How to unlock a phone number from the blacklist on Xiaomi

A situation where an important subscriber can not reach, and you do not even know about the problem, is quite common on Xiaomi smartphones. Often the cause is an accidental activation of the lock function or aggressive filters of the antivirus built into the MIUI shell. The user may forget that previously restricted access for a specific contact, or the settings may have gone wrong after the system update.

Reconnection requires careful attention, because Xiaomi’s security system has multiple layers of protection, and the blacklist can be activated at the system contacts level, as well as through third-party apps or operator settings, and understanding the structure of these limitations will allow you to quickly return the ability to receive calls and SMS from the right people.

In this guide, we will look at all the known ways to unblock, from simple actions on the phone menu to more complex manipulations of system settings. Unblocking a number is a reversible and safe process, if you follow the instructions, the main thing is to determine exactly what kind of locking mechanism was involved in your case.

Check the standard lock list in the Phone application

The most obvious and common source of the problem is the built-in lock feature in the standard call app. On Redmi and Poco smartphones, this tool is integrated deep into the system and sometimes hidden from the surface. To check this section, you need to open the Phone app and go to the call settings.

The interface may vary depending on the version of MIUI, but the logic remains the same: you need to find the point responsible for filtering inboxes. Often users block the impulsively number during an annoying call, and then forget about it. The system remembers the action and continues to block the indefinitely subscriber until you cancel the decision.

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If you can’t find the menu item you want, search inside your phone’s settings by entering the word β€œlock” or β€œblacklist.”

Once you log into the lock menu, you'll see a list of all the restricted numbers, and you can not only delete the number, but also see the lock history if your firmware version supports it, and you can immediately reconnect from that list.

  • πŸ“± Open the Phone app and click on three dots or a gear settings.
  • 🚫 Select the Block or Antispam option in the menu.
  • πŸ—‘οΈ Find the desired number in the list of blocked and click on it to delete.
  • βœ… Confirm the action to unlock the subscriber.

It is important to note that in some regions, settings may be called differently, such as Call Filter. If you use a global firmware version, the terminology will be standard. Local versions for China or India may have additional layers of protection that require authorization to your Mi Account account to change your security settings.

Managing the lock through the Security app

The central management node for Permissions on Xiaomi devices is the system application Security. This is where all antivirus settings, memory cleanup and, importantly for our topic, call blocker are aggregated. Often the settings are duplicated, and changing the settings in the Phone application does not work, since the global security filter takes priority.

To access the advanced settings, run the Security app with a green shield icon. At the bottom of the screen or at the top menu (depending on version), find the Antispam or Blacklist section. Here the functionality is wider: you can set lock rules by keywords in SMS or by number type (hidden, international).

⚠️ Warning: Resetting antivirus settings in the Security app can remove all saved exceptions.Be careful when clearing the data of this app so as not to lose important whitelist settings.

Inside the Blacklist, you'll see tabs for calls and messages. Check both tabs, because the number can only be locked for one type of communication. The system allows you to create complex rules, like blocking everyone except the contacts from the phone book. Make sure that the subscriber you want is not subject to these rules.

πŸ“Š Where do you most often look for lock settings?
In the appendix Phone
In the Annex Security
In general Android settings
I don't know where to look.

If the number is on the list, just swipe it or click on the edit icon to delete. It also has a lock list import and export feature, which is useful when switching to a new phone. Make sure that after deleting the number does not return to the list automatically, which can happen when synced to the cloud.

Unlocking through the Contact Menu

Sometimes the lock is tied directly to the contact card in the address book, which happens if you previously blacklisted a person directly from their profile, in which case, even if the general lock settings are clear, the call from that subscriber will deviate.

Open the Contacts app and find the person you want. In the subscriber card, look for the crossed-out phone icon or the word "Blocked." Clicking on this item should remove the restriction. If the contact is not in the book but the number is kept in the blacklist, you can find it by searching the number.

In some versions of the HyperOS shell or MIUI There's a smart lock feature that automatically detects spam if someone you know uses a virtual number or changes a lot. SIM-If you have a card, the system might have mistakenly labeled it as spam, check your call history, if there's a warning icon next to the number, it might be automatically locked.

  • πŸ“’ Go to the Contacts app on the main screen.
  • πŸ” Find a contact that cannot be reached.
  • πŸ›‘ Click on the Unblock button or remove the lock icon.
  • πŸ”„ Save changes if the system requires confirmation.

If you created a group of "Unwanted" and put a contact there, and then set a lock rule for the whole group, removing from the group will solve the problem.

Use of codes and hidden menus to reset

For advanced users, there is the possibility of using engineering codes or USSD-querying, although on modern versions of Android, direct unlocking through code is often restricted for security purposes.However, checking statuses through service codes can provide information about the status of redirection or lock at the network level.

Dial ##4636## or ##4636## in the Phone app. This will open the test menu. Go to Phone Information. Here you can see the network status and sometimes call lock settings, although there may not be a direct unlock button, which is more diagnostic.

The dangers of engineering menus
Changing unknown parameters in the engineering menu (for example, switching network modes from LTE to 3G) can lead to a temporary loss of communication.

There is also a code to check the status of redirects, which is often confused with locking. Dial *#62# to see where the calls go if you are not available. If there is an unknown number, perhaps the problem is not the blacklist, but the configured redirect. Use the code ##002# to reset the redirect.

It is important to understand that codes work at the modem level and may differ depending on the processor (Snapdragon or MediaTek) and the regional version of the firmware. If the code does not work, the system will simply ignore the input. Do not try to enter commands from unverified sources, as this can lead to resetting network settings.

Comparison of Unlocking Methods

The choice of method depends on how the lock was made, and below is a table that helps determine the best way to solve the problem depending on the symptoms and version of the software.

MethodWhere to find out.EfficiencyRisk of error
Through the Phone appCall settingsHigh for manual locksLow.
Through SecuritySecurity app -> AntispamHigh for system filtersMedium (can be removed extra)
Through ContactsCard of a particular subscriberPointed, only for savedLow.
Resetting network settingsSettings -> About phone -> ResetExtreme measure, throws everything offHigh (must be reconfigured)

As you can see from the table, the safest and most effective is sequential search: first the Phone application, then Security. Radical measures, such as resetting network settings, should be applied only if other methods did not help and the problem is systemic.

If you use third-party calling apps (like Truecaller or Google Phone), their settings take precedence over system settings, so you should look for a blacklist inside the caller app itself in Settings -> Locked numbers.

Specifics of working with SIM-maps of different operators

Remember, the lock can be set not on the phone, but on the carrier side. Services like Antispam or Parental Control can filter calls before they reach your Xiaomi, which often happens if you have connected such services for a long time or they were activated by default.

Check your operator’s account or use it. USSD-For example, some operators have a command to view the lock status, if the number is locked on the operator's side, unlocking through the phone's settings is not possible.

β˜‘οΈ Checking operator locks

Done: 0 / 4

It is also possible that the situation where SIM-The card is physically damaged or has old contacts, causing malfunctions in the identification of the number and false locking. SIM-Maps via the Contact Menu -> Settings -> SIM-map.

What to do if the number is not unlocked

In rare cases, when all of the above methods failed, the problem may lie in a deep system failure or a conflict of programs. If the subscriber hears the beeps but you do not see the missed, or vice versa, the call is immediately reset without the beeps, the algorithm of actions should be the following.

Try resetting the Phone and Contacts app. To do this, go to Settings -> Apps -> All apps, find the app you want, click Clear and select Clear All. This will not delete your contacts (if they are synced to the cloud), but will return the call settings to factory.

⚠️ Note: Before clearing the app data, make sure your contacts are saved to a Google or Mi Cloud account.Local deletion of data may result in the loss of the phone book if sync has been disabled.

If that doesn’t work, check if you have a third-party number or spam protection app installed, which often has its own databases and lock lists that override system settings, and if you remove or temporarily disable it, it can help diagnose the problem.

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If nothing works, do a full Hard Reset, but only after you have created a full backup of the data, and this is guaranteed to remove any software locks.

In the extreme, if the problem is only one specific SIM-It makes sense to replace it in the operator's cabin. Older cards may not work properly with the new encryption and call filtering standards being implemented in Android updates.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Can the number be unlocked after the MIUI update?
System updates usually do not reset user blacklist settings. However, if the update affects the Security component or changes the structure of the contact database, the list may be cleared or blocked again due to a data migration error.
Does Xiaomi’s blacklist block messages from this number?
Yeah, the standard blacklist in the shell. MIUI HyperOS also blocks incoming calls, and SMS-Messages are not displayed in the standard application, but can be saved in the lock log within the Security application if the appropriate logging option is enabled.
How to unlock the number if the phone is locked and not logged in?
If you can't unlock a number because of a forgotten pattern lock or password from your account, you'll need access to the device. Without logging in, you can't change the blacklist settings, and only a full device reset (Wipe Data) that will delete all the data, including the blacklist.
Does the Do Not Disturb mode affect the number lock?
Do Not Disturb works differently than blacklisting, it doesn't lock the number forever, it just drowns out calls for a certain amount of time or for everyone except a select few. If a caller complains that they're calling but you can't hear, check the settings in the notification curtain or in the Security app.