Xiaomi’s ecosystem offers users a wide range of cloud services that can be activated by default immediately after the device is first activated. Many owners of Redmi and POCO smartphones face a situation where the gallery is overflowing with duplicates, and notifications of space shortage in Xiaomi Cloud appear regularly. Often users want to simply vacate space or switch to alternative solutions such as Google Photos or local storage.
The process of disabling sync is not complicated, but it requires care to avoid losing important data. In this article, we will discuss all the nuances of working with a Mi Account, describe in detail the procedure for disabling sync for different types of data, and answer frequently asked questions. You will learn how to safely delete data from the server or transfer it to another device without losing information.
Before making changes to your settings, you need to understand what is stored in the cloud, usually contacts, messages, notes, voice recordings and most importantly photos and videos. Deleting your account or clearing the cloud without prior backup will lead to irretrievable loss of data that is not stored on the device, so we strongly advise you to check the sync status before starting any actions.
Analysis of the current synchronization status
The first step before you shut down cloud services is to have a complete review of what's being transferred to the company's servers. In modern versions of the HyperOS shell and MIUI, the settings are scattered across different menus, and it can be difficult to find them. You need to go to Settings → Mi → Xiaomi Cloud Account to see the big picture.
This shows the amount of memory you're using and the list of applications that use cloud storage. Pay attention to the activity indicators: if there's an update icon next to the Gallery, it means that the data transfer is happening right now, and interrupting this process can cause files to be damaged or broken thumbnails appear in the album.
It is recommended to check the synchronization status for each data type separately, for example, contacts and calendar can be synced through a Google Account, while Mi Cloud duplicates this information. Duplicate records is a common problem that can be easily solved by disabling one of the sources.
It is also important to check whether the function "Storage Optimization" is enabled. If this option is active, then the original photos can be removed from the device and stored only in the cloud.
Preparation of data before disconnection
Data security is the number one priority for cloud services, and before you click “Disable,” make sure you have a copy of important information, especially for users who have been using the service for several years and have accumulated gigabytes of media files.
There are several reliable ways to store information. You can use your computer by connecting your smartphone to your computer. USB-Cable, or use third-party cloud services, depending on the amount of data and the speed of your Internet connection.
- 📸 Local Copy: Connect your phone to your PC and copy the folder DCIM And other media files on your hard drive, which is the fastest way to get big data.
- ☁️ Alternative cloud: install Google Photos or Yandex Drive and start backup before disabling native service.
- 💾 Contact Export: Go to Contacts, select Import/Export and save the.vcf file to internal memory or to the SIM-map.
Remember to keep notes and voice recordings, and these are often forgotten, and when you disconnect your Mi Account, they may disappear, export them to text files or audio formats, and move them to a safe place.
☑️ Checklist before shutdown
Disabling synchronization of Gallery and Xiaomi Cloud
The largest data block that is stored in the cloud is photos and videos. To stop wasting traffic and space, you need to properly disable the sync of the gallery. Go to Settings → Akkami Account → Xiaomi Cloud → Gallery.
In the menu that opens, you'll see the Sync switch, and before you turn it off, the system can warn you that new photos won't be saved to the cloud, which is exactly what we need, but if you want to delete photos from the cloud by leaving them on your phone, the action will be different.
⚠️ Warning: If you just turn off the sync slider, photos will stay on your phone and in the cloud. To clear the cloud, you need to select the option “Remove items from the cloud”, but be careful not to erase the excess.
Some firmware versions offer a “Free Space” feature that automatically removes photos from the cloud that are already stored on the device, ideal for those who want to use Xiaomi Cloud only as a temporary buffer, not as a primary storage.
Once you turn off the gallery sync, new images will be stored exclusively in the internal memory of your smartphone. If you go to another Xiaomi phone and log in to your account, old photos from the cloud will pull up, but new ones from your current device will not.
Managing Contacts, Messages and Notes
In addition to media files, the cloud stores critical personal information. Contact sync, SMS and notes are often enabled by default. To manage this data, go to Settings → Mi → Xiaomi Cloud Account and scroll down the list.
So here you'll see a list of all the apps that are transmitting data, and you can turn them off individually, so for example, it makes sense to leave your contacts synced if you change phones often, but turn off SMS, which takes up space and is rarely needed in the cloud.
| Type of data | Recommendation | Risk of loss |
|---|---|---|
| Contacts | Leave or move to Google | High (no reserve) |
| Messages (SMS) | Shut down. | Low. |
| Notes | Export and disconnect | Medium. |
| Dictaphone | Copy files and disable them | Medium. |
| Wi-Fi settings | Shut down. | Low. |
Pay special attention to notes. Unlike contacts, they are not always duplicated in other services. If you use the standard Notes app, make sure you export important lists or move them to Google Keep before you turn off sync.
Where does the data go after the shutdown?
Deleting your Mi Cloud account completely
If your goal is to completely abandon the Xiaomi ecosystem, one sync shutdown is not enough, requiring deletion of your account or the cleanup of all data associated with it, a radical step that should only be done after careful preparation.
To delete data via the web interface, go to the official i.mi.com website from your computer. Sign in with your login and password. In the Settings or Cloud section, find the option “Delete all data” or “Clear the cloud”.
Once confirmed, all photos, contacts and files stored exclusively on Mi Cloud servers will be destroyed, while the device may retain cache, but full synchronization will not be possible.
⚠️ Warning: Deleting a Mi Account may result in blocking some phone system features, such as finding a device or unlocking a fingerprint in certain security scenarios.
If you plan to sell your phone, be sure to log out of your account through the Settings menu. → Mi Account → Just shutting down the internet is not enough – the device can remain tied to your account at the server level).
Solving synchronization problems and errors
Users often encounter technical difficulties in the process of disconnecting or setting up, such as the “Disable” button may be inactive or the process hangs during the verification phase, most often due to an unstable Internet connection or server-side errors.
If sync isn’t turned off, try clearing the cache of Xiaomi Cloud Services. Go to Settings → Apps → All Apps → Xiaomi Cloud Services → Clean. After that, restart the device and try again.
Another common problem is that you can re-enable sync after you reboot, which can happen if you have multiple profiles on your device, or if you have Family Sharing enabled, and check if your account is part of a family group where the administrator can impose settings.
💡
Use Flight mode when critical account settings change to avoid real-time sync conflicts.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Will my phone photos disappear if I turn off the cloud?
Can you use Xiaomi Cloud and Google Photos at the same time?
What to do if I forget the password from the Mi Account when I leave?
Does the cloud take up space on your phone?
💡
Disabling the cloud completely requires checking three points: sync settings in the menu, website status, and local copies of data.