How to open Play Market on Xiaomi’s new phone: 3 proven ways

You just unpacked a new Xiaomi smartphone but don't see the familiar Google Play Market icon on your desktop? This situation is familiar to many owners of the brand's devices - especially if you purchased a model for the Chinese market or with alternative firmware. Unlike most Android smartphones, some Xiaomi, Redmi or POCO phones come without Google's pre-installed services. But that doesn't mean you won't be able to use Play Market, Gmail or YouTube.

In this article, we will discuss three official ways to access Google Play on the new Xiaomi, from simple installation through settings to manually adding a Google account. You will also learn why services may be absent from the box, how to check the compatibility of the model and what to do if the application is not updated after installing. All instructions are relevant for MIUI 14/15 firmware based on Android 13/14 and are tested on Xiaomi 13/14 series, Redmi Note 12/13 and POCO F5/X5 models.

Why is the new Xiaomi not playing?

The absence of Google Play Market on Xiaomi’s new smartphone is neither a defect nor a mistake, due to the company’s regional policy and firmware features:

• 📦 Models for the Chinese market (China) ROM). In China, Google services are blocked, so smartphones are sold with the Mi App Store and alternative applications (for example, Baidu instead of Google Search). GMS (Google Mobile Services).
• 🌍 Global versions (Global) ROM). Must come with a pre-installed Play Market, but sometimes users face its absence after resetting settings or updating firmware.
• 🔄 Castom firmware: If you or a previous owner installed unofficial software (like LineageOS), Google services may have been removed.

To see what firmware you have, go to Settings → About Phone → MIUI. If the word China is at the end of the name (e.g. MIUI Global 14.0.5.0 China) – your device is designed for the Chinese market.

⚠️ Note: Installing Google services on Chinese versions of Xiaomi may disrupt some system features (such as Mi Pay or Mi Cloud.

Method 1: Install Google Play through MIUI settings (official method)

If your Xiaomi supports Google services but they are inactive, try enabling them through system settings, which works for global versions of MIUI and some Chinese GMS-enabled firmware.

Instructions:

1. Open the settings (cog icon on the desktop).
2. Go to the Appendix section → Application management.
3. Click on the three dots in the top right corner and select Show All Apps.
4. In the list, look for Google Play Market or Google Play Services. If they exist but are disabled, tap them and click Enable.
5. If there are no apps, go back to Settings → Accounts and sync and add a Google account (if not already).

If the Play Market doesn’t appear after these actions, move on to the next method.

Method 2: Manually install Google Play via APK (for Chinese firmware)

If your Xiaomi is running on China ROM, you'll have to manually install Google's service package.

• 📱 Xiaomi smartphone with unlocked bootloader (if you need installation via fastboot).
• 💻 Computer with Mi Flash Tool (for complex cases).
• 🔗 Files. GMS (You can download from the official website of Xiaomi.EU or the forum 4PDA).

Step-by-step:

1. Download the archive with GMS For example, for your model. 13 Pro's a good package. GMS_13_Pro_Global_V14.0.1.0.zip.
2. Unpack the archive on your computer. Inside, you'll have files with the.apk extension:

Move it. APK-phone-file

Install files manually

1. Open any file manager (such as Mi File Explorer).
2. Find the downloaded APKs and tap each, confirming the installation.
3. Start with GoogleServicesFramework.apk, then GooglePlayServices.apk, and at the end – Phonesky.apk.

Reboot the phone.

If the Play Market does not open after the reboot or gives an error, check:

• 🔄 Correct installation order APK (First the framework, then the services, then the store).
• 📋 Version compatibility GMS with your firmware (for example, for MIUI 15 doesn't fit the package from MIUI 12).
• 🔓 Application Permissions (in Settings) → Annexes → Google Play Services must include all permissions).

Method 3: Installation via Mi App Store (alternative method)

If the first two methods didn’t work, you can try installing Play Market through the Mi App Store, a method that is suitable for firmware that has locked the manual installation of APK.

Instructions:

1. Open the Mi App Store (Blue Package Icon).
2. In the search bar, type in Google Play or GMS.
3. If the official Google Play Market app appears in the results, download and install it.
4. After installation, restart your phone and add your Google account to Settings → Accounts.

If there is no Play Market in the Mi App Store, try:

• 🔍 Search for alternative stores like APKMirror or Aptoide (but be careful – only download from trusted sources!).
• 📥 Install Google Installer – a special application for automatic installation GMS Chinese Firmware (Available on the 4PDA).

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Before installing Google Installer, check the reviews for your model version – some builds may contain ads or unnecessary apps.

How to check if the Play Market is working properly?

After installing Google Play Market, make sure it works without errors.

1. Open the app and log in under your Google account.
2. Try downloading a test app (like Google Chrome or YouTube).
3. Check for updates: Open Settings → Apps → Google Play Market → Storage. Click Clear Cache and Clear Data. Restart the app and wait for the updates to download.

If applications do not download or there is an error “Can not download”, the reasons may be as follows:

⚠️ Note: If Xiaomi system applications (such as Theme Store or Security) stop working after installing Play Market, try rolling back the changes via Settings → Annexes → Reset application settings. In extreme cases, you may need to flash the firmware.

What if the Play Market doesn’t work?

If none of these methods worked, the reasons may be deeper:

• 🔒 Locked bootloader. On some Xiaomi models (e.g. Redmi) K60 Xiaomi 13 Ultra for installation GMS You need to unlock the bootloader through the Mi Unlock Tool. This is the official utility, but the process can take up to 7 days (you need to link the Mi Account and wait for confirmation).
• 📉 Outdated firmware. MIUI 12+ may not have enough libraries to run modern GMS. Update the software through Settings → Updating the system.
• 🛠️ Hardware restrictions: Some models in the Chinese market (such as the Xiaomi Civi 3) have iron limits that prevent you from installing Google services, in which case you only have to reflash the phone to the global version.

If you are not sure about your abilities, contact the Xiaomi service center or thematic forums (for example, Xiaomi.EU or 4PDA), where you will find detailed guides for a particular model and firmware version.

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If your Xiaomi doesn’t support Google services at the firmware level, the only reliable way to do this is to stream it to the global version of MIUI via the Mi Flash Tool, which requires unlocking the bootloader and backing up the data.

FAQ: Frequent questions about Play Market on Xiaomi