How to connect a Xiaomi 360° 1080p camera to two phones: official and alternative methods

Xiaomi Mi Home Security 360° 1080p is a popular video surveillance solution, but its standard setting through the Mi Home app involves only one account. What to do if you want to give access to the broadcast to a second user - a family member, colleague or tenant? In this article, we will discuss all working methods, including official functions (shared access) and workaround solutions for models with firmware 2023+.

Many users encounter the error “Device is already linked to another account” when trying to add a camera to a second phone, which is due to the architecture of the Xiaomi ecosystem: Each camera is tightly tied to one Mi Account, but it also supports sharing, but it has some nuances, like limited rights for guest users. 1.4.6_0039 and 2.0.7_0112, so that you can choose the best option.

If you're looking for a way to connect a camera to two phones with full administrator rights, let me warn you, officially, that's not possible, but there are legal workarounds, which we'll describe below. And for those who are ready to experiment, let's look at undocumented methods (with risks!).

1. Official method: Shared Access

The most reliable and recommended way for Xiaomi is to use the Mi Home app’s sharing feature, which allows the second user to access the stream and basic camera features, but with some limitations.

Here's how it works:

1. Open the Mi Home app on a phone that already has a camera connected to it.
2. Go to the Devices section → [Your camera] → Settings (⚙️) → Shared access.
3. Click Add User and enter the email or phone number of the second Mi Account account.
4. The second user will receive a notification in their Mi Home app and must accept the invitation.

⚠️ Important limitations of this method:

• 🔴 No Administrator Rights: The second user will not be able to change the camera settings (e.g., resolution or detection areas).
• 🔴 Limited management: you can not turn on/off the record in the cloud or change the schedule.
• 🔴 Dependence on the main account: if the owner deletes the camera from his account, access will disappear from both users.

The second user account is registered in the same region (China/Europe/Russia).

Both users have the latest version of Mi Home (4.6.50+) installed.

The camera is connected to stable 2.4GHz Wi-Fi (5GHz not supported)

Two-factor authentication is enabled on the main account (Xiaomi requirement from 2023)-->

If you're comfortable with these limitations, it's perfect -- it doesn't require a camera reset and it works on all the firmware. But what if you want full rights on both phones? Read on.

2. Alternative method: duplicate Mi Account

This is a good way to use the same Mi Account on two phones, and it gives you full access to the camera settings on both devices, but has serious security flaws.

Step-by-step:

1. On the main phone, open Mi Account Settings → Security → Devices and remove all unnecessary devices (leave only the current phone).
2. On the second phone, log in to the same Mi Account via the Mi Home app.
3. In the Profile section → Devices confirm the entrance (may be required) SMS-code).
4. The camera will automatically appear in the list of devices on the second phone.

⚠️ Risk warning:

⚠️ Note: Signing in to one Mi Account on two phones simultaneously violates Xiaomi’s security rules, and the company may block an account for “suspicious activity,” especially if the devices are located in different geolocations. In addition, if you lose one of the phones, the attacker will have access to all your Xiaomi devices (including routers, smart lamps, etc.).

This is 100 percent effective and gives you complete control, but we recommend using it only in extreme cases, like temporary access, and for permanent use, consider the following.

Official Shared Access (with restrictions)

Duplication of Mi Account (full access but risks)

Alternative methods (RTSP/ONVIF)

I haven't decided yet.-->

3. Connection through RTSP-stream (for advanced users)

If your camera supports RTSP (Real Time Streaming Protocol), you can configure the broadcast to the second phone via third-party applications like VLC, TinyCam Pro or iSpy. This solution is suitable for models with firmware 2021+, where RTSP is enabled by default.

How to turn on RTSP on the Xiaomi 360° 1080p camera:

How to connect from the second phone:

• 📱 Install the app VLC (Android/iOS) or TinyCam Pro (Android).
• 🔗 In the application settings, select "Add Network Stream" and paste the copied RTSP-address.
• 🔒 If the stream doesn’t open, make sure the camera and phone are on the same Wi-Fi network.

⚠️ Method nuances:

• 🔴 No camera control: you can only watch the broadcast, but not turn the camera or turn on the sound.
• 🔴 Delay. 1-3 seconds due to flow coding.
• 🔴 Static is required. IP for the camera (or reservation) DHCP router).

4.Use of ONVIF for integration with third-party systems

ONVIF allows you to connect your Xiaomi camera to third-party surveillance systems, such as Synology Surveillance Station, Blue Iris or ZoneMinder, which allows you to stream video to multiple devices at once, but requires additional hardware (NAS or PC).

How to turn on ONVIF on the camera:

Example of settings in Synology Surveillance Station:

• 🖥️ Open Surveillance Station → Add a camera. → Searching for cameras.
• 🔍 Enter. IP-camera address ONVIF.
• 📹 Choose the flow H.264 permittingly 1920×1080.

After setting up, you can view the stream from the camera on any number of devices through the web interface or the Synology DS Cam mobile application. The disadvantage of the method is the need for a NAS or always on PC.

💡

If ONVIF doesn't turn on, try resetting the camera to factory settings (hold the reset button for 10 seconds) and resetting. Sometimes this helps activate hidden firmware functions.

5. Bypass solutions: cloud services and IFTTT

If none of the above methods are suitable, you can use cloud services to duplicate the broadcast, for example, through IFTTT (If This Then That) or Google Home (if the camera is integrated with it).

Method 1: IFTTT + Telegram bot

• 🤖 Create an applet in IFTTT With the trigger "New movement in the camera Xiaomi".
• 📤 As an action, select sending a photo to Telegram or email.
• 📱 The second user will receive notifications with the photo, but without live streaming.

Method 2: Google Home (for Google Assistant-enabled models)

• 🔗 Connect your camera to Google Home via Mi Home → Settings → Working with other services.
• 📺 The second user can view the stream via the Google Home app or by voice: “OK, Google, show the camera in the hallway".

These methods don't provide full access, but they do allow you to share important events, and they're not suitable for constant monitoring.

6. Frequent errors and their solutions

When you set up your camera from two phones, you often have a problem, and we've collected some of the most common errors and ways to fix them:

⚠️ Critical error in discharge:

⚠️ Note: If you reset the camera to factory settings but it doesn't appear in the list of devices to reconnect, check the region of your Mi Account. Cameras purchased in China won't show up in the European or Russian version of Mi Home. Change the account region in the application settings (requires logging out and re-entry).

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Before resetting the camera, be sure to untie it from your Mi Home account → Settings → Sharing → Delete the device. Otherwise, synchronization errors may occur when reconnecting.

7. Comparison of methods: which one to choose?

To help you decide, we’ve compiled a comparative table of all the ways to connect a Xiaomi 360° 1080p camera to two phones:

The only method that gives full control on two phones without the risk of locking is to use ONVIF with integration into a video surveillance system (for example, Synology or Blue Iris), but it requires the purchase of a NAS or always-on PC.

For most users, Shared Access is the best solution, despite the limitations, it does not require technical skills and is completely legal. If you need full rights, consider buying a second camera or model with support for Multi-User Mode (for example, Xiaomi Mi Home Security Camera 2K Pro).

FAQ: Answers to Frequent Questions