How to open Xiaomi Cloud on your phone: full instructions with pictures and tips

Why Xiaomi Cloud is needed and how to use it

Xiaomi Cloud storage is not just a backup of your data, but a full-fledged synchronization tool between Xiaomi ecosystem devices that can automatically save photos, contacts, notes, call history and even system settings. But many users face difficulties when logging in or restoring access. This article will help you understand how to open Xiaomi Cloud on Mi, Redmi and POCO phones, including solving problems.

It's important to understand that Mi Cloud (as it was called before) is now officially called Xiaomi Cloud, but in some versions of MIUI the old name still occurs. The functionality of the service depends on the region: in China there are more features than in the global version, we will look at options for both cases, and also tell you how to circumvent the restrictions if your model does not support the cloud out of the box.

Preparation for the first entry into Xiaomi Cloud

Before you open the cloud, make sure your phone meets the minimum requirements. Xiaomi Cloud service works on all devices with MIUI 8 and newer, but for full use, a version at least MIUI 12 is recommended.

📱 Phone model: Cloud support is available on all Xiaomi, Redmi and POCO, Other than the earliest models (e.g. Redmi) 1S Mi 3).
🌐 Firmware Region: Global (MIUI Global and Chinese (MIUI China versions have different cloud servers. Chinese version requires binding to Chinese phone number.
🔄 System updates: Outdated firmware can block access to the cloud.Update via Settings → The phone. → Updating the system.
📶 Internet connection: For the first entry, stable Wi-Fi or mobile Internet is required (3G/4G/5G).

Note: If your phone was purchased in China and runs on Chinese firmware (MIUI China, Xiaomi Cloud will require a Chinese phone number (+Without it, access to the cloud will be limited, in which case the only way out is to reflash the device to the global version. MIUI (But it voids the guarantee!).

📊 What kind of smartphone you Xiaomi?

Redmi (Note, K-series, etc.)

Mi (11, 12, 13, etc.)

POCO (F, X, M-series)

Black Shark

Other

Step-by-step: how to open Xiaomi Cloud on your phone

There are two main ways to enter the cloud: through your phone’s settings or through the Xiaomi Cloud app.

Method 1: Through the MIUI settings

This is the most reliable method, as it does not require the installation of additional applications.

Open Settings (the gear icon on the main screen).
Scroll up and select the Xiaomi Cloud section (or Mi Cloud in older versions of MIUI).
If you are logging in for the first time, click Log in to Xiaomi. If you are already registered, the system will prompt you to enter a password.
Enter your Xiaomi account details (email or phone number + password). If you don't have an account, click Register.
Confirm the login via SMS or email (depending on the method of registration).
After a successful login, you will see the main cloud menu with available sync options.

Method 2: Through the Xiaomi Cloud app

If you don’t have a cloud partition in your settings (for example, on some POCO models), download the official app:

📥 Install Xiaomi Cloud from Google Play (for global firmware) or Mi Cloud from the Mi App Store (for Chinese firmware).
🔑 Open the app and sign in to your Xiaomi account (or sign up for it).
🔄 The sync control panel will appear on the home screen, and you can back up for specific data types.

Make sure your phone is connected to the internet

Check the MIUI version (not lower than 8)

Know your Xiaomi account details (or register in advance)

Shut down. VPN (It can block access to Xiaomi servers)-->

If you see an empty cloud or sync error after logging in, go to the Problem Solving section below.

Set up synchronization and backup

Just logging into Xiaomi Cloud isn’t enough — you need to set up what data is saved and how often. By default, only contacts and notes are synchronized, but you can add photos, messages, call history and even system settings.

To set up a backup:

From the Xiaomi Cloud menu, select Device Backup.
Click Set up backup and tick the desired categories: 📸 Gallery – photos and videos (take up the most space). 📞 Contacts and Call Log – synced automatically when first logged in. 📝 Notes and Notes – if you use standard Xiaomi apps. ⚙️ System settings – themes, wallpaper, network settings (useful when changing phone). 🎮 Application data – save games and settings of some programs.

Frequency of backups

Save.

Type of data	Volume (about)	Synchronization time	Recommendation
Contacts	1-5 MB	1-2 minutes	Include it.
Photos (100 units)	500 MB-1 GB	10.30 minutes	Synchronize only over Wi-Fi
Messages (SMS)	5–20 MB	5-10 minutes	Useful when changing the phone
System settings	10–50 MB	2-5 minutes	Enable for quick setup of new device
Notes	1-10 MB	1-3 minutes	Automatic synchronization by default

Important: Xiaomi Cloud’s free plan only provides 5GB of space. If you plan to store photos or videos, this will be enough for about 1000-2000 images in original quality. To expand memory, you can buy additional space (from 50GB to 2TB) through the Storage Management menu.

💡

If you take pictures often, turn on the option “Optimize photos” in the cloud settings, which will reduce file size without noticeable loss of quality, saving space.

Recovering data from Xiaomi Cloud to a new phone

One of the main functions of the cloud is to transfer data when you change your smartphone, to recover information on the new device:

Turn on the new phone and go through the initial setup to the Data Recovery screen.
Select Restore from backup and sign in to the same Xiaomi account as on your old phone.
The system will show you a list of available backups. Choose the latest (by date of creation).
Check the data you want to restore (you can choose all or only individual categories).
Confirm the recovery and wait until the process is complete.

3.Forgotten password from Xiaomi account

If you are unable to log in to the cloud due to loss of account access:

Go to account.xiaomi.com and click Forgot your password.
Enter the linked email or phone number.
Confirm the recovery via SMS or code letter.
If the number or email is no longer valid, contact Xiaomi with proof of ownership of the device (IMEI, purchase check).

⚠️ Note: If your Xiaomi account was linked to a Chinese phone number (+86) and now you have a different number, it's going to be very difficult to retrieve access, so the only way out is to create a new account and manually transfer data from the old phone.

What to do if Xiaomi Cloud doesn’t work after a phone drops?

If you reset your phone to factory settings and can't log in to the cloud, check: 1. Is the same Xiaomi account used? Sometimes after the reset, the system creates a new profile. 2. Has the region changed in the phone settings? For example, if you switched from Russia to China, access to the global cloud will be blocked. 3. Is the backup deleted? Only the last 3 copies are stored in the cloud. If you haven't synced in a long time, the old data could be deleted automatically.

Xiaomi Cloud Alternatives: When to Use Other Services

While Xiaomi Cloud is convenient for the Xiaomi ecosystem, in some cases it is better to use third-party services:

Script	Recommended service	Advantages	Deficiencies
You need more than 5GB for free.	Google Photos/Google Drive	15 GB free, reliable synchronization	No integration with MIUI
Transferring data to a non-Xiaomi phone	Samsung Smart Switch / Clone Phone (Huawei)	Complete migration of data between brands	Requires the installation of additional applications
Data confidentiality	Proton Drive / Nextcloud	Encryption, European servers	Paid tariffs for large volume
Backup of games	Google Play Games	Save for most Android games	It doesn't work with Chinese games.

If you decide to use an alternative, remember to turn off sync in Xiaomi Cloud to avoid data duplication and battery load.

💡

Xiaomi Cloud is optimal for users who are fully immersed in the Xiaomi ecosystem (smartphone + smart devices). If you have devices of different brands, it is better to choose cross-platform solutions like Google Drive or Dropbox.

FAQ: Frequent questions about Xiaomi Cloud

Can I use Xiaomi Cloud without a Xiaomi account?

No, you need to register with Xiaomi Account to access the cloud. Without an account, you can only use your phone’s local storage. You can create an account right when you first log in to Settings → Xiaomi Cloud.

How much does it cost to have an extra space in Xiaomi Cloud?

Tariffs for 2026 (for the global region): 50 GB – ~$1 per month or ~$10 per year, 200 GB – ~$3 per month or ~$25 per year, 2 TB – ~$10 per month or ~$90 per year, you can pay by credit card, PayPal or through a mobile operator (in some countries).

How to transfer data from Xiaomi Cloud to iPhone?

There's no direct way, but you can: Download data from the cloud to your computer via the web version of Xiaomi Cloud. Transfer files to your iPhone via iTunes, iCloud or email. Contacts: export them in.vcf format and import them to iCloud. Photos are more conveniently synced through Google Photos, since it is available on both Android and iOS.

Why Xiaomi Cloud is eating up the traffic and battery?

The cloud is using the Internet and the processor to do this: First big data sync, automatic mobile backup (turn off in the cloud settings), constant high-resolution photo sync, to reduce the cost: Turn off mobile sync, set a backup schedule (e.g., only at night on Wi-Fi), and eliminate unnecessary folders (e.g., screenshots or downloads) from sync.

Can you remotely erase your phone data via Xiaomi Cloud?

Yes, this feature is called Find a Device and is available on i.mi.com. To use it, log in to your Xiaomi account. Select your lost phone from the device list. Click Delete the data and confirm the action. ⚠️ Warning: After this operation, the phone will be reset to factory settings, and all local data (not stored in the cloud) will be permanently deleted!