How to change the name of the Xiaomi phone: 5 proven ways

Have you just bought the new Xiaomi Redmi Note 13 Pro+ or want to clean up the list of devices in the Mi Account, but the old name of a smartphone like “MI 9 SE” is no longer relevant? Or maybe your POCO F5 is displayed in the car’s Bluetooth settings as a meaningless set of numbers? Changing the device name is a simple but important procedure that helps you quickly identify the gadget on the local network, when connecting to other devices or in your Xiaomi account.

In this article, we’ll look at all the current ways to change the name of a phone on MIUI 12-14 and HyperOS firmware, including hidden methods through ADB for advanced users. You’ll learn why sometimes a name is reset after an update, how to avoid conflicts when connecting to Mi Home, and what to do if the new name does not apply. And for Black Shark owners, we’ve prepared a separate section — their firmware has unique nuances.

Why it is important to name Xiaomi correctly

At first glance, the name of the device is a trifle, but in practice it affects:

• 🔍 Search convenience in the list of connected gadgets (for example, when transferring files over Mi Share or Nearby Share)
• 🚗 Car compatibility – many head devices display only the phone name when connected via Bluetooth
• 🌐 Local area network identification (important for setting up) DLNA, FTP-server-side)
• 🔄 Sync with Mi Account – If you have multiple Xiaomi devices, the right names will help you not to confuse them in the cloud service

What's more, some apps (like Mi Fit or Mi Home) use the device's name to anchor accessories "android_123456789", This can cause errors when connecting the Mi Band smartwatch 8 Or a robot vacuum cleaner Mi Robot Vacuum.

Method 1: Change your name through the basic MIUI settings

This is the easiest method that works on all Xiaomi, Redmi and POCO smartphones with MIUI 12 firmware and newer, as well as HyperOS. The instruction is universal for models from Redmi 10A to Xiaomi 14 Ultra flagships.

1. Open the Settings app (the gear icon on the desktop).
2. Scroll down and select About Phone (Device Information may be called on HyperOS).
3. Click on the Device Name (or Phone Name on older versions of MIUI).
4. Enter a new name (up to 32 characters, letters, numbers, spaces and hyphens are supported).
5. Press Ready or Save.

After that, the name will be updated in the system, but the changes may not apply immediately, for example, in the Bluetooth settings of the car or smart speakers (Mi AI Speaker), the new name will appear only after reconnecting.

Method 2: Change your name via Mi Account (for cloud synchronization)

If you changed the device name in your settings but it stayed the same in your Xiaomi account, you’ll need additional sync, which is true for users who use cloud backup or Mi Cloud to search for the device.

1. Open Settings → Accounts and Sync → Mi Account.
2. In the Devices section, find your smartphone and tap it.
3. Click on the pencil icon (✏️) near-current.
4. Enter a new name and save the changes.

Update to the cloud can take up to 5 minutes. If the name hasn't changed, try:

• 🔄 Leave your account and log in again
• 📶 Turn on/off mobile data or Wi-Fi
• 🔋 Reset the device

Method 3: Using ADB for Advanced Users

If standard methods don’t work (for example, on custom firmware or Black Shark), you can change the name of the device via Android Debug Bridge (ADB). This method requires connecting to a computer and enabling debugging. USB.

Warning: Incorrect ADB commands can disrupt the system, and use this method only if you are confident in your actions.

1. Turn on Developer Mode: Go to Settings → About Phone. Tap 7 times on the MIUI Version line. Go back to the basic settings and open a new Developer section.

USB debugging

For developers

Connect the phone to the PC and confirm the debugging permission.

Open the command line (Windows) or terminal (macOS/Linux) and type:

adb shell settings put global device_name New name devices

Replace the new device name with the desired name (without quotation marks, if the name is without spaces).

adb shell settings get global device_name

adb shell settings put global bluetooth_name New name devices

Features for Black Shark devices

Black Shark smartphones (such as Black Shark 5 Pro or Black Shark 6) run on custom JoyUI firmware, which is based on MIUI but has a unique interface. Here, the path to name change is different:

1. Open the Settings.
2. Go to About Phone → Device Name (on some versions, path: System → Additional → Device Name).
3. Enter a new name and keep it.

💡

On Black Shark, the device name is stored in a separate configuration file that is reset during low-level operations, and if the name goes off after the update, it will have to be changed again.

Frequent problems and their solutions

Even after a successful name change, users are faced with common errors, and here are the most common ways to fix them:

If your device does not save the new name after upgrading to HyperOS, it is due to the migration of data from MIUI.

1. Make a backup copy of the data.
2. Perform reset to factory settings (Settings → Additional → Reset).
3. When you first set up, enter the desired device name.

💡

Before resetting, write down your device's IMEI (type *#06# in the dialer) to help restore access to the mobile network if problems arise after the reset.

How the name of the device affects the work of the Xiaomi smart home

If you’re using the Mi Home or Mi Smart Home ecosystem, the name of your smartphone plays a key role in:

• 🏠 Smart device binding – some gadgets (such as the Mi Smart Door Lock) require a unique phone name to authenticate.
• 🔑 Remote control – in the Mi Home app, devices are grouped by the name of the main phone.
• 📡 Local scenarios – if there are spaces or special characters in the phone’s name, automation may not work.

Recommendations for owners of smart homes:

• 📛 Use only Latin letters and numbers (e.g., in your name, Xiaomi_14_Pro_Main).
• 🔄 After changing the name, restart the Mi Home app and check the scripts.
• 📱 If you have multiple Xiaomi phones in the same ecosystem, give them unique names (e.g., a name for a phone, Redmi_Note12_Kitchen, POCO_F5_Bedroom).

FAQ: Answers to popular questions