How to change the region to Xiaomi: all the ways to change the country in 2026

Changing the region on Xiaomi devices is a pressing task for users who have purchased the gadget abroad, faced with local service restrictions or want to access global updates. The manufacturer ties the functionality of smartphones, TVs and smart devices to the country of sale, which affects the available applications, languages, network frequencies and even the operation of Google Play. However, not everyone knows that the region can be changed – both officially through settings and using hidden methods.

In this article, we will analyze all the current ways to change the region to Xiaomi in 2026: from standard options to the best in the world. MIUI You will learn which models support changing the region without risks (Redmi Note 12 Pro)+, POCO F5, Xiaomi 13T), We'll also analyze the consequences, from loss of warranty to problems with the bootloader. OTA-If you are planning to buy Xiaomi abroad or are already facing regional restrictions, this guide will help you avoid mistakes.

Why Xiaomi is linking devices to the region

Xiaomi segments markets by region not only for legal requirements (e.g. FCC certification in the U.S. or CE certification in Europe), but also to optimize the performance of devices.

• 📡 Mobile Network Frequencies: Smartphones for China do not support European bands 4G/5G (Like Band. 20), Global versions may not work with Chinese operators.
• 🛒 Local services: PayTM is preinstalled in firmware for India, Yandex.Navigator in Russia, WeChat and Alipay in China.
• 🔄 Software Updates: Global (Global) and Chinese (China) versions MIUI Updates are available at different times, and some features (such as HyperOS) may not be available in certain regions.
• 💰 Pricing: Prices for apps in Google Play or Mi App Store depend on the region of the account.

It is important to understand that the region of the device and the region of the Mi Account are different things. For example, you can use a Chinese smartphone with a European account, but some features (for example, Mi Pay or Mi Cloud) will be limited, and the manufacturer can block the change of region on devices purchased under a contract with the operator (for example, Xiaomi 12T Pro from Vodafone).

Official ways to change the region to Xiaomi

If your device supports official region change, this is the safest method. Xiaomi allows you to change the country no more than once every 30 days, and only for certain models.

1. Open Settings → About the phone and tap 7 times on the MIUI version to activate the developer mode.
2. Return to the main settings menu and go to Additional → Region (on some firmware, the path may differ: Settings → System → Region).
3. Select the country you want from the list. If the option is not available, your model does not support official region change.
4. Restart the device. Once enabled, you may need to re-authorize to your Mi Account.

List of models supporting the official change of the region in 2026:

In 2026, Xiaomi tightened its policy: on new devices (such as the Xiaomi 14 or Redmi K70), the official change of region can be blocked if the smartphone was activated in China, in which case alternative methods will be required.

⚠️ Note: After changing the region through settings, the device may lose access to some pre-installed applications (such as Mi Video or Mi Music), and the mobile network settings will reset, and they will have to be reconfigured.

Alternative Methods: Changing the Region through ADB

If the official method is not available, you can use the ADB (Android Debug Bridge) command, which works on most devices with the bootloader unlocked, but you need to be careful.

Install ADB-PC drivers|Enable debugging on USB smartphone|Download the platform ADB (For example, from Google)|Create a backup copy of the data|Check the battery charge (minimum 50%)

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1. Connect your smartphone to your computer and confirm the permission to debug via USB.
2. Open the command prompt (Windows) or terminal (macOS/Linux) in the folder with adb.exe.
3. Enter the command to check the connection: adb devices The device should appear in the list.
4. Execute the command to change the region (for example, to Europe): adb shell settings put global region EEA Other region codes: CN (China), IN (India), RU (Russia), Global.
5. Reboot the device: adb reboot

After the reboot, check the current region in Settings → About Phone → MIUI version. If there are no changes, try repeating the command with a different region code or check if the bootloader is locked.

⚠️ Note: Some Xiaomi firmware (e.g. on Redmi) 10C or POCO M5) can ignore ADB-In this case, you will need to firmware through Fastboot or edit the build.prop file.

Change of region through firmware: risks and instructions

The most radical way is to flash the device to the firmware of another region, which allows you to bypass all restrictions, but it can lead to a loss of warranty and the risk of "bricking" the smartphone.

• 🔓 Unlocked bootloader is required (instructions for Xiaomi: official website).
• 📥 The firmware should be compatible with your model (for example, for the Redmi Note 11 Pro).+ 5G Only a firmware with veux code is suitable).
• 🔄 After firmware, all data will be deleted (do backup via Settings). → Additionally. → Backup).
• ⚠️ Certain functions (e.g, NFC or IR-blaster) may not work properly.

Instructions for firmware through Fastboot:

1. Download the firmware for the desired region from the Xiaomi Firmware Updater site (choose the Stable version, not the Developer version).
2. Unpack the archive in a folder from fastboot.exe (from the ADB platform).
3. Transfer the smartphone to Fastboot mode: turn it off, then press Volume down + Power.
4. Connect the device to the PC and execute the command to check: fastboot devices
5. Run firmware (for Windows): fastboot update name file.zip For macOS/Linux, use./fastboot instead of fastboot.

It takes 5-10 minutes. Once it's done, it automatically restarts. If the Mi logo appears on the screen and the further download stalls, then the firmware is not suitable - you will need to re-install it through the Mi Flash Tool.

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Fastboot firmware is the only way to change region on devices with a locked bootloader if other methods don't work, however, this voids the warranty and can lead to a loss of IMEI.

The consequences of the change in the region: what we lose and what we gain

Changing the region to Xiaomi has both positive and negative consequences, and let’s take a closer look at them:

One of the most frustrating things is blocking some features, such as a high-resolution video call (up to 1080p) available on Chinese firmware, which may disappear after switching to the global version.

• 🎮 Global firmware may not be optimized for Genshin Impact or Honor of Kings.
• 📸 Camera: Some filters (e.g, AI Beauty only works on Chinese versions MIUI.
• 🔋 Charging: Fast charging (120W Redmi Note 12 Pro+) may be limited to 33W global-firm.

On the other hand, after the region changes, you get:

• ✅ Full support for Google Mobile Services (GMS).
• ✅ Access to European frequencies 5G (travel-intensive).
• ✅ Use Google Pay and other financial services.

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Before changing region, check support for 4G/5G frequencies on FrequencyCheck. For example, the Xiaomi 12S Ultra in the Chinese version does not support the Band 20, which is critical for Europe.

How to return the original region if something went wrong

If the device becomes unstable after the region change (for example, the mobile Internet is lost or applications are no longer updated), you can try to return the original settings.

1. Reset via Settings: Go to Settings → System → Reset → Delete all data. This will return the region to factory, but delete all files.
2. Recovery via Mi Flash Tool: Download the original firmware for your region from the official website and flash it in Clean All mode.
3. Manual editing build.prop (for power users): Open /system/build.prop file via Root Explorer and change the ro.product.locale.region=CN string to the desired region (e.g. RU or US).

If none of the methods helped, and the device is stuck on the Mi logo, try using the device. EDL-The Emergency Download Mode (ED) is the only way to do this:

1. Download Mi Flash Pro and firmware in.tgz format.
2. Connect the off smartphone to the PC by clamping Volume up + Volume down + Power.
3. In Mi Flash Pro, select Flash All mode and start firmware.

⚠️ Attention: Use EDL-The mode requires an authorized Mi Account with developer rights. Unauthorized use can result in permanent blocking. IMEI.

Frequent Mistakes and How to Avoid Them

When you change region to Xiaomi, users often face typical problems, and here are the most common mistakes and ways to solve them:

• 🚫 "You can't change region": Reason: Device is tied to operator or has a locked bootloader.Solution: Check bootloader status with fastboot oem device-info command (must be unlocked: true).
• 🌍 Region changed, but Google Play doesn't work: Reason: Google account region doesn't match device region Solution: Change country in Google Pay settings.
• 📶 Mobile internet missing after region change: Reason: Firmware doesn't support your carrier's ranges.Solution: Manually add APN In Settings → SIM-maps and mobile networks → Access points (APN).
• 🔄 Device not updated: Reason: Inconsistency between firmware region and servers OTA. Solution: Install the update manually through Settings → Updating the system → Three points. → Select a Service Package.

Another common problem is the loss of IMEI after the firmware, to restore it:

1. Download the IMEI Tool (for example, Maui META for MediaTek processors or QCN Rebuilder for Qualcomm).
2. Connect your smartphone in Diag Mode (for Qualcomm, type ##717717###).
3. Restore the IMEI from the backup or enter it manually (specified on the device box).

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If after the change of region the device has ceased to determine SIM-Check if the module settings are broken. RIL. Enter the command in the engineering menu (#4636##) AT+EGMR=1,7,"IMEI", substitute IMEI original.

FAQ: Answers to Frequent Questions