Creating a Group in Xiaomi: A Step-by-Step Guide for Mi Account and Mi Home

Xiaomi’s ecosystem offers users not only smartphones and smart devices, but also powerful tools for their joint management. One of these tools is the Mi Account Groups, a feature that allows you to combine devices, share data and manage access for multiple users, which is especially useful for families with a single account on multiple gadgets, or for teams working with the Mi Home smart home.

Many users have difficulty first creating a group, where to find this feature in the settings, how to invite participants and what rights to assign them. In this article, we will look at everything from basic settings to solving common errors. And you will learn how family groups differ from the workgroup in Mi Home and how this affects device management.

Creating a group in the Xiaomi ecosystem opens up new possibilities for synchronizing data between devices, such as automatically sharing photos from the Gallery with family members, controlling Yeelight smart light bulbs from one interface, or setting up shared reminders in Mi Calendar. However, not everyone knows that a full-fledged group requires not only its creation, but also the right setting of access rights.

What are Xiaomi Groups and Why You Need Them

Groups in the Xiaomi ecosystem are virtual spaces where users can merge devices and share them with other accounts.

• 👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Family group – designed to share gadgets within the same family, for example, parents can control screen time of children on Redmi smartphones or adjust geo-fences for smart watches Mi Band.
• 🏢 Working group – used to manage a smart office or collaborate with Mi Home devices, for example, colleagues can receive notifications about the operation of motion sensors or control climate control.

The main difference between the two is the level of access: in a family group, the administrator (usually the creator) has extended rights, including the ability to restrict functionality for children, and in a work group, rights are distributed more flexibly, but without parental control.

In addition, groups allow:

• 📱 Synchronize Notes, Calendar and Device-to-Device Contacts.
• 🔄 Automatically reserve photos in Mi Cloud for all participants.
• 🏠 Manage smart devices (light bulbs, sockets, robot vacuum cleaners) from one Mi Home app.
• 🛡️ Set up common security options, such as two-factor authentication for family purchases.

It's important to understand that the group is tied to the Mi Account, not to a particular device, which means that even if you change your smartphone, all group settings will be saved.

Requirements for creating a group in Mi Account

Before you start creating a group, make sure that the following conditions are met:

• 📱 You have an active Mi Account (registered and confirmed by the email/phone).
• 🔄 The device has the latest version of the Mi Account or Mi Home app (depending on the type of group) installed).
• 🌐 Smartphone or tablet connected to the Internet (preferably via Wi-Fi, as mobile traffic can block some functions).
• 🔒 Two-factor authentication is enabled on the account (mandatory for workgroups).

If you are planning to create a family group, you will need to:

• 👶 Indicate date of birth in the profile (to set up parental control).
• 📱 At least one Xiaomi device (smartphone, tablet or smartwatch) with a version MIUI 12 or newer.

Groups in Mi Home (for smart devices) can only be created in regions where the Xiaomi ecosystem is officially supported, for example, in Russia and CIS countries, some functions may be limited due to sanctions restrictions.

If your device does not meet the requirements, update MIUI through settings → The phone. → Update system. To check the firmware version, go to Settings → The phone. → Version. MIUI.

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Before creating a group, clear the cache of Mi Account and Mi Home apps through Settings → Annexes → Application management. This will help to avoid synchronization errors.

Step-by-step: how to create a family group

Family groups are suitable for content sharing and child account management, to create:

1. Open the Settings app on Xiaomi smartphone.
2. Go to the Mi Account section (at the top of the screen).
3. Choose Family or Family Management (depending on version) MIUI).
4. Click Create a Family Group.
5. Confirm the action via SMS or email (if two-factor authentication is enabled).
6. Add the first member by entering his Mi Account (email or phone number).
7. Assign a role to: Parent, Child or Family member.

After you have created a group, you can:

• 📸 Automatically share photos from the Gallery.
• 📅 Synchronize Calendar and Notes.
• 👶 Set restrictions on the use of devices for children (screen time, blocking applications).

If the participant does not accept the invitation within 7 days, it is canceled, in which case you will have to send it again.

Creating a working group in Mi Home for smart devices

The workgroups at Mi Home are designed to manage smart devices in offices, stores or large homes, and the process of creating is different from the family group.

1. Install the Mi Home app from Google Play or AppGallery.
2. Sign in with your Mi Account.
3. Click on the profile icon in the upper right corner.
4. Select Family/Group Management (in some versions, Access Settings).
5. Click Create a group and specify its name (for example, "Office" or "House").
6. Add members to their Mi Account and assign rights: 🔑 Administrator – full access to all devices. 🔧 Participant – limited access (e.g., only light bulbs). 👁️ Observer – viewing the state of devices without control.

Once the group is created, all the devices added (Yeelight bulbs, Mi Smart Plug sockets, Mi Robot Vacuum robot vacuum cleaners) will be displayed to all participants, but geolocation functions (such as turning on the lights automatically when you return home) will only work for administrators.

Important: If a group member deletes a device from their account, it will disappear from the rest of the members. To avoid this, set up Sharing through your device settings. → Access management.

Configuring access rights and managing participants

Once a group is formed, it is important to properly distribute rights to avoid unauthorized activities, with Mi Home and Mi Account available as follows:

To change the rights of the participant:

1. Open Mi Home or Settings → Mi Account → Family.
2. Select a participant and click Change the role.
3. Assign new rights and keep the changes.

If the group is not created at all, try the following steps:

1. Exit the Mi Account and re-enter.
2. Clear your Mi Home or Mi Account data through Settings → Annexes.
3. Change the region in Mi Home to "Russia" (if you are in Russia) through Profile → Region.
4. Contact Xiaomi Support via Settings → Revocation.

⚠️ Note: If you use Mi Home on a smartphone with root rights or custom firmware, some of the group functions may not work properly. In this case, try temporarily disabling the root or returning the stock firmware.

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Before removing the group, export all automation and device settings – after removing them, it will be impossible to restore them.

Alternative ways to share devices

If the Mi Account or Mi Home groups are not suitable for your tasks, consider alternatives:

• 🔗 Google Family Link Sharing – Suitable for managing children’s Android accounts, but not integrated with Xiaomi devices.
• 🌐 IFTTT Home Assistant – Allows you to create complex automation for smart devices, but requires technical skills.
• 📱 Guest account on a smartphone – limited access to the device without binding to Mi Account (configured in Settings) → System system → Multiplayer mode).
• 💾 Cloud services (Google Drive, Yandex Disk) – for file sharing, but without synchronization with Mi Cloud.

For smart devices, Xiaomi can also use local management via Mi Home without creating a group:

1. Add the device to your account.
2. Go to the Device Settings → Public access.
3. Select Add User and select his Mi Account.
4. Assign rights (for example, only on / off the light bulb).

This method is suitable for one-time access, but does not allow you to configure complex scenarios, as in a full-fledged group.

FAQ: Frequent questions about Xiaomi groups