Changing your smartphone owner or buying a used Xiaomi device often puts you in the position of changing your account. Mi is not just a name to sign in to, it’s key to all ecosystem services, including cloud storage, device search and app store. If you’ve purchased your phone from hand or just want to share personal data with family members, logging out of your old profile and logging in to a new one is critical.
The process of changing an account does not always go smoothly, since the security system MIUI and HyperOS rigidly binds the device to the ID of the first user. Wrong actions can lead to the locking of the gadget or the loss of important contacts and photos. In this article, we will discuss in detail all the nuances associated with how to change an account on Xiaomi, ensuring maximum security of your data.
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Before changing your account, make sure to make a full backup of data to your local storage or computer, as when untying the old ID, synchronized data can be deleted from the device.
Why it’s important to unbundle your old Mi Account
Many users underestimate the importance of completely untethering the device from the previous owner. Mi Account has a feature called "Find the device", which is activated even after resetting if the phone was not removed from the list of trusted on Xiaomi servers. This is done to protect against theft, but creates problems with a legal change of ownership.
If you just leave the settings menu without cleaning it up, you can block the activation, in which case the phone will require you to enter the password from the previous account on the first turn on, you can't change the "on-the-fly" binding without losing data, so it's important to understand the difference between simply leaving the menu and completely untidying.
In addition, data synchronization can lead to leakage of personal information: old messages, call logs and geolocation can accidentally get to a new device if Mi Cloud was not disabled correctly, so the procedure for changing the ID should be performed methodically and consistently.
Preparing the device for a change of user
Before you start actively changing your account, you need to perform a number of preparatory operations, which will help to avoid unforeseen errors and data loss, make sure that the device is charged at least 60% and connected to a stable Wi-Fi network.
☑️ Preparing for account change
An important step is to check the activation status. Go to the settings and make sure that the Find Device function is disabled. To do this, go to the Settings menu → Mi Account → Find the device and put the switch in an inactive position. The system will require you to enter a password for confirmation.
It’s also worth checking which apps are using your current ID to log in. Often users forget about Mi Video, Mi Music or theme designs that can automatically pull up old data once you enter a new login. Turn off automatic gallery and contacts sync in the cloud service menu.
Step-by-step: how to exit the account
The most common way to change data is to exit through the settings menu, which is good if you have access to your phone and you know your password, open the Settings app and find the top block with the name of your current account.
Click the "Off" button at the bottom of the profile screen, and the system will alert you that the data synced to the cloud will be removed from that device, which is normal security behavior, and if you plan to transfer the phone to another person, this is a must.
What to do if the exit button is inactive?
Once the release is confirmed, the phone can restart, and when you turn on again, you'll see a welcome screen where you need to enter new data, and if the device remains tied to the old ID, then the server-level undocking has not occurred, and a deeper intervention will be required.
What to do if you forget your Mi Account password
The situation where you need to change your account, but your password is lost, is one of the most common. Fortunately, Xiaomi has provided recovery mechanisms. On the password screen, select the option "Forgot your password?". You will be offered several ways to verify.
Most of the time, you'll have a linked phone number or email address, and you'll get a confirmation code, enter it in the appropriate field, and the system will allow you to set a new password, and then you can log out of your profile in the standard way.
⚠️ Note: If the phone number associated with the account is no longer available or the SIM card is lost, recovery via SMS will become impossible.
In some cases, security systems may ask for answers to security questions if they have been set before, so be prepared to provide this information. If none of the automatic methods have worked, the only legal way is to contact the service center with a check for a purchase.
Change your account via i.mi.com web interface
Sometimes it's more convenient to control a device remotely, especially if the phone is already dropped, but still listed on the old owner's device list. There's a web portal called Xiaomi Cloud for that. Go to i.mi.com from a computer or other smartphone.
Log in to the old account you want to delete. In the interface, look for the Settings section or device icon. There will be a list of all the gadgets associated with this ID. Find the desired model (for example, Redmi Note 10 or Xiaomi 13) and select the Remove from the list option.
| Action. | The result | Conditions required |
|---|---|---|
| Exit in settings | Data is deleted from the phone | Access to the phone menu |
| Deletion through the site | Activation blockage removed | Password from the account |
| Button reset | Complete memory cleanup | Physical access |
| Calling the service | Forced decoupling | Phone IDs. |
Once you remove your device from the list on the site, restart your smartphone. Now, when you try to log in or after you reset your settings, the system will not ask for the old password. This is the most reliable way to break the connection between the device and the previous owner at the server level.
Problems with activation blocking (FRP)
If you bought the phone with your hands and the previous owner didn't untie the device, you'll come across an activation lock screen. This is FRP (Factory Reset Protection) protection. The phone will require the password from the Mi Account that the last reset was performed on or that was active on the device.
Bypassing this protection with software methods without data loss is almost impossible on modern versions of MIUI. Attempts to use third-party software can lead to locking the device or turning it into a brick.
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Activation blocking is protection against theft. If you can't contact the previous owner to unblock the device, there's no legal way to unlock it other than by providing a check to a service center.
Ask the seller to remotely remove the device from your account via i.mi.com, which will take a couple of minutes. If the seller claims to have “did nothing,” explain to them the need to remove the device from the list, not just to exit the settings.