How to completely disable synchronization on Xiaomi smartphones: all ways

Synchronizing data on Xiaomi smartphones is a handy tool that automatically saves your contacts, photos, notes and settings in the Mi Cloud. Some people are worried about privacy, some people don't have enough space in the cloud, and some people just prefer to manage data manually. In this article, we'll look at all the possible ways to disable sync on Xiaomi, Redmi and other devices. POCO — From basic settings to hidden settings for experienced users.

It is important to understand that the process may differ depending on the firmware version. MIUI (12, 13, 14 or 15) and smartphone models, and we'll take these into account and provide up-to-date instructions for 2026, and you'll learn how to turn off sync selectively (e.g., for photos or contacts only) and what to do if standard methods don't work due to manufacturer restrictions.

Why users turn off sync on Xiaomi

Before we get to the instructions, we'll figure out why this might be necessary.

• 🔒 Privacy: Data in the Mi Cloud can theoretically be accessed by third parties (e.g., at law enforcement request or in case of leaks).
• 📱 Battery savings: Background synchronization is energy-consuming, especially if you use mobile internet.
• 💾 Lack of space in the cloud: free tariff Mi Cloud is limited to 5 GB, and not everyone is ready to pay for the expansion.
• 🔄 Data conflicts: when multiple devices are synchronized, duplicate contacts or photos may occur.
• 🚫 Reluctance to use Xiaomi services: some users prefer Google Account or other cloud services.

In addition, synchronization can interfere with the sale or transfer of a smartphone to another person, and even after resetting, some data can remain in the cloud if you do not disable your account binding in advance, as we will discuss below.

Method 1: Disable synchronization via Mi Cloud settings

The easiest and most obvious method is to disable sync directly from the Mi Cloud menu, which is suitable for most Xiaomi, Redmi and other models. POCO on MIUI 12-15. Here's the step-by-step instruction:

1. Open the Settings app (the gear icon on the home screen).
2. Scroll down and select the Xiaomi account section (or Mi Account on older versions).
3. Click on Mi Cloud (cloud with Xiaomi logo).
4. At the top of the screen you will see the Sync switch – move it to the off position.
5. The system will prompt you to confirm the action - click Disable.

After that, all types of data will no longer sync with the cloud. However, note: this will not delete files already downloaded from the Mi Cloud. To clear the cloud, you need to go to the web version of the service through the browser and manually delete unnecessary data.

Method 2: Selectively disabling synchronization (contacts, photos, notes)

If you need to turn off sync only for specific data types (for example, only for photos or contacts), do the following:

1. Go to Settings → Xiaomi account → Mi Cloud.
2. Under the common sync switch you will see a list of categories: Contacts, Photos, Notes, Records, etc.
3. Click on the desired category (for example, Photos).
4. Turn off the Sync switch for this type of data.
5. Repeat the steps for other categories if necessary.

This method is convenient if you want to leave sync for some data (for example, contacts), but disable for others (for example, photos that take up a lot of space). POCO menu may look different – look for Sync and Backup.

Method 3: Disable autosynchronization through Google account settings

Many users don’t know that Xiaomi works not only sync with Mi Cloud, but also with Google Account. If you have disabled Mi Cloud, but notes or contacts are still synced, check Google’s settings:

1. Open the Settings. → Accounts and syncs (or passwords and accounts on new versions) MIUI).
2. Select your Google Account.
3. Click on account sync.
4. Turn off switches in front of unnecessary categories (e.g. Contacts, Calendar, Google Photos).
5. Click Ready or Sync (depending on version) MIUI).

If you use Google Photos to back up, turning off sync in this menu won't delete photos already uploaded. To make room, go to the Google Photos app and manually clear the cart.

⚠️ Attention: Disabling sync with Google Account may affect other services such as Gmail, Google Drive or YouTube. If you notice a crash, check your settings again.

Method 4: Completely disable Mi Cloud via Settings Reset (for power users)

If standard methods don’t help (for example, the sync switch is inactive or after the data is turned off, the data still goes to the cloud), you can try hard resetting from Mi Cloud.

1. Go to Settings → Xiaomi account → Mi Cloud.
2. Scroll down and click Delete Account (or Leave Account).
3. Confirm the action by entering the password from the Mi Account.
4. After leaving the account, restart the smartphone.
5. If you need to, create a new Xiaomi account (without being linked to the cloud) or use a device without an account.

This method completely breaks the connection with the Mi Cloud, but has side effects:

• 🔴 You will lose access to Xiaomi services such as Mi Fit, Mi Home or branded themes.
• 🔴 Some features (like device search or cloud notifications) will stop working.
• 🔴 On some models (Xiaomi) 12/13/14, Redmi Note 11/12) without an account, access to the developer settings can be blocked.

⚠️ Attention: On devices with MIUI 14/15 After leaving the account, you may need to reactivate via the Internet. SIM-Maps, connect to Wi-Fi in advance.

Method 5: Disabling background synchronization through battery settings

If you don't need to turn off sync completely, but you want to reduce battery consumption, you can limit background activity of the Mi Cloud.

1. Open Settings → Battery and Performance.
2. Select Battery Consumption Management (or Battery Consumption).
3. Find the Mi Cloud app (or Xiaomi Sync) in the list.
4. Click on it and select Limit background activity.
5. You can also disable AutoRun for this application.

This method does not disable synchronization completely, but significantly reduces charge consumption, since the data will only be updated when manually starting or connecting to a charge. POCO shelled POCO Launcher path to settings may be different.

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If after disabling background synchronization Mi Cloud stopped updating data even manually, try clearing the app cache. → Annexes → Application management → Mi Cloud → Warehouse → Clear the cache.

Comparison of methods of disabling synchronization on Xiaomi

To choose the best method, compare all the described methods on key parameters:

The choice of method depends on your goals, and if you just want to save space or battery, selective shutdown or background activity is enough, and if you're selling a smartphone or want to get rid of Xiaomi's cloud completely, you'll have to delete your account.

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On devices with MIUI 15 (2026) After deleting your Xiaomi account, you may need to re-assign to use some features such as Mi Share or Quick Apps. Before deleting your account, check if you are using these services.

Frequent problems and their solutions

When you turn off sync on Xiaomi, users face typical difficulties, and let's look at the most common ones and how to solve them:

1. gray (inactive) synchronization switch

If the Mi Cloud Sync switch is inactive, the reasons may be as follows:

• 📵 No internet connection – check your mobile network or Wi-Fi.
• 🔄 Synchronization is in progress – wait a few minutes and try again.
• 🔒 Corporate policy restrictions (if the smartphone was issued by the company).
• 🛠️ Mi Cloud Failure – Restart your device or update your Mi Cloud app via Google Play.

2.The data continues to sync after disconnection

If you have disabled sync, but photos or contacts are still updated in the cloud:

• Check if sync is enabled through Google Account (see Method 3).
• Delete and re-add Xiaomi account in the settings.
• Clear the cache and data of the Mi Cloud application in the Settings menu → Annexes.

3. Can't get out of the Mi Account

If the Delete Account button does not work:

• Make sure you have the correct password.
• Check if Find the Device is enabled – you need to turn it off before deleting your account.
• If your smartphone is tied to your Mi Account as a trusted device for two-factor authentication, untie it in the web version of Mi Cloud first.

4.After the update MIUI synchronization is on itself

This is a well-known problem on Xiaomi. MIUI 13 on MIUI 14) some settings are reset:

• Before updating, take screenshots of the current Mi Cloud settings.
• After the update, check the synchronization settings and, if necessary, turn it off again.

FAQ: Answers to Frequent Questions