Xiaomi Cloud subscription: what it is, how it works and whether to pay in 2026

If you own a smartphone, smartwatch or other Xiaomi device, you’ve probably encountered a notification about a subscription to Xiaomi Cloud. Many users do not understand why it is needed, what functions it opens and why money is suddenly written off from your account. In this article, we will understand what a Xiaomi cloud subscription is, how it works, what tariffs exist in 2026 and whether it is worth it.

Xiaomi's cloud storage isn't just photo backups. It's integrated into the brand ecosystem, allowing you to synchronize data between smartphones, tablets, Mi Band/Watch smartwatches, Mi TVs, even robot vacuum cleaners. But there's not enough free space, and there's a fee to help you, and then you'll learn how to set up the cloud properly, avoid unexpected write-offs, and make the most of available space.

What is Xiaomi Cloud and why you need a subscription

Xiaomi Cloud is a cloud storage similar to Google Drive or iCloud, but optimized for the Xiaomi ecosystem devices.

• 📱 Automatically reserve contacts, SMS, call log and smartphone settings.
• 📷 Store photos and videos in original quality (or compressed if space saving option is enabled).
• 🔄 Sync notes, reminders and data from Mi Fit, Mi Home apps.
• 🔒 Lock the device remotely in case of loss or theft.
• 📊 View device usage statistics (e.g. screen time on a smartphone).

The free plan provides 5GB of space, but it's only enough for basic needs like backup contacts and a few hundred photos. If you're actively shooting 4K video or using Xiaomi smart devices, there's not enough free space quickly, and here comes a paid subscription that expands storage to 50GB, 200GB or 2TB.

It's important to understand that Xiaomi Cloud is not just a "drive on the Internet"; it's part of the ecosystem that connects all your gadgets, for example, if you take a photo on a Redmi Note 12 smartphone, it will automatically appear on a Pad 6 tablet and a Mi TV Q2 TV if all devices are tied to a single Mi Account.

How much does a subscription to Xiaomi Cloud cost in 2026?

The subscription fee depends on the chosen tariff and region, and in Russia and CIS countries the following prices apply (as of June 2026):

Prices may vary slightly depending on the stock, for example, on Black Friday or New Year’s Eve, Xiaomi often offers discounts of up to 30% on annual subscriptions, and it’s also worth considering that there are sometimes additional bonuses when paying through Mi Pay (built-in payment system), such as cashback in the form of Mi Points.

Importantly, if you subscribed via Google Play (on an Android smartphone), you can only manage it through your Google account, not your Mi Account, which is a common cause of confusion when you try to cancel your auto payment.

💡

Before buying a subscription, check to see if your device has a promo code for the free month of Premium.It is often handed out when you buy new Xiaomi smartphones in official stores.

How to subscribe to Xiaomi Cloud: step-by-step instructions

To buy additional space in the cloud, follow the following steps:

1. Open the Settings app on Xiaomi smartphone.
2. Go to the Accounts section → Mi Account.
3. Slip on the Xiaomi Cloud item.
4. At the top of the screen, you'll see the current fare and the space you're occupied. Click Buy space.
5. Choose the appropriate rate (50GB, 200GB or 2TB) and period (month or year).
6. Pay for your subscription via Mi Pay, bank card or other available method.

If you have multiple Xiaomi devices, the subscription will work on all of them — the main thing is that they are tied to one Mi Account. For example, if you bought 200 GB on a smartphone, the same space will be available on a tablet and smartwatch.

After payment, the data sync will start automatically. If this does not happen, go to Settings → Xiaomi Cloud and manually back up for the desired categories (photos, contacts, notes, etc.).

How to cancel your subscription and avoid autopayment

Many users face unexpected write-offs for Xiaomi Cloud because they didn’t turn off auto-renewal.

If you subscribe through your Mi Account:

1. Open the official Mi Account website and log in.
2. Go to the Subscription Management section.
3. Find an active subscription to Xiaomi Cloud and click Cancel Auto Renewal.
4. Confirm the action.

If you subscribe through Google Play:

1. Open the Google Play Store on your smartphone.
2. Slip on the profile avatar → Payments and subscriptions → Subscriptions.
3. Find Xiaomi Cloud in the list and select Unsubscribe.

If you want to completely remove data from the cloud (for example, before selling a device), go to Settings → Mi Account → Xiaomi Cloud → Delete data. Note that this action is irreversible – it will not be possible to restore deleted files.

Comparison of Xiaomi Cloud with other cloud services

To see if you should pay for Xiaomi Cloud, compare it to the popular alternatives:

The main advantage of Xiaomi Cloud is its deep integration with the ecosystem. For example, if you use a Mi Band 8 smartwatch, health data (pulse, steps, sleep) is automatically synchronized with the cloud and displayed in the Mi Fit app on all your devices. Google Drive or Yandex Drive does not have such functionality.

However, if you only need to store files and sync with Xiaomi gadgets is not important, then alternatives can be more profitable: for example, Google Drive gives 15 GB for free, and Yandex Drive often gives extra space for simple actions (viewing ads, inviting friends).

💡

Xiaomi Cloud is only profitable if you actively use the brand ecosystem (smartphone + smartwatch + TV, etc.). For simple file storage, it is better to consider alternatives.

Frequent problems with Xiaomi Cloud and how to solve them

Users often face difficulties with the Xiaomi Cloud, and here are the most common problems and ways to solve them:

• 🔄 It's not synced: check your Internet connection, update the Mi Cloud app on Google Play, reboot your device. If the problem persists, unplug and re-link your Mi Account.
• 📵 No backup notifications: Go to Settings → Notifications → Xiaomi Cloud and turn on alerts.
• 💰 You write off money without confirmation: it happens because of the auto-renewal enabled. Cancel it as described in the section above.
• 🔒 I can't log in to your account: try to reset your password through the official website. If your account is linked to your phone number, please ask for it. SMS-code.
• 📂 Files are gone after your subscription expires: data is only deleted if you exceed the 5GB limit for more than 30 days.

If none of these methods worked, contact Xiaomi via official chat or feedback form on the site. Usually, the response will come within 24 hours.

💡

If you’re slow to sync photos, try uploading them over Wi-Fi, not mobile internet. Go to Settings → Xiaomi Cloud → Sync settings and select Wi-Fi Only.

Another common problem is duplicate photos, which happens when you have both Google Photos and Xiaomi Cloud autoloaded, and to avoid chaos, choose one backup service.

Should you buy a subscription to Xiaomi Cloud: pros and cons

The decision to buy a subscription depends on your needs. Consider the pros and cons:

• ✅ Pluses:
• 🔹 Full synchronization between Xiaomi devices (smartphone, watch, TV).
• 🔹 Automatic backup of settings MIUI (topics, wallpaper, system parameters).
• 🔹 Ability to remotely control devices (block, search, erasure of data).
• 🔹 Low price compared to iCloud or Google One (50GB for 99) ₽ vs 139 ₽ Google).
• ❌ Cons:
• 🔸 Little free space (only 5GB vs. 15GB from Google).
• 🔸 There is no web version to view files from a computer (only mobile application).
• 🔸 Sometimes there are problems with synchronization on older devices.
• 🔸 There is no file sharing feature (like Google Drive).

Subscription to Xiaomi Cloud is justified if:

• 📱 You have multiple Xiaomi devices and you want to sync data between them.
• 📸 You take a lot of photos and shoot videos on your smartphone, but do not want to waste space on local storage.
• 🔄 You need to back up your settings and apps (for example, before resetting your phone).

If you only use one smartphone and don’t need to sync with other gadgets, then alternatives like Google Drive or Yandex Drive may be more convenient.

FAQ: Answers to Frequent Questions About Xiaomi Cloud

If you have any questions that are not covered in this article, we recommend that you contact Xiaomi’s official support or ask a question on the Mi Community forum, where users and moderators help solve problems.