How to change the country in the smartphone Xiaomi: 5 proven ways

Changing the country in Xiaomi smartphones is a procedure that users experience when moving, buying a device abroad or wanting to access regional services. Despite its apparent simplicity, this process is often accompanied by errors, from locking functions to completely losing the device. In 2026, MIUI 14/15 made changes to the algorithm for changing the region, so the old instructions may not work.

In this article, we will discuss all the current ways, from official changes through settings to circumventing restrictions using the engineering menu, focusing on the risks of blocking your Mi Account account with frequent changes in the region and how to minimize them. 12/13, POCO X5/F5, Xiaomi 13/14 and other devices based on MIUI 12–15.

Why Xiaomi is limiting the change of country?

The manufacturer links the device to the region for several reasons:

• 📦 Localization of services: each region has its own applications (for example, Mi Pay does not work everywhere), language packages and even camera functions (in China, some shooting modes are disabled).
• 🔒 Legal requirements: EU has data protection laws (GDPR), In India, mandatory pre-installation of local applications.
• 💰 Price policy: the cost of devices and subscriptions (for example, Mi Cloud) varies by country.
• 🛡️ Combating grey imports: Xiaomi blocks some features on devices imported from other regions (e.g., the company’s own website, 5G Redmi Note 11 doesn’t work in India).

Since 2022, the company has tightened the rules: when changing the region more than once every 30 days, a temporary blocking of the Mi Account can work, this applies to devices purchased on AliExpress or brought from trips.

Method 1: Official change via MIUI settings

The most secure method, but it doesn't work on all firmware, is suitable for devices with global (Global) or European (EEA) versions of MIUI.

Backup data in Settings → About phone → Backup

Connect to Wi-Fi (mobile internet may not work)

Make sure there are no unpaid subscriptions on your Mi Account

Battery charge of at least 50%-->

Step-by-step:

1. Open Settings → Additional → Region (on some models, path: Settings → System → Language and Region).
2. Click on the current country (e.g., "China" or "India").
3. If you don't have a country, try "USA" or "Germany" first, then repeat the step.
4. Confirm the change. The device will restart.

After the reboot:

• ✅ Access to local services (e.g. Google Play in full version).
• ⚠️ Some apps (such as Mi Video) may require re-authorization.
• ❌ If the message “This region is not supported” appears, your firmware is blocked to change the region (see Method 3).

Method 2: Reset to factory settings with region selection

This method works on 90 percent of devices, but requires a complete system reinstallation, suitable for firmware Global, EEA and some India.

Important: All data will be deleted, including photos, messages and installed apps. If you have device encryption enabled, you may need a password from Mi Account after the reset.

⚠️ Attention: On devices with China ROM (Xiaomi 13 Pro for the Chinese market, for example, this method will not work – after the reset, the region will remain the same.

Instructions:

1. Make a backup through Settings → About Phone → Backup → Local Backup.
2. Turn off the phone.
3. Press Volume Up + Power before the Mi logo (Recovery Mode) appears.
4. Select the language (if there is such a clause).
5. Go to Wipe Data → Wipe All Data (use volume buttons for navigation, power for confirmation).
6. After resetting at the initial setup stage, select the desired country in the list.

Method 3: Unlock the bootloader and firmware global version

The most radical, but also the most reliable method is to install global firmware through an unlocked bootloader, suitable for devices with a China ROM or a locked region.

Warning: the process requires technical skills. Mistakes can lead to a "brick" (complete inoperability) of the device. Xiaomi does not officially support this procedure and can void the warranty.

💡

Before unlocking, check if your model supports global firmware installation.For example, the Xiaomi 12S Ultra doesn't officially have a Global ROM, but there are custom firmware from the community for it.

Step-by-step:

1. Unlock the bootloader: Apply for unlocking via Xiaomi's official website (you will need a tied Mi Account older than 30 days). Download Mi Unlock Tool and connect your phone in Fastboot mode (clutch Volume Down + Power). Follow the program's instructions. The process will take 3-7 days (Xiaomi checks the application manually).

Install global firmware

• Download the official Global ROM for your model from MIUI Downloads.
• Use the Mi Flash Tool to run in Fastboot mode.
• Select the clean all option to avoid conflicts.

After the firmware:

• 🔄 The region will be reset to the default value for Global ROM (usually "India" or "Europe").
• 📱 All data will be deleted, including internal memory.
• 🔓 You will be able to change the region through settings (see Method 1).

⚠️ Note: Some models (e.g. Redmi) K60) When the bootloader is unlocked, Widevine stops working. L1 — This means that Netflix and other streaming services will be showing low-resolution video (480p).

Method 4: Bypassing the region through a VPN and engineering menu

If the official methods don't work, you can try to trick the system by simulating being in another country, which doesn't change the region at the firmware level, but allows you to access some services.

Suitable for:

• 🌍 Access to regional apps on Google Play.
• 📺 Unlock content in Mi Video or Netflix.
• 📱 Bypassing installation restrictions APK (Google Pay in India, for example).

Instructions:

1. Install a VPN with servers in the right country (like ProtonVPN or Windscribe).
2. Connect to the VPN and restart the phone.
3. Open the engineering menu by dialing the code in the Phone app: ##4636##
4. Go to Phone Information → Set up a region (the path may differ on some models).
5. Choose the right country and save the changes.
6. Reset the device.

Limitations of the method:

• ❌ Region resets after shutdown VPN upgrade.
• ❌ Doesn't work to unlock. 5G hardware.
• ⚠️ May cause errors in the operation of Mi Account (for example, inability to pay).

💡

VPN-This method is only suitable for temporary circumvention of restrictions. For permanent change of region, use official methods or firmware.

Method 5: Change region through ADB (for advanced users)

The method for experienced users ready to work with Android Debug Bridge (ADB) allows you to change the region at the system settings level without resetting data.

Required:

• 🖥️ Computer with installed ADB-driver.
• 📱 Included debugging by USB (Settings → The phone. → Version. MIUI (press 7 times) → Developer settings → Debugging by USB).
• 🔌 Cable USB (preferably original).

Instructions:

1. Connect the phone to the PC and allow debugging.
2. Open the command line (Windows) or terminal (macOS/Linux) in the adb folder.
3. Enter the command to check the connection: Adb devices should appear the name of your device.
4. Execute the command to change region (e.g., to the USA): adb shell settings put global country US For other countries, use a two-letter code (e.g., DE for Germany, RU for Russia).
5. Reboot your phone: adb reboot

Verification of the result:

• Open Settings → About the phone and check the current region.
• If the changes don’t apply, try the additional command: adb shell am broadcast. -a android.intent.action.LOCALE_CHANGED --ez android.intent.extra.LOCALE_CHANGED true

⚠️ Attention: On some firmware (MIUI 14+) after ADB-The Mi Protect can work by blocking access to system settings, in which case only resetting to factory settings will help.

Frequent mistakes and their solutions

When you change region, you're going to have a problem, and we've collected some of the most common errors and ways to fix them.

If none of the methods worked, check:

• 🔍 Device model: Some phones (e.g. Xiaomi for the Japanese market) are hardware-based.
• 📋 Version MIUI: beta-fixed (MIUI Beta) region change may be blocked.
• 🔐 Account Status: If Mi Account was created less than 30 days ago, some features will be limited.

FAQ: Answers to Frequent Questions