How to change your account on Xiaomi phone: instructions with nuances

Changing an account on Xiaomi smartphones is a procedure that every second user of the brand faces. The reasons are different: selling a phone, switching to a new Mi Account, login problems or simply wanting to use another email. But if on most Android devices it takes a couple of clicks, on Xiaomi the process is complicated by binding to Find Device, synchronization with the cloud and the risk of automatic locking if you delete your account incorrectly.

In this article, we will discuss all the ways to change an account, from standard deletion through settings to bypassing the lock if the previous owner has forgotten the data, and pay special attention to the nuances that the manufacturer does not say: Why, after resetting to factory settings, the phone may require the old password, how to untie the device from the Mi Cloud, and what to do if the system gives an error "This device is tied to another account." POCO base MIUI 12–14.

Why you can’t just delete your account through settings

Many users try to change their account through Settings → Accounts → Mi Account → Delete the account, but face errors.

• 🔒 Find Device is a feature similar to Find My iPhone. If it is active, the phone will be locked after deleting the account.
• ☁️ Mi Cloud is a cloud storage system that syncs contacts, photos and notes, and when you delete your account, your data can be lost.
• 📱 Activation lock – protection against theft, which works when resetting settings without detachment of the account.

If you just delete your account through the menu, you risk that after you reboot your phone will require you to enter your old Mi Account, even if you have already added a new one, because MIUI retains its device binding in Xiaomi’s server logs.

⚠️ Note: If you buy a used Xiaomi phone, be sure to check whether it is untied from the previous account. Otherwise, after resetting the device will turn into a “brick” with the requirement to enter someone else’s login and password.

Preparing for a change in account: what to do before deleting

Before you delete your old account, follow these steps to avoid being blocked:

Turn off the “Find Device” function in the security settings|Sync important data with Google or locally|Make sure your phone is connected to Wi-Fi or mobile network|Remember (or take a picture) the current lock screen settings|Check if the phone is tied to the company MDM-profile-->

The most critical item is to disable Find Device.

1. Go to Settings. → PapaSSWORD & SECURITY → Find Device.
2. Turn off the slider (you will need to enter the password from Mi Account).
3. Confirm the action in the pop-up window.

If you skip this item, after deleting your account, the phone will lock with the message "This device is tied to your Xiaomi account. Enter the unlock data." It will not be possible to unlock it without the data of the old account.

Never changed |1 times a year |When selling a phone | More than once every six months-->

Method 1: Standard Account Deletion through Settings

If your phone is not locked and you know your current Mi Account, follow this instruction:

1. Open the Settings. → Accounts. → Mi Account.
2. Slap the gear icon (⚙️) top-right.
3. Select Delete Account.
4. Enter the password from your current account and confirm the deletion.
5. Reboot the phone.

After the reboot:

1. Back to Settings → Accounts.
2. Click Add Add Account → Mi Account.
3. Enter your new account (or create it directly on your phone).

⚠️ Note: If after deleting the account, the phone requires re-entering the password when adding a new one, this means that the device has not been completely de-linked. In this case, only a complete reset will help (see Method 3).

Method 2: Change your account through resetting (if your password is forgotten)

If you do not remember the data of the old account, but the phone is not blocked, you can perform a soft reset:

1. Go to Settings → About the phone → Reset settings.
2. Select Reset All Settings (not to be confused with Remove All Data!).
3. Confirm the action. The phone will reboot.

After discharge:

• 📱 Phone will return to factory settings, but the files will remain in memory.
• 🔑 Mi Account References Will Be Deactivated (If Find Device Has Been Deactivated!).
• ⚠️ If Find Device is active, the phone will be locked.

If the soft reset does not help, you will have to do a full reset via Recovery Mode:

1. Turn off the phone.
2. Press the Power button + Volume up until the Mi logo appears.
3. From the Recovery menu, select Wipe Data → Wipe All Data.
4. Confirm the action and wait for the completion.

Method 3: Bypassing Mi Account lock (if the phone is locked)

If the phone needs to enter the old account information after resetting, it means that the Mi Account Lock has been activated, in which case there are two official ways to unlock:

• 🔑 Enter the correct data – if you know the login and password of the old account.
• 📧 Call for Xiaomi support – if the phone is purchased used and the previous owner is ready to confirm the release.

Unofficial methods (at your own risk):

💡

If your phone is locked after being reset, try connecting to the same Wi-Fi network it was connected to before the reset, sometimes bypassing account verification during the setup phase.

1. Method EDL-mode (power users only): 1. Install the Qualcomm driver and Mi Flash program. 2. Put your phone in mode EDL (Testpoints or adb commands. 3. Swipe your phone with the official firmware and your account check disabled. Risk: wrong actions can turn your phone into a brick".
2. Use service codes (not working on all models): Enter the dial number: ##3646633## Go to the Engineer Mode → Account → Remove Account menu. Note: newer versions of MIUI often block this method.

⚠️ Warning: Buying "unlock" services online is fraught with fraud. Many sites offer "delete Mi Account in 5 minutes" for a fee, but after payment, simply send a reset instruction via Recovery, which does not work with the activation lock.

How to add a new account after deleting an old one

After successfully deleting your old account, add a new one:

1. Open Settings → Accounts → Add an account → Mi Account.
2. Choose to create an account (if not) or Sign in.
3. Fill in the data: 📧 Email or phone number (for some regions only number). 🔐 Password (minimum 8 characters, with a capital letter and a number). 📱 Confirmation of SMS email.

Link your account to your phone by following the prompts.

After adding the account:

• 🔄 Enable sync with Mi Cloud (if necessary).
• 🔒 Activate Find Device to protect against theft.
• 📲 Set up backup in Settings → Additionally. → Backup.

💡

Never use the same Mi Account on multiple devices at the same time, which can lead to sync conflict and locking Find Device features.

Frequent Mistakes and How to Avoid Them

When changing an account, users often face typical problems:

Another common mistake is deleting your account without backing up, and if you don't sync your contacts, photos or notes to Google or locally, they'll be lost after reset.

• 📱 Use the settings. → Google → Backup for synchronization with Google account.
• 💾 Copy important files to your computer or external drive.
• ☁️ Enable backup in Mi Cloud (but remember it’s tied to your account).

FAQ: Answers to popular questions