Owning a Xiaomi or Redmi smartphone involves using the Mi Cloud cloud service to synchronize data and search for a device. However, there are often situations when you need to completely untie your account before selling a gadget or simply change your main mailbox. Just logging out is not enough, since theft protection can remain active even after formatting memory.
Mi Account detachment requires care, especially if you plan to reflash your device or transfer it to another user. MIUI and HyperOS security have mechanisms that block the activation of someone else's account on the "contaminated" device. To avoid blocking activation (Activation Lock), you need to follow the steps described below.
Why you need a full account detachment
Many users underestimate the importance of removing the anchor, believing that a simple exit from the settings menu is enough. IMEI-If you just reset the settings to the factory without first decoupling, the new owner will encounter a lock screen that requires you to enter your password.
This is done to protect against theft, but it creates problems when you sell it legally, and it also requires you to change your region of use or move to another ecosystem, and in some cases, without this step, you can't install custom firmware or get root rights.
Ignoring this stage turns the smartphone into a “brick” for the new owner, so the procedure for deleting the account is a critical part of preparing the gadget for transfer to third parties.
- 🔒 Complete removal of Find Device protection for new user activation.
- 📱 Preventing synchronization of personal data (photos, contacts) to the device after its reset.
- 🛠 Ensuring correct operation during reflashing or changing the region.
⚠️ Note: If you sell a phone without untieing it, the buyer will not be able to use it, and you risk receiving negative feedback or refund demands.
Checking the protection status before discharge
Before you start taking any drastic measures, you need to check the current status of the anchor. Go to Settings → Mi Account. If your email is displayed, then the device is actively associated with the server. Having a Foundo status or active search function indicates that protection is enabled.
It's also worth checking if Two-Factor Authentication is enabled, which will make it harder to restore access if something goes wrong.
It's important to understand the difference between locally logging out and deleting a device from a trusted list. Even after you log off the menu on your phone, the device can still be active in the cloud, so checking through your browser on your computer is not superfluous.
☑️ Pre-deletion check
Standard procedure for exiting through settings
The safest and most appropriate way to disable an account is to use the system's regular menu, which ensures that the server receives an IMEI detachment signal and removes the activation lock. First, open the Settings app on your Redmi.
At the top of the screen, click on the line with your Mi Account name. The profile management menu will open. At the bottom of the list, the exit button will be displayed. When you click, the system can request confirmation of a password or code from an SMS for security.
Once you input the data, the system will turn off the sync and remove the binding, the screen will become empty, which indicates that the operation has been successfully completed, and you can now safely perform a data reset.
- 📲 Open the Settings. → Mi Account on the top menu.
- 🔽 Scroll down and press the exit button.
- 🔑 Enter the account password or confirmation code from SMS.
- ✅ Wait for the message of successful exit and disappearance of the profile name.
If the system says that the output is impossible due to the enabled search function, move to the next section of the instructions. This is a common situation that requires an additional step.
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Before leaving, make sure that the phone is connected to stable Wi-Fi so that the status on the server is updated instantly.
Disable the "Find device" function
Find Device is the main obstacle when trying to exit. While it is active, the system blocks deleting the account so that an attacker can not steal the phone and reset it. To turn off protection, go to Settings → Mi Account → Find the device.
Switch the slider to off. The system will require you to enter the password from your Xiaomi account again. This is the final security barrier. Once you successfully enter the function, the function will be deactivated, and the path to complete deletion of the profile will be free.
Sometimes the switch doesn't respond or it gives a network error, so try switching flight mode or switching from Wi-Fi to mobile Internet, and a stable connection is critical to sending commands to the server.
⚠️ Note: Do not try to disable Find Device through the Developer Menu or ADB-commands without prior exit in settings - this can lead to software blocking (Soft Brick).
Delete the device via the web interface
If your phone is unavailable, broken, or you have already sold it without untieing it, use your computer. Go to i.mi.com and log in to your login. From the menu, select Find Device.
At the top of the screen, select a specific model of your Redmi from the list of attached gadgets. From the action menu, select the option "Remove device". Confirm the action by entering a password.
This command will force the connection between the server and the hardware IMEI to be severed, and then even the phone that is dropped won't require you to enter the old password when it's turned on, and that's the only way to solve the problem remotely.
| Action. | Where it's done | Requires access to the phone | The result |
|---|---|---|---|
| Getting out of the settings | Smartphone menu | Yes. | Complete decoupling and cleaning |
| Deletion through the site | Browser (i.mi.com) | No. | Removal of activation lock |
| Resetting without exit | Recovery Mode | No. | Blocking activation (error) |
What to do if you forget your account password
When you lose your password and you need to log out, it's common. Don't rush to bring your phone to the service. Xiaomi's official website allows you to restore access. Click "Forgot password" on the login screen.
You'll need access to a linked phone number or backup email, and if the SIM card number that your account was registered to is also lost, it's complicated, and you'll have to go to customer service with your purchase checks.
Proof of purchase (check, IMEI box) is the only way to prove ownership of the device, and without it, support staff are not allowed to unblock the device.
- 🌐 Go to account.xiaomi.com.
- 🔑 Click "Forgot your password" and follow the instructions.
- 📞 Get the confirmation code through SMS or e-mail.
- 📝 Keep your new password in a safe place.
After password recovery, immediately follow the standard exit procedure through the phone settings described above.
What to do if there is no check and SIM card?
Frequent mistakes and ways to solve them
Users often experience technical failures during the unconnection process, such as “Unconnected” errors that can occur even when the Internet is running, due to the blocking of Xiaomi servers in some regions.
In such cases, the change helps. DNS-Addresses in the Wi-Fi settings on 8.8.8.8 or using another carrier's mobile internet, and the problem may lie in the wrong date and time on the device.
Check that the date is automatic, and time-dissynchronization causes security certificates to fail, and the server rejects the request to log out.
⚠️ Note: Using third-party "unlock" software (Mi Unlocker and similar) can result in a full lock on the motherboard.
If nothing works, try creating a new Wi-Fi hotspot from another phone and connecting to it. IP-Addresses help break down network deadlock.
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The main rule: Always log out of your Mi Account through the settings BEFORE resetting to the factory settings (Hard Reset).