How to change the region on the phone Xiaomi Redmi: 5 proven ways

Changing the region on Xiaomi Redmi smartphones is a challenge for users who travel, buy devices abroad or want to access localized services. The wrong region can limit functionality, from inaccessible applications on Google Play to mobile network problems. In this article, we will discuss all the working methods of changing the region, from standard settings to hidden MIUI features.

It is important to understand that the region of the device and the region of the Mi Account are different concepts: the first affects system settings (language, date format, local services), and the second determines access to Xiaomi's branded services (cloud storage, themes, updates), we will consider both options, and also tell you how to avoid common errors, for example, when the system prevents you from changing the country due to a link to the SIM- card.

The instructions in this article are relevant for all modern Redmi models (including Redmi Note 12/13, Redmi 10/11, POCO X5 and others) based on MIUI 12-14 and HyperOS. If your device runs on an older version of the firmware, some menu items may differ - in this case, use alternative methods from the last sections.

1.Why change region to Xiaomi Redmi?

At first glance, the region of the device seems to be a minor setup, but in practice it affects:

• 📱 App availability: Google Play and Mi App Store only displays programs that are allowed for your region, for example, some banking apps or streaming services (such as Netflix or Disney+) may be blocked.
• 📡 Mobile network operation: Telecom operators sometimes restrict roaming or internet speeds for devices with a "foreign" region. This is true for tourist SIM- cards.
• 🔄 Firmware updates: Xiaomi releases updates for different regions at different speeds. For example, the global version MIUI (Global) may update later than the Chinese version (China).
• 💳 Payment systems: Some services (e.g., Google Pay or Mi Pay) are tied to a device region and may not work if they do not match a credit card.

Also, on Chinese ROM devices, you can't use Google services without changing region — they just don't install, which is one of the main reasons why users are looking for ways to change the country in their settings.

⚠️ Warning: Changing region may cause some settings (e.g., time format or language packs) to reset.We recommend that you back up through Settings → About Phone → Backup before the procedure.

2 Method 1: Changing the region through standard settings MIUI

The easiest method is to use built-in MIUI tools. It is suitable for most global firmware versions (Global, EEA, India), but can be blocked on Chinese (China) or operator (Vodafone, Orange) builds.

Instructions:

1. Open Settings (the gear icon on the main screen).
2. Go to the section Additional → Language and Region (on some versions of MIUI, the path may look like Settings → System → Language and input → Region).
3. Click on the Region (or Country/Region) line.
4. If you don’t have a region, try the nearest one (for example, Belarus is often chosen by Russia or Poland).
5. Confirm the change by pressing OK or Apply.

After restarting the device (it can happen automatically), check if the changes have been applied.

• 🔍 Go to Google Play and see if the app range has changed.
• 📶 Check your mobile network settings: sometimes, after changing region, you need to manually select the operator in Settings → SIM-maps and mobile networks → Network Operators.

⚠️ Warning: Some firmware (MIUI 13+) may require re-assignment of the Mi Account after a region change. If the system requests a password, enter it, otherwise some functions (for example, synchronizing notes) will stop working.

Make sure your device is connected to Wi-Fi | Check battery power (minimum 50%) | Save a backup of important data | Remember current language and keyboard settings-->

Method 2: Change region through Mi Account (for branded services)

If you need to change the region not for the phone itself, but for your Mi Account (for example, to access local themes or cloud storage), the procedure will be different. This method does not affect the system settings of Android, but unlocks Xiaomi’s branded features.

How to change the region of your Mi Account:

1. Open the Mi Account app (or go to Settings → Mi Account).
2. Sign in if you are not already logged in.
3. Slip on the profile avatar in the upper right corner.
4. Select Account Settings (or Account Management).
5. Find Country/Region (may be in the Personal Information or Security section).
6. Click Change and select a new country from the list.
7. Confirm the change via SMS or email (depending on your account security settings).

Important nuances:

• 🔄 After changing your account region, some services (such as Mi Cloud) may require re-authorization on all devices associated with that profile.
• 💳 If a bank card is attached to your account to pay for purchases in the Mi Store, you will have to delete it and add it again.
• 📱 This method may not work on Chinese accounts (China) and often requires a separate unblocking procedure.

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If push notifications stopped working after changing the region in the Mi Account, check the settings in Settings → Annexes → Application management → Mi Account → Notifications and turn them on again.

4 Method 3: Using VPN to circumvent regional constraints

If you need to temporarily access content or services from another region (for example, to install an app from Google Play), you can use a VPN.This method does not change the settings of the device, but allows you to “pretend” to be a user from another country.

How it works:

1. Download a reliable VPN- application from Google Play (e.g. ProtonVPN, NordVPN or 1.1.1.1).
2. Sign up and connect to a server in the right country (for example, select a server in the United States to access Netflix in the United States).
3. Clear the Google Play cache: Go to Settings → Apps → App management → Google Play Store. Click Storage → Clear the cache.

Google Play

Limitations of the method:

• 🚫 VPN does not change the system region of the device, only your network address. Once VPN is disabled, access to the content may be blocked again.
• 💰 Some VPN- services are paid or have traffic restrictions.
• ⚠️ Use of VPN may violate the rules of certain services (e.g. banking applications).

5. Method 4: Reset to factory settings with region selection

If standard methods don't work (e.g., Chinese firmware), you can perform a hard reset and then select a region when you first set it up, which is guaranteed to work, but has a disadvantage - all data from the phone will be deleted.

Step-by-step:

1. Back up important data (photos, contacts, messages) through Settings → About Phone → Backup or manually copy files to your computer.
2. Turn off the phone.
3. Press the Volume Up + Power buttons at the same time and hold them for 10-15 seconds until the Mi logo and Recovery menu appear.
4. In the recovery menu, select Wipe Data (or Clear Data) using volume buttons for navigation and power buttons for confirmation.
5. Confirm the reset by selecting Yes.
6. After the process is complete, select Reboot to reboot.
7. When you first set up your device on the welcome screen, select the desired region (country) from the list.

Important warnings:

• 🔋 Make sure the phone is at least 70% charged – an interrupted reset could damage the firmware.
• 📱 Some models (Redmi Note 10 Pro, POCO F3) may require re-unlocking the bootloader after reset if it has been unlocked previously.
• 🔑 If the phone was linked to a Mi Account, you will need to enter a login and password to unlock after the reset.

⚠️ Warning: On HyperOS devices (new shell instead of MIUI), the path to reset may be different. On the Recovery menu, look for Factory Reset or Erase All Data.

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Resetting to factory settings is the most reliable way to change region on China ROM, but it deletes all data. Use it only if other methods have failed.

6. Method 5: Manual editing of firmware files (for advanced users)

This method is suitable for advanced users who are willing to work with system files. It allows you to change the region without resetting data, but requires an unlocked bootloader and root rights.

What you need:

• 📱 Phone with unlocked bootloader (instructions for unlocking is available on the official website of Xiaomi).
• 🖥️ Computer with drivers installed ADB and Fastboot.
• 🔧 A program for editing system files (e.g., Root Explorer or MT Manager).

Instructions:

1. Connect your phone to your computer and open the command line (CMD or Terminal).
2. Enter the command to get root access: adb shell su
3. Open /system/build.prop in the text editor. To do this, type vi/system/build.prop or copy the file to your computer for editing.
4. Find the lines that are for the region. They can look like this: ro.product.locale.region=CN ro.product.locale.language=zh Change CN to the code of the desired region (e.g., RU, US, DE).
5. Save the changes and restart the phone.

Codes of popular regions:

⚠️ Warning: Incorrect editing of the build.prop file can lead to bootloop ( looped reboot).Before making changes, back it up with the command: cp /system/build.prop /sdcard/build.prop.bak

7. Frequent problems and their solutions

When you change region to Xiaomi Redmi, users often face some common mistakes, and let's look at the most common ones and how to fix them.

Problem 1: Region does not change in settings (button is inactive)

• 📌 Reason: Limitation of operator firmware or Chinese version MIUI.
• 🔧 Solution: Try changing region through your Mi Account (method 2). If it doesn't work, reset to factory settings (method 4). Chinese firmware may require global firmware MIUI.

Problem 2: Google Services Stopped Working After Region Change

• 📌 Reason: The device was on Chinese firmware (China ROM), where Google services are removed.
• 🔧 Solution: Install Google Installer (download APK from APKMirror. or run the global version MIUI through Fastboot.

Problem 3: You can’t change your Mi Account region

• 📌 Reason: The account is tied to the Chinese region and has restrictions.
• 🔧 Solution: Create a new Mi Account with the right region. Contact Xiaomi support via the official unblock site.

FAQ: Answers to popular questions