How to find a Xiaomi phone owner: 7 proven ways to do it without risking data

Have you found a Xiaomi smartphone on the street, in a transport or a cafe and want to return it to its rightful owner? Or, on the contrary, lost your device and trying to track it through unique identifiers? In both cases, it is important to act quickly, but not to violate the law and not to jeopardize personal data. In this article, we will discuss the legal ways to find the owner of the Xiaomi phone that work in 2026, and also warn about common fraudulent schemes.

Xiaomi smartphones (including Redmi sub-brands, POCO And Black Shark, which has built-in data protection tools, but also multiple channels to communicate with the owner, is illegal and can result in the device being locked through Mi Cloud. Instead, use the official methods we will discuss below.

If you are looking for the owner of a stolen phone, immediately contact the police with a statement - self-search in this case can be dangerous.

1. Checking the lock screen for contact information

The easiest and fastest way to contact the owner is to look at the lock screen. Many Xiaomi users set up the display of an alternate phone number or email directly on the locked screen.

• 🔍 View the main screen: sometimes owners leave a message like “If found, call on the phone”. +7..." at the bottom of the display.
• 📞 Try to make an emergency call: on some models (for example, Redmi Note 12 or Xiaomi). 13T) You can dial the emergency number from a locked screen. Type *#06#, and it will show you. IMEI, helper.
• 📧 Check notifications: If messages from messengers (such as WhatsApp or Telegram) are displayed on the screen, there may be contacts there to communicate.

If there are no obvious contacts on the screen, but there is a notification from Mi Cloud with an email (for example, a user).@mi.com), You can try to write to this address from another device, but be careful: some scammers fake these notifications to lure the data from the person who found the phone.

⚠️ Note: Never enter your data (passwords, codes from the SMS) And you can see the phone that you find, even if you ask them to "enter the unlock code" on the screen, and it could be a phishing trap!

2. Search through IMEI: What you can learn and how to do it

IMEI (International Mobile Equipment Identity is a unique 15-digit code for each smartphone that can be used to identify a device:

• 📱 On the device box: usually IMEI It is indicated on the sticker along with the serial number.
• 🔢 Through code: type *#06# on the phone keyboard – even if the device is locked, this code will work.
• 🔋 Under the battery: on older models (e.g. Redmi) 4A) IMEI duplicated on the sticker under the cover.

With help. IMEI You can:

1. Check if the phone is listed in the database of stolen devices (for example, on the SNDeeP website).
2. Find out the model and specifications on services like IMEI.info.
3. Contact the police or the operator (for example, MTS, Beeline) to search for the owner on the database.

However, there are limitations:

⚠️ Attention: There are many “services” on the Internet that offer to find the owner of the site. IMEI It's a fraud -- no legal service provides this data to private individuals -- the most you get is technical information about the model.

3.Using Mi Account and Find Device

If a Xiaomi phone is linked to a Mi Account, the owner has a chance to track it through the official Find Device feature, which only works if:

• 🔄 The phone is connected to the Internet (Wi-Fi or mobile network).
• 🔒 The “Find the Device” function was activated in the settings.
• 📱 Mi Account has not been deleted from your phone.

How to check if the function is active:

1. Go to i.mi.com and log in to your account (if you are the owner).
2. Select the Find Device tab.
3. If the phone is online, you will see its location on the map with an accuracy of 50-100 meters.

If you find someone else’s phone, try:

1. Connect the device to Wi-Fi (if it is unlocked).
2. Open your browser and go to i.mi.com – sometimes the owner’s session is saved.
3. Click “Exit” and see if a hint appears from your email account.

Try to contact through the lock screen|

Check it out. IMEI on the box or through *#06#|

Connect to Wi-Fi and check your Mi Account|

Call the police if you suspect theft.|

Don't try to reset the settings!-->

Important: If your phone is stolen, don't try to turn on the "Erase Data" feature via Mi Cloud, which may interfere with the police investigation.

4.Verification SIM-cards and last-number call

If the phone is installed SIM-If you have a card, you have a chance to contact the owner through a carrier or a recent call:

• 📞 Call the last outgoing number: on some Xiaomi models (e.g, POCO X5) Even if you have a locked screen, you can open the keyboard and dial a number. Try dialing the last outgoing call (usually displayed in a log).
• 🏢 Contact the operator: if SIM-The card is registered to an individual, the operator can contact the owner. IMEI phone.
• 🔄 Put yours in. SIM-Card: If the phone is unlocked, insert your own SIM Check your messages or messengers for contacts.

Telecom operators (MTS, MegaFon, Beeline, Tele2) are obliged to help in finding owners by law, but only by personal contact.

⚠️ Note: If you have inserted your own SIM-card in the phone you find, do not register it in messengers (for example, WhatsApp or Viber), this can be regarded as an attempt to misappropriate someone else's property!

5.Social networks and instant messengers: how to find the owner

If your phone is unlocked or you can connect to Wi-Fi, check the installed messengers and social networks. Most often on Xiaomi users leave authorized:

• 📱 WhatsApp / Telegram: in the account settings can be specified phone number or email.

How to proceed:

1. Open the messenger and look at the settings → Account.
2. On social media, check the “About Me” or “Contacts” section.
3. If you find an email, write to it from another device with the subject line “Find your Xiaomi phone”.

Example of a message:

Hello, there!




I found your Xiaomi phone [model] in [location]. Contact me by number [your phone] or email [your email] to return it.




Phone IMEI: [specify IMEI for confirmation].

Do not include unnecessary details (for example, the contents of the phone) in the message - this can be used by fraudsters for manipulation.

💡

If you have a Google Account installed on your phone, try opening your browser and going to myaccount.google.com. Sometimes the session is saved and you will be able to see the owner's email in the top corner of the screen.

6.Police contact: when necessary

If you suspect that Xiaomi phone was stolen, or you couldn’t find the owner yourself, be sure to contact the police.

• 📝 Write a statement of discovery (if the phone is found) or theft (if your device is stolen). IMEI, model and circumstances.
• 📱 Provide a phone to check the database of stolen devices.
• 🔍 Notify the operator (if) SIM-card of yours) about the number lock.

The police may:

• Check it out. IMEI from the stolen phone database.
• Contact the operator to obtain data about the owner SIM-map.
• Use official Xiaomi channels to search (if the phone is linked to Mi Account).

The application period is up to 30 days, and if the phone does not find the owner, it can be handed over to you legally (after 6 months for finding).

⚠️ Note: If you found the phone and did not hand it over to the police, and the owner suffered damage (for example, fraudsters used his data), you may be held liable for failure to report the found property (Article 227 of the Civil Code of the Russian Federation).

7 Fraudulent schemes: how not to become a victim

Unfortunately, the topic of finding phone owners attracts scammers, and here are the most common scams:

How to defend yourself:

• 🔒 Don't tell anyone. IMEI or a serial phone number other than the police or official Xiaomi services.
• 💳 Don’t pay for “finding the owner” – it’s always a scam.
• 📵 Don’t agree to meetings in uninhabited places to transfer your phone.

If you are a victim of fraud, immediately contact the police and block all cards and accounts tied to the phone.

💡

The only legal way to find the owner of the IMEI — Go to the police or the telecom operator, all other "services" are fraud.

FAQ: Frequent questions about finding a Xiaomi phone owner