings) → Mi Account → Find Device).
• ⚠️ On some firmware (for example, MIUI 14 for global version) Remote unlock option may not be available.

💡

If Find Device is disabled but your phone is connected to your home Wi-Fi, try restarting your router, sometimes helping your phone wake up and connect to the network to receive an unlock command.

3. Unlock via Recovery Mode (reset to factory settings)

If previous methods didn't work, the radical way is hard reset through Recovery Mode, which will remove all data from your phone, including photos, messages and installed apps, and only use it if:

• There is no data on the phone (or it is synced to the cloud).
• You are ready to reset the device.
• Other ways to unlock are not available.

Step-by-step:

1. Turn off the phone, holding the power button for 10-15 seconds.
2. Press the button combination to enter Recovery: For most models: Volume up + Power. For POCO F3/F4: Volume down + Power. For Redmi Note 8/9: Volume up + Volume down + Power.

Recovery

Wipe Data

Wipe All Data

Confirm

Reboot

⚠️ Warning: On phones with encrypted storage (an option is enabled when you set a password), a reset via Recovery can lead to a “brick” – the device will require a password even after reset.

4. Unlock via Fastboot (for advanced users)

The method via Fastboot is suitable if:

• The phone was enabled debugging via USB (Settings → About Phone → MIUI version → 7 taps → Additional → For developers → Debugging by USB).
• You have a computer with ADB/Fastboot drivers installed and a USB Type-C cable.
• You are ready for possible data loss (depending on the team).

Instructions for Windows:

1. Install Platform Tools (includes fastboot and adb).
2. Connect the phone to the PC, holding Volume Down + Power (to log in to Fastboot).
3. Open the command line in the folder with the platform-tools and execute: fastboot devices If the device is determined, continue. If not, install the Xiaomi USB Driver drivers.
4. To reset your password, type in: fastboot erase frp or (for older models): fastboot erase userdata
5. Reboot the phone: fastboot reboot

Important:

• 🛠️ Fastboot erase userdata and fastboot erase frp commands delete all data.
• 🔧 On some models (e.g. Xiaomi) 12T) It requires unlocking the bootloader (fastboot oem unlock), which will lead to a complete reset.
• 📌 If the phone is making a remote: unknown command error, then the firmware is not supporting this command – try another method.

5. Alternative methods (without loss of data)

If you don't want to lose data, try these methods, and their effectiveness depends on the model and version of MIUI.

Method 1: Use of Emergency Call (Emergency Call)

• 📞 On the lock screen, press the emergency call.
• 🔢 Enter #4636### and it will open the test menu.
• 🔧 Go to Usage Statistics → Click on the Settings icon (cogs) → reset the password.

It runs on MIUI 10-12, and is blocked on the newer versions of the test menu.

Method 2: Connecting a mouse via OTG

• 🖱️ Connect. USB-mouse to phone OTG-adapter.
• 🔓 On the lock screen, click the mouse on the password field. → Select Forgot the password?.
• 📧 Enter the data from Mi Account (if the phone is connected to the Internet).

Suitable for models with OTG support: Redmi Note 11, POCO X3 Pro, etc.

Method 3: Delete gesture.key file via ADB

If USB debugging was enabled before blocking, you can delete the file with the password:

1. Connect your phone to your PC and open the command line in the platform-tools folder.
2. Enter adb shell rm /data/system/gesture.key
3. Reboot your phone: adb reboot

After the reboot, the password will be reset, but this method only works on MIUI 8-11.

6.Table of methods compatibility with Xiaomi models

Not all unlocking methods work on all devices, and the table below shows the latest compatibility data (based on MIUI 13/14):

⚠️ Note: On phones with firmware for China (e.g. Xiaomi) CN ROM) Mi Account and Find Device may not work due to regional restrictions, leaving only Recovery or Fastboot.

7 What should I do if nothing helps?

If all of these methods fail, there are two options:

Option 1: Contact the Xiaomi Service Center

• 📍 Find the nearest authorized service center.
• 📄 Bring a check or a box from your phone (to confirm ownership).
• 💳 Unblocking service is paid (from 1000 to 3000 rubles depending on the model).

Option 2: Flashing through EDL (Emergency mode)

It's an extreme method, requiring special equipment (EDL cable or Deep Flash Cable) and knowledge, suitable for phones with a "brick" after a failed reset. Not recommended for beginners!

• 🔧 You will need Mi Flash Tool and firmware for your model.
• 💻 The risk of damaging your phone if you do the wrong thing.
• 📥 All data will be erased without recovery.

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If your phone is locked after you buy it from your hands, check it for reference to your previous Mi Account via https://www.mi.com/global/verify/. If your device is blacklisted (stolen/lost), it is officially impossible to unlock it.

FAQ: Frequent questions about unlocking Xiaomi