How to reset Xiaomi phone without unlocking it

Problem

I had forgotten the unlock pattern, PIN and other unlocking credentials for a Xiaomi Mi Max 2 phone. I did not care about the data and settings on the phone, I just needed to factory reset this Android smartphone, so that I could create a new Google account on it.

Solution

Thankfully, Xiaomi provides a way to hard reset the phone without unlocking it:

• Power off the phone.
• Keep Volume Up and Power button pressed together, until the Mi logo appears.
• You will be led to the recovery menu. Here you can choose to Clear Data, which will effectively factory reset the phone.

Reference: Hard reset Xiaomi Mi Max 2