Where Xiaomi Stores Accounts: From Mi Accounts to Social Media

Did you buy a used Xiaomi smartphone, reset it to factory settings, but the previous owner forgot to log out? Or do you want to check which services are tied to your device but don't know where to look? Xiaomi accounts are distributed across multiple parts of the system - and not all of them are obvious to the user.

In this article, we will take a closer look at where all types of accounts are stored on Xiaomi, Redmi and POCO devices (including MIUI 14/15 and HyperOS): from branded Mi Account to Google, social networks and instant messengers. And how to properly delete them to avoid device lockdown or data leakage.Spoiler: Even after a reset, some accounts can remain on the system - and this is normal if you know the nuances.

1. Mi Account: Where to Store and How to Delete

Mi Account is Xiaomi’s primary account, which is tied to the device at the hardware level, and is responsible for synchronizing data, accessing branded services (Mi Cloud, Mi Home), and even unlocking the bootloader, which is why many people experience the problem of “device is tied to another account” after buying a used phone.

You can find it in two ways:

• 📱 Through Settings: Settings → Accounts and synchronization → Mi Account. This shows a linked email or phone number.
• 🔧 Through the Developer Menu: If the standard path is not available (for example, after a reset), go to Settings → The phone. → Version. MIUI (tap 7 times to activate the developer mode, then additionally → For developers → Mi Account Status.

⚠️ Note: if you bought the phone with your hands and the previous owner did not leave the Mi Account, you will not be able to reset it through the settings - you will need an official unlock through the Xiaomi website (with confirmation from the previous owner). Otherwise, the device will remain locked for most functions.

To remove your Mi Account from your device:

1. Open Settings → Accounts and Sync → Mi Account.
2. Click on the gear icon (⚙️) top-right.
3. Select Delete Account and confirm the action.
4. Enter your account password (if required).

Untie the device from the Mi Cloud

Delete backup copies

Getting out of Mi Home (if you use a smart home)

Disable two-factor authentication (temporarily)-->

2. Google Accounts: Where to Search and How to Manage

On Xiaomi devices (as with all Android smartphones), Google accounts are integrated at the system level, they are responsible for Play Market, Gmail, YouTube, contact sync, and more. Unlike Mi Account, they can be deleted without locking the phone, but this will lead to loss of access to some services.

You can find them here:

• 🔍 Main path: Settings → Accounts and synchronization → Google. All associated accounts will be displayed here (e.g. example)@gmail.com).
• 📁 Contacts: Open Contacts, Tap Three Points (⋮) → Account management.
• 🛠️ For experienced users: through Settings → Annexes → Application management → Google → The storage can be seen which data is synchronized.

⚠️ Note: If you delete your Google account from your device, you will lose access to your device:

• 📱 Installed apps from the Play Market (they will stop updating).
• ☁️ Backups in Google Drive (including photos from Google Photos).
• 📧 Gmail emails and events in Google Calendar.

To delete your Google account:

1. Go to Settings → Accounts and Sync → Google.
2. Select the appropriate account (if there are several).
3. Click Delete your account and confirm the action.

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Before deleting your Google account, check if your Play Market purchases (such as games or subscriptions) are linked to it, and it will be difficult to restore them once you delete them.

3. Social networks and instant messengers: where logins are stored

Unlike system accounts (Mi Account and Google), data from VK, Facebook, Telegram or WhatsApp is stored either in the apps themselves or in the password manager.

Inside the applications:

• 📘 VK/OK/Facebook: Logins are stored in the applications themselves. To exit, open the application. → Settings → Get out.
• 💬 WhatsApp/Telegram: Data is stored locally. WhatsApp can view the linked number in Settings → Account.
• 🎵 TikTok/Instagram: session information is stored in the app cache (you can delete it via Settings) → Annexes → [name] → Warehouse → Clear the data).

2.In Xiaomi's password manager:

If you saved your passwords when you logged in, they could have been accessed by Mi Browser or Google Smart Lock:

• 🔒 Google Smart Lock: Settings → Accounts and synchronization → Google → Managing a Google Account → Security → Passwords.

⚠️ Attention: if you sell a phone, it's not enough to just log out of social media in apps:

1. Delete the cache and application data (Settings → Apps → [name] → Storage → Clear Everything).
2. Unlock the device in the account security settings (for example, in Facebook or VK).
3. Reset your phone to factory settings (Settings → About Phone → Resetting).

4. accounts in Xiaomi smart devices (Mi Home)

If you use the Xiaomi Smart Home ecosystem (smart lamps, robot vacuum cleaners, cameras), they are all tied to Mi Account through the Mi Home app, but there’s a caveat: even after deleting your account from your phone, devices can stay in the system.

Where to check:

• 🏠 Mi Home app: Open it up → Go to Profile. → Settings → Smart home. This shows all the connected devices.
• 🌐 Mi Home: Go to home.mi.com with your Mi Account.
• 🔄 Cloud sync: Some devices (such as Xiaomi Mi Home Security Camera) save data in the cloud even after the app is removed.

How to completely untie the devices:

1. Open Mi Home → Select the device → ⋮ → Settings → Untie.
2. If the device doesn’t untie, reset it to factory settings (usually by pressing the reset button for 5-10 seconds).
3. Check the list of devices at home.mi.com – sometimes they stay there even after local removal.

⚠️ Note: If you sell a Xiaomi smart device (like the Mi Robot Vacuum robot), it’s not enough to just give it to a new owner. it won’t be able to connect to the device until you untie it from your Mi Account in Mi Home. Otherwise, the buyer will have to make a reset through Xiaomi support.

5. Hidden accounts: what remains after a reset

Many users mistakenly believe that resetting to factory settings (Settings → About Phone → Settings Reset) completely clears the device of all accounts.

To ensure that all accounts are cleared before sale:

Exit from the Mi Account (if possible)

Delete all Google accounts

Clean up the data of social networks and messengers

Untie devices in Mi Home

Reset your phone to factory settings

Formatting internal memory (optional)-->

⚠️ Note: If you are selling a phone with MIUI, If the buyer cannot log in to his Mi Account due to the link to the old owner, he will have to contact Xiaomi with proof of purchase (check, contract.

6. How to Protect Your Xiaomi Accounts

To avoid account issues (data leaks, device locks), follow these rules:

• 🔐 Enable two-factor authentication for Mi Account and Google:
• 📱 Don’t save passwords in your browser (especially if you use public Wi-Fi). Instead, use password managers like Bitwarden or other browsers. 1Password.
• 🔄 Check your attached devices regularly:
• 🚫 Don’t use the same password for different services – if one account is hacked, others will be at risk.

⚠️ If you notice unfamiliar devices in your Mi Account or Google, immediately:

1. Change your password.
2. Remove unknown devices from the list of tied devices.
3. Check your login history (Google does this in Security → Recent Actions).

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Even if you don’t sell a phone, check your linked accounts regularly to avoid data leaks and unauthorized access.

FAQ: Frequent questions about Xiaomi accounts