Where to Find Mi Cloud on Xiaomi Phone: A Complete 2026 Guide

What is Mi Cloud and Why You Need It

Xiaomi’s Mi Cloud cloud storage isn’t just a backup of your data, it’s a complete tool to synchronize contacts, photos, notes, and even SMS between devices. If you’ve ever lost your phone or accidentally deleted important files, you realize how critical it is to have a backup. But where do you look for this Mi Cloud on a Xiaomi, Redmi, or POCO smartphone?

Depending on the MIUI version and phone model, the path to cloud service may differ. For example, on the Xiaomi 13 Pro with MIUI 14, the menu is located differently from on the Redmi Note 10 with MIUI 12.5. And if you use firmware from third-party developers (for example, Pixel Experience or LineageOS), Mi Cloud may not be available at all. In this article, we will discuss all possible options, from standard settings to hidden access methods.

But before you get to the search, it’s worth clarifying: Mi Cloud only works on official Xiaomi firmware with a tied Mi Account. If you’re not logged in or using custom software, some of the features will not be available. Also note that since 2023, Xiaomi has started limiting free storage to 5 GB (previously 10 GB), so check your tariff in advance.

Where to look for Mi Cloud in Xiaomi’s standard settings

The most obvious way to find Mi Cloud is through the main settings menu, and on most devices, the path is as follows:

1. Open the Settings app (the gear icon on the desktop).
2. Scroll down and find the Mi Account section (or Xiaomi Account on Russian firmware).
3. Inside the account, select the Mi Cloud tab.

On some models (such as the POCO X5 Pro), the Mi Cloud item can be displayed separately in the main settings menu. If you don't see it right away, use the search bar at the top of the screen - type Mi Cloud or Cloud.

Here’s what the path looks like on different versions of MIUI:

If you don’t see Mi Cloud even after searching, check:

• 🔹 Is your Mi Account tied (without it, the cloud is inactive).
• 🔹 Is the service manually disabled in the developer settings (rarely, but it happens).
• 🔹 Is there a custom firmware installed (for example, xiaomi.eu without Google services).

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If you don’t remember the Mi Account password, restore it through account.xiaomi.com, which will take no more than 5 minutes.

Alternative ways to access the Mi Cloud

Sometimes the standard path doesn't work, like if you're using a POCO Launcher or a third-party shell, and you can use alternative methods to:

1. Through the Security app

On some devices (especially Redmi and POCO), Mi Cloud is accessed via the Security app:

1. Open Security (Shield icon).
2. Go to the Cloud Protection or Mi Cloud section.
3. Sign in if you need to.

2. via the web version of Mi Cloud

If your phone doesn’t have access to the cloud (for example, after resetting your settings), you can manage your data via your browser:

1. Go to i.mi.com.
2. Sign in under your Mi Account.
3. Here you will see all backups, photos and contacts.

3. via Google Settings (for sync)

If Mi Cloud is disabled but you need sync, you can use Google Account:

1. Open Settings → Accounts and Synchronization.
2. Select Google and enable synchronization of the data you need.

However, this won’t replace Mi Cloud entirely – for example, MIUI backups are only saved to Xiaomi’s cloud.

How to enable data synchronization in Mi Cloud

Finding Mi Cloud is only half the battle, and in order for it to work, you have to set up the sync correctly.

Log in Mi Account|Enable backup |Select data types (contacts, photos, notes)|Configure automatic synchronization |Check free space in the cloud-->

1. Sign in to Mi Account Without a linked account, Mi Cloud will not work. If you are not registered, create an account through Settings → Mi Account → Register.
2. Turn on backup Go to Mi Cloud → Backup and activate the function. The first copy can take up to 30 minutes depending on the amount of data.
3. Select the types of synchronized data In the Synchronization section, tick tick: 📞 Contacts 📝 Notes 📷 Gallery (photo and video) 💬 Communications (SMS and MMS) 🎵 Call records.

Set up automatic synchronization

Enable Auto Sync and select the interval (for example, Wi-Fi only, so as not to waste mobile traffic).

Note: photos in their original quality take up a lot of space. If you have a free rate (5 GB), we recommend you to enable compression or sync only selected albums.

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Contact sync via Mi Cloud automatically combines duplicates, but does not delete them. To clear the list, use the Contacts → Management → Combine and Fix app.

How to Recover Data from Mi Cloud to a New Phone

If you bought a new Xiaomi smartphone or reset the old one to factory settings, you can restore data from the Mi Cloud in two ways:

Method 1: Recovery at first inclusion

The easiest method is to recover the data immediately after resetting:

1. Turn on your phone and select your language.
2. At the setup stage, connect to Wi-Fi.
3. Log in to your Mi Account.
4. The system will offer to restore data from Mi Cloud – select the latest backup.

Method 2: Manual recovery through settings

If you missed a step when setting up, do it later:

1. Open the Settings. → Mi Account → Mi Cloud.
2. Select Restore from backup.
3. Please provide the date of the copy and confirm the restoration.

Important: Recovery will replace the current data on your phone (contacts, messages, notes), photos and videos can be selected selectively.

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If recovery is 99 percent stalled, don't interrupt the process -- wait 10 to 15 minutes. If it doesn't work, restart your phone and try again.

Frequent Mi Cloud Problems and Solutions

Even Xiaomi's official service has a breakdown, and here are the most common problems and ways to fix them:

If none of these methods worked, try:

• 🔄 Reboot the phone.
• 📱 Update the Mi Account app on Google Play.
• 🔧 Reset network settings (Settings) → SIM-maps and mobile networks → Resetting network settings).

⚠️ Note: If you deleted files from Mi Cloud less than 30 days ago, they can be restored through the recycle bin on i.mi.com. After 30 days, the data is deleted irrevocably.

How to Increase Your Space in Mi Cloud for Free

The standard 5GB in Mi Cloud runs out quickly, especially if you sync photos in original quality.Here are legal ways to increase storage without paying:

1. Xiaomi has been offering promotions periodically, where simple tasks (such as inviting friends) are rewarded with extra gigabytes.
2. Storage optimization Remove unnecessary backups of old devices and clean the cart. To do this, go to Mi Cloud → Storage Management.
3. Alternative clouds can be used for photos (15 GB free) and Yandex Drive (10 GB) for files, but this will not replace MIUI backup.

Important: Since 2026, Xiaomi has started blocking accounts with suspicious activity (for example, if you are trying to get free space through a VPN or multi-accounts).

FAQ: Answers to Frequent Questions about Mi Cloud

Now you know where to find the Mi Cloud on a Xiaomi phone, how to use it, and how to solve problems. If your phone model wasn't mentioned in the article, check the MIUI version in the settings (About Phone → MIUI Version) and follow the instructions for the nearest version. For rare cases (such as Chinese firmware), you may need to manually install Xiaomi services through ADB, but this is a topic for a separate article.