How to completely disable phone search on Xiaomi Redmi: all ways

Xiaomi’s phone search feature is a useful tool to protect your device from loss or theft, but it can sometimes be a inconvenience, such as if you’re selling or transferring your smartphone to another person, forgetting your Mi Account password, or just want to disable geolocation for privacy reasons. In this article, we’ll look at all the working ways to deactivate your Redmi search, from standard settings to bypassing locks through the engineering menu.

It’s important to understand that turning off phone search doesn’t always mean removing the link to your Xiaomi account. In some cases, the device may remain locked (especially after resetting to factory settings), and we’ll explain in detail how to avoid such situations and what to do if the phone is already locked.

The instructions in this article are relevant for all modern Redmi models (including the Note series). 12/11/10, Redmi A, POCO) base MIUI 12–14 If your firmware is outdated, some menu items may be different — we will indicate alternative ways.

Why Xiaomi Phone Search May Get In The Way

Xiaomi’s Find Device function runs through the Mi Cloud and is linked to a user’s account.

• 📍 Tracking the location of your smartphone in real time.
• 🔒 Lock the device remotely.
• 📴 Delete data from the phone (in case of theft).
• 🔔 Turn on the beep, even if the phone is silent.

However, there are situations where this function needs to be disabled:

• 📦 Selling or transferring a phone – the new owner will not be able to use the device if it is linked to your account.
• 🔄 Reset to factory settings – without disabling the search, the phone may require entering a login / password from the old account (Mi Account Lock).
• 🛡️ Privacy – if you don’t want Xiaomi to track your location.
• 🔧 Technical problems – for example, sync errors with Mi Cloud or persistent search notifications.

If you just want to hide your phone from tracking, but you don't plan to reset your settings, you just need to disable geolocation in your account settings, but to completely deactivate your search, you need to remove the device's association with Mi Account.

Method 1: Disabling Search through Settings MIUI

The easiest and safest method is to deactivate the function directly from the smartphone menu, which is suitable if:

• ✅ You have access to your phone and it is unlocked.
• ✅ You remember the password from the Mi Account.
• ✅ The phone is connected to the Internet (Wi-Fi or mobile network).

Step-by-step:

1. Open the Settings app (cog icon).
2. Go to Mi Account (or Xiaomi Account in new MIUI versions).
3. At the top of the screen, click on the avatar or account name.
4. Select Find Device (Find Device)
5. Turn off the slider next to the Find this device label.
6. Confirm the action by entering the password from Mi Account.

After that, the phone will be untied from the search function, but will remain tied to the Xiaomi account. If you plan to reset your settings, follow the additional step:

⚠️ Note: If you delete your Mi Account from your phone without disabling your search, the device may require you to enter your old account lock after the reset. This is anti-theft protection, and it is almost impossible to get around it without a password.

Method 2: Delete Xiaomi account from your phone

If you want to completely remove your phone’s link to your account (for example, before selling), it’s not enough to just turn off your search, you need to delete your Mi Account from the system.

1. Open Settings. → Mi Account.

2.Push three dots (⋮) in the upper right corner and select Delete Account.

3. Enter the password from Mi Account for confirmation.

4. Wait a few seconds, the phone will break the connection to the account.

After that:

• 📱 The phone will be completely untied from the Mi Cloud.
• 🔓 The search function will be automatically disabled.
• ⚠️ But: If you forget to delete your account before reset, your phone may be blocked!

⚠️ Note: Some Redmi models (such as Note 10 Pro or Redmi 9) may have a ghost anchor after deleting your account. First delete the account, then reset the settings, and after turning on the phone again go to the settings and check if there is any old account left.

Method 3: Disable search through the web version of Mi Cloud

If you don't have access to your phone, but you remember the Mi Account, you can turn off your browser search.

• 📵 Phone lost or stolen (but you want to disable search so no one can use it).
• 🔧 The device does not turn on, but you need to remove the tether before repair.
• 📦 You are sending your phone remotely (for example, by mail).

Instructions:

1. Go to i.mi.com and log in.
2. In the menu on the left, select Find Device.
3. Click on your Redmi icon in the list of devices.
4. In the upper right corner, click on three dots (⋮) and select Remove the device.
5. Confirm the action.

After that, the phone will be deleted from your Mi Cloud account, and the search function will turn off.

• ✅ Geolocation and remote control will no longer work.
• ❌ If the phone is stolen, the attacker can reset it and use it (unless the Mi Account Lock was activated).

💡

If you are selling a phone, you should first remove it from the Mi Cloud via the web version, and then reset the settings on the device itself, which is guaranteed to prevent blocking for the new owner.

Method 4: Search bypassing the engineering menu (for advanced)

If you forgot your Mi Account password but your phone is unlocked, you can try turning off the search via the engineering menu (#4636##). MIUI, But sometimes it helps to unlink without a password.

Warning: Incorrect actions on the engineering menu can lead to data loss or phone breakdown. Use this method only if other options have not worked.

Step-by-step:

1. Open the phone app and enter the code: ##4636##
2. Go to the Phone Information tab.
3. Scroll down and find the option to Disable Mi Account (or similar).
4. Click on it and confirm the action.
5. Reboot the phone.

If there is no such item, try the alternative code to reset your Mi Account settings:

##3646633##

After entering, you will be taken to the extended engineering menu (MTK Engineer Mode:

1. Go to Connectivity → Wi-Fi.
2. Find the Mi Account Erase or Cloud Service option.
3. Activate it and wait for the process to be completed.

⚠️ Note: On phones with Qualcomm Snapdragon processor (e.g. Redmi Note 11 Pro)+ or POCO X3 Pro: The engineering menu may not contain options for resetting Mi Account. In this case, try the Fastboot method (described below).

Method 5: Reset Mi Account via Fastboot (for power users)

If your phone is locked and you don't remember the Mi Account password, the only way to untether is to use Fastboot mode.

• 🖥️ Computer with installed Xiaomi drivers and Mi Flash Tool.
• 🔌 Cable. USB (preferably original).
• 📄 Firmware for your Redmi model (you can download it on the official website).

Step-by-step:

1. Turn off the phone.
2. Press the Loudness Down + Power buttons to log in to Fastboot.
3. Connect the phone to the PC.
4. Download and install the Mi Flash Tool.
5. In the program, select the downloaded firmware (.tgz or.zip format).
6. Press Refresh to allow the tool to recognize the device.
7. Select Clean All mode (this will delete all data, including Mi Account).
8. Press Flash and wait for the process to be completed.

After this flashing, the phone will be completely cleared of all data, including the binding to the Xiaomi account. However, this method is only suitable for unlocked downloaders! If the bootloader is locked, you will need an official unlocker from Xiaomi (the process can take up to 720 hours).

For models with a locked boot loader (for example, Redmi Note 12 or later), an alternative option is to use the same. EDL-mode, but it requires an authorized Xiaomi developer account and a special cable.

What to do if your phone is locked (Mi Account Lock)

If you reset your phone to factory settings without disabling the search and deleting the Mi Account, the first time you turn on, you'll see a request to enter your old account data, which is Mi Account Lock protection, and you can't get around it in official ways.

1.Remember account details

• Try to restore the password through Mi Account (you need access to the email or phone associated with the account).
• If you have changed your password, check old entries in password managers (e.g. Google Password Manager).

2. Call for support for Xiaomi

• Write to Xiaomi support via the official website.
• Attach a check or proof of purchase (if the phone is new).
• In some cases, support may remove the lock after checking.

3. Use informal methods (at your own risk)

• Flashing through EDL (requires special equipment).
• Use exploits to bypass locks (e.g., for older models on the MIUI 10–11).
• Contact service centers that are engaged in unlocking (cost from 1000 to 5000 rubles).

⚠️ Note: Unofficial ways to bypass Mi Account Lock can cause your phone to break or lose warranty.In addition, after such manipulations, you may have problems with updates or the operation of certain functions (for example, Google Pay or Widevine). L1 viewable HD-video).

FAQ: Frequent questions about disabling search on Xiaomi Redmi