Xiaomi Mi Cloud: Everything you need to know about Xiaomi’s cloud service

Cloud services have long been an integral part of the smartphone ecosystem, and Xiaomi is no exception. Mi Cloud is a proprietary cloud storage from the company, which is integrated into all the devices of the brand, from the budget Redmi to the flagship Xiaomi 14.

If you've ever lost contacts after a phone reset, couldn't recover photos after a breakdown, or just wanted to have a backup of important data, Mi Cloud solves all of these problems. In this article, we'll look at what Xiaomi Mi Cloud is, how to use it on smartphones and other Xiaomi devices, what rates the service offers in 2026, and how to avoid configuration errors. And also answer the question that many people worry about: how safe is personal data stored in the Xiaomi cloud?

What is Xiaomi Mi Cloud and Why You Need It?

Mi Cloud is a Xiaomi cloud service that allows users to store, sync and back up data between devices, essentially a Google Drive or iCloud, but optimized specifically for the Xiaomi ecosystem, and runs on the Mi Account, a single account that is used across all devices and services of the brand.

The main features of the Mi Cloud:

• 📱 Synchronize contacts, messages, notes and calendar between Xiaomi, Redmi and other smartphones POCO.
• 📷 Automatic backup of photos and videos in original quality (with compression capability).
• 📄 Storage of files of any format: documents, archives, music.
• 🔄 Recovering data after resetting your phone or buying a new device.
• 🔒 Two-factor authentication to protect your account.
• 🌐 Access from any device via a web version or mobile application.

The main advantage of Mi Cloud over third-party clouds is deep integration with firmware MIUI. For example, if you delete a photo on your phone, it will automatically disappear from the cloud (unless the Recycle Bin is enabled), and if you change your smartphone, all settings, apps and data can be restored in a few minutes.

But there are limitations, like the free rate of 5GB of storage, some of which are system backups, and some users complain about the slow download speed of files to the cloud with a weak Internet connection, and we'll talk about this and other nuances later.

How to register in Mi Cloud and log in to your account

To use Mi Cloud, you need Mi Account, a single Xiaomi account, and if you already have a smartphone, you probably created it when you first turned it on, and if you don't, it'll take less than a minute to sign up.

Instructions for registration:

1. Open the Settings. → Mi Account on your smartphone Xiaomi/Redmi/POCO.
2. Click Create an account and enter a valid email or phone number.
3. Create a strong password (at least 8 characters, with numbers and capital letters).
4. Confirm registration via SMS or email.
5. You can now log in to Mi Cloud via an app or web version.

If you have forgotten your password or cannot log in, use the Recovery function:

• 🔑 On the login page, click Forgot the password?
• 📧 Enter the email or phone number associated with your account.
• 📲 Confirm the recovery through SMS backup email.

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If there is a “too many attempts” error, wait. 10-15 Try using another method of confirmation (e.g. email instead of email). SMS).

Sign in to Mi Cloud from different devices:

• 📱 On a smartphone: Settings → Mi Account → Mi Cloud.
• 💻 On PC: Go to i.mi.com and log in to your account.
• 🖥️ Through third-party applications: Some file managers (such as Solid Explorer) support connecting to Mi Cloud as a network drive.

⚠️ Note: If you are selling or transferring your Xiaomi smartphone to another person, be sure to log out of Mi Account in the settings (Settings) → Mi Account → Otherwise, the new owner will be able to access your data in the cloud, including photos and contacts.

Mi Cloud features: what can be stored and synced

Mi Cloud offers a wide range of backup and synchronization features. Let's take a closer look at them.

One of the most useful features is the automatic upload of photos, so you can turn it on.

1. Go to Settings. → Mi Account → Mi Cloud → gallery.
2. Activate the Autoboot switch.
3. Choose quality: Original (takes up more space) or Compressed (saves traffic).
4. Indicate whether to download files only over Wi-Fi or also via mobile Internet.

If you are a photographer or often make videos, note the limitations of:

• 📸 Video in resolution 4K You may not be automatically downloaded (manual download required).
• 🔋 Autoboot severely drains the battery if synchronization over the mobile network is enabled.
• 🗃️ Files deleted from the gallery are sent to the Mi Cloud Recycle Bin and stored there for 30 days.

Tariffs and prices for Mi Cloud storage in 2026

The free Mi Cloud tariff provides 5GB of storage, which for most users is only enough for contacts, notes and some photos, and if you need more space, you can buy one of the paid rates.

Prices may vary slightly depending on the region and the stock. For example, sometimes Xiaomi offers discounts on annual subscriptions (up to 30%).

• 📸 Take lots of high-resolution photos and videos.
• 📱 Change your smartphone frequently and want to keep backups.
• 📄 Work with large files (for example, projects in Figma or video editing).

How to buy additional space:

1. Open Settings → Mi Account → Mi Cloud → Storage Management
2. Click Buy a Place and select the appropriate rate.
3. Pay by credit card, Google Pay or other available means.
4. After payment, the storage volume will increase automatically.

⚠️ Note: If you cancel a paid subscription, your data will not be deleted immediately, but you will not be able to add new files until you vacate space or extend the tariff.You will have 30 days to download important data, after which Xiaomi can delete files that exceed the free tariff limit.

How to set up automatic data synchronization

For Mi Cloud to work efficiently, you need to configure the sync correctly. By default, some functions are disabled, so the data may not be saved.

Step-by-step:

Enable Mi Cloud in your account settings

Select data for synchronization (contacts, gallery, notes)

Set up autoloading photos

Check your Wi-Fi connection (recommended)

Disable background activity restriction for the Mi Cloud app

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Let’s look at each item in more detail:

1. Enable Mi Cloud: Go to Settings → Mi Account → Mi Cloud and activate the master switch. Without that, synchronization won't work.
2. Select data to sync: In the same section (Mi Cloud), select which data to sync: 📇 Contacts - phone book. 💬 Communications — SMS and MMS. 📝 Notes - text notes. 📷 Gallery - photos and videos. ⚙️ Backup – Full backup of the system.

Setup of autoloading photos:

In the Gallery section, turn on Autoboot and select quality. We recommend leaving Original if you have enough space, or Compressed if traffic is limited.

Optimization of work in the background:

To keep syncs running smoothly, turn off the restrictions for the Mi Cloud app:

1. Go to Settings → Applications → Application Management → Mi Cloud.
2. Choose the Battery. → No restrictions.
3. Enable Auto Start and Secondary Windows (if any).

If the synchronization is not working, check:

• 🔌 Internet connection (Wi-Fi or mobile network).
• 🔄 Firmware updates (Settings) → The phone. → Updating the system).
• 📱 Is there enough free space in the cloud.

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To save traffic and battery, set up autoload photos only over Wi-Fi and during the charging period of the phone.

How to Recover Data from Mi Cloud to a New Phone

One of the main features of the Mi Cloud is to quickly transfer data to a new device, which is especially useful when buying a new Xiaomi smartphone or after resetting.

Instructions for remediation:

1. Turn on your new smartphone and go through the initial setup to the Mi Account sign-in screen.
2. Log in to the same account that was used on the old phone.
3. On the Data Recovery screen, select Restore from Mi Cloud.
4. Tick the necessary data (contacts, messages, photos, applications) and click Restore.
5. Wait until it's done. Time depends on the amount of data and the speed of the Internet.

If you have already set up your phone and missed the recovery screen, you can do it later:

1. Go to Settings. → Mi Account → Mi Cloud.
2. Click Recover Data and select backup.
3. Confirm recovery.

What can be restored:

• 📱 Applications - list of installed programs (themselves) APK-Files are downloaded from the Play Market).
• ⚙️ System settings - wallpaper, sounds, screen brightness.
• 📇 Contacts and messages - telephone book and SMS.
• 📷 Photos and videos – if they were uploaded to the cloud.
• 🎮 Game data – progress in some games (if they support synchronization via Mi Account).

⚠️ Note: If you are restoring data to a phone with another firmware (for example, with a MIUI 13 on MIUI 14), some settings may not work properly, in which case it is recommended to manually reconfigure the basic settings after recovery.

Security and privacy in the Mi Cloud

Many users are questioning whether personal data can be trusted by Mi Cloud, and let’s look at how Xiaomi protects information and what risks exist.

Security measures from Xiaomi:

• 🔐 Encryption of data – all files are transferred and stored in encrypted form (protocol) TLS 1.2+).
• 🔑 Two-factor authentication (2FA) — Additional Account Protection through SMS or-app.
• 🛡️ Hacking protection – the system blocks the account after several failed login attempts.
• 📍 Activity control – in the account settings you can see all the devices that were included in the Mi Account, and disable suspicious devices.

How to enable two-factor authentication:

1. Go to account.xiaomi.com and log in to your account.
2. Choose Security → Two-step verification.
3. Follow the instructions: link a phone number or install an authenticator app (e.g. Google Authenticator).
4. Save backup codes in case you lose access to the main confirmation method.

Potential risks:

• 🕵️ Data breaches are theoretically possible, as with any cloud service, and in 2021, some Mi Accounts were reported hacked, but Xiaomi quickly closed the vulnerabilities.
• 📵 Blocking your account – if you forgot your password and didn’t set up 2FA, Restoring access can be difficult (sending document scans to support your access will be required).
• 🌐 Access from other countries – Mi Cloud servers are located in different regions, and some countries (e.g. India) have local data retention laws.

Security enhancement tips:

• 🔑 Use a complex password (at least 12 characters, with numbers and special characters).
• 📱 Enable two-factor authentication.
• 🔄 Regularly check active sessions in your account settings.
• 📂 Do not store confidential documents (passports, bank data) in the cloud without additional encryption.

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If you are afraid of leaking photos, before uploading to Mi Cloud you can archive them in the ZIP You can use file managers like Solid Explorer or ZArchiver to do this.

Frequent Mi Cloud Problems and Solutions

Even a service as convenient as Mi Cloud can crash, and we'll look at the problems and the ways we can solve them.

If the Mi Cloud is not working at all:

1. Check your internet connection (especially if you use it) VPN — Some Xiaomi servers can block traffic due to georestrictions).
2. Update the Mi Cloud app via Play Market or App Gallery.
3. Clear the app cache: Settings → Annexes → Mi Cloud → Warehouse → Clear the cache
4. Restart your phone – sometimes it helps to reset the hung sync processes.
5. If nothing helps, reinstall the Mi Cloud app (download). APK from the official Xiaomi website).

What to do if your account is blocked:

• 📧 Try to restore access through the recovery page.
• 📞 If the recovery doesn’t work, contact Xiaomi support via the official website or chat in the Mi Community app.
• 📄 Prepare scans of documents (passport, check for the purchase of a phone) - they can be requested to confirm the identity.

⚠️ Warning: If you bought a Xiaomi smartphone with your hands, make sure the previous owner logged out of the Mi Account and reset the phone to factory settings.Otherwise, the device may be locked through the Find Device feature, and it will be extremely difficult to unlock it.

FAQ: Answers to Frequent Questions about Xiaomi Mi Cloud