Xiaomi’s “Activate This Device” – What It Is, Why It Appears and How to Fix It

Introduction: Why does Xiaomi ask to activate the device?

You turned on a Xiaomi smartphone, a tablet or a Mi Band smartwatch, and instead of the usual desktop, a message appeared on the screen saying "Activate This Device" (or "in Chinese")? It's not a system failure or a virus. This is how Xiaomi's built-in protection against theft and unauthorized use of devices works. The activation mechanism links the gadget to the Mi Account account, but sometimes it works wrongly - for example, after resetting, updating firmware or buying a used phone.

In this article, we will discuss:

• 🔍 What does the “Activate This Device” message mean and when does it appear.
• 📱 Why Xiaomi is blocking the device even after resetting via Recovery.
• ⚙️ Official and alternative ways to activate (including bypassing the lock if you forget your Mi Account information).
• ⚠️ What happens if you ignore activation – consequences for the functionality of the device.

Important: if you bought Xiaomi with your hands and the seller did not untie your account, it is almost impossible to unlock the phone without its help - this is one of the key differences between Xiaomi's protection from similar systems from Samsung or Apple.

What is Activate This Device and how does it work?

The message “Activate This Device” is part of the Mi Cloud Activation Lock system that Xiaomi implemented in 2016, which aims to prevent stolen or lost devices from being used.

1. When you first turn on or after you reset your settings, the phone requests Mi Account data that was previously associated with the device.
2. If you enter the correct username / password, the gadget is unlocked and associated with a new account (if it is a used device).
3. If the data is entered incorrectly or the account is not untied by the previous owner, access to the system is blocked.

Unlike Google FRP (Dump Protection on Android), Xiaomi locks even without an internet connection — the firmware check is done, making it harder to bypass the lock, but also more secure.

The reason for the message "Activate This Device"

Activation blockages can occur in several scenarios, and the most common are:

• 🔄 Resetting settings through Settings → Reset or Recovery Mode without detachment Mi Account.
• 📦 Buying a used device where the previous owner did not delete his account.
• 🔧 Update of firmware with transition to a new version MIUI (Sometimes it requires re-activation).
• 🛠️ Replacement of motherboard or other critical components (protection against iron substitution works).
• 🌍 Change region in device settings (e.g. from China to Global version).

Especially often, the problem occurs with devices purchased on AliExpress or Taobao – sellers do not always untie accounts correctly, and blocking can occur after an informal firmware (for example, via Fastboot) if it is not compatible with the current Mi Account.

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If you buy a used Xiaomi, be sure to ask the seller to reset the settings right before you and make sure the device doesn’t require activation.

Official ways to activate Xiaomi devices

If you have access to the Mi Account that was linked to the device, it will take no more than 5 minutes to activate. Here are the step-by-step instructions for different scenarios:

1 Activation through the original Mi Account

If you are a device owner and remember your account details:

1. On the lock screen, select Activate This Device (or "" in Chinese).
2. Enter the email or phone attached to your Mi Account.
3. Please provide a password and confirm the login (may be required) SMS-code).
4. If the account is confirmed, the device is unlocked automatically.

2. Activation after purchase of used device

If the seller has not untied his account, ask him:

• 📧 Send you a username and password from your Mi Account (unsafe, but sometimes the only option).
• 🔗 Untie the device via the Mi Account website in the Devices section → Delete.
• 📱 Reset your account (if the seller hasn’t sold the phone yet).

Ask for a login/password to unlock|Contact the seller with the requirement to untie the device|Check the device to lock before buying|Use the official Xiaomi service to unlock (paid)-->

3.Activation through Xiaomi Service Center

If the previous methods did not work, you can contact the official service center.

• 📄 Check or contract of sale (proof of possession).
• 🆔 Passport or other identity document.
• 💳 Payment for the service (unblocking costs from 1000 to 3 000 rubles depending on the model).

Xiaomi service centers in Russia and CIS countries can refuse to unlock if the device was purchased in China or on AliExpress, in which case you will have to contact Chinese support (but this is a long and difficult time without knowing the language).

Unofficial methods of bypassing the lock (at your own risk)

If the official methods do not help, some users resort to non-guarantee methods of bypassing the lock, we do not recommend using them, as this may:

• 🚫 Violate the warranty (if it is still valid).
• 🔒 Permanently locking the device (if something goes wrong).
• 🐞 Failure to operate firmware (for example, camera or mobile network failure).

However, here are the most common methods (only use them if the device doesn’t contain important data):

1.Traffic bypass EDL-mode (Qualcomm chips)

For devices running Qualcomm processors (e.g., Redmi Note 10 Pro, Poco X3), you can try:

1. Transfer the phone to EDL (Emergency Download Mode) mode via a combination of buttons or short circuit of contacts on the board.
2. Connect to your PC and flash a special patch through the Mi Flash Tool.
3. Use utilities like XiaomiTool V2 or QFil to bypass the lock.

2.Use exploits for older versions of MIUI

Some devices with MIUI 10-12 run exploits that allow you to bypass activation through:

• 🔌 ADB-commands (for example, deletion of a file) /data/system/device_policies.xml).
• 📱 Specialist APK (Mi Account Bypass, but they often contain malicious code).
• 🔧 Modified recovery (e.g., modified recovery, TWRP patchy).

On newer versions of MIUI 13/14 and devices with MediaTek chips (e.g. Redmi 10A, Poco M4 Pro), these methods do not work – Xiaomi has closed most vulnerabilities.

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Informal methods of bypassing locks only work on older devices (until 2020 release) and often lead to loss of functionality.

What happens if you don’t activate the device?

If you ignore the message "Activate This Device", the device will remain in limited mode.

In fact, the phone is becoming a “ringer” with limited functionality, and every 24 hours, a reminder of activation will appear, and some models (Redmi Note 9, Mi 10) can completely lock after 72 hours without activation.

⚠️ Attention: On devices with MIUI 14 and later it is impossible even to connect to Wi-Fi without activation - this is an additional measure of protection against bypassing the lock.

How to avoid activation problems in the future?

To avoid blocking Activate This Device, follow these rules:

• 🔗 Always untie your Mi Account before selling or resetting your device: Go to Settings → Accounts. → Mi Account. Select Delete Account and confirm with a password. Reset settings (Settings) → Additionally. → Reset).
• 🛒 Buy used Xiaomi only from trusted sellers who can confirm the untidy account.
• 🔄 Do not update your firmware to unofficial versions unless you are sure it is compatible with your Mi Account.
• 📱 Use one Mi Account for all Xiaomi devices – it will make it easier to manage.