How to disable your country code on Xiaomi: A complete guide with risks and solutions

Region-based tethering on Xiaomi smartphones is often a headache for users who travel, move or buy devices from abroad.The country code defines the services available, languages, pre-installed apps and even frequency bands for the mobile network. For example, a device with firmware for India may not support 4G-Russian operators range, and the European version – to block some Chinese applications.

In this article, we will discuss all the current ways to disable the country code on Xiaomi, Redmi and POCO (including the models of 2023-2026), their pros and cons, as well as hidden risks that are not discussed in forums. It is important to understand that some methods can lead to loss of warranty or unstable device operation - we will honestly warn about each of them.

Why Xiaomi is linking devices to the region

Xiaomi uses regional pegs for several reasons:

• 📡 Compliance with local laws: Some countries (e.g. China) have strict rules about pre-installed apps and services.
• 📶 Network Optimization: Frequency Ranges 4G/5G vary by region – firmware is configured for local operators.
• 💰 Marketing strategy: Prices for the same models can vary by 2-3 times depending on the market.
• 🔒 Tackling grey imports: Manufacturer tries to control sales through informal channels.

In practice, this means that if you bought the Xiaomi 13T in India and brought it to Russia, you will have to buy it.

• ❌ Some apps (such as Mi Pay or GetApps) may not work.
• ❌ Software updates will be delayed or will stop altogether.
• ❌ Possible connectivity issues (especially on the Redmi Note 12 and later).

How to check the current country code on Xiaomi

Before you try to change a region, make sure that it's the region that's the problem. There are two surefire ways to do this.

1. Through MIUI settings: Open Settings → About → All specs. Find Region or Country Code (e.g. IN for India, EU for Europe).
2. Using the engineering menu (works on most models): ##4636## From the menu that opens, select Phone Information and find the Country Code field.

⚠️ Note: If your device shows code CN (China), but you are in a different region, changing the firmware can block access to certain features, such as Mi Cloud or Mi Pay!

Method 1: Change region through MIUI settings (without root)

The safest method, but it doesn’t work on all models and versions of MIUI 12-14, is suitable for devices with global firmware (for example, Redmi Note 11 Pro+ 5G or POCO X5 Pro).

Make a backup copy of the data

Connect to a stable Wi-Fi

Charge your phone at least 50%

Make sure that the MIUI version is not lower than 12.5-->

1. Go to Settings. → Additionally. → Region.
2. Select the country from the list (e.g., Russia or Europe).
3. Confirm the change and restart the device.

If the item Region is not on the menu, try an alternative route:

1. Open Settings → Google → Manage your Google account.
2. Go to Data and Personalization → Advertising Settings.
3. Change the region to the desired one and save the changes.

⚠️ Limitations of method:

• ❌ It doesn't work on Chinese firmware (CN).
• ❌ Can reset some settings (e.g. date/time format).
• ❌ Does not affect pre-installed apps (e.g. Mi Browser for India will remain in the same place).

💡

If you have lost any software updates after changing your region, try manually checking them through Settings → About Phone → System Update. Sometimes Xiaomi servers update information about the region with a delay of up to 24 hours.

Method 2: Install global firmware via Mi Flash Tool (for advanced)

This method works if you're ready for a complete flashing of the device. It solves the country code problem radically, but requires unlocking the bootloader and can lead to data loss. It works on most models, including the Xiaomi 12T, Redmi K50 and POCO F4.

What you need:

• 🖥️ Windows computer 10/11.
• 🔌 Cable USB (preferably original......>
• 📥 Global firmware ROM For your model (download only from the official Xiaomi website).
• 🔓 Unlocked boot loader (instruction below).

Step-by-step:

1. Unlock the bootloader: Apply for unlocking through the official Xiaomi tool (Mi Account is required). Connect your phone in Fastboot mode (clutch Volume Down + Power When the device is off). Follow the instructions of the Mi Unlock Tool program (it may require a wait of 7-15 days).
2. Install firmware: Download and install the Mi Flash Tool. Unpack the firmware archive into a folder without Cyrillic characters. Connect your phone in Fastboot mode and select the firmware folder in Mi Flash Tool. Press Refresh, then Flash (select Clean all option for clean installation).

⚠️ Note: After the update to Global ROM The warranty is cancelled.In addition, on some models (for example, Xiaomi). 12S Ultra may stop working on Ultra Wideband (UWB) or other exclusive functions.

Method 3: Use ADB-Teams (for experienced users)

If unlocking the bootloader seems too risky, try re-engineering the region through the Android Debug Bridge (ADB), a method that does not require root rights, but does not work on all versions of MIUI.

What you need:

• 🖥️ Computer with installed ADB-driver.
• 🔌 Included debugging by USB on the phone (Settings) → The phone. → Version. MIUI — Press 7 times, then Settings → Additionally. → For developers → Debugging by USB).
• 📄 List of teams for your region (see below).

Instructions:

1. Connect the phone to the PC and allow debugging.
2. Open the command line (Windows) or the terminal (Mac/Linux) in the adb folder.
3. Enter the commands in turn: adb shell settings put global region EU # For Europe (replace with the required code: IN, CN, RU etc.) settings put secure user_setup_complete 1 reboot

Region codes for ADB:

• 🇪🇺 Europe: EU
• 🇷🇺 Russia: RU
• 🇮🇳 India: IN
• 🇨🇳 China: CN
• 🇺🇸 Global (US/International): US or Global

⚠️ Note: On some devices (e.g. Redmi) K40 s MIUI (13) after the change of region through ADB Maybe he'll stop working. NFC Or you'll see an error in Google services, and then you'll only need to reset to factory settings.

💡

ADB-The method is the safest after the change through the settings, but it doesn't work on all firmware. If the region hasn't changed since the reboot, then your version is the same. MIUI block such changes.

Method 4: Change the region through build.prop editor (requires root)

For root-right users (e.g., Magisk) there is a way to change the region by editing the build.prop system file. This method is risky, but sometimes works where others are powerless.

Step-by-step:

1. Install any file manager that supports root (such as Root Explorer or Solid Explorer).
2. Go to /system/build.prop.
3. Find ro.miui.region and change the value to the desired code (e.g. ro.miui.region=EU).
4. Save the file, restart the device.

Additional lines for editing (if any):

• ro.product.locale.region=EU
• persist.sys.locale=eu-EU
• ro.com.google.clientidbase=android-xiaomi-rev1 (for global services)

⚠️ Important: Incorrect editing of build.prop can lead to bootloop ( looped reboot!

💡

If the phone stopped booting after building.prop editing, boot to TWRP Recovery and restore the original file from the backup.

Method 5: Use of third-party applications (at your own risk)

Google Play and third-party stores like APKMirror have apps that promise to change regions without root, and we've tested a few of them, and the results are mixed.

❌ We do not recommend using applications that:

• You need to disable Mi Cloud or Find Device.
• They ask for superuser rights but do not have open source.
• They promise 100% results without unlocking the bootloader.

⚠️ Attention: Region Changer for Xiaomi app from developer TechBigs was caught distributing adware in 2023!

What do you do if nothing works?

If none of these methods worked, you have three options:

1. Contact the Xiaomi Service Center: ✅ Official solution, but not always possible (for example, for devices from China). ❌ Payment may be required (from 1,500 to 5,000) ₽).
2. Buy a device with the right region: ✅ Safe and risk-free. ❌ Expensive (the difference in price can reach 30-50%).
3. Use workarounds: Install Google Play manually on Chinese firmware. Use VPN to bypass regional restrictions in apps. Disable MIUI updates via ADB: adb shell pm disable-user com.android.updater

If your device doesn’t support region change (e.g., Xiaomi Mix Fold 2 with China firmware), the only way out is to sell it and buy a global firmware model. In 2026, Xiaomi tightened its policy on region change, so on new devices (e.g., Xiaomi 14 or Redmi Note 13 Pro+), most methods may not work.

FAQ: Frequent questions about the country code on Xiaomi