How to track Xiaomi phone in case of loss or theft: 7 working ways

Lost your Xiaomi smartphone? Act quickly and correctly

Losing your phone is a stressful situation, especially if your device stores personal data, photos or access to banking applications. Xiaomi smartphones (including Redmi, POCO, Black Shark models) have built-in tracking tools, but their effectiveness depends on the presets. Unless you have disabled Find the device in Mi Account or Google Device Manager, the chances of returning the gadget are much higher.

This article provides step-by-step instructions for finding a phone through official services, alternative methods (IMEI, carrier), and ways to remotely lock and clean data if you can't return the device. The important thing is that the faster you start acting, the greater the likelihood of success. For example, if the phone is still on and connected to the Internet, its location can be determined with an accuracy of 10 to 50 meters.

Note that some methods (such as IMEI tracking) only work with law enforcement, and we do not recommend using dubious services that promise to “find your phone in 5 minutes” – this is often a scam.

1. Tracking through Mi Account (official method)

Xiaomi’s Find a Device service is the most reliable way to do this if you have Mi Account enabled and internet access on your phone, and it works on all models, from the Redmi Note 10 to Xiaomi’s 14 Ultra flagships.

What do you need?

• 📱 Mi Account Linked to Lost Phone.
• 🌐 Access to account.xiaomi.com (or the Mi Cloud mobile app).
• 🔋 The phone must be on and connected to the network (Wi-Fi/mobile).

Step-by-step:

1. Go to the Mi Account website and log in.
2. In the menu, select Find Device (Find Device).
3. The map will show the last known location of the phone (if it is online).
4. Available options: 🔔 Play the sound – the phone will emit a loud signal (useful if you lost your home). 🔒 Lock the device – set the password on the lock screen. 🗑️ Erase data – complete reset to factory settings (irreversible!).

⚠️ Note: If the phone is turned off or discharged, its location will only be updated after it is turned on and connected to the network.Mi Account does not show the history of movements - only the last point.

2. Search through Google Find my device

If Xiaomi has enabled the Android Device Manager (which is the default activated on most phones), you can use Google Find My Device, which works even if the Mi Account was not set up.

How to check if the service has been turned on:

• 🔍 On another device, open the Google Device Activity Page.
• 📌 Find lost Xiaomi on the list – if it is, the service is active.

Search instructions:

1. Go to Google Find my device.
2. Select the lost phone from the list (if multiple devices are tied).
3. Service will show: 📍 Location (accurate to address). 🔋 Battery level of charge. 📶 Network connection status (Wi-Fi/mobile).
4. Available action: 🔔 Play the sound (5 minutes at maximum volume). 🔒 Lock the device with the ability to display the message on the screen (for example, a number for communication). 🗑️ Erase data (full reset).

⚠️ Warning: If the Smart Lock feature (unlocking by trusted devices/places) was enabled on the phone, an attacker can bypass the lock. Check the security settings on the Google Security page.

3. IMEI Tracking: Myths and Reality

Many users believe that IMEI (Unique Phone Identifier) is easy to find, but in practice, it is not quite so:

• 📵 Communications operators can track IMEI, but only at the request of the police (this service is not available for private persons).
• 🚔 Law enforcement agencies are using IMEI Search for stolen phones, but the process can take weeks.
• ⚠️ Services like "IMEI-Internet trackers are frauds. They don't have access to operator databases.

How to find out the IMEI of Xiaomi lost:

1. Look at the phone box (usually there is an IMEI sticker).
2. Check the check or the warranty card.
3. If the phone has been synced to the Mi Account, the IMEI can be found in the device profile on Xiaomi’s website.
4. On another device with the same Google account, open your device history — there may be an IMEI.

What to do with IMEI:

• 📋 Save the number - you will need it to report to the police.
• 📞 Contact the operator (for example, MTS, Beeline, MegaFon) and ask to block SIM-map IMEI.
• 🚨 Report to the police - indicate IMEI description of the stolen property.

4. Assistance of the mobile operator

If the phone is stolen, the operator can help block the phone. SIM-Some operators (e.g. Tele2) also provide data on the last location of the base station to which the phone was connected.

What to do:

1. Call the operator's hotline: 📞 MTS: 0890 or 8-800-250-0890 📞 Beeline: 0611 or 8-800-700-0611 📞 MegaFon: 0500 or 8-800-550-0500 📞 Television2: 611

Report loss/theft and ask for a lock SIM-map.

Check whether you can provide information about the latest location (usually a passport and statement are required).

⚠️ Note: Operators are not allowed to track the phone in real time without a court order, and the most they can provide is data on the latest activity (base station, connection time).

5. Third-party tracking applications

If the official methods don't work, you can try third-party services, but most of them require pre-installing on your phone, and if you haven't installed them in advance, they're useless.

Popular applications (if installed before loss):

• 🔍 Cerberus is one of the most powerful anti-theft solutions, and it can steal photos from the front camera, record sound, and send coordinates.
• 📍 Prey Anti Theft is a free option with basic tracking features.
• 🛡️ Avast Anti-Theft is part of Avast Mobile Security.

⚠️ Warning: Do not install suspicious apps from unknown sources! Many Android trackers are actually spyware or viruses. Use only verified services from Google Play.

How do these applications work:

• 📲 Installation on the phone before loss.
• 🔑 Remote access via the web interface or SMS-team.
• 📍 They can send coordinates even if they are SIM-Card replaced (via Wi-Fi).

💡

If you haven't lost your phone, install Cerberus or Prey Anti Theft right now, which are hidden apps that can save your data in the event of a theft.

6. Additional measures: blocking and data protection

If you can’t get your phone back, block access to your data immediately to prevent identity theft:

Step 1: Block Mi Account and Google Account:

• 🔒 Go to Mi Account and change your password.
• 🔑 On Google Security Page, Remove Lost Device from Trusted List.

Step 2: Blocking Bank Cards and Payment Systems

• 💳 Contact the bank and block Google-linked cards Pay/Mi Pay.
• 🔄 Revoke access to payment systems (for example, SBP, Apple Pay, if you were connected).

Step 3: Remote data erasure:

• 🗑️ Using Mi Account or Google Find My Device, reset to factory settings.
• ⚠️ After resetting, it will be impossible to track the phone!

⚠️ Note: If backups of Xiaomi Cloud were enabled on the phone, after the reset, the attacker can restore some of the data (photos, contacts!

💡

Even if the phone failed to be returned, blocking accounts and erasing data will prevent attackers from accessing your personal information.

7.Police appeal: what you need to know

If your phone is stolen, make sure you report it to the police, which increases the chances of your device being returned and helps in insurance cases.

What you need:

• 📄 Passport.
• 📱 IMEI phone (can be found on the box or in the Mi Account).
• 📝 Check or warranty card (if retained).
• 📸 Photo/video of the phone (for identification).

Where to go:

• 🚔 Precinct – for the preparation of the application.
• 🏛️ Department of Anti-Theft (if the theft occurred in a public place).
• 📞 112 – Uniform emergency number (if the theft has just occurred).

⚠️ Attention: Police do not search hot-spot phones, this is not a movie, but a statement is required to:

• 🔍 Theft of the phone (if the phone is found later).
• 💰 Insurance case (if the phone is insured).
• 📵 Lockdowns IMEI Operators (at the request of the investigative authorities).

FAQ: Frequent questions about finding lost Xiaomi